CNBC, the world leader in business news, kicked off GLAAD’s Spirit Day this year when CNBC talent and staff in Asia participated on-air by wearing purple and tweeted #SpiritDay messages in support LGBTQ young people. Purple symbolizes spirit on the rainbow flag. 

CNBC has participated in Spirit Day since the campaign began in 2010. This year, CNBC reporters and anchors are participating throughout the day, including out anchor Shepard Smith, “Squawk Box” Co-Anchors Andrew Ross Sorkin, Becky Quick, and “TechCheck” Co-Anchor Jon Fortt. 

CNBC logos on CNBC, CNBC.com, CNBC en Español and the network’s social handles have also turned purple. 

“Every day, the well-being of our nation’s LGBTQ youth continues to be attacked, making it more important than ever to participate in initiatives like Spirit Day,” said Ryan Ruggiero, Senior Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for NBCUniversal News Group. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are the embodiment of our culture at CNBC and all of the NBCUniversal News Group brands and by going purple again this year, we hope to send a strong message to today’s youth that they can lean on us for support and bullying in any form will not be tolerated.”

CNBC’s Spirit Day participation follows last year’s launch of Equity and Opportunity, CNBC’s global brand that brings diverse perspectives and issues to CNBC’s news coverage, focusing on individuals and organizations leading the way on matters of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis recently spoke with Equity and Opportunity about corporate allyship during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. 

CNBC staff in offices around the country, including new CNBC President KC Sullivan posed for photos today in purple soccer shirts designed by CNBC en Español in partnership with Telemundo. OUT@NBCUniversal also passed out purple cupcakes to employees.

So proud of the entire @CNBC family for supporting Spirit Day!!! #pridenbcu #SpiritDay #Glaad pic.twitter.com/pPy2OdbqsI

— Ryan Ruggiero (@RyanRuggiero) October 20, 2022

CNBC Asia Pacific Correspondent Chery Kang

Squawk Box Anchors Andrew Ross Sorkin, Becky Quick and Joe Kernen

Squawk on the Street Anchors Carl Quintanilla, Jim Cramer and David Faber

CNBC Europe Markets Reporter Will Koulouris

CNBC Auto and Airline Reporter Phil LeBeau

CNBC International Reporter Arabile Gunmede

Halftime Report and Closing Bell Overtime Host Scott Wapner

Senior Media and Tech Correspondent Julia Boorstin

Markets Reporter Pippa Stevens

Nasdaq Reporter Kristina Partsinevelos

Senior Markets Commentator Michael Santoli

General Assignment Reporter Frank Holland

Senior Markets Correspondent Bob Pisani

Senior Markets Correspondent Dominic Chu

Squawk on the Street Co-Anchor Morgan Brennan

Wealth Editor Robert Frank

Reporter Bertha Coombs

TechCheck Co-Anchors Carl Quintanilla, Deirdre Bosa and Jon Fortt

CNBC Europe Squawk Box Co-Anchor Karen Tso, CNBC Europe Squawk Box Co-Anchor Geoff Cutmore

CNBC Europe Squawk Box Steve Sedgwick

CNBC Europe Street Signs Co-Anchor Julianna Tatelbaum

About Spirit Day
GLAAD organizes celebrities, media outlets, brands, landmarks, sports leagues, faith groups, school districts, organizations, colleges and universities in what has become the most visible anti-LGBTQ bullying campaign in the world. Purple symbolizes spirit on the rainbow flag.

The annual tradition was started in 2010 by GLAAD and then high school student Brittany McMillan, in memory of the LGBTQ youth who died by suicide. McMillan encouraged her friends to wear purple on a day in October — a day that came to be known as Spirit Day.  

Today, LGBTQ youth, and especially trans and nonbinary youth, are experiencing a level of scrutiny in schools we have never seen, leading to an environment rife with stressors beyond the peer-to-peer bullying of the past. From book bans, to bans on trans youth in sports, to bathroom restrictions and teachers barred from using correct pronouns, the means by which a student can express themselves and see others like them are increasingly being challenged.  

GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey, released earlier this week, reported nearly 82% of LGBTQ students feel unsafe in school. 76% experienced in-person verbal harassment (e.g., called names or threatened) and 31% were physically harassed. Earlier this year, The Trevor Project reported 85% of transgender and nonbinary youth say that recent debates around anti-trans bills have negatively impacted their mental health.

Take the Spirit Day pledge to show LGBTQ youth you’ve got their backs at glaad.org/spiritday.