I am me, we are EF— A celebration of self

At EF Education First, we want our staff to bring their full selves to work every day. EF’s affinity group LGBTQ+ @EF created the theme “I am me” to celebrate Pride 2024. “I am me” is a celebration of self and all the parts of you that make you who you are. The hope is to encourage others to celebrate their whole self every day, not just during the month of June. We asked members to reflect on what “I am me” means to them and how they found community at EF.

Ben, he/him/his, EF Go Ahead Tours, Denver

What does "I am me" mean to you?

"I am me" is a journey of self-love. It's taking pride in the fact that we are who we are. It's learning to love and accept every piece of yourself and share that authenticity without fear. It's the unique aspects of ourselves that we are taught to hate that make us extraordinary.

What aspects of your identity are you most proud of, and how does it shape your perspective at work?

When I think about my identity, I think about how my parents raised me. I was always taught to treat people respectfully and lead with empathy, love, and understanding. That upbringing has allowed me to foster so many beautiful relationships. How I show up in life is exactly how I show up at work, and I love that I don't have to sacrifice who I am for a job.

Share one of your favorite moments of queer joy.

One of my favorite moments of queer joy was coming out to my brother. I came out to my mom at 19, but I didn't come out to my brother until I was 27. When I told him, his response was, "It doesn't matter, you're still my brother. I'll always love you and be there for you," and he then added, "I kind of already knew, everyone would ask me when we were in high school." While crying my eyes out, he managed to make me laugh at the same time.

If you could, what would you tell your younger self?

I would tell my younger self that you are enough. You may not see it now, but I promise you that you have a beautiful life ahead of you and will accomplish many great things; remember, "those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter.

Brandon, he/him/his, EF Go Ahead Tours, Toronto

What does "I am me" mean to you?

"I am me" means being comfortable in my skin to be, act, and show up as my authentic self.

What aspects of your identity are you most proud of, and how does it shape your perspective at work?

I love the intersectionality portion of my identity, proudly displaying my race and sexual orientation freely.

Share one of your favorite moments of queer joy.

Breaking out into Karaoke in the Toronto office randomly with my coworker singing to our favourite Divas.

If you could, what would you tell your younger self?

Be nicer to yourself. People are going to love you for exactly who you are.

Cameron, he/him/his, EF Educational Tours Canada, Toronto

What does "I am me" mean to you?

"I am me" means that I can show up as myself to work every day in a supportive environment with like-minded colleagues who are inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community and their families. It means we can make a positive difference within EF and outside of EF to all the partners and customers we work with. It means everyone can be themselves every single day.

What aspects of your identity are you most proud of, and how does it shape your perspective at work?

I'm proud of being gay and navigating the challenges that coming out brought with it in my younger years. I'm proud to work for an organization that supports the LGBTQ+ community and actively strives to better itself and become more inclusive across all businesses.

Share one of your favorite moments of queer joy.

Seeing my aunts get married in 2005 when same-sex marriage became legalized in Canada.

If you could, what would you tell your younger self?

To remove negative people from my life and to fill it with people who are supportive and want to see me thrive.

Gabi, she/her/hers, EF Educational Tours, Denver

What does "I am me" mean to you?

I've tried to discover myself and get a solid answer for most of my life. Once I moved to Denver and started fresh, I realized that I'd be finding myself for the rest of my life, learning things about myself that I couldn't have learned sooner without the experiences that shaped me. I am and will continue to be me, and being me means being my most authentic self to myself and the people around me.

What aspects of your identity are you most proud of, and how does it shape your perspective at work?

I'm proud of my queer identity because it's taught me to be bold and be myself. It's taught me that people will like me or learn to like me as long as I'm authentic to who I am. The energy I'll attract will be precisely what I'm looking for. I see this fostered in my relationships with my Group Leaders and colleagues. It's refreshing to be myself in the workplace and with my Group Leaders, and I produce the most authentic and honest work in this way.

Share one of your favorite moments of queer joy.

I attended my first pride parade with my mom and brother in New York City. We walked in the parade, and my mom wore a shirt with "Free Mom Hugs." Being with my family that day was overwhelming, especially with how many people came to hug my mom. It made me feel incredibly lucky to have a support system, and it made it very real that some people don't. Celebrating with my mom and brother was the final step I needed to take to accept myself fully, and I am so grateful for that moment!

If you could, what would you tell your younger self?

I would tell her to keep being brave and curious. Sometimes, you might look at yourself and wonder where you fit in, but you'll learn is that nobody can be exactly like you, and that's a beautiful thing!

Isabella, she/her/hers, EF Go Ahead Tours, Denver

What does "I am me" mean to you?

It means being able to rest in my fully free, queer self in all of my complexities. It is dancing and sitting in my wholeness at the intersection of everything that makes me, me.

What aspects of your identity are you most proud of, and how does it shape your perspective at work?

I am so deeply proud to be a queer, Filipina-Colombian, 1st generation American woman and third-culture kid. Being an in-betweener in so many things growing up—where I lived, my culture, my family, my friendships, my faith upbringing, my queerness—and I always craved belonging. I would adapt and find a way to fit in everywhere, but at the same time, I didn't feel like I fully belonged anywhere either.

This shapes EVERYTHING I do here and is one of the core reasons I do what I do. I work in recruitment, people development, DEIB, and employee experience on our People Team. One of my goals is to create spaces where others feel free to be their whole selves, both in and out of the workplace. I want to help others feel welcomed and cared for and create a sense of belonging, inclusion, safety, and freedom. I feel so lucky that I get to work towards to this goal every single day I come to work.

Share one of your favorite moments of queer joy.

Queer joy for me is any chance I get to DANCE with my community of queer friends and allies!

If you could, what would you tell your younger self?

You have everything you ever dreamed of and more than you can imagine.

Maggie, she/her/hers, EF Go Ahead Tours, Boston

What does "I am me" mean to you?

"I am me" means radical self-acceptance and authenticity. I hope to create a safe space for others to be and love their whole selves. The more I can love and accept myself, the more I'll be able to love others and remain open to all the beautiful ways individuals differ and change over time.

What aspects of your identity are you most proud of, and how does it shape your perspective at work?

At the EF World Journeys kick-off in Panama last October, our VP of Creative had a touching presentation about how the only way we can do our best work is to embrace our whole selves at work—not dampen our personality or try to hide elements of ourselves. If we are not authentic, our work will ultimately suffer because each person's quirks and unique perspective bring opportunities for growth and success. Hearing that meant so much to me because I hadn't experienced an inclusive work environment before—one where I felt safe to be outwardly queer. It's so liberating knowing that my queerness and personality are assets to my work and make me the person I am. My moments of success are because I was courageous enough to embrace myself completely and use my unique skills and perspective to the highest degree.

Share one of your favorite moments of queer joy.

Honestly, nothing compares to the moment when I realized I was bi. In that lightbulb moment, I suddenly discovered a puzzle piece about who I am that I didn't even know existed. It's such a cool feeling (and fuels me to this day) knowing that such a massive part of who I am could be unknown to myself, which opens many more possibilities for self-discovery in the future!

If you could, what would you tell your younger self?

I'd tell her not to let anyone dictate who she is or can be. Growing up, there was pressure to be extroverted, popular, etc., but being authentically yourself is one of the most rewarding parts of being alive. Not to mention that by doing so, you'll naturally gravitate toward people who will celebrate and love you for who you are.

Nick, he/him/his, EF Educational Tours, Austin

What does "I am me" mean to you?

This phrase is about embracing my true self. It's about accepting the most authentic version of myself and rejecting the person I thought I should be. "I am me" means refusing to hide my identity. It's a declaration of authenticity, self-love, and acceptance.

What aspects of your identity are you most proud of, and how does it shape your perspective at work?

I am most proud of the joy that I found in accepting myself for who I am. I try to use that joy to make my coworkers smile and enjoy their time at work!

Share one of your favorite moments of queer joy.

Probably the first Pride month that I celebrated. It was so amazing being surrounded by so many people celebrating their authentic selves—and I got roughly 100 rainbow sticker tattoos!

If you could, what would you tell your younger self?

I would give myself a big tight hug and tell myself how loved I am. I would tell my younger self that the most important people will stick around. Not only that, but they will be so excited to meet the real me.

Raphael, he/him/his, Hult EF Corporate Education, Boston

What does "I am me" mean to you?

It means being my authentic self and not having to hide my full identity.

What aspects of your identity are you most proud of, and how does it shape your perspective at work?

I'm originally from Brazil and have lived in Boston for seven years. Being an immigrant is a big part of my identity now, and one that I didn't have to deal with until recently. Navigating a different culture and speaking a different language adds a layer of complexity to the simplest activities. I'm proud of how far I have come in this journey. Working with language training, I can share my perspective as a learner, which our clients and students appreciate.

Share one of your favorite moments of queer joy.

I started my first EF job in May 2019, right before Pride month. I signed up for most of the Pride events offered that month, and my first EF friends were the ones I made during those events. Fast forward to 2024, and three of those friends attended my wedding in Mexico. Truly a queer joy moment to share that big milestone with them!

If you could, what would you tell your younger self?

It gets better even if it doesn't feel like it will. You don't need to change who you are to satisfy others. The ones that matter will stick around no matter what.

Stuart, he/him/his, EF Educational Tours Canada, Toronto

What does "I am me" mean to you?

"I am me" celebrates the intersections of our identities and highlights our personhood over the labels we assign ourselves. It embodies the vibrant tapestry of our personal experiences and journeys to feel at home within ourselves.

What aspects of your identity are you most proud of, and how does it shape your perspective at work?

I’m proud to be queer. While this part of my identity has required significant internal and external work, it has profoundly shaped who I am without solely defining me. You can find me at the intersection of all my identities: a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a reader, a writer, a storyteller, and a leader. My queerness has taught me to be brave, is threaded through each of my identities, and informs my approach to managing a team or leading a project. The empathy I’ve learned to show myself is the same empathy I bring to every interaction with each colleague, friend, and family member.

Share one of your favorite moments of queer joy.

I’ve been fortunate to experience many moments of queer joy, but the one that stands out is my first gay kiss. For the first time in my life up to that point, I realized I wasn’t broken—unable to feel the attraction my friends described, that I read about in books and saw in movies—and finally felt at home in my body. I’ll never be able to explain the peace I felt.

If you could, what would you tell your younger self?

You're allowed to be brave.

Tyler, he/him/his, Hult EF Corporate Education, Boston

What does "I am me" mean to you?

To me, this year's theme, "I am me," signifies the radical acceptance and love that one should have for oneself—the good, the bad, the ugly—and respecting and honoring what makes you, you. Additionally, curiosity and learning impact how we change and grow in ourselves as time goes on. No matter what those may be, always "I am me".

What aspects of your identity are you most proud of, and how does it shape your perspective at work?

I am extremely proud to be gay, to be in a long-term homosexual relationship, and to be a partner to my boyfriend, to be a friend, a brother, a son, a student, a learner, a leader. It has shaped my perspective in sales and in managing a sales team because accepting and embracing these parts of my identity allows me to be more confident.

Share one of your favorite moments of queer joy.

I remember the first Boston Pride Parade I marched in with EF in 2018. It was my first summer in Boston, just one year since I had been out in the US. The previous day, on the way home from work, someone yelled an anti-gay slur at me. It was such a triumph to march the next day proudly and show the world that I am me.

If you could, what would you tell your younger self?

I'd tell them to feel more and think less.