Driven by Pride: Running for a purpose
In honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Driven Brands is honored to share one employee’s experience raising money for Indy Pride's Rainbow 5K Run/Walk.
Jack Shirley has made a home for himself in Indianapolis, Indiana.
After graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in Strategic Communication, he decided to stay in the area as he began his career. Jack spent over a year at a small marketing firm before he decided to look for the next opportunity.
“I was ready for the next step, something with a larger organization that had more avenues for growth,” said Jack. “Driven Brands checked a lot of those boxes for me.”
In February 2023, Jack officially joined the Driven family as a Marketing Specialist. He works with the Maaco brand, offering marketing strategy and support.
In this role, he’s explored different worlds within the field from writing and public relations to community outreach and internal communications. He’s also made connections with people outside the marketing team.
“It’s nice being in a position where I’m connected to all the different departments,” Jack explained.
But the home he’s made in Indianapolis is made up of more than his Driven family. He’s also found a home with the LGBTQ+ community. For him, finding and connecting with this community has been essential.
Connecting with a community
One avenue for this was through Indy Pride, a nonprofit dedicated to hosting events which educate, honor the history, and celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQ+ people in Central Indiana.
“It feels refreshing to know that there is a big community here and meeting those who belong to it, whether they’re LGBTQ themselves or supporting as an ally,” said Jack. Jack saw an opportunity to give back to the organization and signed up for the Indy Pride Rainbow 5K Run/Walk, which took place Saturday, May 18. It was an opportunity to engage the community and get them active ahead of Pride Month in June.
For Jack, it was also an opportunity to try something new - running.
“I would say that I’m anything but a runner,” laughed Jack. “But this was a chance to try something new in a comfortable setting. It was easier for me to train for the run because I was doing it for something larger than myself and something that I care deeply about.”
The event also offered a fundraising option for walkers and runners to raise money. All the funds raised go straight to Indy Pride to assist with the annual scholarship programs and event programming. For Jack, it offered an additional layer of accountability and another way to support an organization he cared about. Ahead of the event, Jack was even able to surpass his fundraising goal.
On race day, Jack was thrilled to see the entire community come together to show their pride: “There were moms there with ‘free hugs’ shirts and people fashionably adorned with their rainbow tutus. People brought their whole family together to run it. It was really cool to be a part of.”
Celebrating Pride stories
The 5K was just the beginning of the month-long Pride month celebration of Pride. For Jack, other members of the LGBTQ+ community, and allies, this month is meant to recognize and celebrate the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on history.
“As is the case with any large corporation lending their support to a marginalized community like the queer community, there’s a fine line between genuine support and rainbow washing,” Jack explained.
In his experience, celebrating the stories and identities of queer people is one of the best ways an organization can show their support.
“Knowing that other people like me are out there and getting connected with other members of my community has been life changing,” said Jack. “At Driven and in my personal life, when I meet another queer person, there’s just this natural camaraderie. It’s someone who gets it without me having to lay it all on the table. We see each other.”
Jack hopes this 5K is just the start of his journey and has also signed up to do a half marathon in the fall. While this goal seems daunting at first, he’s excited to see where it all leads and feels confident that the people in his life will be there to support him along the way.
“RuPaul has a quote that says ‘as gay people, we get to choose our family.’ I’m very fortunate that the family I have and the family I’ve chosen to surround myself with are a really robust support system - personally and professionally. Those relationships keep me moving and motivate me to keep doing more for my community.”