Representation matters. From the election of the 44 th President Barack Obama to the almost cult following of the original “Black Panther” portrayed by the late Chadwick Boseman – there is something special about someone who looks like you in spaces that have historically been void. This perspective becomes increasingly more valuable regarding job and work cultures. As people of color navigate corporate and public-sector spaces for employment, one value at the top of most people’s list is a culture of inclusion and diversity. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies are being employed across several sectors. Companies are making efforts to ensure their space is more in line with the representation that exists in the world. However, with the importance of equitable spaces at the forefront, HR leaders are tasked with recruiting and retaining qualified diverse talent that meets their DEI goals and provides varied influence and critical perspectives to their organizations....

Last year marked a pivotal moment in time for change and equality, specifically for Black communities. The happenings in the digital space and social media have shown us the importance of amplifying Black creators and influencers who are often overlooked. Now thanks to companies like Fanbytes, we’ll be able to break the cycle of underrepresentation in creative industries. According to AdWeek, the London-based influencer marketer agency — launched by CEO and founder Timothy Armoo in 2017 — was created to help big brands discover new interactive ways to engage with Gen Z audiences around the world. With initiatives like the Fanbytes Impact Fund, the goal for Fanbytes is to now help Black-owned businesses get the funding they need as well as help Black creators gain more visibility in mainstream spaces. “What happened with George Floyd, it made me realize even more that I had this platform and I had a responsibility to do something,” Armoo told the outlet. “And I didn’t want to just do...

Traditional hiring processes often overlook qualified prospective Black candidates for job opportunities. But with some help from OneTen’s new tech-based platform, the organization hopes to generate more career paths that will level the playing field for Black talent. Today, the coalition of leading CEOs and their organizations debuted a new talent platform that will jumpstart OneTen’s ambitious program to hire, upskill, reskill and promote one million Black individuals in their careers over the next 10 years. “OneTen has a deeply important mission: Identifying and cultivating Black talent who the traditional career development pipelines have left behind, training them, and positioning them for success in a career,” Obed Louissaint — Senior Vice President, Transformation and Culture, IBM — said in a statement. “We hope that by placing more Black individuals in these fields, we will not only create careers and support families, but also create meaningful change in the organizations...

Hollywood for Black actors and creatives is already an isolated space still plagued with systemic racism and discrimination, but in Canada, the lack of opportunities for Black talent is even more apparent. In an effort to shift the industry in a new direction, Variety reports that Canadian actors and brothers Shamier Anderson and Stephan James have just launched The Black Academy — an extension of their nonprofit B.L.A.C.K. Canada (Building a Legacy in Acting, Cinema + Knowledge) which was founded in 2016 — meant to honor and celebrate Black Canadian talent.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by B.L.A.C.K ™️ (@blackisnowcanada) The Black-led organization — funded by the Canada Media Fund — will reportedly showcase the country’s established and rising Black talent, thus amplifying overlooked English and French-Canadian artists across the country. “The impetus of The Black Academy stems from our long-lasting commitment, deep ties to our community, and an awareness of the...