Page 8 - BEQ Magazine Vol2 Iss4 V2

Credit: Robert Dodge Photography

“The myth of a “My experience and knowledge, one voice or one person,” he said. to others,” he said.
it may be irrelevant to many “What we have to do is have a lot Things were decidedly
national leader of them, so I’m not at all self- of people in a lot of different places different back in 1993 when
important about my own journey,” who are pushing the envelope, and Witeck co-founded Witeck-Combs
needs to be erased. he said. “I think they need to find through either personality, force of Communications with Wesley
their own paths, and they will. I feel argument, the law and the courts Combs in an effort to help business
We don’t need one sure I will learn more from people on our side, or justice that prevails, leaders navigate the LGBTQ
under 40, than possibly they can they are figuring out creative ways market and embrace stakeholders
voice or one person. learn from me.” to really get it right.” within their own organizations.
Witeck’s new education stems Witeck mentioned Gavin “I hoped to help align
What we have to from changes in the way young Grimm as a prime example of a corporations and our clients with
leaders focus their energy. He local leader. The transgender teen, LGBT progress,” he said. “Being
do is have a lot believes the LGBTQ community whether he intended or not, has able to design a business case that
has been successful by seeking become a standard-bearer in the long ago and grow it, obviously I’m
of people in a lot changes closer to where they live, fight for transgender student rights certainly not alone today. But I felt
on the city and state level. While the simply because in 2016, he wanted when we were starting out it was
of different places movement continues to champion to use the boys’ bathroom at his a novel approach, or a new idea
a very strategic effort litigating high school in Gloucester, Va. that hadn’t yet captured markets or
who are pushing in federal courts, the LGBTQ One reason this decentralized decision-makers.”
community doesn’t have a single leadership model works, Witeck Over two decades ago,
the envelope.” national leader. And that’s a good said, is that in our digital age leaders corporations “saw a lot more risk
thing, Witeck thinks. have disproportionate impact. and very little reward” in engaging
“The myth of a national leader “Even the work you’re doing locally,
needs to be erased. We don’t need the skills of organizing are not lost Continued on PAGE 55

8 | December 2017 BEQ PRIDE