In honor of PRIDE Month, Laura McKeehan, Project Management Information System Administrator at MWAA, shared her professional and personal journey, inspirations and what inclusion and diversity means to her individually and in the workforce.

 

A brief introduction of your professional journey
My professional journey is mostly made up of pursuing opportunity when presented.  I started as an Administrative Assistant for a consultant to the Authority in 2001.  Today, I am the Project Management Information System Administrator for the Office of Engineering.  There were many transitions along the way.
 
Do you have recommendations for LGBTQ+ people entering the business world who face situations of discrimination?
Discrimination in the workplace happens even in the most progressive of companies.  It can be targeted and intentional, an unconscious bias, or an unintentional mistake by a well-intended peer.  What makes the difference is what everyone does when it occurs.  When we see something, we must say something.  We cannot grow and progress by ignoring discrimination.  We have to be the change we seek- In the workplace and beyond.
 
What can we do tomorrow for LGBTQ+ or diversity that can make a change right away?
Stop waiting for tomorrow! Today I decided to be brave and expose a component of my life in a very public way to ensure there is a name and face to go along with this very important message.  LGBTQ+ people exist everywhere.  We’re targeted for many reasons but most of those reasons are based in fear and hate.
 
How do you celebrate PRIDE and what does it mean to you?
Like any disadvantaged or marginalized group, it’s validating to have time set aside to reflect on our past while navigating a path forward.  It’s a celebration of the small successes that have been achieved regarding equality and beyond.  In our home, participating in PRIDE involves multiple public events like festivals and parades, supporting LGBTQ+ owned businesses, and enjoying all of the art created by LGBTQ+ artists.
 
What’s a question you never get asked that you’d like to answer?
I have a toddler.  There is no shortage of questions being asked of me.  Ha! Seriously, though, I don’t know that I have a question that I’ve longed to have asked of me.  I’m generally willing to answer just about anything as long as the question isn’t rooted in malice.  That said, I know there are people out there with questions regarding LGBTQ+ topics that they’re not comfortable asking.  For more information on equality and inclusion, please visit https://www.hrc.org/resources.
 
Any ‘ah-ha ‘moment you would like to share - Personal or professional 
Yes.  Identity is important.  I am a mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, co-worker and so much more.  Shielding any of that from the world would take a tremendous amount of energy.  Energy that I could apply to so many things that make me feel whole.  I deserve that feeling and so do you.
 
 
 
 

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