The month of February is Black History Month (BHM) in the United States, which celebrates the achievements and impact of African Americans in the U.S.and across the world. During this time, we recognize and pay homage to the contributions, innovations, and trailblazers within the Black community that has elevated the fields of business, technology, art, music, and science.
Black History Month can bring interesting opportunities for reflection at any workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the ethnic makeup of the Tech industry in the U.S. is nearly 68% white — with just more than 7% African American, and an even smaller number of Asian and Latinx American professionals. When it comes to acknowledging Black History Month, we are often faced with the sometimes-uncomfortable reality of the question: Are we qualified to talk about this, when we still have so much work to do to address underrepresentation and lack of racial diversity? We think yes – it’s not just important, but imperative. Acknowledging shortcomings and inequality is part of the journey to addressing and resolving them in a meaningful way.
With that in mind, LogicMonitor made an effort to recognize and put formal programming in place to acknowledge Black History Month this year. Hosted by our People of Color Community Group, LogicMonitor sponsored the following activities and events for Black History Month:
- Showcased and supported Black-owned businesses at all LM locations globally.
- Donated time and money to STEM nonprofits that benefit students of color in our communities:
- Girls Who Code
- Code2College
- Introduced a weekly series focused on lesser-known influential Historical Black Figures to highlight and celebrate African American history.
- Encouraged a LinkedIn Learning Challenge that highlighted incredible courses taught by Black authors.
- Hosted a Black History Month themed Coffee Chat with Tessa Kaneene to facilitate productive conversations between LMers about advocacy and action with an extensive focus on considering all actions, large and small, that promote respect, equity, and inclusion year-round.
It’s imperative to build on the study of Black history and help us all educate ourselves and uncover the often overshadowed roles and contributions Black individuals played in the larger narrative of the United States. As this journey of growth and education is forever ongoing, BHM is the perfect opportunity to call out the value in doing so. At LogicMonitor, we lead our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts with Respect because we know it’s important that everyone recognize each other for who they are and what they bring to the table, along with their unique experiences and background.
We hope that by planning formal programming that amplifies Black voices, we are, in turn, empowering our LMers of Color to share their own experiences with the greater company and bring their authentic selves to work. Through these intentional actions, we strive to create a safe space for every member of our community to learn from each other, come together, and grow with respect and belongingness at the center of it all. Our goal at LogicMonitor is to foster personal authenticity within and outside of the workplace and we are ready to strongly continue in our journey.