“I was raised in a small town by a Catholic family, so I was very nervous about coming out. This was twenty years ago, and things have changed a lot. Today, my friends and family support me exactly as I am. But the reality is, LGBTQIA individuals living in other parts of the world face unimaginable challenges. In many countries, it is still illegal to identify as LGBTQIA, and one can be arrested, jailed, or even killed—not to mention shamed by their families and cast out of society. Because of this, many continue to live in secret.
One of the reasons I love working with Novica is that we support our artisans unconditionally. We create financial opportunities for those who might otherwise face discrimination, and we show love and emotional support for each other regardless of how we choose to identify. We are all just people, living together, working toward a safer and more harmonious world.”
Michael Hockey
Global Product Developer |
