Chesamel pledges itself as Human and Brave as only two of our values, we strive to be a welcoming, human and inclusive organisation. Throughout Pride Month, we hope to be a platform for the message of inclusivity and diversity in the workplace and the industries we work with, supporting and promoting LBGTQAI2+ leaders and pioneers.
Angelica Ross, founder and CEO of TransTech
Angelica Ross is not only a founder and CEO of TransTech Social Enterprises but also a successful actress, starring in both Pose and American Horror Story. Angelica Ross taught herself coding graphic design and photography which propelled her into the technology industry and web management roles, before making it to the screen and founding TransTech helping people to ‘lift themselves out of poverty through technical training, digital work creating a social impact and bringing economic empowerment to marginalised communities’.
Tim Cook – CEO of Apple
‘I’m proud to be Gay’. A prominent and powerful name in the tech industry, as CEO of Apple, a Fortune 500 company, Tim Cook has never been ‘private’ about his sexuality, but came out publicly as gay in 2014 and has spoken out about gay rights in America.
Joel Simkhai – Founder & Former CEO of Grindr
Unsurprisingly the founder of the dating app for gay men, Grindr, is gay man, Joel Simkhai, holding the position of CEO of Grindr from its launch in 2008 until some years later when the app was acquired by Kunlun.
Arlan Hamilton – Co-Founder & CEO of Backstage Capital
Backstage Capital is a fund which invests in companies that are led by underrepresented groups; Women, People of Color, and LGBT, to which less than 10% of all venture capital deals go. Arlan Hamilton, impressively founded this company when homeless. “We invest in the very best founders who identify as women, People of Color, or LGBTQ. I personally identify as all three.”
It is important that through recruitment, partnership, investment and media, organisations and individuals look to be diverse and inclusive, supporting all underrepresented groups.
