Black History Month
For Culture, For Community
This year's Black History Month theme draws insights from the past, helps to navigate the complexities of the present, and actively shaping the contours of our collective future. Deliberately investing in culture and community, every undertaking in this year acknowledges the profound impact our history has etched on the nation's foundation.
Community is a forward-looking conversation about our shared destiny. Rallying around the pressing issues facing Black America fortifies the rights, policies, and the future rightfully deserved. This year's call to action urges everyone to cast their vote, mobilize friends and family, resist attempts to erase history, and invest in neighborhood well-being. For the strength of culture, for the resilience of community – a collective commitment echoing for all of us.
“The thing about Black history is that the truth is so much more complex than anything you could make up.”
- Henry Louis Gates
This Month’s Coffee Talk
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Program Manager, Exec Services at Google
Regina Gibbs, a seasoned professional with 28+ years in leadership and people management, excels in the airline and tech sectors. Specializing in executive development, she delivers top-tier programs for Google VPs and SVPs. Regina holds a BA in Business Administration, an MPA, and passionately serves as a Health Advocate Coach. Beyond work, she explores culinary delights, music festivals, and theater arts while cherishing family time with her dog, Mac Daddy.
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Director, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at Southern California Edison
Keisha McNeil, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Southern California Edison, is a dynamic leader who transforms organizational culture. Joining Edison in 2017, she oversees DEI initiatives and heads Enterprise Learning, earning the 2019 Edison Chairman Award. With 26 years in leadership, Keisha fearlessly reshaped culture in the financial services industry, eliminating barriers to success. Beyond her corporate role, she actively engages with educational institutions, advocating for underserved communities. Keisha's influence extends to boards, shaping educational programs and promoting equitable access to quality education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business, Human Resource Management.
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Co-Founder and Principal of Creative Outreach Consulting
With 30+ years of expertise, Corey Flournoy, co-founder of Creative Outreach Consulting, is a leader in diversity, inclusion, and change management. His global impact spans corporations like Sony and universities. Recognized in Crain’s Chicago Business 2022, Top 50 Industry Players 2020, and as Executive in Residence at National FFA, Corey's history-making role includes being the first African-American and urban participant in the National FFA Organization. Certified as a Diversity Coach, he's shaped strategy at Aurora and Groupon, and taught global change at Northwestern University.
Resources
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FASHION:
"Runway of Love", a documentary on Patrick Kelly's fashion collection, 1986
CHILDREN’S BOOK:
"Tar Beach", written by Faith Ringgold, a compelling tale of African American life, family, and dreams, 1991
POETRY:
"The Hill We Climb", by Amanda Gorman during President Biden's inauguration, January 20, 2021
MUSIC
"Lift Every Voice and Sing", written by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900
Multimedia
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Semicolon Bookstore - Chicago
Grassrootz Bookstore - Phoenix, Online
Marcus Books - Oakland
Black Pearl Bookstore - Austin