The controversy over Target and Best Buy contributions to a Minnesota political action committee funding anti-LGBT gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer has reached mammoth proportions. Hundreds of thousands of boycott notices have been delivered to both companies. Those protesting range from LGBT community members upset with Emmer's negative social agenda to those upset with Target's and Best Buy's "buying" of elections through their $150,000 and $100,000 contributions, respectively.

Regardless of any external controversy, one of those companies is continuing in its commitment to offer safe, welcoming and inclusive workplaces for their LGBT employees. Campus Pride's executive director, Shane Windmeyer, experienced that commitment firsthand this week when he was invited as a special guest to address the PRIDE Employee Business Network (EBN) at the Best Buy district headquarters in Charlotte, which oversees the company's Territory 7 including all stores located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

Windmeyer was invited to speak about "Community Partnerships" -- a core belief of Best Buy in enhancing relations with various components and communities of diversity. The PRIDE EBN is an internal Best Buy network with various regional representations of employees who actively work to embrace LGBT employees and customers as well as enhance Best Buy outreach and relations. In 2008, Best Buy through it's employee volunteer program had a student named Zach Rose-Heim who initiated the community partnership with Campus Pride. Best Buy became an annual community partner by donating equipment, goods and services to the Campus Pride Summer Leadership Camp and also making a $2500 monetary donation through Zach's volunteer time.

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