LGBTQ+ Pride Month is celebrated in June to commemorate the riots that took place in New York City following a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a Greenwich Village gay bar, on June 28, 1969.  

This riot spurred action across the country and numerous LGBTQ+ organizations were formed across the U.S. 

General Mills’ history of Pride and LGBTQ+ inclusion dates to the early 1990s.  

Originally, a group of employees met off-campus, which is what sparked the creation of Betty’s Family Network, our LGBTQ+ employee network. Mark Addicks, one of the original members and an executive sponsor for Betty’s Family, was the first openly gay officer at General Mills in 1995. He is responsible for many of the traditions that still exist today. 

The first official employee network at General Mills, the Black Champions Network, was created in 1996 and paved the way for Betty’s Family to be recognized. Today, we have seven employee networks that celebrate and champion inclusivity every day.