For many, โbeing yourselfโ isnโt as easy as it sounds โ especially in the workplace. For Michael Kirschman, he feels fortunate every day to work somewhere he can be his authentic self. โPenn Community Bank feels like family and when you consider June being Pride Month, I feel at home,โ he says.
At the start of his banking career as a teller at First Savings Bank of Perkasie in 2013, Michael didnโt have a deep interest in a banking or finance career. What he did have an interest in, however, was building rapport with his colleagues and customers across the organization. With this foundation, he knew he could grow and succeed in various roles, and that nothing could hold him back.
In the climb to his current role as Branch Operations Specialist, Michael reflects that being confident in his own skin has allowed him to not let his sexuality infringe on the advancement of his professional career. It has, though, altered his perception โ but thatโs not a bad thing. In fact, Michael states heโs โbeen able to build deeper, more meaningful relationships by being true to who I am.โ
While there has been a number of colleagues Michael considers as mentors who helped shape his career and solidify his belonging as a queer person in banking, itโs his โbehind-the-scenesโ friend group that he credits for a great part of his growth. They call themselves โThe Fab 5,โ and just like the on-camera group from the TV show Queer Eye, the friends encourage each other to venture outside biases and challenge perspectives. Without this personal growth first, thereโd be no professional growth.
Financial institutions conduct business with a highly diverse customer base. That why, according to Michael, โitโs imperative to have a more global understanding of what our customersโ needs are in order to tackle the inequality that hinders the prosperity of our communities.โ When anyone walks through the door at Penn Community Bank, team members and customers alike, Michael wants them to immediately feel a sense of belonging. At a community bank, you actually see the impact that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in our workplace has in the communities we serve.
We know banking, at times, can be black and white. Michael says โthere is always room for a little color,โ and we couldnโt agree more. Happy Pride Month!
Q&A with Michael
What does Pride Month mean to you?
Pride Month allows us to acknowledge, embrace and celebrate our differences.ย It is not until we truly feel included that we evolve into the best versions of ourselves. Pride Month encourages LGBTQ+ individuals to be proud of who they are, to feel confident in their own skin, not just during the month of June, but all 365 days of the year.ย There is no better feeling than being seen and accepted for who you are.
Is there any LGBTQ+ organizations youโd like to spotlight?
โThe Trevor Projectโ is a non-profit organization that focuses on suicide prevention amongst LGBTQ+ young people.ย Queer youth are more than 4Xโs likely to attempt suicide than their peers.ย It is estimated that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ youth (13-24) consider suicide each year.ย This organization highlights the importance of mental health and provides a services that are important for LGBTQ+ youth across America. For more information, visit https://www.thetrevorproject.org/.
