In honor of Black History Month, the JMP DEI Leadership Council stated, "With the recent kickoff of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion group at JMP, we would like to recognize Black History Month, and celebrate the invaluable contributions of the Black community. We encourage everyone to use this month to deepen your understanding, promote inclusivity, and build a workplace where diversity is not only welcome, but integral to our success. We, as a DEI Leadership Council, are committed to fostering an inclusivity at JMP, where every voice is both heard and valued."
Read on for more resources and events at SAS during February.
“Black History Month is a time to reflect on the rich history of Black Americans, while also paying homage to those that are currently making history in the name of equality and equity for all. It’s about recognizing and acknowledging those who paved the way so that people that look like me can have equal opportunities.” - Linwood DeBrew, SAS Information Technology Director
In February we recognize Black History Month – an intentional time to recognize and reflect on the history, achievements, and impact of Black culture and heritage. It is also a time to acknowledge how much work is left to do to achieve “the equal treatment and greater equality for all races,” that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and so many other Civil Rights pioneers envisioned.
"While we are proud of the strides we’ve made to increase the representation of marginalized and underrepresented groups across all levels of SAS, including Black talent, we recognize that there is still a lot of work to do," SAS Chief Diversity Officer Danielle Pavliv said. "We are committed to not only hiring diverse talent but also engaging and retaining our current employees."
You can read more about SAS' commitment to increasing the representation of Black and African American employees through intentional outreach, programs, and engagement
in this InsideSAS article.
One way SAS engages with our Black community is through BIG – one of our seven Employee Inclusion Groups.
The Black Initiatives Group (BIG), formed in 2018, is dedicated to empowering Black employees to bring their full selves to work, highlight their talents and contributions, and inspire young Black talent to pursue careers in STEM. BIG welcomes and encourages participation from anyone passionate about their mission to advance recruitment, development, promotion, and retention of Black talent at all levels at SAS. Learn more about the origin story of how BIG came to fruition.
Over the last five years, BIG has been instrumental in advancing our DEI efforts from supporting talent attraction, outreach, and programs, to advising on policies and practices, such as observing MLK Day as a US company holiday and adding the R&D Terminology Standard for SAS software and supporting materials to not contribute to social biases with the use of insensitive language, to inspiring the formation of the SAS Championship HBCU Invitational and the Data Ethics Practice ensuring SAS and our customers develop and deploy software that promotes human well-being, agency and equity. BIG has been and continues to be a treasured asset to SAS!
Fridays in February are getting even BIG-ger!
Nearly every Friday since June 2020, following the death of George Floyd, BIG has been hosting “BIG Fridays,” a ninety-minute candid conversation on Microsoft Teams facilitated by members of the BIG Leadership council, to better understand the Black experience inside and outside of SAS.
BIG Friday has become a staple of the SAS community drawing in large crowds and has been pivotal in helping unite and shape SAS’ culture. February’s BIG Friday sessions will serve as a Black History Month celebration open to the entire company to engage participants in educational and inspirational dialogue and provide demonstrable methods and tools to enable individual action to be more understanding and inclusive of the experiences of others.
The 2023 hybrid Black History Month event hosted by the SAS Black Initiatives Group (BIG).
2023 BHM Celebration Discussion with VP of Data Ethics Practice, Reggie Townsend and sibling activists, Dr. Charmaine McKissick-Melton and Attorney, Floyd McKissick.
2023 BIG BHM session focused on Greek life.
Throughout February, BIG will host BIG Friday sessions from 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time about Dr. King’s legacy of community building through activism. Add these events to your calendar.
BIG welcomes everyone to join. BIG Fridays are open to anyone at SAS interested in having complex conversations about race from a Black perspective. BIG Friday often includes music, guest speakers, executive participation, and rich conversation, allowing attendees to highlight the dedication, hard work, and achievements of the Black community. It is a chance to reflect on the meaning and importance of this month for all Black Americans. The events and conversations will invoke thoughtful introspection and have an orientation toward action in parallel with SAS’ journey of greater cultural awareness and optimizing employee engagement. Don’t miss out!
Opportunities to learn and engage this month
BIG is collaborating with the Atrium Café (Building R) to highlight Black chef's contributions to US culinary dishes. Every Wednesday during Black History Month, a curated menu will be available to allow employees the opportunity to indulge in delectable cuisine. In addition, keep an eye out for themes each Wednesday!
Join the SAS DEI Book Club! This month’s pick is the New York Times Bestseller, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” by Emmanuel Acho, based on the Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series by the same name. In the book, Acho takes on all the questions, large and small, insensitive and taboo, many people are too afraid to ask―yet need the answers to, now more than ever. With the same open-hearted generosity that has made his video series a phenomenon, Acho explains the vital core of such loaded concepts as white privilege and cultural appropriation. In his own words, he provides a space of compassion and understanding in a discussion that can lack both. He asks only for the reader’s curiosity―but along the way, he will galvanize all of us to join the antiracist fight. Sign up for one (or both) book discussions:
- Wednesday, Feb. 21 (in-person in building C) from 12 – 1 p.m. Bring your own lunch and join us for an engaging conversation!
- Thursday, Feb. 29 (virtual, MS Teams) 10 – 11 a.m.
Local to Cary? Volunteer for the second annual HBCU+ Business Connect on Feb. 16. This event will provide business and non-technical majors from HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, and other Minority-serving Institutions (MSIs) the opportunity to connect with SAS employees and learn about working at SAS. Join the students for a networking lunch in the C café at noon!
Save the date! “Black Excellency in Tech,” a virtual event in partnership with the RTP National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), on Feb. 28 from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Learn more about NSBE.
Resources available all year long
- Be sure to join and learn more to stay up to date on important events throughout the year, internally and externally, by joining the Black Initiatives Group (BIG) Viva Engage group, which is open and inclusive of all employees (including those outside of the US) – whether you identify as Black, African American, African, Afro-Latine, Indigenous, or are an ally wanting to learn more about Black culture and community.
- Explore the Active Allies Resource Center “Be An Ally” to Black and African Americans Toolkit. This evergreen resource provides historical context, resources such as inclusive language and terminology, and tips to be an active ally to Black and African American colleagues.
While honoring prominent Black historical figures is formally recognized in February, discussion of these topics—as well as amplifying voices from our Black community—should happen all year long. Black history is American history. And Black employees are part of our history and future.
