How to Honor Black History Month in the Workplace
February at TD SYNNEX has been filled with meaningful activities and initiatives as we celebrated Black History Month. This global effort brought together TD SYNNEX co-workers and teams from around the world, highlighting our commitment to diversity and inclusion within the workplace. Spearheaded by Beacon, a Business Resource Group (BRG), our calendar was packed with educational webinars, inspiring panel discussions and cultural events. Our efforts were centered around this year’s theme “African Americans and the Arts,” to shine a light on the significant contributions of Black individuals across various cultural domains.
A Flag Raised High
The month kicked off with the symbolic raising of the Pan-African flag at TD SYNNEX locations across the US and Canada, signifying unity, resilience and pride. Doing so for the fifth consecutive year, this gesture of solidarity has become a meaningful tradition at TD SYNNEX, visually affirming our dedication to fostering an inclusive environment that honors the Black community’s struggles and achievements.
“DEI is intricately woven through our core values, and celebrating Black History Month brings these values to life. It takes all of us. It’s about more than just inclusion; it’s about collaboration, integrity, excellence, and truly embodying the spirit of community and belonging. This celebration is a powerful reminder of our commitment to these principles, not only in February but throughout the entire year,” remarked Kaylee Misch, our DE&I Program Manager.
Dialogue, Expression and Community
On Feb. 8, TD SYNNEX’s Beacon and Elevate BRGs collaborated to present, “HerStory in the Making: Celebrating Black Women Business Leaders,” an engaging panel event. Moderated by Bri Berry and featuring panelists Bernadette Leamon, Khadijah Abrams, Shay Davis and Aliyah Smith, the event was hosted in-person for GirlUp GVL, a local Greenville, SC non-profit aimed at empowering young women. The panel was presented in-person and via virtual broadcast for TD SYNNEX co-workers. The panel offered profound insights into overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities.
Reflecting on her experience, Beacon’s Program Co-Chair, Bryanna Joslyn shared, “TD SYNNEX’s first core value is Inclusion. We see inclusion expressed through all the BRG’s. Through the teaching of cultural experiences and histories in each groups recognized month, and the allyship we see from colleagues that come to events to support and learn.”
Celebrations of Art and Identity
Our collaboration with Disability:IN notably enriched our Black History Month programming with the “Black, Disabled & Proud: Celebrating Black History Month Through Intersectional Storytelling” webinar on Feb. 7. This collaboration, part of our two-year effort to advance disability inclusion globally, showcased the diversity within the Black community and offered an educational platform for all employees. Highlighting the intersectionality of disability and race, the webinar explored diverse experiences and achievements within the Black disabled community, promoting a message of resilience and pride.
On Feb. 13, TD SYNNEX Canada proudly hosted a remarkable Black History Month networking event, “De-Stigmatizing Mental Health in Diverse Communities,” that saw an outstanding turnout and enthusiastic online participation. The event featured an enlightening keynote presentation by Harriet Ekperigin, Vice President of Clinical Shared Services at GreenShield, who, with her extensive 20-year experience in the mental health sector, shared engaging stories that resonated with attendees across diverse backgrounds.
Kaylee elaborated, “Our Black History Month events, coordinated by Beacon, are open to everyone. They are as much about Black employees connecting and sharing as they are about colleagues from other backgrounds learning and becoming allies. Through diverse discussions on topics from understanding the perception of Black hair in professional spaces, being Black in tech to the impact of HBCUs, we celebrate and foster a supportive and inclusive culture.”
On Feb. 15, Beacon, along with host DJ Blackstar (Curtis Kelley from TD SYNNEX), led a vibrant celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary with “Hip Hop Evolution: Black History in Music.” This event, aligning with the theme “African Americans and the Arts,” offered a dynamic exploration of Hip Hop’s journey, highlighting its significant impact globally. Attendees were treated to an educational showcase featuring the genre’s origins, key pioneers and music from groundbreaking artists. Complementing the experience, delicious food from Black-owned local businesses was served in-person, enriching the celebration of this influential musical form.
“Our BRGs are key drivers of educational events and resources. At the core of all our events is the purpose of educating our co-workers; the more we learn about each other and our lived experiences, the better we can work together from a place of understanding and compassion. In addition to events, we aim to publish educational resources and articles on our internal news site called The Current. Here, we are able to share Black co-worker stories and recognition, highlight Black history icons, share resources like free webinars, well-being information or current events, and educate on inclusive best practices that all co-workers can do to make our workplace a safe and supportive environment for all. It’s a great platform for helping our co-workers learn and grow both personally and professionally.”
-Kaylee Misch, DE&I Program Manager, TD SYNNEX
Throughout Black History Month, TD SYNNEX employees were encouraged to embrace the spirit of the celebration by downloading and using Beacon’s specially designed virtual backgrounds for their Teams calls. This initiative offered a unique way to visually celebrate and honor Black History Month, allowing co-workers to showcase their support and engagement with the month’s theme during every virtual interaction.
Beyond the Workplace: Community Engagement
Our initiatives extended beyond internal celebrations, with outreach activities like Beacon’s MLK Week of Service and partnerships with local nonprofits. These efforts demonstrated our broader commitment to supporting Black history and culture, emphasizing the importance of community engagement.
“Create spaces for open discussion where colleagues can share their experiences and comment on what is going well and what needs improvement.”
– Bryanna Joslyn, Beacon Program Co-Chair, TD SYNNEX BRG
“Our DEI initiatives are informed by comprehensive feedback and engagement metrics, guiding our continuous efforts to enhance support and inclusion for all underrepresented groups. Our annual employee engagement survey, in particular, offers invaluable insights into the effectiveness of our initiatives and where we can further improve,” Kaylee explained.
Leadership and Future Commitments
The active participation of TD SYNNEX’s leaders throughout the month—whether through attending events, engaging in dialogues, or supporting DEI initiatives—reaffirmed that inclusion is not just a policy but a lived principle at the heart of our leadership philosophy.
“Many of our senior leaders serve as Executive Sponsors of our BRGs, regional DEI Councils, or even our global DEI goals that are part of our TD SYNNEX ESG strategy. Leaders have participated in events as both attendees and speakers, serving on panels or joining in the audience to learn and support their team members. Our leaders have been part of Black History Month video messages, shared words of support at Pan-African flag raising events and highlighted Black History Month in town halls or departmental meetings to encourage co-workers to get involved and attend educational events. When leaders support DEI efforts, it truly makes a difference on the company’s culture of belonging.”
– Kaylee Misch, DE&I Program Manager, TD SYNNEX
As we reflect on the month’s activities and their impact, we are reminded of the ongoing journey toward a more inclusive and equitable workplace. Some of TD SYNNEX’s future plans and goals for enhancing DEI in the workplace promise continued growth, understanding, and action. They include:
- By 2030, 50% of our workforce and 40% of our people leaders will be those who identify as women.
- By 2025, we will increase representation of underrepresented groups (including, but not limited to, age, race/ethnicity, sex, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, physical or cognitive disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis protected by law).
- We will improve our pay equity position through compensation and benefits programs and improve our promotion practices to ensure fairness for all.
- By 2025, we will double co-worker participation in our Business Resource Groups to drive social impact.
- TD SYNNEX will commit to increasing the diversity of our partner ecosystem.
A Guide for Others: The Power of Collective Action
TD SYNNEX’s comprehensive approach to celebrating Black History Month serves as an inspiring blueprint for other companies. Our events not only honor the contributions of the Black community but also demonstrate the power of collective action, thoughtful planning, and a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“Our journey towards fostering diversity, inclusion, and equity is ongoing, marked by the dedication of our employees, the leadership of our DEI team, and the vibrant spirit of the Beacon BRG. We encourage other companies to embrace this model, recognizing that every step towards inclusion is a step towards a more equitable and unified future.”
