‘Sharing our stories builds empathy and connection’ — How 4 Lattice Employees Celebrate Pride Month

In honor of Pride Month, we spoke with four members of Pride at Lattice, the company’s employee resource group (ERG) dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA employees and communities: 

• Angelo Martin, People Partner
• B Nance, People Partner
• Hastings Padua, People Partner
• Tyler Whitaker, Relationship Manager, Sr. SMB 

Read more to discover how to honor Pride Month at Lattice and beyond. 

What brought you to Lattice?

Angelo: Joining Lattice was a really unique opportunity as a people professional. Working in the space for more than five years, I’ve regularly seen the value Lattice provides to organizational leaders (and their teams!) to have meaningful performance conversations, measure engagement, and identify opportunities to continue to foster an impactful employee experience. When the opportunity to join Lattice came up, it was a no-brainer! Not only do I see Lattice drive value internally with our product suite, but now I have the ability to share insights and industry best practices with all of our teams across Lattice! 

‍B: The people! I take great pride in working with some of the brightest and most passionate people in the industry. Also, being a people partner at an HR tech company is super cool. Not only do I benefit from the amazing products that we build, but I’m also able to provide input and feedback that helps drive product innovation for our customers. 

‍Hastings: I first became familiar with Lattice when I demoed the product for my previous company, and I thought to myself, “What an amazing platform, I’d love to work for a company like that one day.” Fast forward a few years, and I stumbled across Lattice again while in the midst of my job search. I was incredibly inspired while reading through the career page, and found the company’s values to be refreshing and impactful. I also loved to see all of the ERGs showcased, which was a huge reason why I was excited about the opportunity to join Lattice. Here we are now, and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of such an exciting team with impactful values and incredible spaces for people to engage with one another. 

‍Tyler: I joined Lattice for the opportunity to help customers level up their people strategies by building talent programs that improve equity in their organizations. I’ve been at Lattice for over two and a half years now, and I’m still here because of the meaningful work I get to do as a relationship manager.

What’s something you’re passionate about outside of work?

Angelo: I really enjoy cooking! It’s the personal space I have to flex my creativity skills, but also create something delicious (usually). 

‍B: Outside of work, I’m really passionate about being amongst and engaged in the Black and queer community. Community is where I found belonging and purpose, so I give back as much as possible by supporting and patronizing businesses, attending events, volunteering, or simply fellowshipping. 

As a creative myself, having a creative outlet outside of work is also super important to me. Whether I indulge in the visual arts, fashion, or music, I try to feed my right brain by staying closely connected to art as much as possible.‍

Hastings: Music! I’ve always loved music and grew up playing multiple instruments, singing in choirs, and participating in theater (yes, my inner theater kid still comes through now and then!). I love learning new instruments, as well as songwriting and producing music.‍

Tyler: I’m an avid theatergoer, and there’s a great community of Latticians who love theater in our New York office. We often share recommendations about what to see and go to shows together. A small group of us are going to see a queer reimagining of the musical Cats, inspired by New York’s ballroom culture that’s playing right near the New York office.

What are the mission and goals of Pride at Lattice? 

Our Mission

Pride at Lattice promotes an affirmation of the unique intersectionality of identities that make up the LGBTQIA+ community at Lattice. Through education, professional development, workplace collaboration, mentorship, and community outreach, we strive to foster an inclusive environment for our LGBTQIA+ Latticians, allies, and surrounding communities.

Our Goals

• Foster a workplace environment of inclusion and belonging
• Help increase recruitment and retention of LGBTQIA+ employees at Lattice
• Advocate for the needs of LGBTQIA+ employees at Lattice
• Bring cultural awareness to the challenges, needs, and success of the LGBTQIA+ community

How are you honoring Pride Month at Lattice?

Angelo: I’m really focused on elevating LGBTQIA+ voices wherever I can across the business. As People Partner at Lattice, I spend a lot of time connecting with people across the organization. It’s a unique opportunity to help empower people to bring awareness, understanding, and learning to spaces all across the business whether it’s during company-wide All Hands, team meetings, or unique spaces here at Lattice. 

‍B: Being Black, queer, and non-binary is deeply personal to me. Although it's not an easy path by any means, my journey has brought me a deeper sense of connection to myself than I've ever known. I honor my truth by showing up as my full self every day, and Pride Month is just the amplification of this. As a people partner at Lattice, I want to ensure that all employees feel safe, heard, and supported. 

‍Hastings: Being that I am new to the team, I am most looking forward to meeting other LGBTQIA+ Latticians throughout the month at any Pride at Lattice events. I also love educational opportunities, so I’ll be attending any discussions that are hosted throughout the month. 

‍Tyler: I’ll be at the New York Happy Hour. Last year, we had an excellent performance from a local drag performer, Creatine Price, and this year should be just as good! A small group of us are going to see a queer reimagining of the musical Cats, which is inspired by New York’s ballroom culture and is playing right near the New York office. This feels like another way we are honoring Pride Month!

How does Pride at Lattice engage with the broader community? 

Tyler: I’m really proud of the fundraising work that Pride at Lattice has done over the past few years. Last year, we raised thousands of dollars for Rainbow Railroad, a non-profit organization that helps LGBTQIA+ people escape state-sponsored violence. In years past, we raised funds for Brave Trails, an organization that provides opportunities for queer youth to attend summer camps, and LGBTQ+ community centers like The LYRIC in San Francisco and The Center in New York. 

What resources would you recommend for other LGBTQIA+ employees at Lattice?

Angelo: Pride ERG is such a safe space here at Lattice, and I can’t recommend it enough to people both those who identify and those who are allies. I’d also recommend attending Pride-sponsored events; there’s such a beautiful community here at Lattice. 

‍B: Join the Pride ERG, attend events, and share your stories. What makes the LGBTQIA+ community so beautiful is both our similar and divergent experiences. Sharing our stories helps to build awareness, empathy, and connection. It also allows us to celebrate how far we've come while acknowledging the work still ahead. I’m proud to be at a company that creates a space for the LGBTQIA+ community to be recognized and celebrated. 

‍Tyler: The best resource for other LGBTQIA+ employees is other people! Whether virtual or in-office, join the Pride at Lattice slack channel or set up a happy hour with colleagues during on-site visits in New York or SF! There’s a great community here at Lattice, so take advantage of it!