Urban is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace, and one way we do this is by supporting employee-formed resource groups (ERGs).

These employee-led groups aim to promote inclusivity and a sense of community within Urban. They provide a platform for members to support each other, offer educational and career opportunities, and collectively give feedback to help our company continuously improve.

One example is the Urban Alliance, an LGBTQ+ ERG established in 2020. The group's mission is to encourage collaboration, awareness, and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community within Urban, our clients, and the engineering industry.

We proudly celebrate Pride Month 2024 at Urban with the theme "Pride in Diversity," highlighting our employees and the vibrant communities they represent. We recently asked two members of the Urban Alliance what makes them proud.

“When reflecting on what I take pride in, I think about many aspects. One is being a part of the Urban Alliance LGBTQ+ group at Urban. Having a group of fellow LGBTQ+ people is comforting to see that I belong here. It’s also cool to be in the group as a resource to other people at Urban. I’ve worked in other places where they either didn’t have an LGBTQ+ group or didn’t market it well, and I felt less connected to my workplace. I didn’t want to do anything extra because I felt like there was no place for me. I know that is not everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, being involved in something other than what I’m obligated to do makes me enjoy the work more. Fostering this community and planning events so we can all celebrate together is so rewarding, and I’m proud of what we have done so far as a group.

Another aspect is having pride in myself. When I turned 26, it brought a lot of life changes for me and made me realize that I’m an adult now and a very different person than when I was in college and started working at Urban. Even though I’ve had the same job, it’s incredible to reflect back on who I was when I started and to see the changes and growth I’ve made in the past six years. Also, within that time, I’ve created a community of friends and colleagues who support each other, and I find it very special to have all these people in my life and appreciate me for being my true self," Nick Bresser, EIT, Design Engineer.

“What is Pride to me? I am proud of myself and who I have become over the past ten years. I came out as gay when I was 27 years old (I'll be 37 this year). That age is pretty late to come out, and when I look back, I jokingly see it from an engineering viewpoint as a “project schedule,” if you will, with three stages. Those stages included “Realization, Understanding, and Acceptance.” This particular project schedule did not come with a budget, but it did come with plenty of time.

Realization – When I was 25 years old, a close friend of mine tragically passed away. It shocked me to the core and made me question the independent, single, structured life I curated for myself. Growing up, I had no education, exposure, or experience relating to the LGBTQ+ community. I only knew of “gay” as a negative OR very stereotypical connotation. It took me a long time to come out because I did not EQUATE what I felt to what I THOUGHT meant gay. Now, after ten years of being out, I realize the incredible history, depth, and beautiful broad spectrum the LGBTQ+ community encompasses. One that I am proud to be a part of.

Understanding – I had to understand that this would change my life. The way people perceived me, including family and friends. Luckily, I had a great support system in them and fellow Urbanites, too. But it also presented hardships, like not talking to my father for months. People come from many different kinds of upbringing. So, we gave that time. And truly, time is a healer, in my opinion. It helped bridge troubled waters (pun intended) and created mutual understanding and stronger bonds. I am happy to have a loving and accepting family.

Acceptance – The final stage was finally accepting who I was for myself. Once I did, I did not look back. I am proud to be the person I am, with all the ups, downs, successes, and failures. That is life after all. Opening that door allowed me to embrace SO many great experiences from friends, sports leagues, chorus, and volunteering. I am grateful. I try to live life to the fullest, and I live it in honor of my friend who passed. While that was a hard time, it also became a time of absolute renewal.

I am proud to be a part of Urban Alliance and what we've accomplished so far, and I hope others can find solace in ERGs like that, too. Thank you for taking the time to read about my “project schedule.” I hope it inspires you to find what gives you PRIDE in YOUR life, too," Tim Dunn, PE, Engineer.