Allyship and connection are part of Best Buy’s DNA. For our colleagues who belong to the LGBTQIA+ community, these values are especially important and have a tremendous impact on their experience at work.
People and spaces, like our Pride Employee Resource Group, that offer allyship and connection can provide hope and help employees feel like they belong at Best Buy. EZ and Morgan are two employees who’ve inspired hope in their colleagues and contributed to Best Buy’s culture of inclusion by sharing their experiences and supporting others to live as their authentic selves.
Here are their stories.
Jose (EZ) (He/Him), Associate Vice President, Pacific Kitchen and Home (California)
Throughout his 14 years with Best Buy, EZ has grown his career and confidence with the support from his leaders for him to keep showing up as his authentic self.
“Regardless of my insecurities, there are leaders who’ve championed the diversity that I bring and have gone out of their way to support me,” he said.
Now, EZ uses his story and experiences to mentor and support others who feel alone.
As a child, EZ and his family immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico, and he struggled with the abrupt transition to English in school. For most of his life, EZ has suffered from depression and anxiety, and he’s always known he’s been part of the LGBTQIA+ community, even if he doesn’t identify with one specific box.
“I know what it feels like to not be included or have a voice,” he said. “I try to do whatever I can to be self-aware and make sure people don’t feel that way.”
As he’s grown his career with Best Buy, EZ has built a strong network by joining employee resource groups (ERGs), such as the Unidos ERG for the Hispanic/Latinx community and Pride ERG for the LGBTQIA+ community. He says being part of these groups has helped him realize how sharing the intersectionality of his experiences can help others.
EZ wants to pay forward the mentorship and support he received and be a support system to others however he can.
“There are different people going through different versions of what I’m going through,” he said. “If I can give back and help someone, that gives me purpose.”
Morgan (They/Them), Home Theater Agent (Nevada)
Building strong connections with coworkers, customers and community energizes Morgan, a home theater agent in Nevada.
“Getting to know others and their different experiences has a benefit and can teach you so much,” Morgan said.
Those close relationships with coworkers also helped Morgan navigate a crucial time reflecting on their gender identity a few years ago.
For years, Morgan didn’t feel right only identifying as a woman. After taking time to think and talk with transgender and nonbinary friends, Morgan began to experiment using she and they pronouns.
“You can love how your makeup and your clothes look, but it’s not you,” Morgan said. “I didn’t know what that feeling was and why it was so disconnected.”
After using both pronouns for a while, Morgan decided that “they” most accurately described who they were and determined they were nonbinary, a term often used when someone does not identify as a man or woman.
When Morgan came out to their team at Best Buy, everyone was supportive. They even made sure Morgan had a nametag with their correct pronouns. It was a vastly different experience than when Morgan came out as bisexual in high school a decade earlier.
Outside of work, Morgan builds their community online by hosting discussions on Twitch with friends about media and pop culture through a queer perspective.
“We all have very different lenses on how we look at things, so it’s fun to dig deeper into books or movies and create a space to talk about the LGBTQIA+ community’s experiences,” Morgan said. “It’s another way we can come together and not feel so alone.”
Click here to visit Best Buy’s Pride Month landing page.