Human potential is limitless when we tap into the power of diverse perspectives. For me, that’s what Black History Month is all about.
Technologists, scientists, artists, leaders of social change and allies – many of the figures we recognize during Black History Month are well known changemakers. We also reflect on the contributions of those with untold stories, who have also inspired human progress. I invite you to see just a handful of the leaders we’re celebrating at Dell Technologies in the video below.
Personally, I’m inspired by the countless Black innovators who dreamed big enough for all of us.
Frank Greene was a prolific innovator whose stories you may have heard if you’re a technologist, like me. His contributions paved the way for many people to succeed and achieve their maximum potential. As the first African American cadet to graduate the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program, he opened up career paths in the military for the Black community. A pioneer of supercomputing, he patented an integrated circuit that made his employer at the time, Fairchild Semiconductor, a leader in their industry. And later on, he founded a venture capital firm that launched numerous start-up companies with women and minority founders – including my own.
I will never forget the day Frank agreed to invest in one of my first companies. Because of him, I became one of the few Black CEOs in tech, which manifested my belief in the power of diverse talent and passion for technology into my current position as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.
At Dell, we often say diversity is who we are, and it’s how we win. Diverse perspectives help us supercharge innovation as well as the impact we can have on our customers, team members and the world.
Our Black Networking Alliance (BNA) employee resource group is no exception. They are partnering with our Tech Pro Bono program to pair skilled team members with 28 nonprofits – all dedicated to social justice, future skills development and racial equity. Together we’ll help these non-profits digitally transform by tackling projects like data management, product development and web development.
We are thrilled to spend February celebrating the achievements and contributions of generations of Black people who have made a positive impact on our company and on our society. I am especially looking forward to hearing from A’Lelia Bundles – the great-great granddaughter of Madam C.J. Walker, whose life was depicted in the recent Netflix series Self Made. She’ll join our Dell Technologies team later this month to share stories of Walker’s legacy and how it has driven human progress in our society today.
To Mr. Greene, Mrs. Walker and all those who dreamed big without holding back, and to those celebrating their impact – Happy Black History Month.
