E152: Celebrating Black Futures: The ACLU Joins the Community Call

The Will To Change: Uncovering True Stories of Diversity & Inclusion

This episode, originally recorded as a DEI Community Call, was moderated by returning guest Amber Hikes, the Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Joining her were the leads of two of ACLU’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): the Black Women and Non-Binary ERG, and the Black Men and Non-Binary ERG:

· Raquel Fossett, Program Coordinator to the Director of Board Relations and Special Projects

· Whitney Barnes, Manager of Strategic Partnerships

· Brandon Felton, Marketing Executive in National Brand Engagement

· Jason Williamson, Deputy Director of the Criminal Law Reform Project

The five panelists spoke to the critical nuances that distinguish their respective groups, but a common throughline emerged: empathy leads to action. The more we engage in transparent and honest conversation, the more we begin to understand one another. And the more we understand one another, the more we feel compelled to fight on their behalf. Amber says, “if Black History Month is about study, Black Futures Month is about action.”