MultiCare shows statewide support for Pride
MultiCare employees showed their pride statewide this year, celebrating with their communities at block parties and parades in honor of Pride Month.
Held each June, Pride Month marks the anniversary of the country’s first Pride march and celebrates the history, value and rights of the LGBTQ+ community.
As dedicated supporters of the LGBTQ+ community year-round, MultiCare is proud to join our friends and neighbors in celebrations throughout the month.
This year, our partners at Overlake Medical Center & Clinics kicked off the celebrations at Seattle Pride in the Park on Saturday, June 7. MultiCare’s Inland Northwest region joined with a parade and festivities Saturday, June 14, and staff continued the celebrations in Yakima and Olympia the following two weekends.
For the employees and volunteers staffing MultiCare booths and marching in parades, Pride is more than just a party. It’s an opportunity to recognize the value our LGBTQ+ colleagues and neighbors bring to the community and remind everyone that MultiCare is a safe and inclusive place to find care.
MultiCare Inland Northwest employees pose for a photo at the Spokane Pride festival.
“It’s important for MultiCare to be at these events because these are our communities that we serve,” explains Duc Cao, LMFT, child and family therapist with Greater Lakes Mental Healthcare, a part of the MultiCare Behavioral Health Network. “By being part of the event, we can show that we are allies and we can create a safe space for them. For many clients and patients, it’s about having a safe space that allows them to share their concerns without fear of being judged.”
Creating a safe and supportive environment for everyone requires us to meet and partner with communities to truly understand their needs, adds Sharra Jenkins, MA, MHP, clinical supervisor at Greater Lakes Mental Healthcare.
Many of the youth Cao sees as a family and child therapist have never disclosed their identities to anyone else, including other health care providers. There’s power when they find acceptance in that room, he adds.
“As a gay person, I believe in the power of representation and giving back to the community,” Cao says. “By volunteering, I hope that we can send a message to the community that we (as a health care organization) value and support their identities … and are able to show the community that we are willing to do the work rather than just talk about it.” 
MultiCare’s participation solidifies our commitment to creating a culture of belonging within the organization, says Leah Butters, recruitment marketing team leader, MultiCare talent acquisition. Volunteers will also focus on educating people on how to find their own career in health care.
“Regardless if they’re direct clinicians, or in IT, marketing or professional services, we’re opening their eyes to health care as a career,” Butters explains. “For so many people there are barriers to getting into health care because of expense and time, but we’re showing them all the different pathways we offer. … This is so important because whether patient, employee or community member, when our teams reflect and show up in our communities, we can provide more compassionate and personalized care.”
For Jenkins, her desire to volunteer at Pride comes down to wanting to learn from her community and be able to better care for everyone.
“I take pride in actively interacting with my community so I can get to know people and give back in the sense of supporting people who may be different than myself,” she explains. “I call myself an ally, but I’m learning more about what that term means and am growing with that.”
When she was a teenager, a family member of Jenkins’ went through a gender transition. She says she rebelled a bit, not fully understanding what it meant. As she grew up and matured, Jenkins says she came to appreciate the experience and the opportunity to see a different perspective on life — something she hopes everyone can walk away from Pride with.
