It's October which means Black History Month (BHM) in EMEA! A month dedicated to celebrating Black, African & Caribbean history, arts, and culture. While we'll be joining in celebrating and commemorating the achievements of those from the Black diaspora, diversity isn't just a month-long campaign for us, it's everyday, and a priority at HubSpot.
We’ve taken steps towards our commitment to build a company where inclusion and equity are embedded into everything we do. How? through our ever-expanding Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) including BLACKHub, People Of Colour At HubSpot (POCaH) and communities such as Africans at HubSpot, mandatory anti-racism training for all employees and transparently publishing DI&B data each year.
But we're not doing it alone! We're collaborating with local hero organizations, such as Black & Irish, who we're partnering with to set the scene for Black communities in EMEA, leading some of our internal and external community conversations. We sat down with B&I’s Business Coordinator Melissa Ndakengerwa & Entertainment Coordinator Kenny Olaniyi to understand their story, the experience of being Black in Europe, and how partnership with companies like HubSpot helps create more inclusive and authentic work environments.
Interview:
What is Black & Irish's mission? Who is your target audience?
Our mission is to come together to celebrate Black and Mixed-race Irish identity, spreading awareness by telling our stories. We want to do this by engaging with the wider Irish society, and that's exactly who our target audience is.
Please shed some light on how Black & Irish came to be. What inspired its creation?
Following the death of George Floyd and the aftermath of the Black Lives Matters movement, our founders Leon Diop and Femi Bankole started an Instagram page as a place for Black and Irish stories to be shared. Inspired by the conversations that were sparked, we want to highlight and celebrate the identity of those who are Black in Europe and raise world awareness of our experiences, struggles, and successes.
Do you feel that being Black in Europe varies from being Black elsewhere, e.g., in the US? If so, please elaborate.
Being Black in Europe is different because of the experience. Black people are not a monolith; we all have varied lives and backgrounds based on what we experience. As a result, our experiences vary. We eat different foods and are exposed to various weather and people, which shapes how we live our life in Europe. So it's inevitable that your experience being Black in Europe will vary. It's the same as how your experience of work differs between companies.
How does the work that you do impact organizations like HubSpot?
I feel like the work we do can help organizations like HubSpot create an environment at work where Black people feel genuinely comfortable. To have a truly diverse and equitable workplace, organizations need to be anti-racist and take steps to address this in all aspects, from their hiring practices to their leadership and management structures.
As it's Black History Month - what does this month mean to you?
Black History Month means so much to us as it is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of contributors of the Black diaspora globally, especially in Europe, to share their stories, which are often overlooked. Black History Month is also an opportunity for us to raise awareness and educate ourselves on the issues that affect Black people; this year, the spotlight is on health and wellbeing.
What resources (books/podcasts etc.) would you recommend to someone looking to educate themselves more this BHM?
There's so much out there for people to read, watch and listen to this BHM, and below are some of our recommendations:
Books:
- Don't Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri
- Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie
Podcasts:
- WHYA Podcast
- Black and Irish Podcast
- Excuse my African Podcast
How will you collaborate with HubSpot for Black History Month?
We're delighted to be collaborating with HubSpot on an external event called 'Amplifying Black ERGs in EMEA' on the topic of Employee Resource Group (ERGs) and their importance in an organization. It’s great to see that HubSpot has two employee-led ERGs (BLACKHub, POCaH - People Of Colour at HubSpot) and communities, such as Africans at HubSpot. We are also co-hosting an internal book club, discussing and dissecting the book "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie! We are looking forward to more collaborations in the future!
Be sure to stay informed on all things #BlackHistoryMonth by following HubSpot Life on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. And sign-up to attend our event 'Amplifying Black ERGs in EMEA' event with Black and Irish on 25th October, 6:00 - 7:30pm GMT (+1).
For more information about HubSpot's DI&B efforts, check out our 2022 Diversity Report here.
