Sponsored by Kaiser Permanente The San Diego Pride Parade kicks off in Hillcrest this Saturday, July 19. As the event attracts more than 250,000 people, it is among one of the largest Prides in the nation. Kaiser Permanente is a proud corporate sponsor of the parade. Scott Paine, co-chair of the Kaiser Permanente Pride Committee, joins our Laura Cavanaugh to share what we can expect this weekend and how Kaiser Permanente is striving to achieve health equity and a healthier future for all. “You got to be there. It is going to be so exciting. I mean just the energy that the crowd creates. Kaiser Permanente likes to align with that,” said Paine. “You’re going to have over 100 enthusiastic, dedicated employees, nurses, physicians marching along, interacting with the crowd, handing out Kaiser Permanente merchandise, giveaways, letting people know that we are part of this community and every community we serve. That energy that we’re going to bring that day really represents that support and that energy that we have at Kaiser Permanente every day when we serve out patients.” Kaiser Permanente’s mission is to provide high quality, affordable, compassionate and inclusive healthcare. “It’s who we are,” said Paine. “Not only recognizing every individual for the uniqueness that they bring, but also providing the tools and resources to our employees, nurses and physicians so they can break down barriers to effective healthcare and also reduce healthcare disparities in all the communities that we serve.” From the beginning, Kaiser Permanente has operated with a strong belief that everyone deserves an opportunity to be as healthy as possible. They are proud of their 80-year legacy of inclusion and a longstanding history of being a champion for equitable healthcare, with over 30 years of participating and marching in the San Diego Pride Parade. Kaiser Permanente has earned a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign’s Healthcare Equality Index every year since 2010, demonstrating excellence in LGBTQIA+ healthcare inclusion. “We were one of the first healthcare organizations to offer domestic partner benefits to our employees,” said Paine. “We have the LGBTQ+ Care Network, which provides specialized training to our physicians to provide culturally competent care to all of our members. And that has almost doubled in the last year.” Kaiser Permanente is a proud supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. The organization was founded on the principles of equity, inclusion and diversity and is committed to stand with – and celebrating – all the communities they serve. “I feel so proud to work for an organization where I know I am heard, I am seen and I am valued for the contributions that I bring to the organization,” said Paine. “And that really represents what Kaiser Permanente is all about and how we want every individual and every community that we serve to feel.” Learn more at www.kp.org