Tamara Corbin has worked in the commercial insurance industry for 27 years. She and colleagues Wil Kiesel and Lori Bolen recognized a need for awareness and representation of the LGBTQ+ community in their industry.
"There are several organizations in the industry that represent various backgrounds like labor groups, ethnicity and culture, gender equality and many others,” said Corbin. “But there aren’t any for the LGBTQ+ community – why is that?”
Corbin said she felt a calling to do the same for her industry and sought the advice of close friends and colleagues. Together, they took a risk in an industry of managing risk and formed Rainbow Risk Alliance, naming co-founder, Tamara M. Corbin, as President.
Wil Kiesel, Co-Founder and Vice President, said, "We wanted our name to reflect diversity, unity and community within the LGBTQ+, so we named it Rainbow Risk Alliance which includes LGBTQ+ as well as allies of LGBTQ+."
It began in October 2021 at the annual National Workers' Compensation and Disability Conference in Las Vegas, NV. Rainbow Risk Alliance hosted their first event at the 1928 Prohibition Bar in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
"We wanted to host it at 1928, a speak-easy bar, to give our guests the experience of walking through history and to feel what it was like to gather as a group but out of the pubic eye," said Corbin. "We had such a positive response, it was overwhelming. Everyone expressed the desire to support our cause and wondered why it hadn't happened sooner."
By March 2022, Corbin officially formed the nonprofit Rainbow Risk Alliance. The vision of diversity, unity and community became a reality. With donations coming in, they were able to host their first official event in April 2022 at RIMS, the largest risk management conference in the industry. "It would be the "coming out" for Rainbow Risk Alliance," said Corbin.
The event was sold out. Rainbow Risk Alliance received overwhelming support with over 300 attendees. "We are humbled and inspired to forge on," said Kiesel.
With Rainbow Risk Alliance securing their place in the insurance industry, Corbin has plans to make a lasting mark. "We want to be a center of support to the LGBTQ+ community. We want to attract talent to our industry. That might include visiting college campuses or attending job fairs," said Corbin.
Credits:
Created with images by stockphoto-graf - "hands holding up the words thank you shaped by colorful wooden letters" • adragan - "LGBT rainbow ribbon in the shape of heart. Pride tape symbol. Isolated on a white background" • ink drop - "A spectator waves a gay rainbow flag at an LGBT gay pride march in London" • Jacob Lund - "Pride parade with gay rainbow flag in the city" • Feng Yu - "diversity" • sharafmaksumov - "Word or phrase Unity in a dictionary." • Feng Yu - "Community" • Francisco - "rainbow flag in the wind 04" • alswart - "Tie The Knot Gay Marriage" • motortion - "Crowd raising posters chanting to respect LGBT rights, support for gay marriage" • Savvapanf Photo © - "Fabric USA and gay pride rainbow flags as background, concept picture" • MH - "Happy Pride Month" • 21021021 - "Thank You calligraphy inscription. Fullsize raster calligraphy."