India Sylvester: We can and must do better

During our annual celebration of Black History Month in the U.S., I – a Black woman working within corporate America – am both proud and disappointed. Proud of the many accomplishments of Black people, yet disappointed that 400 years after the first enslaved Africans were brought to this country, it is possible to still become the FIRST Black anything.

We, as a country, can and must do better. We, as individuals, can and must do better. And we, as corporate America, can and must do better. It’s past time we held ourselves accountable.

We must do more than acknowledge Black people for simply being Black. We must acknowledge, respect and honor Black people for their many invaluable contributions to innovation and transformation throughout history.

I dare you to imagine what our lives would be like without them. Consider this: These Black innovators have improved our quality of life and propelled industry forward, affecting countless facets of our lives. They include the following:

• Lewis Latimer invented a carbon filament to use in lightbulbs in 1882.

• Alexander Miles patented a mechanism to automate elevator doors in 1887.

• Andrew Jackson Beard invented the Jenny Coupler, which greatly improved train car connections, patented in 1897.

• George T. Sampson invented the clothes dryer in 1892.

• Alice H. Parker patented the central gas heating furnace in 1919.

• Three-light traffic light invented by Garrett Morgan in 1923.

• Richard Spikes invented the automatic gear shift in 1932.

• Frederick McKinley Jones patented a cooling system to be used in trucks allowing goods to be preserved during travel in 1940.

• Home security system co-invented by Mary Van Brittan Brown in 1966.

• Dr. Patricia E. Bath invented a new medical device and method to remove cataracts, patented in 1988.

• Color IBM PC monitor and gigahertz chip co-invented by Mark Dean in 1980 and 1999.

These are just a few examples of the intellectual, creative and scholarly contributions of Black people – contributions that have benefited the world for generations. It is baffling to me that in 2021 so few technical and leadership roles are held by Black people. Advancement requires opportunity.

Opportunity is the key to unlocking and promoting the talent that has and will continue to transform our world. What potential life-changing or industry-advancing innovations have we missed out on due to lack of opportunity?

You may challenge my thinking by suggesting my success may indicate that others just may not be trying hard enough. My response to that is I have had career success because of the opportunities that have been afforded to me. It isn’t that Black people lack the skills, knowledge, drive or other attributes one might consider when assessing talent. Instead, only a choice few have been invited to showcase their talents.

It is equally important to note that opportunities to showcase talents is one piece; the other is insisting that employees bring their authentic selves to work. It’s not enough to have diversity wrapped up in a pretty package yet require those individuals to conform or assimilate. Opportunity must be inviting, and those looking to excel in their careers need to feel invited to take advantage of those opportunities.

I encourage leaders to not only celebrate the diverse perspectives Black employees bring to the table, but also to ensure there ARE open seats at the table for people of color. If there aren’t enough seats for Black employees, then perhaps it is time for organizations to get a bigger table.

Leaders, let this be a call to action for you. Ensure that you are providing opportunities for talent to shine regardless of that talent’s origins. Promote inclusion at your places of work, inviting new perspectives. Insist on diversity and challenge those who don’t agree with the merits of its importance.

The fourth Industrial Revolution is here, and it behooves us to tap into ALL the talent available to lead us through this transformative time in history. Let us be the generation that celebrates the intellect and creativity of Black scholars and change-makers and allows their talent to permeate all corners and levels of industry. Let us create a new history that future generations will study, one in which being the FIRST Black anything is a distant memory.

India Sylvester is the chief diversity and inclusion officer at Lumen Technologies.