The annual San Diego Pride Parade – considered the largest single-day civic event in our region and among the largest event of its kind in America – is taking place tomorrow through the streets of Hillcrest.
Team Sempra/SDG&E will be among the more than quarter of a million people who are expected to turn out for the parade and related festivities. About 115 of our employees, family and friends will be there to show solidarity with the LGBTQ community and celebrate diversity and inclusion.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a moment in history in which the LGBTQ community fought back against police brutality and legal oppression. The parade honors the Stonewall generation, their activism and what the community has gained through their efforts.
We will have two of our company vehicles participate in the parade: a hybrid bucket truck and an electric vehicle. Did you know that we have more than 160 fleet vehicles that are partially or fully electrified, meaning that they produce zero or no emissions?
With temperatures forecast to peak in the low to mid-80's tomorrow, be sure to grab a paper fan from us. We will be handing out 1,000 fans to the crowd that feature Whendell, the mascot for our Time-of-Use pricing plans.
Long-standing connection with LGBTQ community
We have been supporting San Diego Pride for over 10 years. Through our charitable initiatives to improve lives and communities, we help fund the San Diego Pride Youth Leadership Academy. This program brings together LGBTQ+ youth across the region and provides them with a day of development and growth opportunities to become agents of change within their own schools and communities.
Through Local Diversity & Inclusion Councils (LDICs), SDG&E and our parent company, Sempra Energy, partner with many local organizations that are working to create a more inclusive society. One of our partners is the San Diego LGBT Community Center, which helps educate our employees on the transgender community. Many LDICs have conducted training sessions on gender identity and other educational programming with the goal of driving excellence through inclusion and understanding.
Rainbow flag flying proudly at our headquarters
If you happened to have driven past our headquarters in Kearny Mesa in recent weeks, you may have noticed the rainbow flag right outside our entrance off State Route 163. SDG&E started flying the flag during Pride Month in June. We will keep the flag up through San Diego Pride weekend. Flying the rainbow flag will become an annual tradition for us.