Pride@Five9 Commemorates Harvey Milk Day

Here at Five9, inclusivity is something that we hold very close to our hearts. It’s one of our corporate values and it’s part of the foundation of our Pride@Five9 LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG). If you speak to anyone at Five9, they’ll tell you about our great company culture (just check out GlassDoor and see). It’s because of ERGs like Pride@Five9 that our culture is so unique; bringing inclusivity to the forefront of our work lives and ensuring Five9 is a safe place to work. It’s why we’re proud to be here!

As we approach the month of June and celebrate Pride Month for our LGBTQ+ colleagues, partners, and customers, we're kicking it off by commemorating Harvey Milk, a Bay Area superhero, activist, and icon in the queer community and beyond.

Saturday, May 22, marks Harvey Milk’s birthday and has been officially dubbed "Harvey Milk Day" in California. But we believe his name and legacy should be recognized globally for the work he did to ensure LGBTQ+ folks have been able to achieve some of the rights they have today. Harvey Milk was the first openly gay politician, and he believed in safe and strong communities for all, regardless of sexual orientation, race, or abilities. His advocacy has inspired millions. His efforts to ensure safe workspaces for LGBTQ+ people in education in the late 1970s have created momentum in legislation for LGBTQ+ rights since.

Like Harvey, the folks at Five9 and in the Pride@Five9 ERG believe in a future where people are free to live as their most authentic selves—free of discrimination or hate. We take our corporate values seriously and we know that valuing and upholding a safe, diverse space not only makes us a better company, but it helps each of us—allies and LGBTQ+ members alike—be our most authentic selves, too. We understand that we are better for it in the end—we are happier, hopeful of change, and proud.

Harvey said that without hope, “the us’s” would simply give up. The Five9 “us’s” are proud of our beliefs in hoping for a better future and workspace for all. We hope Harvey would be proud of us, too.

Check out the link to donate or learn more about The Harvey Milk Foundation.

-Jess Shea & Colby Clark