Leaders in Community: Rooted in Resilience, Fueled by Pride 

This B The Change series features articles by B Corp Network leaders who will explore how identity and its many intersections, coupled with their Network leadership roles, affect the growth, diversity, and sustainability of the B Corp movement. This month’s contributors are members of the B Proud Network, a powerful community of B Corps who discuss issues related to equity, inclusion, and diversity, discriminatory legislation, pink-washing, activism, workplace discrimination, partnerships, and other topics related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersectionality.

Pride didn’t begin as a parade—it began as a protest. In 1969, it was bricks thrown and voices raised, led in part by Black and brown trans women like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, demanding dignity and liberation at Stonewall. That spirit of resistance lives on today—in every 

act of queer joy, in every workplace where we show up as our full selves, and in every community that refuses to let hate define us. 

At B Proud—the network of LGBTQ+ leaders, workers, and allies in the B Corp movement—we carry that legacy forward. We know that in a time when our identities are being politicized and legislated, simply being who we are can feel radical. But our lives are not talking points. We are colleagues, caregivers, creators, community members. We are human—and we deserve to belong. 

The Power of Expression and Belonging 

Pride Month is more than a celebration—it’s a reminder of what’s possible when people are free to fully express themselves. There is deep power in being seen, in loving and being loved without shame. There is joy in knowing your workplace welcomes you, not just tolerates you. And there is impact in showing others—especially young people—that they are not alone. 

The B Proud Network is a space where LGBTQ+ folks in the B Corp community can gather, breathe, strategize, and laugh. We share knowledge, advocate for inclusive policies, and hold space for both the heartbreak and the hope. We believe in the power of queer leadership, and we fight for a future where everyone—no matter their gender or who they love—can thrive. 

An Invitation to Act 

To our fellow B Corps: Pride is not a marketing campaign. It’s a call to action. How will your business show up when the rainbow flags come down? How will you make your workplace safer, your policies more inclusive, your leadership more representative? How will you stand in solidarity—not just in June, but all year long? 

Pride is protest, and Pride is possibility. It’s an act of love. Of resilience. Of building a world where everyone belongs. This month, and every month, we invite you to join us in that work. 

In solidarity, 

The B Proud Network