{"id":1439,"date":"2022-08-12T13:38:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-12T13:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thefreemancompany.com\/sparks\/articles\/sparklers-summer-pride-panel\/"},"modified":"2026-05-26T15:38:34","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T15:38:34","slug":"sparklers-summer-pride-panel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefreemancompany.com\/sparks\/articles\/sparklers-summer-pride-panel\/","title":{"rendered":"Sparklers Host a Summer Pride Panel"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Sparklers, a dynamic employee resource group (ERG) at Sparks for the LGBTQIA+ community, hosted a virtual Summer Pride Panel on July 26th with special guests from the travel\/tech, retail and healthcare industries. Former Sparks employee Nicole Michalik\u2014now a radio personality in Philadelphia\u2014 acted as both emcee and moderator for the panel discussion, submitting questions from Sparkies and keeping the conversation fun and lively. <\/p>\n

Speakers included Amon Versteeg, Senior Director of Business Marketing at Booking.com; David Gould, Operations Manager at West Elm; and Laura Longwell, Graphic Designer at McKesson. The speakers shared stories and experiences, both personal and professional, in an hour-long interactive discussion that drew participants from Sparks offices around the country. <\/p>\n

The discussion was centered around the importance of keeping the ERG\u2019s narrative moving forward and how each company represented supports the LGBTQIA+ community in ways that extend beyond pride month. Doug Edelson, Executive Producer at Sparks, produced the event and says he finds the Sparklers\u2019 panel discussions to be very worthwhile. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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– Doug Edelson, Executive Producer at Sparks<\/div>\n<\/figcaption>
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I learn so much from these events. Listening to the stories of other people\u2019s experiences widens my perspective and changes conversations that I have going forward. These are opportunities for me to become more personally informed and to help cultivate environments that keep these conversations going.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\u201c<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n

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Sparks seeks to maintain a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourages all employees to bring their full selves to work. The Sparklers host events year-round to empower conversations, camaraderie, networking and community building. For more information about the Sparklers, please contact sparklers@wearesparks.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Sparklers, a dynamic employee resource group (ERG) at Sparks for the LGBTQIA+ community, hosted a virtual Summer Pride Panel on July 26th with special guests from the travel\/tech, retail and healthcare industries. 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