OmniBlack

In the summer of 2020, as a result of a conversation with the CEO of the company I worked for at the time regarding my feelings about the murder of George Floyd, I was presented with the unique opportunity to make significant change in our company. Three of my fellow Black coworkers founded, OmniBlack, an advocacy initiative dedicated to ensuring that our corporate values were part of the actual experience for all, with a specific focus on Black employees.

Over the course of the next year, we built a platform with seven pillars: Partnerships & Community, Allyship, Recruitment, Mentorship & Sponsorship, Product & Process, Capabilities, and New Business for Economic Development & Social Impact.

I led the Mentorship & Sponsorship pillar. In this role, I crafted recommendations and worked the HR department to expand and modify our agency mentorship program to more effectively cater to Black experience at the company as well as in the industry.

This project was meaningful to me because I felt like I was part of a significant change to benefit and make room for people who look like me. I enjoyed being the advocate I wish I’d had as a younger professional in the industry. I was the most exhausted, yet simultaneously the most energized I’ve ever been in my career.