Being Your Authentic Self

Alec Gorowitz, Associate HR Analyst, Atlanta

In 2018, Alec Gorowitz had an honest conversation with himself. The life he was living wasn’t authentic. He wasn’t happy. As he visualized what he wanted his life to look like in the next 3-5 years, the answer was crystal clear: out of the closet. He decided that staying in the closet because he feared change wasn’t a good reason, but his biggest fear was disappointing his parents.

“Parents have expectations and dreams of what their children’s future will look like. I was less scared about coming out and more scared of what telling them meant for how they imagined my future to look,” said Alec.

At the time, he was a senior in high school. One evening, right before graduation, he built up enough courage, walked into his parents’ room and told them he was gay. 

“They told me they loved me no matter what,” Alec said smiling. 

Throughout his childhood, Alec’s parents were always supportive and encouraging. So, he wasn’t too surprised of their reaction and felt relief.  From that point on, the world changed.

“After I came out, the walls I had put around myself came down. I wasn’t so reserved around others. I could really be myself. Everything changed, even my voice. The world had been black and white. Suddenly it had color,” Alec recalls.

Alec went on to attend college at Georgia College where he pushed himself to be who he wanted to be all along and live without regret. He tried new experiences, joined a leadership program and multiple clubs. He focused his energy on being outgoing and helping others. That’s how he discovered his career. He felt joy in helping others and making positive impact.

“Differences are beautiful things. They bring us together and make us shine. In human resources, I felt I could be a resource in this way. I could support people in their professional and personal goals. I could encourage them to be themselves and realize their dreams.”

Helping others runs in the family. Alec’s older sister, Amy, started her career in human resources. She was instrumental in helping him really understand the career path. She was also a huge help when it came time to apply for internships.

The summer going into his senior year, June 2021, Alec started as a summer Kids2 HR intern based in the Atlanta office. On day one, he said he felt like he belonged immediately. He was really impressed with how much Kids2 is ‘there and cares for their team members’. On top of that, he felt trusted as he took on projects. He distinctly remembers that his voice and inputs were not just heard but valued.

Alec shared that many Kids2 team members made a strong impact on him as an intern. Larry Elmore was one of those and continues to be a mentor today.

“My Kids2 internship was the first time I worked in a corporate setting, albeit it virtual. To start during Pride month and to see such commitment to team members, especially celebrating and supporting authenticity, was great . I felt like this is a company that is putting their best foot forward and is forward thinking.”

Summer ended, but Alec continued working with Kids2 part-time through his last year of college. He wasn’t just balancing a full semester of classes and Kids2, but also volunteering, attending his ongoing leadership program and another meaningful job.

A few years earlier, he and five friends decided to be caregivers for a close friend living with limited mobility. They all took training courses and moved in together. The team of friends provided all the caregiving services you would think of – bathing, food prep,  transportation, positioning, and medical treatments  – even going to class and helping her to take notes. Alec and she graduated in May 2022. He is working full-time at Kids2 now and she just accepted a job as a recruiter. 

“I was the first person she called to say she got the job. It made me so happy and proud of her. It meant a lot to be able to help her prepare her for the interview process.”

Alec’s drive to help others fuels his happiness. He also loves to cook. He says he takes after his father, who went to culinary school. Each week, he challenges himself to try one new recipe. When he’s not in the kitchen or enjoying the outdoors, he loves to catch up on shows and really enjoys Ted Talks.

“I’m obsessed. I love hearing other people’s stories from around the world. Learning and hearing about their experiences helps me help others, especially in my job. It broadens my understanding on different perspectives,” shared Alec.

As an Associate HR Analyst, Alec is a resource for Kids2 team members. In his role, he supports recruiting efforts, assists with the new hire onboarding process, helps with the intern program (including recruitment), and manages internal trainings. He also co-leads the Kids2 Belonging & Inclusion team with Larry.  

In interviewing Alec, he mentioned many times the beauty in our differences. He has learned to embrace those difference, not hide them.

“It’s important to be open about who you are but being gay doesn’t define me. I want to be known by my actions, by my achievements, by the people that I impact. If I can put one smile on one person’s face a day, that’s a huge tiny win for me.”

As Kids2 celebrates Pride month, Alec is reminded of how much his life has improved since 2018. He smiles thinking about the list he wrote describing who he wanted to be in 3-5 years.  He is that outgoing and happy person he knew he could be once he was honest with himself and others.

He recognizes not everyone may have the positive experience he had coming out. His advice for someone wanting to come out is to: do your research to find the best way to talk about what you want to share and answer questions. Know who you want to tell first and imagine the outcome. Also, to understand your financial independence.  He also suggests this Ted Talk: The danger of hiding who you are.

“It’s hard to live life alone. We need support from others. Surround yourself with people you trust and love,” says Alec.