Honoring the Past and Looking Toward the Future: Black History Month 2022

January 31, 2022

As 2022 kicks off and we find ourselves in February of a new year, Real Chemistry is recognizing Black History Month, as we do every year. We’re not only remembering those who paved the way for so many, but we’re also focusing on the future and reflecting on how we can be a part of the necessary change still needed in our society to ensure health equity for everyone. Real Chemistry is committed to making the world a healthier place for all – the clients we serve, the communities we support, and the people who drive the work we do every day.

As part of Real Chemistry’s commitment to developing community for our employees, we have created several internal Business Resource Groups (BRGs). One that is especially relevant during Black History Month is NOIR. Co-chaired by Stephanie Lyle-Brown and Dusha Holmes with Danielle Clark-Brown as executive sponsor, NOIR’s mission is to provide career support and development resources, mentorship and sponsorship resources, advancement initiatives and cultural programming for Real Chemistry’s Black/African American-identified employees and allies.

NOIR’S programming focuses on four main areas:

Careers: Promotes mentoring, sponsorship awareness and career development through a combination of professional development programs and technical workshops.
Connections: Encourages, supports and identifies service opportunities for Real Chemistry DE&I-approved community organizations, including philanthropic events and partnerships with schools, universities and other nonprofit organizations.
Culture: Develops cultural and heritage month programs and celebrations and partners with Real Chemistry’s Global Inclusion and Health Equity team to execute educational, informational seminars on key cultural, political or work-related issues that focus on creating awareness regarding culture, gender and diversity.
Communications: Facilitates partnerships with other Real Chemistry BRGs and organizations for conferences and workshops, with a focus on social channels and internal messaging.

During the past year, NOIR was active in pursuing its mission, bringing in motivational speakers for an interactive coaching series for members focused on career development. NOIR also organized an end-of-year team-building session in which members had an opportunity to interact with each other and provide feedback on topics and areas for future programming.

To celebrate Black History Month this year, NOIR has created new programming that will spotlight the achievements of the Black/African American community both past and present. The goal is to elevate Black/African American voices through interactive educational resources and virtual panels and provide actionable ways for participants to act in allyship with the Black/African American community.

NOIR encourages everyone to spend time reflecting, learning, appreciating and sharing about Black/African American culture and contributions during Black History Month and beyond.

We recorded a series of interviews with our employees about Black History Month. Watch our Real: Stories from Real Chemistry videos below.