News

In our B Corp series we report on news within the B Corporation community, often focusing on inspiring B Corps and their stories. Our May blog talked about B Lab having reached 5000 B Corps. In June we spoke about women in leadership moving corporations toward sustainable development goals (SDG) and we explained what SDGs are.

This month we have taken note of a very important announcement at bcorporation.net: the three Co-Founders of B Lab are passing the torch to new leadership. At AMS Fulfillment, we see the B Corporation as vital to a future where human beings and the earth are no longer exploited. We have chosen to be the change we all want to see in the world and are very happy and proud to be in the company of a growing number of B Corporations. We welcome the new leadership and look forward to a future where the B Corporation leads the way.

At bcorporation.net we see the following announcement:

“Sixteen years ago this week, B Lab was formally launched by three college friends committing themselves to a Declaration of Interdependence. The three of us — Andrew, Bart, and Jay — shared a hope for a better way to do business: better for workers, better for communities, better for the planet.”

The article goes on to talk about the beginning, the inspiration, the ideas and what they saw as the opportunity to address challenges.

“The very first B Corps were certified 15 years ago, in June 2007, at the BALLE (now Common Future) conference at UC Berkeley. 19 pioneering companies stood up in a room and said “We Are In” without having any idea what they were in for. By the end of that year, we had certified 81 Founding B Corps, each signing a copy of the Declaration of Interdependence as an expression of our shared values and additional requirement of their certification.”

The article talks about having reached the milestone of 5,000 B Corps spanning 80 countries and 150 industries. The authors explain that the movement “…has never been about building an empire of B Corps, and that the certification is a means, not an end. B Corps have a direct impact on their workers, communities, and environment; they are making collective commitments to be net zero on climate, to reduce inequality, and to build racial equity in their companies; and their advocacy has resulted in the passage of legislation in 52 jurisdictions around the globe to upgrade fiduciary duty and corporate governance.”

The founders welcome Eleanor Allen as B Lab’s new Lead Executive as follows:

“We believed that the organization would be best served by moving from a founder-led organization to a professionally managed global network. After an 18 month search, we are beyond thrilled that Eleanor has agreed to carry the torch of leadership into this next decade of impact.

“The three of us remain totally passionate about and totally committed to this movement. We will continue to contribute outside of day to day operating roles, with Jay leading Imperative 21, a collaborative organization that is building narrative power for a just economy, and Andrew and Bart as executive members of the B Lab Board of Directors and advisors to Eleanor.”

AMS Fulfillment joins in welcoming Eleanor to the constellation of leaders that is the B Global Network. Please read the full article HERE.

We are nearing the height of the season where heat exposure becomes a safety issue for a fulfillment company. National Heat Awareness Day, which took place in May, anticipated the heat wave that we have been experiencing in the past few weeks. In fact, national news media have brought us quite a few examples of heat as a safety issue with record temperatures in many areas.

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) produces standards for employers and education on the symptoms of heat illness. At the OSHA website we find the following on Heat Illness: “Every year, dozens of workers die and thousands more become ill while working in hot or humid conditions. The OSHA Heat Illness Prevention campaign educates employers and workers on the dangers of working in the heat.”

Under the OSH Act, employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety and health hazards. This includes protecting workers from heat-related hazards. The OSHA plan includes heat hazard recognition and the provision of water, rest and shade for workers exposed to extreme heat. OSHA lists the illnesses as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat syncope, heat rash and muscle pain or weakness.

The AMS safety team is well aware of heat safety issues, and they monitor for symptoms, staying observant and watchful. They encourage employees to be watchful of each other as well and intervene if they observe symptoms.

In June of last year we produced a blog about fire safety and heat exhaustion. In that blog Matthew Warholy, AMS Safety and Security Supervisor, spoke about how AMS approaches heat safety. Quoting Matt: “…warehouses can become just as hot inside as it is outside. We encourage employees to drink plenty of liquids. Every warehouse has water dispensers and employees can refill their water bottles as much as they’d like. Our receiving teams are unloading trucks that are extremely hot. Sometimes 20 -30 degrees hotter than it is outside. We make sure that those employees are switching roles periodically. We stress the importance of ‘See Something, Say Something.’ If you are feeling dehydrated, speak up. If you see a co-worker with signs of exhaustion or dehydration, say something immediately. A little prevention goes a long way.”

Keeping our employees safe from heat related illness and warding off heat exhaustion through providing ample water, rest, breaks and switching roles is a priority and will be as we move through the hot months to come.

According to Marco Pelaez, VP of Operations, we have been taking some extra safety steps this year to deal with the heat wave. Marco said, “We remind our employees to drink plenty of water the night before they come to work to keep their system hydrated because we know that it is sometimes too late to hydrate the system during the heat of the day. We have also provided every building with a freezer, ice, jugs, and Gatorade (powder) so our employees can consume some electrolytes.”

Thank You Marco!

AMS Fulfillment is a B Corporation, which means that we are committed and dedicated to employee safety. Our Safety Blog outlines the many different practices that have given us one of the best safety records in the industry.

AMS Fulfillment is delighted to welcome our new Vice President of Marketing, Sarah Smith. We look forward to experiencing the value of her energy and skillset and her extensive knowledge of marketing within the industry. Sarah has more than 16 years of marketing experience, with over five years specifically in the eCommerce & fulfillment industry.

Sarah comes to AMS from Rakuten Super Logistics where she served as Director of Marketing. She was responsible for all marketing strategies and implementations, including the development of marketing programs, strategic planning, KPI and KSO goals, budget management, execution, and ROI tracking. Sarah designed and implemented comprehensive marketing strategies which led to an increase of inbound leads by 25% and she took inbound revenue from $30MM to $100MM in four years.

She began her career as a Forecasting and Business Operations Analyst in the CPG vertical.  After moving to Las Vegas in 2005, she fell in love with digital marketing – where she has been for over 16 years.  She spent most of her time in the travel industry before making the switch to B2B Marketing.  Sarah has driven businesses to generate optimum campaign ROI using her analytical knowledge. 

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Sarah and her husband are avid hockey fans. They also enjoy ballroom dancing, traveling, and spoiling their two German Shepherd Dogs.

AMS CEO, Jay Catlin extends his greeting! “We are so excited to be adding Sarah as our very first seasoned marketing professional to the Sales & Marketing Team at AMS!  It’s a true Team effort at AMS within this department, and Sarah is already becoming a fantastic contributor and collaborator.  Welcome aboard Sarah!”

What does it mean to be employed by a B Corporation? We certainly hope our employees would tell you it’s something special… a B Corp actually cares about the people working there.

AMS Fulfillment employs nearly 700 people in eight locations, on both the west and east coasts. We often say, and we do believe, our employees are the reason for our success. As a B Corporation our commitment is not to financial profit above all; our commitment is to 1) our employees, 2) our environment, 3) our community, 4) our clients, 5) ourselves. So, a B Corporation has five stakeholders that weigh in on every decision. Its intention is to be good for the world!

AMS is engaged in continuous effort to meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, accountability, and most importantly our employees’ safety and happiness. In this blog we have talked about the free educational opportunities, the extensive safety measures and our excellent safety record, and our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. But there is still a way to go in recognition of employee needs.

There can be stress and strain in providing for a family in normal times, and even more during a time of rising costs. Our thought and effort has gone into providing support and resources for employees who face challenges in meeting the needs of their household. 

We encourage employees to contact us with regard to free resources that have been made available:

• Non-Perishable Food Donation
• Thanksgiving Family Meal (immediate household)
• Holiday Gift Donation (immediate household)
• Employee Assistance Program (childcare, financial, emotional, legal)
• Training and Development Courses at AMS Learning Center
• Coronavirus Relief Fund, the CARES Act
• Local Clothing, Food, Shelter, and Rehab Location Centers
• Free Accident Insurance through Mutual of Omaha
• Paid Family Leave Assistance through EDD 

In addition to the above-listed resources, AMS offers free health insurance for qualifying employees including: medical, dental, vision, basic life/AD&D, short term and long term disability, accident insurance, and employee assistance program, and a company match on 401K.

AMS also offers vanpool for commuting employees, saving riders hundreds of dollars each month. Recently we launched RideMatch for AMS Employee carpooling! RideMatch is an online platform that connects AMS drivers with AMS employees that need rides. Sharing a ride to work can save time and money while reducing carbon emissions.

We know that when you strengthen an employee, you strengthen a company, and when you strengthen a company, you strengthen the community.

To sign up for one or more of the free resources, please contact [email protected] for more information. We would like to help.

Thank you for your exemplary performance during the month of May: Ingrid I., Leonardo S., Saul M., Melody G., Cristy G., Danielle K., Steve Z. and Devin P.

In the fulfillment industry, employees directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business. At AMS Fulfillment we appreciate and value our employees, and we respect and invest in them.

The following nominations demonstrate that the individual being recognized has gone above and beyond and deserves Special Thanks! All winners will receive an Employee of the Month Certificate & T-Shirt!

Ingrid I., Account Manager I (05/18/2021)
HQ Office, Valencia, CA

I would like to nominate Ingrid for May Employee of the Month. Ingrid is always willing to go above and beyond for her clients and team members. She’s committed to learning and growing, and she has yet to lose momentum. Ingrid really showcased her analytic side with our recent QBR creating detailed analysis to present to the client. She’s eager to step up to any challenge. Ingrid, thank you for your hard work and dedication!

Leonardo S., Operations Associate II (05/20/2022)
HQ Warehouse, Valencia, CA

I would like to nominate Leonardo for May Employee of the Month because he is better known in receiving as “El Compa Leo”. What can I say about this gentleman? He works and works and does what he can to help; even if it is a little tough when he is helping us in receiving. He manages, learns, and adapts. He is always doing the right thing and always having fun. If you walk the aisles, you can hear him singing and laughing.

Saul M., Operations Supervisor (09/15/2021)
LIV, Valencia, CA

I nominate Saul for May Employee of the month because of his hard work and dedication. He is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure our orders and our goals are met for the day, and always willing to do the overtime when needed. Saul is a great example to follow as well as an even better team player. Saul walks in with a great attitude and a sense of urgency. Thank you, Saul!!

Melody G., General Warehouse (05/04/2022)
WIT, Valencia CA

I nominate Melody for May Employee of the Month because as a new employee she has become a great asset to the team. She learned the picking process within days and her efficiency is undeniable. In the short time working in the department, she has managed to picker/packer list. She pays attention and is very detail oriented. She is always on time and always willing to help others. She has a positive attitude, and it stands out every day.

Cristy G., Inventory Receiving Manager (04/16/2012)
WIL, Valencia, CA

I nominate Cristy for May Employee of the Month because she is a huge key to success for the WIL1 building. She is always willing to take on any task with a smile. She is dealt very difficult tasks by management, clients and/or client services and always prevails and makes it look easy. Cristy is without a doubt an AMS All-Star.

Danielle K., DFC Operator (05/06/2021)
New Holland, PA

I nominate Danielle for May Employee of the Month because she a loyal employee. She shows up every day to work on time and always has a great attitude. She works great with everybody and every department she is put in. Danielle is great with helping others. She deserves recognition for being a valued member to AMS.

Steve Z., Receiver (12/08/2021)
New Castle, DE

I nominate Steve for May Employee of the Month because he has stepped up and helped the receiving department while the supervisor of the department was out in California getting CT training. Steve has a positive attitude and has established himself as a valuable member of the team.

Devin P., Exact Staff (04/12/2022)
Newark, DE

I nominate Devin for May Employee of the Month because he has only been with us for a short time, but in that time he has shown us commitment to getting the job done right. Devin has a willingness to learn other tasks in the building and help his teammates when needed. He has worked in Assembly, Receiving, and Fulfillment. Thank You Devin and keep up the good work !!!!

To all of our Honorees, please know that whatever role you play, you are the reason for our success. Congratulations and Thank You!

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

June is a month with quite a few commemorations and special events. The Summer Solstice was on June 21^st giving us the longest day, shortest night of the year as well as the beginning of Summer. We also see Father’s Day and Juneteenth on the 19^th, Flag Day on the 14^th plus Flag Week, and for monthly celebrations we have Pride Month and Black Music Appreciation Month.

The point of these celebrations is to pause and appreciate and learn about some of the great struggles for the betterment of our world. AMS Fulfillment is a B Corporation, committed to ‘Be the Change’ and better the world through our decision-making. We place strong emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) as one of the many ways we work toward a better world.

We talked about Pride Month and the associated struggle for fairness in a blog published June 1^st, and we talked about Juneteenth with its poignant message a few days later. In this blog we’d like to talk about “Black music appreciation” taking note of the profound cultural changes that were urged forward by Black music during the Civil Rights Movement.

Below is the opening paragraph of the White House Proclamation on Black Music Appreciation Month, 2022:

“Music has the power to lift our spirits, comfort our souls, and inspire our hearts.  It gives a voice to the human spirit, creating a common language that unites people and breaks down barriers.  Perhaps no music has had as profound and powerful an impact in shaping America’s musical score as Black music. Intricately woven into the tapestry of our Nation, Black music enriches our lives and pushes the boundaries of creativity.  Throughout the decades and across the country, Black music has fueled a myriad of genres — from rhythm and blues to jazz, gospel, country, rap and more. This month, we celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Black music on American culture and recognize the indelible impact it continues to have on the world.”

In this writing we will focus on one song, written by Sam Cooke, which became the anthem for the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s: A Change Is Gonna Come.

From Wikipedia we find the following information about this iconic song:

“This 1964 R&B hit, ‘A Change Is Gonna Come,’ written and performed by Sam Cooke is among the most recognizable pop songs associated with the African American Civil Rights Movement. The song was inspired by various events in Cooke’s life, most prominently when he and his entourage were turned away from a whites-only motel in Louisiana. Cooke felt compelled to write a song that spoke to his struggle and of those around him, and that pertained to the Civil Rights Movement and African Americans.

“In 2007, the song was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress, with the National Recording Registry deeming the song “culturally, historically, or aesthetically important.” In 2021, it appeared on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, ranked at No. 3.”

Sam Cooke was right – a change did come and it has kept coming. While discrimination based on race or gender still can be found, much has changed and much is changing in the cultural climate. Companies like AMS and other B Corporations take steps every day to make sure their hiring and promotion enhances diversity, provides equity, and is inclusive. Today there are more than 5,000 B Corporations, and that is good news!

You can enjoy Sam Cooke’s iconic song HERE.

Photo Credit: William Recinos

Father’s Day is not an official public holiday in the US, and yet it is a widely accepted and very important day for the majority of the US population. Father’s Day falls on the third Sunday of every June – this year on June 19th.  It is a day for honoring the men who play the vital role of father, dad, daddy, papa, grandpa… and all other loving names for the ones who light up our lives by supporting and caring for us as only a father can.

First of all, we recognize and appreciate every father working at AMS Fulfillment, and all of the fathers in our local communities. What would we do without you? You support us, protect us, provide for us and guide us, and you deserve more than a pretty card, a lunch out, or a gift. You deserve recognition of the vital role you play in all of our lives.

One of the events that led to the establishment of Father’s Day was a mining accident in West Virginia in which many fathers were killed. These fathers were working to support their families, and they died because they were working in terribly unsafe conditions. According to publicholidays.com the 1907 memorial service to these men inspired the idea of a permanent Father’s Day.

The article goes on to say, “But it was Sonora Dodd who led the charge to make Father’s Day a holiday. Her father’s efforts at raising both her and her five siblings after the death of their mother motivated her to campaign for Father’s Day, and her efforts paid off with the first Father’s Day celebration held on the 19^th of June 1910. Momentum increased in the years and decades ahead as successive Presidents including Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of Father’s Day. Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day in 1966. And, ultimately, President Richard Nixon made the observance permanent in 1972.”

We’ve included below two Father’s Day messages, shared with our blog, from people we know well… Jay Catlin, AMS CEO, and Betty-Lou Wiseman, President of AMS West. These messages certainly tell us that whether you are a daughter or a son, having a father who inspires you is a great treasure.

From Jay Catlin:

“I don’t know if my dad sees himself as a mentor to me, but he has quietly been an amazing guide on my path and journey. You don’t always see it, especially in the early years of life as you stumble your way into adulthood, but he has shown me the way. The incredible energy he put forward every day in raising his two boys, in supporting charitable causes, and in building successful businesses as an entrepreneur… I learned from his example that you get out what you put in, and he poured himself into all of it. He earned his way from very humble beginnings through hard work, determination, love and intelligence, and gave me the chance to prove that I could do the same and experience that personal fulfillment on my own. I am blessed to have David as my father, my friend, my guide and my mentor.”

From Betty-Lou Wiseman:

“My Dad taught me to be part of community volunteering. He was chief of the Millerton Volunteer Fire Department for many years and an active member for over 25 years. His community was important to him being from a small town as this has been passed down to me as I have the same strong mindset that he did with Single Mothers Outreach and now being on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Ventura. Happy Father’s Day and thank you!”

We want every father to know, on this commemorative day, just how important your example is to your sons and daughters. We also want to appreciate the men who play the father role in helping a child who doesn’t have a father. Keep on being an example of a father’s love and father’s inspiration!

Happy Father’s Day! We Value You!

Photo credit: Tim Mossinger

Each month in this Series we cover B Corporation News that is published on bthechange.com. This month an article on women as CEOs and top executives caught our attention. AMS Fulfillment provides an example of women executives with a very impressive Team featuring some admirable women. We are a B Corporation, very much involved in engaging our stakeholders. By stakeholders, we mean: 1. our employees, 2. the community that surrounds us, 3. the environment that we all depend upon, 4. our clients that we serve with passion, and 5. ourselves as a successful and profitable business.

This month’s article is interesting in that it states: “We found that a larger share of women in upper management in major U.S. companies has a particularly positive effect on companies’ implementation of the SDG framework.”

What is the SDG framework? “The Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by 2030.” Wikipedia

The 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to transform our world are inspiring, and they are goals that few could disagree with:

• No Poverty
• Zero Hunger
• Good Health and Well-being
• Quality Education
• Gender Equality
• Clean Water and Sanitation
• Affordable and Clean Energy
• Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• Reduced Inequality
• Sustainable Cities and Communities
• Responsible Consumption and Production
• Climate Action
• Life Below Water
• Life on Land
• Peace and Justice, Strong Institutions
• Partnerships to achieve the Goal

The article goes on to say that their studies imply “…a much broader and deeper integration of the SDGs in the corporate strategy when more female executives are present.”

The authors go on to speculate that companies with women executives are more oriented to change. We can certainly verify that AMS Fulfillment is continuously changing and growing, inspired by and committed to our B Corporation agreement to consider our stakeholders every step of the way. 

We invite you to read the full B The Change article HERE.

On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth became the twelfth federal legal holiday. A number of states also recognize it as a state legal holiday, and most states honor it as a day of observance. The Senate unanimously passed a resolution on June 15, 2021 to give Juneteenth the legal holiday status.

NPR informs us of the 2022 details: “Although the official date of the holiday is June 19, the date on which it is observed can vary if it falls on a weekend. That is the case this year. June 19, 2022 falls on a Sunday, so for pay and leave purposes, federal employees will get the holiday on Monday, June 20 according to the Office of Personnel Management.

“Juneteenth is now formally recognized as a federal holiday. In 2022 Juneteenth will be observed on Monday, June 20, however the actual day of Juneteenth is June 19th which falls on a Sunday. Banks will be closed on Juneteenth, however banks should be open on the following Tuesday, June 21.”

What does it mean for a business such as AMS, and why does this date have importance for all of us? Juneteenth is a big step forward in bringing recognition, equity and due respect to the descendants of African men and women who suffered and endured enslavement in the US. The journey from enslavement to equity has been a long and painful one for Black Americans… through Jim Crow and segregation to racism and racial discrimination. Today’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion is meant to finally bring an end to inequality in the workplace. As a B Corporation, AMS is pleased to bring attention to this new holiday celebrating the actual end of slavery.

Juneteenth, which is short for June 19^th, marks the day in 1865 when federal troops sailed into Galveston, Texas to inform the state’s enslaved Africans that they were free. The not-so-glorious thing about that date is that it was a full two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared “that all persons held as slaves” within the rebellious states “are, and henceforward shall be free.” Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday.

From history.com we read the following: “Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House two months earlier in Virginia, but slavery had remained relatively unaffected in Texas—until U.S. General Gordon Granger stood on Texas soil and read General Orders No. 3: The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

Contrary to what we might have presumed, the Emancipation Proclamation only applied to places under Confederate control and not to slave-holding border states. In Texas, slavery had continued. In fact, many enslavers from outside of Texas had moved there, as they viewed it as a safe haven for slavery. The arrival of federal troops in Galveston that June signaled freedom for 250,000 enslaved men, women and children.

Although emancipation didn’t happen overnight for everyone (in some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after harvest season) celebrations broke out among newly freed people, and Juneteenth was born. That December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment.

In our recent Memorial Day blog, we spoke about how our society has been able to change and grow in recognition of our shared humanity:

“As a B Corporation we proudly speak of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. We also are proud to consider our employees, our clients, our communities and our natural world stakeholders in the decisions we make. And we recognize that it is due to the freedoms we have, that our society has been able to change from the exploitations of the past and grow into a country that celebrates all human beings.”

As we celebrate Juneteenth we also recognize that there is a ‘way to go’ in bringing equity to all, and at AMS we are committed to the journey and happy to be so!

Photo credit: Heather Mount

We are living within a time period where wrongs of the past are being corrected, and AMS is proud to be on the forefront of advancing those corrections in the workplace. The terminology we use is “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DE&I), and the reality is a culture of fairness, humanity, and non-discrimination in hiring and promotion: the end to prejudice based on race, ethnicity and sexual orientation.

Recognizing that there was prejudice and discrimination, and there is a history of overcoming, we celebrate, in the month of June, both PRIDE and Juneteenth.

With regard to Pride Month, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) history of overcoming is celebrated to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States.

From History.com we have gleaned some details of the Stonewall Uprising:

“The Stonewall Riots, also called the Stonewall Uprising, began in the early hours of June 28, 1969 when New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village in New York City.

“The raid sparked a riot among bar patrons and neighborhood residents as police roughly hauled employees and patrons out of the bar, leading to six days of protests and violent clashes with law enforcement outside the bar on Christopher Street, in neighboring streets and in nearby Christopher Park. The Stonewall Riots served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.

“The 1960s and preceding decades were not welcoming times for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans. For instance, solicitation of same-sex relations was illegal in New York City.

“For such reasons, LGBT individuals flocked to gay bars and clubs, places of refuge where they could express themselves openly and socialize without worry. However, the New York State Liquor Authority penalized and shut down establishments that served alcohol to known or suspected LGBT individuals, arguing that the mere gathering of homosexuals was ‘disorderly.'”

As well as being a month-long celebration, Pride Month is an opportunity raise awareness of current issues facing the community. Parades are a prominent feature, and there are many other events as well. Here below are links to the websites of the Los Angeles Pride and the New York City Pride celebrations.

In this year’s blog we’d like to give credit to the woman who started the celebrations, known as the “Mother of Pride”, Brenda Howard. It was Brenda Howard who coordinated the first LGBT Pride march. From this began a week of events, and these events developed into the annual LGBTQ celebrations held every June. Here below is some of that inspiring story:

“To assemble the parade and the first gay pride week, Howard and the committee met at the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop, the first gay and lesbian bookstore in America, at 15 Christopher Street. With the bookstore’s mailing list, they got word out about the parade. Committee member L. Craig Schoonmaker suggested the word “Pride” for the event. “A lot of people were very repressed, they were conflicted internally, and didn’t know how to come out and be proud. That’s how the movement was most useful, because they thought, ‘Maybe I should be proud,’” Schoonmaker said in 2015.

“The parade was scheduled for June 28, 1970. At first, only a relative few showed up for the parade’s 2 PM start time, set to travel 51 blocks, from Greenwich Village to Central Park. Police, there to protect the marchers, had to urge those who did show up to begin at ten after two. As if waiting to see if others would go first, people first trickled into the parade and then showed up in droves, growing louder and louder, eventually forming a thousands-strong mass of people 20 blocks long.”

Read the full article HERE.

AMS Fulfillment strives to create a corporate culture that is truly inclusive, and eager to give respect to voices that have been historically excluded. We are a B Corporation, and as such we are committed to ‘B The Change’ for the better.

As employers with a long-time commitment to diversity, AMS knows from experience that a diverse workforce creates a stronger corporate family. We have a stronger company and a happier family because of the diverse talent, diverse backgrounds, and diverse experiences of our teams today, and we intend to continue on that foundation and improve whatever needs improvement as we go forward.

Happy PRIDE MONTH! Be proud!!

There are patriotic commemorations throughout the year in which we recognize that we live in a country where our individual freedoms and democratic government are to be cherished and preserved. They are even worth life itself. Through these freedoms, human beings and human society can evolve. We have seen that type of growth take place in the USA.

As a B Corporation we proudly speak of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. We also are proud to consider our employees, our clients, our communities and our natural world stakeholders in the decisions we make. And we recognize that it is due to the freedoms we have, that our society has been able to change from the exploitations of the past, and grow into a country that celebrates all human beings.

This past weekend we celebrated Memorial Day during which we honored and thanked all of the men and women who paid the ultimate price defending our freedoms as members of the military service. This commemoration is sacred to the many who lost ancestors, family members and friends in war. It is a day of appreciation for those who sacrificed for future generations. A very great sacrifice indeed.

The story of how Memorial Day began is an example of that very evolution of our humanity through the freedoms and democratic government that we are willing to fight and die for. This inspiring story can be found on the History.com website. Here below is a brief excerpt:

“And then on May 1, 1865, something even more extraordinary happened. According to two reports that Blight found in The New York Tribune and The Charleston Courier, a crowd of 10,000 people, mostly freed slaves with some white missionaries, staged a parade around the race track. Three thousand Black schoolchildren carried bouquets of flowers and sang “John Brown’s Body.” Members of the famed 54th Massachusetts and other Black Union regiments were in attendance and performed double-time marches. Black ministers recited verses from the Bible.”

“If the news reports are accurate, the 1865 gathering at the Charleston race track would be the earliest Memorial Day commemoration on record. Blight excitedly called the Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture at the College of Charleston, looking for more information on the historic event.”

Read the full story HERE.

Coming up in June is Flag Day, commemorating the adoption of the flag of the US on June 14^th, 1777. Following that we will get ready to celebrate the independence of the US on July 4! Then, on the 11^th of November we will celebrate Veterans Day. Moving on to 2023, in the month of May, we will celebrate Armed Forces Day. Click HERE to read our recent blog, “Thank You to our Armed Forces.”

We hope you had a very enjoyable Memorial Day weekend, enjoying friends and family and giving thanks to those who sacrificed their lives. We are very fortunate to live in a country where the human being can freely choose to Be the Change. 

Photo Credit: Aaron Burden

We’re ready to begin the month of May with a salute to our AMS employees of Mexican heritage! Cinco de Mayo is coming right up and there is recognition of that day, that battle victory, the culture, the food and the people at AMS Fulfillment.

Before mentioning the celebrations in the Los Angeles area, we’ll look at the event that is being celebrated. From the History website we find out that this event celebrates a particular battle – the Battle of Puebla.

“Certain that success would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, Juárez rounded up a ragtag force of 2,000 loyal men—many of them either Indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry—and sent them to Puebla.

“The vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans, led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza, fortified the town and prepared for the French assault. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez gathered his army—supported by heavy artillery—before the city of Puebla and led an assault.

“The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash.”

This victory is even more significant in that the main goal of the French army was to conquer the USA under the military and political leader, Napoleon Bonaparte! You can read the full story HERE.

AMS is very grateful to and appreciative of our employees of Mexican heritage and our Spanish speaking employees. For six years we have offered free ESL classes during work hours and we have enjoyed an excellent response, with many graduates. We have also translated our OSHA safety training booklet into Spanish and begun holding our OSHA walks in both English and Spanish.

We are confident there will be many Cinco de Mayo celebrants at our various AMS facilities on May 5^th, and we wish them all a great day, with good food, friends and fun!

An excellent listing of Cinco de Mayo events in the Los Angeles area can be found HERE.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Harris