Veronica Martin OBE’s Post

Mark Your Calendar: Black Leaders Awareness Day on July 18th - Honouring the Accomplishments of Black Leaders, Past, Present, and Upcoming! At Black Leaders Awareness Day (BLAD), we recognise the significance of establishing a powerful visual identity that embodies our principles and objectives. We have developed a distinctive logo and visual style that can be utilised consistently across all our platforms. Our logo serves as a representation of empowerment for black leaders and we are dedicated to ensuring its respectful and thoughtful usage. To assist you in promoting Black Leaders Awareness Day, we have provided an official collection of downloadable logos, images, and other branded materials. You can access them by visiting the following link: https://lnkd.in/eDJaNJF2 There are several meaningful ways to celebrate Black Leaders Awareness Day. Here are a few ideas: 1. Educate Yourself: Take the opportunity to learn about the significant contributions and achievements of black leaders throughout history. Read books, watch documentaries, or explore online resources to deepen your knowledge. 2. Share Their Stories: Use your platform, whether it's social media, a blog, or a community event, to share the inspiring stories of black leaders. Highlight their accomplishments and the impact they have made in various fields. 3. Organise Discussions and Panels: Arrange panel discussions or community forums to facilitate conversations about the contributions of black leaders. Invite speakers who can provide insights and perspectives on their achievements and the ongoing importance of their legacies. 4. Support Black-Owned Businesses: Show your support for black entrepreneurs and business owners by intentionally choosing to shop at black-owned businesses. This can help promote economic empowerment and highlight the success of black leaders in the business world. 5. Volunteer or Donate: Participate in volunteer activities or contribute to organisations that work towards advancing the rights and opportunities of black communities. This can involve mentoring programs, scholarships, or initiatives focused on leadership development. 6. Host Cultural Events: Organise cultural events such as art exhibitions, musical performances, or theatrical productions that celebrate black culture and the artistic contributions of black leaders. This can promote appreciation for their creativity and encourage dialogue about their impact. 7. Engage in Reflection and Dialogue: Take time to reflect on the challenges faced by black leaders and the ongoing struggle for racial equality. Engage in open and honest conversations with others about the importance of recognising and celebrating their achievements. Approach the celebration with respect, empathy, and a genuine desire to honour the accomplishments of black leaders while promoting awareness and understanding. Beyond Our Youth BoardRoomConnect #blackleadersawarenessday

Great insights in this article, well worth a read

Share Your Success Story with Us! Are you a Black professional with news to share? We want to celebrate your achievements and amplify your legacy! Whether you've received a promotion, closed a significant business deal, or have other noteworthy news, we invite you to share your story with our network. By submitting your information, you have the opportunity to be featured across our marketing channels, showcasing the incredible contributions of Black professionals in our community. What to Submit: ⚫️ Recent promotions or career advancements ⚫️ Successful business deals or partnerships ⚫️ Awards, honors, or recognitions ⚫️ Noteworthy projects or initiatives ⚫️ Any other legacy-building news How to Submit: 🔗 Visit https://lnkd.in/ebiVpgqs We'll review your submission and may reach out for additional information if needed. Share your story and inspire others! #BlackProfessionalsNetwork #BlackProfessionalsOnTheMove #BPNMedia #BPNBlog #MemberSpotlights #ProfessionalProfiles

How can businesses and colleagues be effective allies to Black employees year-round? First! Celebrate and recognize the works and achievements of the employees beyond Black History Month 🤍 2. Value Black employees' experiences; listen, learn, and address their feedback. 3. Ensure diversity at all levels, especially in leadership. 4. Offer mentorship, sponsorship, and career development. #BlackHistoryMonth #LinkedInNewsUK

What did you do this Black History Month? This BHM I took time to listen and help identify how I can serve as a more effective ally. I'm so proud of the work my wonderful colleagues in our Black Excellence network did. And attending their external webinar yesterday, that facilitated a deeper understanding of the importance of the month, one of the questions got me thinking about the harnessing the power of the collective and just asking, what we can do differently? So before I engage further with other teams and our ERG on this, here's my first few musings on things we could do: 1. Pass the mic- get our ERG involved in our external social media - let them do a takeover to voice what they thought needed to be said. 2. Community engagement - highlight some of the great organizations our ERG works with and their efforts 3. Interviews - pieces on on how we can help address this like the racial wealth gap, navigating corporate culture while embracing authenticity, how to be a better ally What would you prioritize / add that you've seen that was really impactful?

In celebrating Black History Month, NorthBay Health invited a number of our Excellent Black leaders to share thoughts on a variety of topics. Today meet Melinda Powell, Infection Prevention Program Manager, who answers the question:    Can you share insights on the importance of diversity in the workplace, based on your experiences? Diversity in the workplace assures the acceptance and inclusion of employees from all backgrounds. Diversity in the workplace recognizes the strengths and the potential each individual employee in the organization. Diversity provides our organization with access to a broader range of talent and creativity that assists with removing barriers and limitations on organizations achievements. Diversity increases innovation, creativity and strategic thinking by allowing people from different backgrounds to use their unique experiences to draw a wider range of knowledge to spark new, innovative ideas. Diversity may also foster stronger employee relationships that connect on a deeper level, based on their backgrounds or shared experiences, which improves workplace collaboration. Being more inclusive and diverse helps provide vision into the needs, inspiration and motivations of all of NorthBay Health’s customer base and also helps develops trust within the community. Diverse representation helps drive success, builds trust in the organization within the community and among the staff. #NBBlackHistoryMonth24 #BlackHistoryMonth2024

This is specifically for white folks who posted a black box on our socials or held/posted a Black Lives Matter sign at any point. I share it with love, compassion, and from a place of community. Now is our moment. And I’m not talking about Kamala Harris. I’m talking about the politicization of DEI. The banning of books and histories and the slow move away from words like equity and inclusion in favor of more comfortable language. This is our moment to keep the important work of justice moving forward in the places and spaces where we have access and privilege. Some ways that we can do this: - hire and refer colleagues who have worked in DEI fields who have lost their jobs. - advocate for the folks in your organization to keep their jobs, if it’s not too late. - be strategic, follow the lessons of Black leaders whom you’ve been listening and learning from — pivot, play the long game, do what you have to do to stay the course, even when the path is less linear. I promise that you are far less likely to be fired or reprimanded for pushing equity work forward. Do it, even if you have to shift your plan and language. Belonging and cultural humility require the same foundational skills that allyship and inclusive leadership require: compassionate listening, emotional regulation and intelligence, conflict management, and authentic communication. Maybe we can’t host a company sponsored DEI workshop, but I bet we can sponsor a skill building boot camp! Because excellent leaders need excellent skills. Now is the time for us to do what we can, where we can, how we can to keep our promises and build our collective capacity for a more inclusive and just world. To stand in the values that we espoused when the tides were in our favor. Allyship is earned, and it has consequences. Allies have skin in the game, we’re not just standing on the sidelines. I believe in you. I believe in us. And I’m here to support you in clarifying your leadership and making an action plan today.

In celebrating Black History Month, NorthBay Health invited a number of our Excellent Black leaders to share thoughts on a variety of topics. Today meet Kerry Harris, Nutrition Services Production & Retail Manager who answers the question:  How do you see your role impacting diversity and inclusion in our workplace? I feel that fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace stands as a cornerstone of effective leadership. As a manager, I recognize the paramount importance of cultivating an environment where every team member feels not just welcomed, but empowered to contribute meaningfully. Championing diversity, equity, and inclusion enables us not only to broaden our perspectives but also to encourage others to embrace and celebrate our differences. As a leader I feel that it's my responsibility to actively foster an inclusive workplace culture wherein every employee feels valued and respected. Promoting open communication, actively listening to diverse viewpoints, and leveraging our unique differences offer us opportunities for mutual learning and growth. Ultimately, I strive to build teams that harness the power of diversity to optimize our collective effectiveness. I also believe that the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and its sub-committee at NorthBay are playing a crucial role in highlighting the history and unique attributes of various cultures, enabling others to engage and educate themselves.

Black History Month is a time to reflect on the incredible contributions of Black leaders, innovators, and changemakers throughout history. Their resilience, creativity, and determination continue to inspire us today—not only in society but in our personal and professional lives. As I reflect on the strength and brilliance of Black culture, one quote stands out to me: "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style." – Maya Angelou. Maya Angelou's words remind me that empowerment comes from embracing every part of our journey, the bad, the good and the ugly, with purpose, boldness, grace, and unwavering confidence. As a coach, I'm passionate about helping individuals ignite their paths to brilliance, transforming their careers, and unlocking their boundless potential. This month, celebrating Black History Month, I'm offering #free 1:1 #coaching sessions. It's my way of giving back to the community and helping others thrive, and just like our history, your potential is limitless. https://lnkd.in/e7q7u7S8

In recognition of Black History Month, an annual celebration of the history, accomplishments, and contributions of Black individuals who have made an enduring impact on our society, ISS-Corporate examined trends in the representation of Black directors and CEOs across U.S. indices. Here are some notable findings: 🚀  The prevalence of Black/African American directors has surged since 2019 across all U.S. indices, notably doubling for lower market cap companies since 2019. 📊  Growth in representation of Black directors has outpaced that of Black CEOs: over the five-year period spanning 2019 through 2023, the number of Black CEOs in the Russell 3000 grew by less than 1.3 percent. 💼  In 2023, Utilities led all industries in terms of Black representation for both board seats and CEO positions. Flip through the slides for our full analysis. #BlackHistoryMonth #BoardDiversity #BlackCEOs