Building the Philippines membership for Spectrum, Telstra’s LGBTQ+ network, has been an integral part of my amazing journey with Telstra. It’s been challenging and inspiring, and I’m immensely proud of our growth.
While I am incredibly grateful for the Telstra’s Spectrum Award, which I recently received, I also appreciate the opportunity to contribute meaningfully through my efforts.
For instance, at the Metro Manila Pride March, our Telstra team was over 100-strong. It was our second time participating since the pandemic, and we had team members from all across the business supporting our cause. The event was attended by several powerhouse companies in the Philippines, and we could sense a real diversity of industries present. What a joy it was to hear all our voices, loud and proud, making such an impact!
My journey with Telstra began as a regular frontline associate. Shortly after, I joined the Spectrum membership team. I wanted a place where we could share our stories and be part of a much larger community. My goal was to champion inclusion and create opportunities for LGBTQ+ members to have a seat at the table – to be seen and heard.
So, how did we build the team? We started by recruiting more volunteers and engaging in advocacy. Focusing on a strong core group laid the foundation for developing passion within the larger community.
Next, we got creative. We started organising a range of events to raise awareness and build solidarity. We held seminars to discuss various topics, from gender equity to mental health. We created an inclusion and diversity roadmap for the organisation, established a Spectrum network for employees of the LGBTQ+ community and allies and started a mentorship program. We also started to expand our network by collaborating with external DEI groups. All these initiatives helped us to gain a better understanding of the space we were in and allowed us to progress.
But, I admit, it hasn’t always been easy.
My biggest challenge has been time management. As you can imagine, the work I do in Spectrum sits on top of my usual role and responsibilities. After all, we are volunteers in this advocacy work. The challenge lies in finding suitable times to meet and collaborate. Carving time out of an already busy schedule takes dedication.
When I’m especially busy, I remind myself why I took on this role in the first place: to help create a safe, inclusive space for all of our team members.
I am a big believer in culture. What contributes to culture is the collective effort of everyone. Consider getting involved to celebrate and embrace your team members and their differences. Every show of support, no matter how big or small, makes a difference!
