Who is PRIDE?
The Class of 2020 students of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Student Association (LGBTSA) pitched an idea to change the club name to be more inclusive of the full spectrum of queer identities to the club leadership. They felt that some identities were not included in the community's use of the traditional acronym "LGBT." In ensuing discussions, they sought a name that would be most welcoming as a club and community at Harvard Business School, while remaining externally recognizable as an LGBTQ+ student organization to external partners and employers. After a year of discussion, debate, and votes, we are proud (pun intended) to reintroduce the LGBTSA to HBS as the newly rebranded "PRIDE"!
A new visual identity for PRIDE, formerly known as the LGBT Student Association
With the name change comes a new logo! The club's Board of Directors has elected to maintain the widely recognized rainbow motif as our visual representation for the club. To us, the rainbow symbolizes our community's spectrum of identities in much the same way that a physical rainbow is the full spectrum of light and color.
What is PRIDE?
PRIDE is HBS's home for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning MBA students and their partners. We build community through dedicated social and advocacy programming, and in doing so create a supportive environment for emerging leaders to engage meaningfully with one another, connect with employers seeking diverse talent, and drive thought leadership in key areas of business and management.
As members of the HBS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council, as well as through our own Diversity and Inclusion Committee, we advocate for LGBTQ+ students across campus. We rally the broader HBS community during events such as National Coming Out Day, World AIDS Day, and Transgender Day of Visibility. Additionally, we work with the administration to increase the representation and inclusion of LGBTQ+ people among faculty, staff, and students, as well as in our course curriculum. We believe that by promoting understanding of the queer experience, we will increase acceptance and advance our equality as business leaders.
Meet the PRIDE Executive Leadership Team
.jpg)
My vision for PRIDE is to build an inclusive community for all orientations and genders while remaining respectful of everyone's individual journey. More than anything else, I want us to be a family for each other at HBS and in life.
Natalia is a Cuban-American from Miami, Florida. Prior to HBS, she worked in digital and multicultural marketing across the consumer products and media industries. She will be transitioning to e-commerce management after HBS. When she's not immersed in the case method (#nerd), Natalia enjoys traveling with her fiancée Erica, playing Latin percussion, and scoping out Boston's mac and cheese scene.
Alex is from China. He came to the United States for college at the age of 18. Prior to HBS, he came from a tech background after working in operations and product in Uber and ofo (a bike-sharing tech company) for four years. Alex decided to attend HBS to take a break from the hectic startup life and to explore different industries and build strong and meaningful friendships with his fellow classmates. He loves being active and spending time outdoors and really enjoys talking about global geopolitics. He is interested in exploring the wellness and mental health industry after HBS, and he looks forward to building something of his own in the future.
Chief Operating Officer, Jacob Meiner
Jake came to HBS after three wonderful years at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in their Washington, DC and London offices, where he worked in the aerospace & defense and retail practices. A native of New Rochelle, New York, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2015 with a B.A. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and a B.S., Economics from The Wharton School. Jake is a self-proclaimed foodie and travel buff who loves to cook, read food journalism, explore the Boston restaurant scene, and dream up new adventures abroad. When not in class, you can find him on the nearest Peloton bike or singing in rehearsals for The HBS Show, of which he's also Co-President. Post-MBA, Jake will return to BCG and continue working at the intersection of the public and private sectors.
PRIDE is about creating a dedicated space for queer members of our HBS community to share in each other's joys, frustrations, failures, and triumphs, both in and out of the classroom. It's about building not only a network but a family that celebrates and uplifts each other's unique and diverse identities.
PRIDE Priorities for 2019-2020
- Integration across identities: Develop event programming that bridges the needs of our members' different gender identities, orientations, and personal interests, and cultivates unity throughout the organization.
- Member privacy management: Enhance event and information management to increase members' participation in events, regardless of where they are on their coming out journey, while also identifying opportunities for greater Ally engagement.
- On-campus advocacy: Work with DEI Council and the Student Association on initiatives including additional gender-neutral Bathrooms and LGBTQ+ case protagonists as well as build relationships with adjacent communities (e.g., Harvard Undergrad BGLTQ Business Society, the African American Student Union, Asian American Business Association, Women's Student Association, Latin American Student Organization, etc.) to foster mutual advocacy.
- Alumni engagement: Build a comprehensive alumni database and leverage alumni for professional programming, including industry panels and 1:1 mentorship.
- Professional development: Increase partnerships with top tier employers to strengthen LGBTQ+ recruiting pipelines.
- Club rebrand and digital presence: Successfully implement our new visual identity. Provide greater transparency around club activities to HBS community and prospective students by expanding digital presence through social media and HBS sites.
Whether you are queer, questioning, an ally, or perhaps even newly exposed to our community, we're looking forward to seeing you back on campus and reintroducing ourselves as PRIDE!