Celebrating nCino's Employee Resource Groups: nPride
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In this series, we’ll showcase our six Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). To celebrate Pride Month, we’re highlighting nPride, our ERG for all our LGBTQ2IA+ identifying colleagues.
nCino’s employee resource groups (ERGs) are organic and employee-led, with a focus on building connection and belonging among employees and providing resources to the broader nCino community. Recruiting diverse talent, professional and leadership development, mentoring and community outreach are also core purposes of the groups. Each ERG includes executive sponsorship and a connection to the Diversity and Inclusion Council.
In this series, we’re excited to offer a deeper dive into the members and goals of each ERG. In celebration of Pride Month, we’re highlighting nPride.
About nPride
nPride was founded in 2019 by technical writer Katie Jones, first as a Slack channel for employees to connect with LGTBQ2IA+ identifying colleagues. Two years later, nPride became an official nCino ERG, aiming to provide support to LGBTQ2IA+ identifying employees and educational opportunities for allies, which serve also as conversation starters on the importance of living their identities openly. This freedom impacts not only our employees, but the success of our company as well. The group creates avenues for employees across the company who might not interact with one another in a workday to form friendships with shared identity as a starting point. The group is led by Matt Lukens, Jason Thomas, Kyle Metzger, and Bradley Huskins.
"Anytime you join a new company as an LGBTQ2IA+ individual,” says Kyle Metzger, Mid-Market Account Executive, “there is always that thought in the back of your head of 'can I be the real me here?' My goal is to make sure that thought disappears on someone’s first day at nCino."
"nPride has one of the largest (and fastest growing) memberships across all our ERGs," Kyle continues, "and even includes members from our global offices who all share the same message: you are welcomed here.”
nPride kicked off Pride month by offering supplies for employees to decorate their cubicles to show off their pride or allyship. Several coloring sheets were also available to create custom posters, and members showed off their decorated cubicles in the nPride Slack channel.
Each Pride Month, nPride hosts a beach cleanup at Wrightsville Beach where members meet up to collect trash to help keep our beaches clean. This year, an nPride t-shirt was offered as a prize to the member or team who collected the most trash! nPride is also the host of Music Bingo, a new happy hour series where members can win prizes by guessing songs recorded by LGBTQ2IA+ artists and Proud Icons.
To celebrate National Pride Day, which is observed each year on June 28, nPride combined forces with all six nCino ERGs to put on the Pride Carnival, hosted outside of nCino’s Headquarters. Each ERG, along with some departments, hosted booths where employees could complete various activities and games to win tickets to enter several raffles. Employees enjoyed ring tosses, hula hooping contests, henna tattoos, a food truck, and a photo booth, among other activities.
“Every person deserves to feel comfortable being who they are and welcomed for what their individual story contributes to the collective group,” says Jason Thomas, Senior Project Manager.
“I am proud to work for an organization with established ERGs such as nPride, which allows its members and allies to celebrate a community of belonging and understanding amongst its team members," Jason says.
I hope through my involvement in nPride I can share my own experiences, have the opportunity to educate and create a safe space for open discussion, and promote an environment of better understanding towards each of our own unique perspectives. Our differences make us who we are, but celebrating those differences together makes us a stronger team.”
nPride also aims to give back to the community and looks for ways to support LGBTQ2IA+ community members. A favorite volunteer spot for the Wilmington chapter of nPride is at the Wilmington Branch of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina for sorting and organizing food donations. This year, nCino sponsored the LGBTQ Center of the Cape Fear Cost’s Family Pride Festival at the New Hanvover Country Arboretum. This event celebrates the LGBTQ2IA+ community and promotes access, education, and equality, featuring live entertainment, food, and nonprofit vendor booths.
This past May, nPride partnered with AAPI Alliance to host a Beginner Tai Chi course on the nCino lawn, with nPride’s VP of Public Relations, Bradley Huskins, leading the session. Employees learned the basics of the practice, including slow, gentle movements and physical postures, a meditative state of mind, and slow breathing.
“When I joined nCino and heard about the nPride ERG, I knew exactly how I could contribute,” says Associate Support Engineer Bradley Huskins. “At nPride events, our main goal is to bring a positive light and to promote LGBTQ2IA+ support and awareness. When I see that support, I know we are making a difference in someone's life. Some people at nCino are parents, or soon to be parents, and if they can see how much love and support the LGBTQ2IA+ people receive, then maybe they might pass that love and support down to their children for future generations. No one should ever feel disowned or unsafe to come out to their parents. Being a part of the LGBTQ2IA+ community is not a choice, but being an Ally is yours.”