Black Joy Parade x Comcast Black Employee Network
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to be apart of the Black Joy Parade located in my hometown, Oakland, CA.
The Black Joy Parade exists to provide the Black community and allies with a live experience that celebrates our influence on cultures past, present, and future. It’s focus was to unite a diverse community by creating a space to express each of our unique contributions to the Black experience. It’s purpose was to encourage us to be creative, be open, be present, be free.
So She Slays and the digital series She’s Into It Show was invited by Comcast to join this dope event. I had an opportunity to interview the ladies of Comcast Black Employee Network (BEN).
The Black Employee Network (BEN) is apart of the Employee Resource Groups (ERG) that enhances, influences and strengthens the relationships of Black employees with each other and the wider Comcast community, with the goal of fostering a culture of inclusion within the workforce. Through professional development, career management, mentoring and networking opportunities, BEN strives to engage, empower and develop all employees, while investing in the communities in which we live and work.
I had a chance to talk with Mitzi Givens-Russell, Tonya Kelly, and Felisha Keene about the BEN group and what it's like to be a part of the Black Joy Parade. They have been apart of the BEN group since it was established 3 years ago.
Mitzi Givens-Russell
Tonya Kelly
Felisha Keene
Tell us more about the BEN group and Comcast?
The BEN group is a valued resource for employees to have exposure to professional development opportunities, leadership, and cross-functional exposure to obtain a better understanding of the business. It creates a sense of community and camaraderie for not only its members but the organization as a whole.”
Tell us more about why you got involved in the Black Joy Parade?
Tonya Kelly: We wanted to be apart of the Black Joy Parade because we love their message, and it’s giving back to the community. We want to empower, worked together to have established an open dialogue of communication.
How can others be allies to each other?
The ERG establishes a platform where employees can develop a better understanding of cultural differences. We all come from different walks of life – there are chances where an individual is naïve to the realities of the challenges that others face. By engaging in an Employee Resource Group at Comcast, the employees are able to gain cultural awareness while developing leadership skills and healthy relationships. If we remain ignorant of other cultures, we create a space where unconscious bias may exist. The ERG opens opportunities for the employees to engage the African American community in their neighborhoods and supports our image of being the employee of choice in the African American community.”
What is the 5-year plan for the BEN Group, and what do you think is your biggest accomplishment thus far?
Felisha Keene: The most significant accomplishment we had so far would be having to bring your kid to work. We had kids cracking codes, hanging out in the office. We can’t wait to do it again in the upcoming year.
Tonya Kelly: We would love to be more involved in events in the Bay Area and giving back to the community. We wanted to develop more professional development opportunities.
Thank you to these wonderful, inspirational and slay women for everything you have accomplishment for the community. You gave myself a young black woman hope to inspire a community to work on fostering an inclusive workplace.
Make sure to learn more about the Black Joy Parade and Comcast Black Employee Network Group!