Linkedin’s 'Conversations for Change' Honours Black History Month with Interviews from Businessmen and Women of Colour
Chelsea director, Nadia Hallgren, has recently directed a campaign for LinkedIn's series #ConversationsForChange for Black History Month. The campaign aired this week, and after such a historic year, is more pertinent than ever before. The campaign consists of a series of discussions on important topics at the intersection of life and work, including Covid-19’s disproportionate impact on women, equity in the workplace and mental health.
Aiming to amplify the voices and experiences of real businessmen and women of colour, LinkedIn and Nadia worked together to showcase Black professionals as they share their hopes for increased belonging, representation and opportunities in every industry. The stories belong to real LinkedIn members, not paid actors.
"The creative for this was inspired by the stories and experiences we share as Black professionals." Nadia commented. "The determination we have to fulfil our dreams, while being ourselves and lifting each other up along the way. It is important to speak the truth of what it feels like to be Black in the workplace, to share our stories and experiences, not just with the world but with each other."
The campaign follows the news that the professional network found 46% of Black professionals 18-34 have faced discrimination or micro-aggressions at work.
"These questions and data led us to four important insights that informed our actions to creating a platform where everyone can reach their full potential" said LinkedIn CMO, Melissa Selcher.
The Insights
- You Can’t Be What You Can’t See
Every day, hundreds of millions of people consume content on LinkedIn. We can ensure Black professionals see multiple examples and versions of Black excellence and success. The realities of workplace biases - whether conscious or unconscious - means Black professionals being visible is equally important for non-Black professionals, as well.
- Conversations Are Critical to Drive Understanding
LinkedIn News is one of the world’s largest business publications, as measured by daily distribution. We can use that platform to inspire the critical conversations about race and the workplace that give voice to the professionals experiences of Black people.
- Networks Really Matter and Are Not Evenly Distributed
LinkedIn members are four times more likely to get a job where they have a strong connection. Helping Black professionals build strong professional networks will help democratise access to opportunity.
- Everyone Is On Their Own Journey When It Comes To Diversity and Inclusion
Professionals have very different skill levels when it comes to building and supporting diverse workforces, and continual learning is critical. As the world’s largest online learning platform, we have the ability to help.
These insights led LinkedIn to work they could do this month to drive meaningful progress, and lay a foundation going forward.
"Partnering with Nadia Hallgren, the award-winning director of Michelle Obama’s documentary 'Becoming', we are amplifying the voices and experiences of Black professionals from various backgrounds, to showcase successes, highlight obstacles past and present, and inspire change." concluded Melissa.
