"The Beauty within PRIDE"
Title: "The Beauty of Pride"
Description and Inspiration:
will never forget the day when I was terminated simply because I was openly gay and had gone to my first #pride parade!
At the time I worked in commercial banking and my manager informed all employees that if we participate in any of the events, it could potentially isolate clients in the area, as a result, we were banned from attending any activities!
I am from the south and at the time I was working in an “At Will” state, which means that the manager can fire you without notice or cause. Some laws protect you based on sex, religion, skin color, etc.
But at the time the laws did not protect those of us, who were openly gay.
Being the rebel that I am! I attended the parade and when I returned to work “On a Tuesday!” My manager politely walked up to me with a calm smile and no reservations, and stated “YOU’RE FIRED” in front of the entire team and office!
I was too ashamed and too embarrassed to call my mother, my friends, or my family. So I went to my savior and my best for advice with tears in my eyes “because I wasn’t going to let them fall” lol 😂. She would never allow that!
So I called my “HONEY” aka “grandma”, and she said!
“Barney Fife (aka Darnell) 🤷🏿♂️! That’s just the lord talking to you and informing you, that’s not the right path for you. You have always had a lot of pride, and way too much confidence, and you’ve always been the smartest and most talkative person in the damn room! 😅 Always continue to be yourself and it’s going to make some people uncomfortable! They won’t like you at times and they will just be mad because you choose to live your entire TRUTH and life as you want it! They’re jealous and that’s ok!
You just remember to take always remain humble and don’t ever forget the people that love you and do right by your community!”
That was my last day working in the banking industry, and it was at this point, that my HR career began!
My grandma helped me to see it on this day!
Pride is truly like a Rainbow! We can all see it, it can be in your face, it can be right there in the sky overseeing all of us! However and most importantly a rainbow is only completed after all the colors, the opinions, politics, races, religions, countries, neighborhoods, etc set aside their differences can we truly see the
“BEAUTY WITHIN PRIDE”
Type: Pop and Abstract - Acrylic
Creation: 2020
Original Size: 36 x 48 inches
Please contact me directly for customizations: (Framing, Sizing, Styles, Etc)
Prices May Vary
darnell@darnellclaytonarts.com
