1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: Afrotech Conference is back and return to Eights Town, Houston, Texas, 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: from October twenty seven through thirty first, twenty twenty. 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 2: Five at the George R. Brown Convention Center. 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: For years, Afrotech has been to go to experience for 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,920 Speaker 1: black tech innovators, founders, engineers, creators and investors. 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:18,119 Speaker 2: In twenty twenty five. 7 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: Is shaping up to be the biggest year yet, though 8 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: with fortyzery to tenees expected. This year's conference will feature 9 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: five days of dynamic programming across six curator stages, from 10 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: discovery to executive leadership. Join us to hear from industry 11 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 1: leaders at the forefront of change, learn from top ten 12 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: engineers and designers, and connect with recruiters from nearly two 13 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: hundred companies. This year, we're digging deeper into what's next 14 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: with tracks exploring AI and machine learning, mad tech and 15 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: health equity, cybersecurity, climate tech, and much more. Whether you're 16 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: launching your first startup, pivoting into a new role, or 17 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: scaling as an execut there's something here for you. 18 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 2: Tickets and moving fast to keep your spot nowt at 19 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 2: afrotech Conference dot Com. 20 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: We'll luke you see a black tech green money with 21 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: another one you know, I have to bring you not 22 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: just like the people that you're going to see all 23 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: in the videos, you know what I mean, but the 24 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: people who are actually doing the work in some of 25 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: these companies and organizations, building these companies from the inside 26 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: and making sure that we have opportunities. So today I 27 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: want to introduce you to my guy, Yimmy Akasanya, who 28 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: is a purpose driven executive and nationally recognized leader in justice, equity, 29 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 1: diversity and inclusion. 30 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 3: Let's make that Jedi. 31 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: It's the shortness of a Jedi with the bowl vision 32 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:37,040 Speaker 1: for creating workplace cultures where everybody thrives. He's the vice 33 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: president of Jedi and People Experience at Axon, which developed 34 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: security technology products, where he leads global strategy to embed 35 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: high performance and belonging into the fabric of the company 36 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: across people, practices and products. 37 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 3: Welcome, Yimmy. 38 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 4: Well that was fantastic. Thank you. Absolutely, I'm digging the specs, man. 39 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 4: I normally come on anything I got the best spects on. 40 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: Hey, Hey, you know, I get a lot of compliments 41 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:08,639 Speaker 1: on these and I'm I'm like, I'm never taking them off, 42 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: So you know, I appreciate it. And so we have 43 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:19,359 Speaker 1: a lot of conversations, especially now, about diversity echoing inclusion, 44 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: and I want to talk about that, but I also 45 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: want to talk about just why it's important to have 46 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: black people in these spaces, and so I want to 47 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: talk I want to start here, is how do you 48 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: ensure in your role and how do you advocate for 49 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: black talent not just being recruited, but positioning roles that 50 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: actually influence strategy and innovation. 51 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 4: It's a great question, and first of all, I do 52 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 4: want to it's the table by saying that I've done 53 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:50,119 Speaker 4: this work in a number of organizations and a number 54 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 4: of very good organizations, and I think that when the 55 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,079 Speaker 4: work is being done in organizations that truly see a 56 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 4: value of business case of representation, I think it makes 57 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 4: it work a little bit easier. And so I think 58 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 4: I want to caveat there to say that the work 59 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 4: Axon does. I think there's a recognition not only from 60 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 4: our leaders, you know, whether it's our president Josh e Isner, 61 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 4: whether it's our CEO Rick Smith, whether it's our board 62 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 4: members across Axon, I think they recognize the true necessity 63 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 4: they true need to have a diversity of thought and perspective, 64 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 4: and not only the products that we actually do create, 65 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 4: but in terms of the relationships rebuilt with our customers. Right, 66 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 4: So we are customer obsessed, you know, like people say it, 67 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 4: we mean it. And because of that, and because of 68 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 4: the fact that our customers and vast majory of our 69 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 4: costomers to roll over eighty five ninety percent as we 70 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 4: still grow our enterprise, eight percent of our customers are 71 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 4: you know, folks who are in public safe where there's 72 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 4: law enforcements, federal, you name it. That might be well, 73 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 4: the most diverse group of individuals in the world, right 74 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 4: because they support communities. Some of them look like the 75 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 4: community they serve. And so for us, it's not an option, 76 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:22,600 Speaker 4: like we have to create products that serve the diverse communities, 77 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 4: not just in the US, but globally as well. And 78 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 4: so I think that as a baseline makes my work easy. 79 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:34,359 Speaker 4: Now as I come into this role, I have to 80 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 4: be very very clear that the work we are doing, 81 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 4: and this is with all due respect to the important 82 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 4: work called social justice. That is an important work that well, 83 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 4: if we're being Kennedy and I, that work was so 84 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 4: important that without that work you and I wouldn't be here, 85 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 4: you know what I mean? And so that work is 86 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 4: so important and their arena for that work is in 87 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 4: our communities. Right, But when we talk about d specifically, 88 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 4: we talk about we're walking into a workplace, facility, or 89 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 4: an institution, whether it's academic or professional. That work has 90 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:13,919 Speaker 4: to drive in some capacity performance. And so for me, 91 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 4: the conversation that I like to have well is about 92 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 4: performance is to say DEI is about performance, is about 93 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 4: unlucky performance. And we know that there are barriers in place. 94 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 4: We know that there are inequities due to the communities 95 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 4: we all come from into a workplace. So how do 96 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,799 Speaker 4: we unlock those things so performance can be what drives 97 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 4: unless someone tells me. So when I talk about hiring, 98 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 4: I tell people I'm going to find the best talent 99 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 4: around the world. I gotta be intentional, right, I'm not 100 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 4: just going on LinkedIn that has eighty percent A or 101 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 4: twenty percent B. I'm going to go into the black community, 102 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,119 Speaker 4: it's brown community, it's that community, this community and find 103 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 4: the best talent. And that's what we're trying to do. 104 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 4: It's all about, again, the best talent. So unless someone 105 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 4: wills to sit here and tell me that the best 106 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 4: talent does not exist in Brown and black communities or 107 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 4: in women communities or in that doc communities then and 108 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 4: then that's a different conversation on that happen a half. 109 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 4: But as far as we are concerned, we are completely 110 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 4: bullish on finding absolute best talent and I just feel 111 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 4: like we have to look under every rock to make. 112 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 2: Sure we do that. 113 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, I want to come back to that, that global perspective. 114 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: In a second. But you you sparked some thoughts and 115 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: I'll say this. You don't have to say it if 116 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 1: you want to. It's cool too. But like you know, 117 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 1: the companies that have made promises to our communities and 118 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 1: have you know, either pulled back on those promises, didn't 119 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: fulfill those promises, or denounce those promises. The math over 120 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: the next decade says that they need black people, just math. 121 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: They can't you know, innovate without them. They need them 122 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: as we need They need us as a customer. They 123 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: need us in the in the seats, in their in 124 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: their rooms, in their boardrooms too, but also on their floors. 125 00:06:55,600 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 1: So what do you say to the notion that for 126 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:04,039 Speaker 1: those people that believe that they can do this without 127 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: black people, And how should we be rest knowing the 128 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: math doesn't work for them. 129 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 4: And you know, I learned this in business school. One 130 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 4: of my favorite classes was a class that was about 131 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 4: It was called selling yourself and selling your ideas, and 132 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 4: it talked about it's very important for us to have 133 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 4: pointy point of views. I mean the point of view 134 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 4: that once you say the point of view, people are 135 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 4: to opt in to support your point of view or 136 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 4: they opt out of your point of view. And so 137 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 4: I want to lay my point of view kind of 138 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 4: similar to what you just laid out their will. I 139 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 4: firmly believe, especially in the United States, that any organization company, 140 00:07:54,560 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 4: whether it's service based or consumer based, that believes that 141 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 4: the black and African American population it's not a necessity 142 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 4: for success, will fail in the next ten to fifteen years. Fail. 143 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 4: And that's not a passionate statement. 144 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 2: It's just mad. 145 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 4: It's small mad. It's just what it is and the 146 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 4: reason why you will fail. To your point, and we 147 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 4: can go into the power of the black community from 148 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 4: a dollar standpoint, but I want to talk about a 149 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 4: talent standpoint. And I don't know if it's just me, 150 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 4: maybe my eyes are just getting open now, or maybe 151 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,199 Speaker 4: because I'm one of my forties now I'm starting to 152 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 4: see things clearer. But the power and black talent, the acumen, 153 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 4: the intellectual capac their creativity, the soul, the excellence. Uh. 154 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:11,839 Speaker 4: Once we once we take things seriously, and I think 155 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 4: part of it has to do with it, we gotta 156 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 4: we gotta, we gotta get serious sometimes, right, once we 157 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 4: take things seriously, it could be very scary with regards 158 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 4: to the power that lies behind the work that we do. 159 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 4: And so I feel that companies right now who are 160 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 4: not investing in black communities or investment in black talents 161 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 4: or what have you, or leaving room for other companies 162 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 4: like Axon and others who see the value and who 163 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:47,439 Speaker 4: are pursuing it. Like I give an example because I 164 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 4: guess we can sit and talk about philosophy all all day, right, 165 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:54,680 Speaker 4: but you know, afrottach is a is a great example. 166 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 4: You know, last year was the first time that Axon 167 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 4: made an afrotech and we were plan We're like, hey, listen, 168 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 4: we're not coming here to do a brand activation. And 169 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 4: then this is this is no shot at no one right. 170 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 4: Our goals to come here and find the best talent 171 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 4: and hire them. So we bought hiring managers. We bought 172 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 4: about fifty of our employees. We butt boots, interview boots 173 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 4: and pods, and we walked away with a ton of 174 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 4: talent until we're coming back again twenty twenty five this 175 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 4: year to do it all over again, this time being 176 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 4: more intentional. Right now, we're like, okay, we can get 177 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 4: up to twelve hires. Oh, let's see, can we get more? 178 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 4: And can we get managers and leaders? And so we're 179 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 4: talking a mid to senior level career folks this summer 180 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:44,079 Speaker 4: around and again my point is like it's a wait 181 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 4: and see approach. Well, you know again, just just wash 182 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 4: the clock in five to fifteen years from now, Let's 183 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 4: see the companies who are top of the S and 184 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 4: P five hundred and let's see what they're doing differently 185 00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 4: than those who are not on the top or those 186 00:10:59,160 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 4: who are falling out. 187 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,479 Speaker 3: The top day them. 188 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: How do you measure going back to this global conversation 189 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: because you're not just you know, the domestic, you know, VP, 190 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: like this is your job across the world. When you 191 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:17,079 Speaker 1: think about the maturity of the effort of DEI justice, 192 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:20,839 Speaker 1: even j D e I Jedi, I'm gonna leaving it 193 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 1: in Jedi and not messed up the acronym here. How 194 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:32,839 Speaker 1: especially with cultural definitions and practices are different than ours 195 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:36,319 Speaker 1: here domestically, how do you balance those goals? 196 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, it's a great it's a great question. I'll 197 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:42,959 Speaker 4: tell you why. You know, when I when I got 198 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 4: my first global job, I learned quickly that we must 199 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 4: be careful taking the America agenda across the world. And 200 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 4: so I was used to saying, Okay, great, we got ELGs. 201 00:11:57,840 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 4: All right, we're going to hire and look for you know, 202 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 4: to uh, you know, look for organizations that have, you know, 203 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 4: a talent pipeline of the Black community, the Latin, the 204 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:10,680 Speaker 4: Hispanic community, the Asian community. Right, So those were the 205 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 4: things I did in in the US, and then I 206 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 4: got abroad and I spent a year in London working 207 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 4: for a certain company at the time, and I was 208 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 4: looking around and asked a questions, Hey, listen, where can 209 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 4: I find these communities in that community in terms of 210 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,960 Speaker 4: like talent pipelines. And some do exist, but predominantly there 211 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 4: were those that were women or or agenda specific you know, 212 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 4: talent pipelines. And I learned quickly like no, no, no, that's 213 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 4: don't bring don't bring America over here, man, we don't. 214 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,599 Speaker 4: We don't do things like that. I remember there was 215 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 4: you know, even even from an ERG perspective, I was 216 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 4: looking for an executive sponsor who was, uh, you know, 217 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 4: based out of Italy, and I was like, hey, let's 218 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 4: we got some great year. He's like, no, no, no, no, yeah me, 219 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 4: thanks for we don't do that here. And so there 220 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:55,959 Speaker 4: is a pushback to this idea of culturally, of of 221 00:12:55,960 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 4: of using affinity groups to the find anything. And then 222 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 4: there's the other piece of where there are true privacy 223 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 4: laws internationally specifically like in the places like France in 224 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 4: Europe that you know restricts you from collecting that data. 225 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 4: Like in the US. You know, the EEOC allows us 226 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 4: to collect actually not allows us, informs us collect diversity 227 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 4: data for protective characteristics and send reports of what that 228 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 4: looks like to them. And so we have to collect 229 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 4: the data and what people have options of you know, 230 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 4: self identifying and not self identifying, or internationally that doesn't 231 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 4: exist in most countries and so you don't even have 232 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:39,079 Speaker 4: the data to use, and so you have to now 233 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 4: collected it within your organization or find ways to work 234 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:45,319 Speaker 4: around those things. And so the bottom line truly becomes 235 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 4: the things that I gotten used to in terms of 236 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 4: like demographics driving my agenda. I was forced to reckon like, no, 237 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 4: let me stop doing that and let's listen for those 238 00:13:57,160 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 4: at the company to see what they truly need to 239 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 4: be performer like. And then so inclusion became top of 240 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 4: mind and that became the driver Bros. Strategy to say, okay, great, 241 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 4: like what are some of your challenges in your organization department? 242 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 4: Like the employee giving surveys, the inclusion surveys like that 243 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 4: became the true So I say medium for me to 244 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 4: identify opportunity eras to drive inclusion and not your typical 245 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 4: just simply looked to the lens of representation and use 246 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 4: that those markers as success, right, And so I think 247 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 4: that is a shift that we should adopt across DEI, 248 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 4: where it's like, sure, repetation is incredibly important, incredibly important, 249 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 4: but it's not the definition of success. Increasing the black 250 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 4: population by five percent is not success, like that needs 251 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 4: to be clear, or by ten or by fifteen percent, 252 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 4: that is not success in DEI. DEI is about the 253 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 4: experience of cl You can bring a thousand people to 254 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 4: the table will and we don't have voices to influence 255 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 4: decision making. Then how is that success Like success would 256 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 4: be determined by the performance that we have. Performance always 257 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 4: about action, that's what success is about, right, And so 258 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 4: for me, it's like, how do we change a narrative 259 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 4: to shift away from the idea that it's all of 260 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 4: our representation, it's all about like you know, X and os, 261 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 4: and it's less around performance likedi is performance for everyone 262 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 4: for everyone, and equity is recognizing that we're not all 263 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 4: on the same stage. And so that to me, that's 264 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 4: the word. So we think about international and domestic. I 265 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 4: think that the biggest challenges you see is there are 266 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 4: certain laws that prohibit us from collecting data internationally, and 267 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 4: then there's some other laws to help us. For example, 268 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 4: in London or in Europe, there's a law around if 269 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 4: you have over one hundred I think maybe two hundred 270 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 4: fifty the employees, you must report your pay equity, which 271 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 4: is your agenda pay reports publicly. Right, that's a positive 272 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 4: thing that creates transparency. Well in the US, some states 273 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 4: like California and some others are beginning to adapt things 274 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 4: like that, but it's not kind of widespread it across 275 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 4: all nations, right, so so again, I think we are 276 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 4: in the journey of this, of this uh of of 277 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 4: DEI or Jedi or ie D, depending on how you 278 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 4: want to call it. But but I do think there 279 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 4: is not a one size for all and we have 280 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 4: to be very very careful that we saw thinking about internationally. 281 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 4: We must think local first, you know, forget all you 282 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 4: think you know about d I, go local, learn from 283 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 4: the folks there are domestic there, and build from within. 284 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 4: I think any other approach would be will be the 285 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 4: wrong way to go about this. 286 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: You know, during COVID we had the whole work from 287 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: home or hybrid for some companies, but work from home 288 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: proliferated and then over the last six months a year 289 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,399 Speaker 1: or so, we have, you know, kind of a return 290 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: to office approach many companies are embracing. And when we 291 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,120 Speaker 1: did the work from a home, we had a lot 292 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: of black people who felt like they were free from 293 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:21,400 Speaker 1: the microaggressions that you know, happened in the office, and 294 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 1: a lot of for a variety of reasons, a lot 295 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: of workers appreciated that work model. However, it came also 296 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,679 Speaker 1: with it downside in that you know, sometimes proximity to 297 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 1: leadership is where you get elevation, and when you're not 298 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:40,680 Speaker 1: seeing Tom. 299 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 3: At the water cooler or Sarah at the water cooler. 300 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,960 Speaker 1: It may be difficult to recognize that talent that they're 301 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:49,200 Speaker 1: bringing in order to provide opportunity for them. 302 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 3: So I want you to kind of set a landscape 303 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 3: of what the next. 304 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 1: You know, twelve, twenty four or thirty six months looked 305 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 1: like for black people trying to find elevation and some 306 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: of their companies are going back to the office, some. 307 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:06,440 Speaker 3: Of them are remaining hybrid or work remotely. 308 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 1: Just what does it look like and how should we 309 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,400 Speaker 1: position ourselves considering even AI is coming for a lot 310 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:12,119 Speaker 1: of these jobs. 311 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, no, for sure, thank you for that. And let 312 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:23,920 Speaker 4: me talk about the AI part. You know, I heard 313 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,920 Speaker 4: somewhere that you know, AI is not going to steal 314 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:34,160 Speaker 4: jobs from people. However, people who know already use AI 315 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,199 Speaker 4: and use AI is going as two people's jobs, right, 316 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 4: And I thought that was a really interesting difference there. 317 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 3: But I would say, I gotta pause you that because 318 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 3: I've heard that also. 319 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: But I'm like, yeah, that I've there are certain roles 320 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 1: I have not hired four because I didn't I have 321 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:55,199 Speaker 1: AI now, so it may not for by and large. 322 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: You may not lose it, but you may not have 323 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: got it also, no doubt about it. 324 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 4: I think I think you're right. And here's how I 325 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 4: interpret that. Right, Let's just draw some fake numbers. Listen, 326 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 4: there's one hundred jobs before AI came into the picture. 327 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 4: One hundred jobs exists pre AI. I do believe, like 328 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 4: many people believe that out of those hundred jobs, about 329 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 4: maybe sixty percent are going to be are going to 330 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 4: be gone because AI is now being in the picture. 331 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 4: But I do believe another one hundred jobs will be 332 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 4: created by people who want to use AI. So now 333 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 4: you're going to see one hundred and forty jobs. However, 334 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 4: you lost sixty. Does that make sense for me? Is yes, 335 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 4: without a doubt. Like you know you're hearing companies or 336 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,679 Speaker 4: you talk about, hey, listen, how can AI make a 337 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 4: job you know, more efficient? How can you eliminate certain roles? 338 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:53,359 Speaker 4: How do you listen? We're not going to going to 339 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 4: be on a hiring freeze. If you if you have 340 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 4: a job to get done, I think you think about 341 00:19:57,760 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 4: how AI can be doing right. So, yes, these things 342 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 4: are happening, But without a doubt, I still think that 343 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 4: knowing how to utilize AI. It's going to make you 344 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,360 Speaker 4: so valuable in this market. And I think, black folks, 345 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 4: we must, we must become experts. We must become the 346 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 4: users of it. We get creative with it, make music 347 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 4: with it, make movies with it. Like, let's bring it 348 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 4: into our culture where when I talk to you, well, 349 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 4: if I send you an email or a text message, 350 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 4: I run it through AI. Hey, we write this because 351 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,439 Speaker 4: I want to talk to Lucas about this, Like, let's 352 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 4: make it our habits, because I think what that allows 353 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 4: us to do is develop the competencies right for this 354 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 4: new building industry, right that the market is begging for. 355 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 4: I mean, I'm sure you've seen the news around Meta 356 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 4: and all this. Other big companies pay millions of dollars 357 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 4: for telling right, why can't we be that? Because we 358 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 4: go get the skills, go get this if we're the 359 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 4: ones holding the skill sets. I mean, and before I 360 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,159 Speaker 4: get like your other question, you know, I'm passionate this 361 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 4: because I remember and you remember this because we're old enough. Well, 362 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 4: like the dot com era when the Internet was just 363 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 4: becoming big. I remember AOL. You know you've got men 364 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 4: where someone calls your mom the in and of a 365 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 4: caught off. I used to be so mad on the phone, 366 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 4: like Mom, jet off, this phone calls so I can 367 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 4: gonna lie like like thousand days of dial up in X, 368 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 4: Y and Z, and I wish I would have invested 369 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 4: in building skills as a software developer or a design 370 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 4: because you think about the nineties to two thousands, that's 371 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 4: who made all the big money huge, right and thankfully 372 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,159 Speaker 4: when you think about who came into the industry at 373 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 4: the time, think about India. India caught on quickly and 374 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:44,399 Speaker 4: invested tremendously their high schools, their universities. Right, they built 375 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 4: software developers. Look around most tech coming today, who's leading them? Right? 376 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 4: We can do the same exact thing with our community, 377 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 4: Like we just need to make sure we position ourself 378 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 4: in a place early on, and it's not too late 379 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 4: to do that. So so my point about about AIS 380 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 4: and I love that Mortgage and Morgan and what Glavity 381 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 4: is doing with building the community around AI is exactly 382 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 4: what we need everyone to do. Like we all like 383 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 4: my daughter is eleven years old, listen with Jacks may person. 384 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 4: I don't know, I'm like that, tell me what it says, 385 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 4: Like we have to do this because I think that's 386 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 4: a way forward. Okay, Now what was the question, because 387 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 4: that was. 388 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 1: The yeah, yeah, talking about like this, the whole work 389 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 1: from home model. You know that COVID spurred on and 390 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: then return to office and what that means dynamically for sure? 391 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 4: For sure. Here here's here's the truth is this is 392 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,479 Speaker 4: that we are seeing there a strong wave of RTO 393 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 4: in the next three to four years, maybe even five years. 394 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 4: The majority of conference will be back in the office. 395 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:53,439 Speaker 4: That's just the wave. Okay. And and to your point earlier, 396 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 4: the way you introduced a question, I appreciate it because 397 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 4: you're right. You know, many of us have found a 398 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 4: sense of being away from an environment that maybe produce 399 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 4: a ton of microaggressions or biases or what have you. 400 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 4: Like that is that is a very very fair statement 401 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,679 Speaker 4: to make, without a doubt. I think what we have 402 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:22,360 Speaker 4: to remember is that being isolated, being outside of proximity 403 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 4: does have unintended impacts on our careers. It really does, 404 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:30,359 Speaker 4: and we have to be careful of that. Not because 405 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 4: we're black, or not because we're white or what have you, 406 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 4: just in general, it's just the way that it is, 407 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 4: like you know, proximity builds relationship and relationships is what 408 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 4: makes a difference in corporate America. Those who have strong 409 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 4: relationship with people, they're the ones that get the opportunities. 410 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 4: Think about you and your friends. You know, the best 411 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 4: friends get the best of you. Your best siblings get 412 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 4: the best of you. I know, you know, we shouldn't 413 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 4: be favoritism at the point, right, It's no, it's a 414 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 4: human nature thing. It's no different. And when it comes 415 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:03,920 Speaker 4: to work, and so you know, I encourage and again, 416 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 4: for example, my role is fully remote, and so but 417 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:10,160 Speaker 4: I do seek every opportunity to get in the office 418 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,679 Speaker 4: because I do know no one's better for me selfishly. 419 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 4: I think it also is better for others to be 420 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 4: able to see me and for me to see people 421 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 4: and learn from people. And it's easy to talk to 422 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 4: me walking across the hallway than sending me a zoom 423 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 4: meeting to talk for thirty minutes. Right. And so these 424 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 4: are the things that I think we've we've lost some 425 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 4: of those things. And I think our community needs to, 426 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 4: you know, gabblize together and say, hey, listen, how can 427 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 4: we find a bridge where we're able to get back 428 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 4: into Forgive me for the sake of this example, into 429 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 4: this war zone where there's my progressions and biases happening, Like, sure, 430 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 4: those things are real, but how can we create carbon 431 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 4: space where we could be effective and slip out right 432 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 4: or if it's happened at a rate that is a 433 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 4: bit much, maybe consider that we're in the right organization 434 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 4: and can we start to look and find companies that 435 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:03,960 Speaker 4: maybe will provide less of that kind of environment than 436 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 4: we'll we currently have. So I do think there's a 437 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 4: sense of like self bootstrapping that we must do. But 438 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:12,399 Speaker 4: I also do think that we also have to be 439 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 4: very keenly aware of what is a trend, what's the 440 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 4: market shifting to its and allto Again, it's gonna be 441 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:21,120 Speaker 4: something that and ALTM has started for a return to 442 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:23,479 Speaker 4: to office. It's something that a lot of companies are 443 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:28,199 Speaker 4: doing across the nation. And again the next five to 444 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 4: ten years, I think this will look like pre COVID days. 445 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, you said something there. 446 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: I'm gonna attempt to eloquently formulate the question because you 447 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 1: just had something that sparked my interest, and that was, 448 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: you know, these thirty minute meetings, and I've heard and 449 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: this is kind of more like a you know, just 450 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 1: a way of working that is efficient, you know historically 451 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 1: at least in my experience, my days in corporate which 452 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: were not for me. But people schedule our long meetings 453 00:25:56,119 --> 00:26:00,920 Speaker 1: and and you just easily said the minute meetings. And 454 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: that made me think about the way I work now, 455 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:05,639 Speaker 1: Like I do not accept meetings over forty five minutes. 456 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:06,119 Speaker 3: I'm just not. 457 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:08,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna ask you to resend the calendar invite because 458 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: I'm not doing that. And it just made me think 459 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: about the relationship between your office and HR and how 460 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: you work with people and the I don't know if 461 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,920 Speaker 1: it's an integration between the two or collaboration between the 462 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:29,120 Speaker 1: two departments, but how does it work with your office 463 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 1: and with people operations? 464 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:40,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, and so it's so DI comes in many different forms, right. 465 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:44,680 Speaker 4: There is the I that does community facing. Uh, there's 466 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 4: the I mean customer and community facing. There is d 467 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 4: I that is people, I mean employee facing, and so 468 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 4: at Axon I Jedi is is all of the above. 469 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:02,120 Speaker 4: But the largest part of what we find the most 470 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 4: opportunity in our company is through our talent acquisition. We 471 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 4: want to hire the best talent in all communities. We 472 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,400 Speaker 4: also want to make sure that once that talent comes 473 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:19,400 Speaker 4: to act on they have a culture is able to 474 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 4: harness their diversity of thought and perspective and produce betterformance. 475 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:26,399 Speaker 4: And the last piece is to make sure that we 476 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:30,879 Speaker 4: have colleagues and managers and leaders who have the capacity 477 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 4: and intellectual understanding on how to lead diverse individuals globally. 478 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 4: And this is not just about color or gender. This 479 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 4: is like folks who work from a different tree who 480 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 4: have different communications hos high context, low context right. And 481 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:50,359 Speaker 4: so for us that work is done within people operations, 482 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 4: Like my role is the vice president of Jedi and 483 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 4: People Experience, and so I have to be under the 484 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 4: people operations and under our Elizabeth who leads people operations. Here. 485 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 4: That's on because my day to day partners are Head 486 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 4: of Transition, our head of culture, our head of internal Communications, 487 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 4: ahead of talent management, ahead of L and D. These 488 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 4: should be my partners on a day to day basis, 489 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 4: where our conversations I'm able to influence your thinking vice 490 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,479 Speaker 4: versa and build something that is integrated in all that 491 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 4: we do. And it not be like I'm this independent 492 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 4: third party like the CIA that has to work with 493 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 4: the state police. Some people do that in my work 494 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 4: for them, but for us, we find that unity and 495 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 4: collaboration in terms of being colleagues allows us to kind 496 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:46,480 Speaker 4: of have a single strategy that has embedded work, and 497 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 4: for me, that seems to work a lot. Right. For example, 498 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 4: in my former company, I reported into the chief marketing 499 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 4: officer right now. It was great because I was really 500 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:59,719 Speaker 4: really customer focused and community focused, all about like, how 501 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 4: do we get small business doing better? How do you 502 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:04,479 Speaker 4: make sure that black businesses are getting highlighted just as 503 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 4: much as any other businesses. How do we make sure 504 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 4: that women owned businesses are gained opportunities that other business 505 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 4: a happening? Right, So it was very and I still 506 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 4: also have the employee piece, but the biggest piece of 507 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 4: my budget was spent around community and our partners. Whereas 508 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:24,240 Speaker 4: here it's a bit different, right, Our customers are law 509 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 4: enforcements and so for that they're focused more on how 510 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 4: to recreate a sense of safety in our communities. And 511 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 4: so that's type of conversation that I think. It depends 512 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 4: on the organization, the product and sertas you provide or 513 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 4: solutions you provide, and with that information begin to align 514 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 4: where you can make the most impact. And for us 515 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 4: here as people operations. 516 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: What strategies that you've been doing this a while. You 517 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 1: used to do things in the beginning that work then 518 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 1: no longer work. What are some of those things that 519 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: you find no longer work, But some of your counterparts 520 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 1: and other companies these they are still set up that 521 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: way and you like to update. 522 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 4: That's a great question. One of the things I used 523 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:11,000 Speaker 4: to talk off about what de I was to say 524 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 4: there are three reasons why people were doing DEI. One 525 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:19,959 Speaker 4: was a compliance reason. So the e the EOC has 526 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 4: you know, made some demands to say, to be a 527 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 4: federal contractor, you must have X, Y and Z representation 528 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 4: of A B and c uh. Two. 529 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 3: That's gone to that's gone, isn't it. Yeah, that's gone. 530 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, that's gone in a unique way. Right, 531 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 4: that's gone because they have redefined what that means. So 532 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 4: now there is a thing called like illegal d I 533 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 4: and what legal DI looks like from the EOC that 534 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 4: helps describe those two things. And so it's gone in 535 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 4: the way that we used to know it. It still 536 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 4: exists in a way that you know, obviously we're protected 537 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 4: against discrimination and harassment and things like that, right, so, 538 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 4: but it looks very very different. So in the past, 539 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 4: a person could sue because you know, maybe I applied 540 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 4: for a job I didn't get in and I think 541 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 4: it's because of A, B and C. And they could 542 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 4: soon create a case in EOC and they will go 543 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 4: after the company and figure out things and you know 544 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 4: who knows come up in the settlement maybe what have you? 545 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 4: In today's day and age, with the current administration, that 546 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:18,360 Speaker 4: looks a lot different, okay, And so that compliance piece 547 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:22,560 Speaker 4: looks different. And I think that we must look at 548 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 4: our corporation and look at our JEDI strategy and what 549 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 4: we're doing to make sure that we're not still going 550 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:31,200 Speaker 4: with the idea of like compliance being what compliance used 551 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:33,280 Speaker 4: to look like. That has changed. And so I think 552 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 4: that's one thing that some companies to probably leaning on 553 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 4: that they must kind of come to terms with what 554 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 4: it is today. Two is UH, you know d I. 555 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 4: The re emergence of d I came after twenty twenty 556 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 4: the unfortunate death of you know, George Tiller, you know 557 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 4: UH and many others, Jory Floyd, Bana Taylor and many others, 558 00:31:55,280 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 4: and and the civil unrest and the power of social 559 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:05,640 Speaker 4: justice gave an energy to d I like we've never 560 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:10,160 Speaker 4: seen before. If you remember, in twenty twenty one, LinkedIn 561 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 4: reported that the most number of jobs on LinkedIn leadership 562 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:18,880 Speaker 4: jobs over director level were DEI jobs. By far right. 563 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 4: We saw our hiring increase. Everyone was a d person 564 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 4: and for most people who got hired with people who 565 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 4: came from not a background that was focused on this 566 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 4: step of work. Well, I being one of them, right, 567 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 4: I was leading, you know, this was pre I got 568 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:37,880 Speaker 4: I came to the position some ten years ago, so 569 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:43,560 Speaker 4: right before not so long before George Floyd. But during 570 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 4: that period I did see a lot of folks who 571 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 4: got the job because of their passion, their leadership competencies, 572 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 4: their communications skills and so on and so forth. Like rightfully, 573 00:32:52,760 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 4: so nothing against them, but I think at this point 574 00:32:56,160 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 4: that we are now, passion is not enough. We need 575 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 4: We need people who have the competency to lead, who 576 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 4: have the ability to to seek out and understand compliance. 577 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 4: And the landmark has shifted. People talk about the attack 578 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 4: and d I. I like to talk about the scrutinity 579 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:21,719 Speaker 4: of d I. We are under a microscope. Everything we 580 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 4: do must make sense, and it doesn't make sense. There's 581 00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 4: a red flag. And for some people they're happy about 582 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 4: it because like, oh yes, thank God about time, because 583 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:30,040 Speaker 4: I never like d s up anyway, it's pretty much much, 584 00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 4: you know, too much, you know, reversing so much of 585 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:34,560 Speaker 4: the things we've done in the past. And but for me, 586 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:36,320 Speaker 4: I think it's a moment where we need to kind 587 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:44,040 Speaker 4: of I appreciate the scrutiny because I feel struggling that 588 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 4: if after this moment we're able to survive, and which 589 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:53,400 Speaker 4: we will, the scrutinity and and forgive me the attack 590 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 4: on d I, like many people say, I think what 591 00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:58,720 Speaker 4: would happen is a rebirth of what DI looks like 592 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:04,360 Speaker 4: that is now competent, legal and clear. So this idea 593 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:06,880 Speaker 4: that when someone does a mistake in their job and 594 00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:09,799 Speaker 4: they happen to be from a minority group, oh, it's 595 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 4: a DEI higher that has to go, this idea of 596 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:15,279 Speaker 4: tokenism to say, oh my god, well you just got 597 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 4: hired to this role. Oh because he's black. That's why 598 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 4: that's gotta go. Right, So we're in a moment where 599 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:23,520 Speaker 4: hopefully we can clean out just as much as some 600 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:26,239 Speaker 4: of the what we'll call it illegal DEI some of 601 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 4: these cultural nuances that came along in the door with it. 602 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:31,200 Speaker 4: So anyway, I'm not sure if I answer your question, 603 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 4: but I just want on a tangent on this idea 604 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 4: that I have had this frustration on DEI with this 605 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 4: idea where people feel DEI is about representation only, d 606 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 4: as about black people, d as about like that is 607 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:53,600 Speaker 4: so not true. Diis again is about performance. And I 608 00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 4: firmly believe whether you're black or you look differently, you 609 00:34:57,360 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 4: have the ability to be successful and enable you to 610 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:02,280 Speaker 4: be that. And I think that's what this just should 611 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:02,920 Speaker 4: be about. 612 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:06,400 Speaker 1: Very good last one for you. And there are people 613 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:09,799 Speaker 1: who are in school now who want to do work 614 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 1: that maybe they're passionate about it now because they haven't 615 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:14,200 Speaker 1: been in the workforce yet, and they got to translate 616 00:35:14,239 --> 00:35:16,720 Speaker 1: that passion into you know, being able. 617 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:20,000 Speaker 3: To do some stuff. Can you talk about what they should. 618 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:21,759 Speaker 1: Be learning, what should they be studying, what kind of 619 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,479 Speaker 1: tools and technology tools and et cetera. Should they start 620 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:27,479 Speaker 1: to get experienced with so that they can do this work. 621 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:31,840 Speaker 4: Well, yeah, no, it's a great question. I think personally, 622 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:34,240 Speaker 4: the skill sets that really help us work do well 623 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:39,240 Speaker 4: is communication background the ability to communicate both verbally non verbally. 624 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:42,880 Speaker 4: I think that's huge part of the skill set. I 625 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:48,440 Speaker 4: think anything to do with strategy, like business strategy, organizational design, 626 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:52,359 Speaker 4: organization development, like those separate roles are really important roles 627 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:54,080 Speaker 4: to the foundation of the work that you have to 628 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:56,920 Speaker 4: do here. And I think lastly is anything have to 629 00:35:56,920 --> 00:35:59,840 Speaker 4: do with like learning the development being able to educate 630 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:03,200 Speaker 4: people and teach people about how to build certain competenies 631 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:05,799 Speaker 4: and skill sets. It's also an important background, right, So 632 00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:09,560 Speaker 4: any of these backgrounds it's helpful as a foundational level, 633 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:12,480 Speaker 4: and then go get the experience, go to your ergs, 634 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:15,640 Speaker 4: to employee resource groups or infinity groups, and help galvanize 635 00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:20,239 Speaker 4: a community, help lead events, help lead things, to help 636 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:24,480 Speaker 4: you know up level a certain you know, skill set 637 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:27,280 Speaker 4: or what have you. Like, Like the experience is probably 638 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:30,279 Speaker 4: the most important piece that has to time with the 639 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:32,759 Speaker 4: foundational piece. It's almost like, you know, trying to be 640 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:35,320 Speaker 4: a doctor. Forgive me for this really extreme example. I 641 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 4: go to school for like macrobiology, that's my degree, but 642 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:40,400 Speaker 4: I still have to go to med school and and 643 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:43,359 Speaker 4: and yield the skill sets and practice. And I think 644 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 4: that's the work here. It's like, sure, you've gotten a 645 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 4: foundation of degree, that's great, but you have to get 646 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:51,280 Speaker 4: and do the work, you know, lead an eerg group 647 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:53,759 Speaker 4: you know, with it has to be reading corporation and 648 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:56,000 Speaker 4: it's not. Again, I do want to make sure it's clear. 649 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:58,040 Speaker 4: It's not social justice. Not because you lead a community 650 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:00,239 Speaker 4: group in your church or in your home that you 651 00:37:00,280 --> 00:37:02,160 Speaker 4: feel like you can being that into the workplace. It's 652 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:06,200 Speaker 4: extremely different. We know there's something called corporate bureaucracy and 653 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:10,040 Speaker 4: corporate news and corporate speak, and these things are real, 654 00:37:10,120 --> 00:37:13,520 Speaker 4: they do exist. And so I do think that yes, 655 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:17,680 Speaker 4: those you know, communications strategy, you know, uh learning and development, 656 00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:20,319 Speaker 4: that those are great backgrounds to have for foundational level 657 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:22,759 Speaker 4: of education. But I think the great work starts where 658 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:26,160 Speaker 4: you start doing things like you know, uplifting, complete resource groups, 659 00:37:26,160 --> 00:37:29,160 Speaker 4: infinity groups and all the small groups within the organizations 660 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:32,160 Speaker 4: to help gobinize and big groups together toward a certain mission. 661 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:37,800 Speaker 1: Afro Tech Conference is back when we return to as Town, Houston, Texas, 662 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:40,759 Speaker 1: from October twenty seventh through thirty first, twenty twenty five 663 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:41,759 Speaker 1: the George R. 664 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:42,920 Speaker 2: Brown Convention Center. 665 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:45,680 Speaker 1: For years, afro Tech has been to go to experience 666 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:49,799 Speaker 1: for black tech innovators, founders, engineers, creators and investors. 667 00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:51,480 Speaker 2: In twenty twenty five is shaping. 668 00:37:51,239 --> 00:37:53,640 Speaker 1: Up to be the biggest year yet though, with fortyzery 669 00:37:53,719 --> 00:37:56,960 Speaker 1: attendees expected. This year's conference will feature five days of 670 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:01,880 Speaker 1: dynamic programming across six curator stages, discovery to executive leadership. 671 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:04,440 Speaker 1: Join us to hear from industry leaders at the forefront 672 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:07,320 Speaker 1: of change, learn from top ten engineers and designers, and 673 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,399 Speaker 1: connect with recruiters from nearly two hundred companies. This year, 674 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 1: we're digging deeper into what's next with tracks exploring AI 675 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:18,359 Speaker 1: and machine learning, mad tech and health equity, cybersecurity, climate tech, 676 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:21,600 Speaker 1: and much more. Whether you're launting your first startup, pivoting 677 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,120 Speaker 1: into a new role, or scaling as an execu there's 678 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:26,600 Speaker 1: something here for you. Take us and moving fast to 679 00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 1: keep your spot now at Afrotech Conference dot Com. Black 680 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:32,680 Speaker 1: Tech Green Money is a production to Blavity afro Tech 681 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:35,600 Speaker 1: on the Black Effect podcast Networking Night Hire Media. It's 682 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:39,280 Speaker 1: produced by Morgan Devaun and me Lucas, with the additional 683 00:38:39,320 --> 00:38:43,359 Speaker 1: production support by k McDonald, say Jama McGee. Special thank 684 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:45,719 Speaker 1: you to Michael Davis and love each learn more about 685 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:48,560 Speaker 1: my Guessing. Other Technish is an innovator's an Afrotech dot 686 00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:49,800 Speaker 1: Com video. 687 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 3: First in this episode will. 688 00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:53,360 Speaker 1: Drop to Black Tech Green Money on YouTube. What tapping 689 00:38:54,239 --> 00:38:57,200 Speaker 1: enjoy your black tech free money shit us to somebody, 690 00:38:57,760 --> 00:38:58,520 Speaker 1: go get your money. 691 00:38:59,200 --> 00:38:59,759 Speaker 2: Needs some up