In honor of Pride Month, Verizon is launching a series of initiatives across all company-owned brands and channels to celebrate the LGBTQ community.
From partnerships with LGBTQ organizations PFLAG National and Christopher Street West, to creative campaigns that prove love calls back, and employee engagement at 19 Pride festivals across the country, Verizon is demonstrating that we’re stronger when we’re connected — and we’re all connected by Pride.
Verizon Media will launch content across HuffPost, RYOT, Yahoo News and more, that build upon ongoing efforts to champion compelling content that gives a platform to the important issues of our time and showcases the perspectives of diverse voices within the LGBTQ community. The content will not only elevate extraordinary LGBTQ trailblazers, but share their stories through global reach, technology and innovative storytelling across Verizon Media’s portfolio.
PFLAG National Partnership:
Verizon is continuing its partnership with PFLAG National, the nation’s first and largest organization uniting LGBTQ people with parents and families, and allies. With PFLAG’s three pillars of support, education and advocacy, Verizon is donating $250k to build programs like Chapter Network support and online education initiatives to help families and their LGBTQ loved ones in need of support.
These initiatives will strengthen and support families by supporting them on their journeys toward full affirmation of their LGBTQ children. This partnership is an investment in equality and a unique opportunity to help make the world a more inclusive, safe, and better place for millions of LGBTQ people, and their families and allies.
This is the second year that Verizon has partnered with PFLAG National. Last year’s donation to the organization resulted in 16 new chapters across 12 states, a more than 14% increase over the year prior.
Creative Campaign:
Verizon always wants the important calls to go well, but sometimes they don’t go as planned. With help from PFLAG National, four families show that there can be a second chance and love always calls back. The campaign is directed by Lee Hirsch who directed the award-winning documentary, Bully.
“Love Calls Back” can be seen at connectedbypride.com
Nationwide Presence at Pride Festivals and Stores:
Employee Engagement: Locally, Verizon employees are more engaged than ever with participation in 19 Pride festivals around the country including Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Nashville, New York and many more.
LA Pride: Verizon recently announced a partnership with Christopher Street West, a non-profit that produces the LA Pride Festival and Parade as the event’s inaugural title sponsor. The two-year partnership enables both Verizon and LA Pride to begin planning a celebration to commemorate Pride50, the upcoming global 50-year anniversary of the first Pride, which was held in Los Angeles in 1970. As part of the title sponsorship, Verizon’s donation will help Christopher Street West’s efforts to build a diverse, inclusive, and celebratory environment for the entire Southland community marking the largest contribution LA Pride has ever received. HuffPost will serve as the official media partner at LA Pride’s Festival and Parade.
Nationwide Debut of 5B Documentary: After a successful international debut at the Cannes Film Festival, Verizon Media and RYOT will hold the U.S. premiere of their feature length documentary 5B at the LA Pride Festival on June 7. 5B shares the inspirational story of everyday heroes who comforted, protected and cared for the patients of the first HIV/AIDS ward unit in the United States at San Francisco General Hospital. The nationwide theatrical release will follow on June 14 and the film will receive additional support across Verizon Media’s ecosystem throughout its run.
Interactive Photo Opportunity: HuffPost x RYOT Activation: Throughout the LA Pride Festival, HuffPost will feature a large, colorful and interactive LED step & repeat photo op, powered by RYOT, which is inspired by the pride and strength to break the mold of the LGBTQ community through the art of dance.
Retail Stores: Across the country, all Verizon owned and operated retail stores, will activate digital screens celebrating messages of Pride and how Verizon is supporting the LGBTQ+ community this year.
Verizon Up: Verizon Up members will have the chance to secure GA and VIP experiences at LA Pride.
Verizon Media Editorial Programming:
HuffPost Launches “Proud Out Loud” Series: HuffPost’s “Proud Out Loud” editorial series will debut on June 5 in the US and then roll out globally, featuring vivid profiles that highlight the next generation of LGBTQ leaders and trailblazers. Capitalizing on HuffPost’s global presence and commitment to covering issues that matter to the world through its international news rooms, HuffPost will showcase a diverse set of queer voices around the world, publishing 12 international profiles throughout the month in Canada, the U.K., Brazil, South Korea and other international editions. Additionally, HuffPost US will publish 13 profiles and three unique videos domestically. These build on on HuffPost’s distinguished track record of covering the LGBTQ community day-in day-out, from hard-hitting political stories on the struggle for LGBTQ rights to intimate Personal essays that showcase unique queer voices.
RYOT & HuffPost Join for “Stonewall 50” AR Experience: On June 13, in partnership with HuffPost, Verizon Media’s award-winning immersive content studio RYOT will publish an augmented reality (AR) feature that will give readers a detailed look at the Stonewall riots. To commemorate Stonewall’s 50th anniversary, the AR feature puts readers to the front of the historic Stonewall Inn, offering an interactive user experience through three distinct points of view: from a police officer, from a patron and from a journalist – all three being present at the actual uprising.
Yahoo Lifestyle Premieres “Stonewall 50” Content: Yahoo Lifestyle’s “Stonewall 50” content will begin to roll out on June 5, with a deep-dive feature on the role of transwomen of color in the LGBTQ rights movement. Additional Lifestyle and Yahoo Entertainment features and profiles on the transgender community will be published throughout the month, with profiles on LGBTQ leaders, summer movies and news coming out of LA Pride.
BUILD Series Kicks Off Daily Pride Content: The BUILD Series will celebrate Pride throughout June, kicking off with a special “BUILD Brunch” Pride episode on June 3. For the rest of the month, the series will continue with daily video and social moments from BUILD celebrity guests and influencers. Special June bookings will cater to the conversation of diversity and inclusion, welcoming guests such as Our Lady J, RuPaul, and Stonewall Opera, as well as the brand new weekly talk show, “The X Change Rate,” hosted by “Drag Race” star Monet X Change.
Yahoo News Shares Specialized Coverage: To spread awareness of important issues within the LGBTQ community and beyond, Yahoo News will publish an array of articles and videos from following asylum seekers to their first ever Pride March, to videos highlighting the challenges LGBTQ immigrants face while trying to enter the U.S. at the southern border.
Yahoo and AOL will feature Pride-themed logo takeovers that direct users to a content experience featuring LGBTQ trailblazers all month long. Yahoo and AOL homepages and apps will feature and curate the most important and engaging stories about LGBTQ issues and the community, highlighting the best from the Verizon Media ecosystem and our premium partners.
In The Know Network will celebrate pride month on June 21 by launching a special cross-platform mini-series showcasing the off-stage lives of some of America’s most talented drag queens. This intimate series gives users a behind-the-scenes opportunity to meet the people behind our favorite drag talent.
Webcast
On Wednesday, June 12 at 3:00 p.m. ET, Verizon will be celebrating Pride Month at an all-employee webcast, live from Basking Ridge, NJ.
The agenda includes:
Craig Silliman, executive vice president, public policy and general counsel and GLOBE sponsor, will talk about Verizon’s commitment to inclusion.
CMO, Diego Scotti to discuss the new marketing campaign.
Engaging discussions about coming out, challenges faced, the importance of feeling included and bringing your whole self to work.
A fireside chat with Brian K. Bond, Executive Director of PFLAG National.
The event will be livestreamed on Twitter and Facebook on @VZUpToSpeed and @HuffPost.
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