DEI Employee Spotlight: Charles Thompson Wang (Pride Month)

Hello, eMoney family. My name is Charles Thompson-Wang, and my pronouns are He/Him.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born in Taiwan, and the whole family moved to the states when I was a little kid.

I grew up in California and lived in San Francisco for many years before moving to the East Coast. I was fortunate to be surrounded by a queer culture early on and always lived an authentic life in the LGBTQ+ community. I got married in 2016 to my hubby, Jon, who I met five months right after I moved to NYC in 2012.

Tell us about your experience(s) as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

I am grateful that I live in some of the most progressive cities that advocate LGBTQ+ rights. However, let us keep in mind that over 240 pieces of legislation across this country are designed to hurt this community, especially targeting the trans community.

I hope that people will take the time to learn and listen to each other and stop spreading the hate one day.

What’s something people might not know about you?

I’m late to the game, but I’ve recently started collecting Labubu. There’s something about them that brings me joy—they always manage to brighten my day.

What does Pride mean to you?

Pride is about learning the LGBTQ+ history and how the brave trailblazers like Marsha P. Johnson have fought for our civil rights and paved the way for us to gain equality in society.

Pride is about creating awareness and making noise about the inequality within the LGBTQ+ community, especially the injustice against the trans community.

Pride is about celebration. It is a joyous time for everyone, including our allies, to celebrate what we have accomplished and achieved in the past and continue to fight against prejudice projected in our community. Finally, Pride is about spreading the message of love. Love is love. Period.

How do you typically celebrate Pride and/or do you have plans to celebrate this year?

If you haven’t experienced Pride festivities with friends or family, please go and enjoy a weekend of cultural experiences, live music, and delicious food in your city hosting Pride parties.

As for me, I’ll be celebrating Pride by embracing my authentic self and spending quality time with my husband, Jon, and our furry child, Olive

In your opinion, how does eMoney support an inclusive work environment?

I was impressed with eMoney’s commitment to DEI when I did my research during my job interviews. This commitment is not about paying lip service but putting words into action. eMoney celebrates differences and provides a safe place where I can be my authentic self. I am grateful for this.