Elizabeth Leiba’s Post

Black History Month seems to have slipped into the abyss for some companies. 🟢 A few have kept up their efforts to show up and show out for Black History Month. This could be because the ethnic minorities internally won’t let them forget (good job you guys!), or they do genuinely care about the community and our contributions to British culture. 🔴 Others seem to have completely forgotten. I’m curious whether it’s because they were never too fussed in the first place or because of yearly budget constraints it was the easiest thing to deprioritise and cut altogether. Did these companies do something ‘big’ last year so felt that this was enough for the time being and they could just reflect on the efforts of their past? Did it get to October and creators checked in to see if they had any plans and now these companies feel pressure to execute something last minute? ⚫️ To me, it seems likely many simply didn’t care in the first place and after posting black squares one year, and some pressure in the following years, companies all went back to regular programming. 🟡 Regardless of which of these areas a company falls into, it’s not enough to just show up sporadically when they feel pressure or when there’s ’extra’ budget. The black community exist all year round, however we have one dedicated month where we can share the history and importance of our contributions to this country. I implore companies to remember us all year round but to truly celebrate us each October, when it’s our time to shine. ✨

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To those who attempt to define the roles or capabilities of Black professionals, I would like to offer some perspective. As an educated and empowered Black woman, I stand as a testament to the vast potential and diverse contributions that Black professionals bring to every field. From educators and doctors to computer technicians and professors, Black individuals excel in a myriad of professions, not because of any predetermined societal roles, but because of our dedication, expertise, and passion. It's essential to recognize that talent, ambition, and intelligence are not bound by race or ethnicity. Limiting beliefs about what Black professionals can achieve are outdated and rooted in stereotypes that have no place in our modern, diverse world. I choose to surround myself with positivity and empowerment, and I encourage all Black professionals to embrace their unique talents and pursue their goals with confidence. Let us continue to break barriers, redefine expectations, and inspire future generations to dream without limits. Our success is not just a personal victory but a collective stride toward a more inclusive and equitable society.

To those who attempt to define the roles or capabilities of Black professionals, I would like to offer some perspective. As an educated and empowered Black woman, I stand as a testament to the vast potential and diverse contributions that Black professionals bring to every field. From educators and doctors to computer technicians and professors, Black individuals excel in a myriad of professions, not because of any predetermined societal roles, but because of our dedication, expertise, and passion. It's essential to recognize that talent, ambition, and intelligence are not bound by race or ethnicity. Limiting beliefs about what Black professionals can achieve are outdated and rooted in stereotypes that have no place in our modern, diverse world. I choose to surround myself with positivity and empowerment, and I encourage all Black professionals to embrace their unique talents and pursue their goals with confidence. Let us continue to break barriers, redefine expectations, and inspire future generations to dream without limits. Our success is not just a personal victory but a collective stride toward a more inclusive and equitable society.

As Black History Month closes, I have a lot on my mind about what I am doing (or not doing) as a leader to support Black talent and how our industry is using our platforms to help the Black Community thrive. A few things are top of mind. The first was inspired by messaging at this year's ADCOLOR: Recommit, Reaffirm, and Reignite. Of course, I believe our dedication to diversity and inclusion should be as activated and potent as ever, but I also think it needs to evolve. Representation and inclusion will continue to be the bedrock, but as our agencies become more diverse we have new areas to work on: advancement and mentorship, meaningful feedback and constructive performance management, and work that more explicitly reflects the diversity of our teams. The second is something that has stuck with me for awhile. Van Jones was the opening keynote speaker for Where Are All The Black People in 2020 and he challenged our industry in a way that moved me. He made the point that all the gains in civil rights were not lead by policy, rather that policy followed shifts in public opinion, opinions that were largely influenced by the arts - TV, Movies, Books, Music....but not necessarily advertising. Brands have big platforms, the stories we tell and the experiences we make have influence - what are we doing with that privilege, that obligation? Do we too easily give ourselves a pass because it is the client's call or because we are here just to sell stuff? I believe that it is imperative that we use the work we create to not just reflect society as it is, but to shape it as we dream it to be. The third is informed by an NPR interview I recently heard with 'American Fiction' writer-director, Cord Jefferson, who talked about the tendency for the mainstream to only celebrate stories of underrepresented groups' trauma. Those stories are important, but the singularity of them in the mainstream leaves us without the nuanced, dimensional view of these groups. Is our industry perpetrating this as well, are we using stories of trauma dressed as purpose work as award show bait? Perhaps the most poignant thing on my mind is feedback from a Black employee that warned of agencies being all empathy, little action. We all know better now, so we must DO better.

I want to elaborate on that final statement from my previous post. As Black professionals, our presence in corporate spaces is not just a win for diversity—it’s a win for innovation. Too often, we face environments that make us question our worth or whether we belong. Let’s be clear: we do. Understanding and articulating our unique value proposition is vital. Whether it’s our ability to bring fresh perspectives, our cultural competency, technical proficiency, or the leadership qualities forged through adversity, we bring indispensable value to the table. But recognizing that value is only the first step. We must also advocate for ourselves unapologetically. We deserve not only to occupy these spaces but to thrive in them. By embracing our worth and supporting one another, we can dismantle stereotypes and redefine the narrative around Black excellence in corporate America. Let’s continue to lift our voices, build opportunities , and inspire the next generation to believe that they, too, belong here. My experience with my colleagues at AFROTECH helped to reaffirm this initiative.

Black History Month is officially over, but I did have some thoughts I wanted to share as a Black writer operating in digital spaces. Black History Month is a bittersweet time for Black voices. Our engagement goes up, we're provided with new, enthusiastic opportunities, and we don't have to lessen ourselves to fit into spaces that are normally too narrow for us. It's freeing, but also eye-opening. It highlights the fact that for much of the year, these opportunities don't exist. Online spaces encouraging Black authors to pitch articles and essays during the month of February will go silent the moment the calendar flips to March. Companies highlighting Black excellence on their socials go right back to business as usual the second it's no longer an implied social requirement. Our heroes and leaders are put back in a freezer until next year when they're defrosted again with the same quotes and the same photographs that show their passion behind a podium. Once the month is over, any Blackness in our voices needs to be subdued in order to appeal to the world at large. People who refuse to see the way we speak and look as "proper" or "professional". We have to fight to be in these spaces, and when we finally break through, we have to fight a second time to bring our Blackness with us. The Black creatives in your life see this every year, and while it does feel like a strange catch-22, we will always grab hold of any and every opportunity to show you who we are. So this is my post-BHM plea to anyone willing to listen: Don't let us disappear the rest of the year. Seek out our unique perspectives during the other 11 months. Embrace our Blackness in spaces where we'd normally be subdued. Embrace all communities all the time, not just when a calendar says to. Raising our voices doesn't make you quieter. If you want the song to resonate, reach the back of the theater, and truly move the heart of the listener, every voice in the choir needs to sing.

This month, we recognize and celebrate Black History Month! As we close out February, we thought we’d share some of the great content our team has discovered and explored this month: content celebrating Black history and shining a light on Black creators and innovators. 🎉 This stellar blog from Manifest, 7 Black Pioneers Making Marketing History: https://ow.ly/ky9V50QIosJ 📚 This great compilation from the American Writers Museum, 28 Days of Black writers: https://ow.ly/f3uw50QIosE 🚀 This highlight of Black tech innovators on the 2024 Forbes 30 under 30 list, including aerospace engineers, AI innovators and Nialah Wilson-Small, an industry assistant professor who’s innovating the use of touch for human-robot interactions that would advance robots’ use in life-saving scenarios like search and rescue and emergency evacuations 🤯: https://ow.ly/nXWC50QIosI 🔧 This exploration of Black leaders’ historical impact on the supply chain industry (an industry close to our hearts!): https://ow.ly/wsFK50QIosz 🔎 This 29-day tribute to Black innovators and scientists, including some of those who influenced the supply chain – and many more, including Kimberly Bryant, an electrical engineer who founded Black Girls Code; Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who played a critical role in U.S. crewed spaceflights; and Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, who we have to thank for the blessed caller ID 🙏: https://ow.ly/Enmc50QIosC 🖊️ This HuffPost article covering the why behind capitalizing the word ‘Black’: https://ow.ly/8Z9q50QIosG ❓ Any great resources to add? Share with us in the comments!