Conversations With Colleagues: Spotlight on Hearst Newspapers OUT@HNP

“Pride Month is a time to really reflect on what it means to be a part of this community, and appreciate our history. Pride is something that can feel so personal, and the beauty of the month is having a time to show that we’re all here for each other — no matter where your gender or sexuality falls on the spectrum.” – Elizabeth Migueles (she/her), Founder, OUT@HNP & Junior Designer, Campaign Creative, Hearst Newspapers

This June marks 51 years of Pride, the annual, global celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and to honor it, we’re speaking with founders and members of Hearst Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to hear about the work they are doing in their communities, the support they are offering each other and the ways they are celebrating this year, as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

HOW IT BEGAN

Hearst Newspapers’ OUT@HNP, was founded by Mark Campbell (he/him), Tea Fougner (she/they) and Elizabeth Migueles and is growing quickly, with 75 members from Hearst Newspaper brands nationwide.

“Outside of Hearst, I am an activist for LGBTQ+ rights and do a lot of organizing in that field,” said Elizabeth. “Starting OUT@HNP seemed like a great chance to merge these two parts of my life.”

The Hearst Newspapers group launched during the pandemic, and members got to know each other virtually.

“Affinity groups give us a really good opportunity to meet folks at Hearst Newspapers from all over the country and expand our understanding of what matters to LGBTQ+ people of so many different backgrounds,” said Tea Fougner, editorial director of comics at King Features. “They help foster kinship, create spaces for networking and getting advice with and from people with similar experiences and also help us be better allies in our LGBTQ+ community and our Hearst community.”

Like so many others, colleagues were motivated to forge new relationships during the pandemic and OUT@HNP offered a platform to connect with people outside their immediate network.

“I initially worried that having ERG meetings through a computer monitor would be inferior to an in-person environment, but I was glad to be proven wrong,” said Mark Campbell, CMO of Hearst Newspapers. “Zoom crossed the geographic barriers that could have prevented queer colleagues at our smaller community papers from ever meeting one another. It also facilitated different levels of involvement based on members’ comfort levels: some talked, some typed in chat and some used emojis to engage.”

Elizabeth echoes this sentiment, sharing how talking with members has shown her how LGBTQ+ experiences differ across the country. “In New York, we are lucky to have many laws and protections in place for queer people, which eases a lot of day-to-day anxieties. Talking to my colleagues in other parts of the country, however, has opened my eyes even more to the issues we still face today.”

“I was an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community in Southeast Texas, however, I was never ‘out’ at work,” said Payshunz Burnham (he/him/they/them), regional client services manager at Hearst Media Services. “When I found out that we were starting an LGBTQ+ ERG, I felt seen and believed that I had something additional to offer a company that has shown acceptance of people like me and a desire to grow.”

CELEBRATING PRIDE

“For me, celebrating Pride is about celebrating revolution. Being visible as a trans masculine person is a form of revolt,” Payshunz continued. “It is this revolution of visibility that makes it possible for others to see that they are not alone, to help families reach out when a child is questioning and they do not know what to do, to help people find language to define who they are and offer a possibility of belonging that many never knew before.”

Ally support during Pride is about education as well as celebration, a time to learn about LGBTQ+ communities through history, literature, film and art. One of Elizabeth’s favorite books about gay history is “Stand By Me: The Forgotten History of Gay Liberation” by Jim Downs.

“In addition to countless books and documentaries on LGBTQ+ issues, a great way to learn about these issues is to gently ask queer people directly,” said Mark. “Most of us have a trove of coming out stories — some that depict the tough parts, and some that show what great support really looks like.”

Allies can also show support by contributing to organizations that advance LGBTQ+ causes. All regular full-time and part-time employees of Hearst based in the U.S. and within the HCM Oracle system can visit Hearst Gives Back to explore and support organizations dedicated to LGBTQ+ issues, with contributions matched dollar-for-dollar.

INSPIRATIONS & HEROES

The founders of OUT@HNP are inspirational colleagues, and they have been inspired by others in turn. Hilary Price, the creator of the comic strip ‘Rhymes With Orange’ and one of the few out LGBTQ+ cartoonists in the syndicated comics world, inspires Tea. “While we’re seeing more queer cartoonists get the acknowledgment they deserve — people like Olive Brinker and Bianca Xunise here at King Features, for example — Hilary was a pioneer in this regard and I have looked up to her for most of my career.”

“My good friend Cathy Marino-Thomas was one of the main leaders of Equality New York, which got marriage legalized here and eventually across the entire country,” said Elizabeth. “She has taught me so much about how to be an activist, a leader and a proud gay woman.”

“When I timidly came out in college, the leader of our gay student group was a woman named Jennifer Kates,” said Mark. “Jen was exactly the kind of smart, inspiring, empathic, non-judgmental leader I needed — she shaped the proud path I took. Jen is now SVP and director of Global Health and HIV Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. In other words, she’s still advocating for and leading our LGBTQ+ community.”

OUT@HNP is hosting their first Pride Month event with Jayzen Patria, Gay, Fabulous & Successful: How I Used Who I Am To Have the Career That I Want, on Thursday, June 10. Learn about OUT@HNP’s Zoom coffee breaks, Pride-themed events and more by signing up for their mailing list here.

“Thanks to those who struggled with prejudice and fought for justice, Pride Month has been able to evolve into a happy and hopeful time of year for queer people. It’s special to me that we can celebrate who we are and whom we love, while also tackling the issues that still exist,” said Mark.

Check back later this month to learn more about Fitch Ratings’ and Hearst Magazines’ LGBTQ+ ERGs.