This Black History Month, 1Password is bringing employees together to share how diverse artists have had a profound impact on their exploration and appreciation of art, music, dance and literature.
On Feb. 16, the software company’s Black Caucus employee resource group brought in a DJ to curate an hour of music by Black artists across all genres for employees. More than 200 workers attended the virtual event, which was accompanied by engaging and fun music facts.
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“It was really great to see active engagement in our Black Caucus — so much so that we grew our membership in that channel by 30 people that day,” says Desirée McConnell, the organization’s diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging lead. “Music is something that can unite people, so we were happy to highlight different genres and how well the event was received by the attendees.”
1Password also launched a book club to create a space to celebrate the diverse voices of Black authors. Right now, McConnell says the club, which has 25 members, is reading Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson and they’ll share their sentiments on the book at the end of this month. Additionally, the company created a blog where employees can go to learn about different Black innovators and leaders, which it will also share externally on its LinkedIn page.
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The organization is also hosting a ‘Real Talk Panel’ on Feb. 29, during which panellists will dive deeper into Black culture and how it has inspired people throughout their upbringing. Four members of the Black Caucus will sit on the panel. “We really want to give a fuller picture of what it’s like to be Black and how the culture, particularly the arts, impacts our experiences.”
McConnell says 1Password’s executive team is a critical part of mirroring inclusivity throughout the organization, particularly its chief financial officer, Jeannie De Guzman, who has highlighted the company’s Black History Month events on social media. It’s just one of the many ways the executive team is showing employees its commitment to ensuring that people are celebrated in these moments that are really important to the Black community, she adds.
“1Password is committed to not only celebrating but also empowering and uplifting voices from folks that we know are coming from underrepresented backgrounds,” says McConnell. “For the folks who are here, we celebrate them, we see them and we want to ensure that their voices are amplified.”
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