Moss Adams Voices

When Kristi Moore (she/her) established the Everett and Bellingham chapter of the Pride business resource group (BRG) in 2017, it was only the BRG’s third chapter. Since then, the Pride BRG has expanded into all regions of the firm, bringing community to every identity represented by the rainbow flag, including allies. Kristi’s upbringing and professional experiences have shaped her approach to advocacy, and she shares her journey as a leader in inclusion & diversity (I&D) at Moss Adams to commemorate our firm’s celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

Where do you see as the origin of your passion for building community?

I didn’t grow up in a traditional ‘90s household. My mom was with a woman for years, and her gay friend lived with us as well—my “uncle.” Our LGBTQ+ household was a very loving family, filled with relatives with whom I didn’t share blood. We were always our authentic selves, and that chosen family developed a sense of community that I’m so happy I experienced.

My mom’s best friend died from AIDS in the ‘80s. During that time, men were being abandoned by their families and dying alone. She wanted to make a difference in the community, and that’s how she met my uncle. Their work to give back to their community called me to do the same from a very early age.

Did your upbringing make it easier for you to validate your identity?

It helped me feel more confident and open with myself, but it wasn’t necessarily a label. I’ve hesitated to limit myself because I’m a bisexual woman who also identifies as queer, and I identify that way because I often feel like bi alone doesn’t fully capture who I am, especially to those outside of the community.

Some people may not understand the definition of a label or how we use them fluidly. For example, bisexuality, for me, is the potential to be romantically or sexually attracted to more than one sex but not necessarily at the same time or to the same degree. This differs from my definition of pansexuality, which is similar but suggests a person is equally attracted to any gender at all times. The terms may be used interchangeably, but I relate to bisexuality because my attraction may fluctuate at different phases of my life.

For the longest time, I felt labels put us in a box. Now, I realize labels help with representation, which is important for developing belonging.

When did your perception of the value of labels change?

I attended two Out & Equal Workplace Summits, and in my first year, I joined a session on being bisexual in the business world. I cried being in a room with people who had experiences like I had, where our identities are erased even in inclusive spaces.

Last year, there was a breakout session where they asked us to stand if we identified as bisexual. A majority of the room stood up. Then, they asked us to remain standing if we were in leadership. Half the room sat down. When they asked us to stay standing if we were a C-suite leader at our organization, only one person was left—a private business owner.

If you don’t see people like you in leadership, it’s harder to see yourself there. When people feel like they have to assimilate or hide, they lose connection to community. That’s how I came to understand that these conferences are for personal and professional growth, making me a stronger leader in everything I do. When people can be themselves, it enriches their work.

How do the Pride BRG and this year’s LGBTQ+ Pride Month celebration play a role in building that visibility?

It’s clear we still need LGBTQ+ Pride Month because there are people who still don’t feel emotionally or physically safe being themselves—not just within their workplace, but in their daily lives. Since the BRG started in 2016 in Northern California, we’ve supported our people in sharing their lives at work the same way a heterosexual or cisgender team member might. That’s important for bisexual folk, too, because often we feel the need to hide.

You’ve brought up hiding and erasure for the bisexual community. Can you expand on that?

Bisexual erasure is when some people treat bisexuality as a phase on the way toward discovering whether we’re gay or heterosexual. Sometimes, society decides that who we date is our sexuality. For example, if I’m a bisexual woman dating a woman, I may be labeled as a lesbian. If I date a man, I’m assumed to be heterosexual. The other part of us isn’t seen, even within the LGBTQ+ community. I’ve struggled with feeling queer enough to be there.

But that’s not true. If you look at the statistics, bisexual people make up the largest percentage of the LGBTQ+ population at our firm, yet I don’t know if I could name one leader who identifies as bisexual who isn’t part of the Pride BRG. We have a community, yet we’re not connecting because some of us may not show up as our true selves.

That’s why this year’s theme, CommUNITY, celebrates all identities under the rainbow. We have to be vocal for others who don’t feel safe showing up as they are.

What stands out as a memorable impact in the years since the Pride BRG’s creation?

I love the safe spaces we’ve made, but a few years ago, a partner told me his child was transitioning. He said the resources the Pride BRG shared about the transgender community helped him understand his child’s experience. Without those resources, he said he might not have been able to support his child as well as he did.

I get emotional thinking about it because you never know when you’ll make a difference in someone's life. I’ve proudly embraced my bisexual label because that’s part of my role as a leader in the I&D space. We’re here, and being visible helps people in ways that might surprise us.

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