BMG offices around the world hosted a variety of Pride-themed events in celebration of diversity, equity, and inclusion for all. Starting in BMG’s Nashville office in April, the events continued throughout Pride Month and up to the official Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade in Berlin on July 22 where BMG’s headquarters are based.
Kicking off the event series, BMG hosted its first Pronoun Party of the year in Nashville, which gave staff an opportunity to learn more about personal pronouns and how to use and respectfully ask others for them. The talk was followed by staff enjoying an assortment of baked goods in the office while they discussed the topic further.
BMG’s office in New York City followed next with events throughout May and June including a talk titled, Gender Identity 101 and a presentation titled, Different Sides Of Pride. The events were centered around the ongoing need for a continued open exchange and dialogue on topics related to equal rights and recognition.
Meanwhile, the BMG team in London hosted a live 30 minute performance in the office from the multi-talented fashion and cultural icon turned recording artist, Bimini. The performance featured a live band and covered Bimini’s popular songs including ‘Rodeo’, ‘Queen Of The Club’, and latest single ‘Don’t F*ck With My Groove’ from their new EP When The Party Ends. The team heard from Bimini about their influences, motivations, and inspiration for the EP while enjoying Bimini-themed cocktails together.
BMG’s headquarters in Berlin kicked off a week of Pride activities which included both in-person and global virtual events in the lead up to the city’s official Christopher Street Day parade during which BMG shared a parade float with other Bertelsmann divisions via the organization’s Be.Queer network. Titled Pride Week, the event series included an office-wide kick-off event, a keynote from Sigi Lieb titled Gender and Diversity in Media, Culture and Business, a screening of the hit documentary Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate about the famed historic queer Eldorado nightclub in Berlin, a keynote and discussion on the topic of, Creative Justice: Gender, Sexuality and Queerness in the Popular Music Industries from Prof. Rosa Reitsame, a walking tour exploring Berlin’s queer history with a stop at the site of the former Eldorado nightclub, and a morning of Music, Make-Up, and Mimosas ahead of the parade on July 22.
Berlin’s famed Christopher Street Day Parade featured floats from only 75 companies in 2023 with priority being given to organizations with an existing recognized LGBTQI+ network. Together with Bertelsmann divisions including the Bertelsmann Corporate Center, RTL, UFA, Riverty, and Arvato as part of the Be.Queer network, BMG joined the hundreds of thousands of spectators and special guests through the 7.4km route.
With music curated by artist, performer and DJ Katy Bähm, and special guest appearances by Lucy Diakovska from the group No Angels, Germany’s Next Top Model finalist Cäcilia Zimmer and her partner, dancer Michael Mejeh, guests from Germany’s popular meme-channel Galerie Arschgeweih Daniel and Valerie, winner of Drag Race Holland Miss Envy Peru, and more, spectators were drawn to the Be.Queer float in the thousands.
Part of the team organizing the events was Pierrot Raschdorff, Senior Director Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion who said, “The Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) is an important day in Berlin’s annual calendar to not only celebrate Pride but also to demonstrate the continued importance of defending equal rights. For me, it was very important not only to demonstrate and celebrate at CSD during the parade but also to impart knowledge and engage a critical exchange with others throughout BMG’s Pride Week events.”
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BMG
