June is fast approaching, and in turn, so is Pride Month – an important time to celebrate LGBTQ+ identities, honour significant milestones within the community, and recommit to the work still necessary to drive forward change.
For organisations, it’s also an opportunity to listen, learn, and demonstrate that inclusion isn’t a seasonal gesture, but a year-round value. Few things bring that opportunity to life quite like hearing from someone whose story is both resonant and relevant.
I sat down with Oliver Costello, an Account Manager at JLA, to discuss the role speaking engagements play during Pride Month, the keynote speakers who have inspired him, and what companies should keep in mind when putting on events this year.
Are there any LGBTQ+ keynote speakers you’ve been inspired by whilst working at JLA?
The first event I ever booked was actually a Pride Month event. It was for a med-tech company, which has obvious relevance to this year’s theme, and the speaker was CNN Anchor & Correspondent Ben Hunte. His story is incredibly inspirational, exploring how authenticity unlocks doors for both personal and professional development, with reference to his own career. Many of the anecdotes he draws on in his talks, the experiences that were the making of him, have stuck with me to this day, all these years later.
Another brilliant speaker to mention here is Nigel Owens. Nigel is the only openly gay official in rugby, and something of a renowned figure in the sports community. Like Ben, he speaks powerfully about his career, and central to his talks is a strong underlying message: keeping back large parts of yourself and your identity can be limiting on many levels, and being true to who you are widens the scope for success. He embodies a big part of what Pride events are truly about – the importance and positive consequence of embracing everything about yourself. This sentiment isn’t just meaningful on an individual level; it’s a critical concept for companies to understand, too. Though it may be difficult to tangibly measure, fulfilled, confident and self-realised employees will inevitably perform better at work.
Why are diversity and inclusion speakers an important part of Pride Month events?
Speaking engagements are incredibly important – however, crucially, they cannot be the only thing a company arranges if they want to approach Pride authentically.
The same principle is true for International Women’s Day and Black History Month. An excellent external speaker can drive audience engagement, but your overarching event and a speaker’s role within it should ultimately showcase what your company is contributing to the cause across the rest of the year, or indicate the start of something bigger.
In turn, as an opportunity to create real buy-in for lasting change, speakers can link your event’s message to real-life experiences and connect directly with its purpose. A successful speaking engagement will leave your audience with a different mindset, a change which resonates for days, months and even years after they’ve left the stage.
We’re seeing increased interest in speakers who don’t just disappear after the event – those who check back in, stay in contact, and act as more of an ongoing consultative presence, rather than offering a one-off perspective. For organisations looking to make a concrete difference, this opportunity to check back in and reinspire can be an effective way to prevent initiatives from becoming stagnant, and to keep progress on track.
This year’s Pride Month theme is Science and Innovation. How is this theme meaningful in a speaking context?
This year’s theme is all about advocating for better diversity within STEM fields, and a key way to do that is through visibility. To have a public figure speak at your organisation, and say “I’m a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and I’m also a doctor, or an engineer, or work in STEM” is absolutely invaluable. That representation matters.
It’s also worth recognising that this is the year for Science and Innovation companies to shine on the event front, and make the most of a theme that really chimes with them. If you work within this space, do make sure to take this chance and showcase how you’re driving change within your field.
What is the most important thing for companies to remember when arranging their Pride events this year?
As I’ve emphasised, Pride speakers are a brilliant way to spread awareness and spark thought within an organisation, but they are best received when playing into overarching development initiatives. Speaking engagements work best either as an advertisement for what you’re already doing, or as a launchpad – a moment to say, “let’s all get on board.” What matters most is that the momentum doesn’t fizzle out. To ensure this, you’re going to want a speaker whose delivery and message persists after the curtains close – and that’s where JLA and our roster of LGBTQ+ conference and keynote speakers can help.
If you would like more information on these or any other speakers, or would like to discuss the requirements for your own Pride Month event more generally, please contact your JLA Agent or call 020 7907 2800.