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Retail Business Services – the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA – is proud to celebrate Pride Month by spotlighting some of our great associates who are members of the LGBTQ+ community. This week, Jamie White, Service Delivery Manager, shares what Pride Month means to him: belonging. 

Raised in central Florida, Jamie White, Service Delivery Manager for Retail Business Services – the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA – had a carefree childhood. 

“My parents were always wonderful with me; I was very blessed to have them. I remember they took me to Walt Disney World when it first opened – that will tell you how old I am,” he said with a laugh. “I was about 3 or 4 years old, and I remember running away from each and every character and driving my mom nuts because they were chasing after me. I remember getting into a lot of trouble for running away from them.”  

But he also remembers a time when things were different.  

“When I was growing up, I didn’t really know what I was,” he shared. “When I was in my mid-20s, I accepted that I was gay, but I hid it from a lot of people.” 

While Jamie was always loved and supported by his family, he wasn’t familiar with the LGBTQ+ community as a child. The disconnect made his own coming out journey difficult. 

“I remember the first time I went to a Pride event in Atlanta,” he recalled. “I was probably in my late 20s, early 30s, and I remember looking around and saying, ‘Where were all these people before when I needed them growing up?’” 

But that first Pride taught him something important – it taught him that he belonged.  

“It was amazing to see the diversity; there were people of every size, shape, color, body type. It truly showed me that we are a community,” he said.  

For Jamie, that’s what pride is about: belonging. 

“One thing I think everyone needs to know about Pride is it’s not ever meant to exclude. It’s inclusion,” he said. “Whether you’re gay, straight, bi, curious, whatever. It’s just celebrating the fact that we all have a place in the community and that we’re not really pulling ourselves out of anything – we’re trying to bring everyone else in.” 

Jamie joined the Ahold Delhaize USA organization in 2000, based in Greenville, S.C., and he said that, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, the  local brands’ focus on diversity and inclusion means more than words can say.  

“I remember when same sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts,” he said. “I was amazed at how quickly the company offered benefits to same sex partners, and that’s something I’ve always been extremely proud of working here. “To me, Pride, and the way our company celebrates it, and the fact that we even celebrate it at all, is something that brings me joy. Because it’s recognizing people for their differences. And I personally feel that it’s important that the company does it because a lot of us grew up not knowing what we were, and Pride helps you to kind of have something to look at and truly be proud for.” 

To those working to be strong allies during Pride Month – and the rest of the year – Jamie has a few words of advice. 

“The best way people can be allies is to just care about people,” he said. “In the past few years, we’ve let things get to a point where you’re either for or against something. I truly believe we should be ‘for’ everyone and care about them as a person. While we may disagree about certain things, we should never disagree about who a person is, and who they are, who they love, who they spend time with. Just love and care about the people around you, and that’s the best way to be an ally.” 

Jamie lives in Greenville, S.C., with his two miniature long-haired dachshunds, Charlie and Cooper.