At CareerBuilder, we have been listening and learning more about systemic racism and social injustice faced by the Black community, including our employees.
To continue the conversation on these topics, and foster an environment of personal growth, we asked our employee-led diversity action committee if anyone would be willing to share books, podcasts, shows or other resources that have helped them in their journey. Some of these suggestions might reflect personal stories or experiences, while others might be tools to help people learn more about Black history and present-day systemic challenges.
While the 11 leaders below have shared these resources that are personal to them, CareerBuilder employees are encouraged to establish their own learning habits. These smart, talented professionals should not serve as curated Netflix suggestions or recommended reading lists, but instead we hope their suggestions offer an informed jumping-off point for additional education.
We are grateful for our engaged, proactive and diverse employees who bring valuable perspectives to our team. Thank you to this team for sharing and to our global workforce for listening.
Tonya Mompoint
Title: Sr. Director of Global Program Management Office
Location: Atlanta, GA
I recommend: TedTalk: Let’s get to the root of racial injustice | Megan Ming Francis In this inspiring and powerful talk, Megan Francis traces the root causes of our current racial climate to their core causes, debunking common misconceptions and calling out "fix-all" cures to a complex social problem.
Here’s why: This talk from 2016 is just as relevant today because of the very topic the speaker is focused on. As a self-proclaimed ‘fixer’, I am often guilty of looking for a solution too quickly. The complexity of racial injustice is not an easy thing to fix. There are layers to this. Catch-all approaches or one-time ‘events’ do not get to the core of what’s wrong, let alone ‘fix it’. This talk resonates with me because it’s a good reminder that as a ‘fixer’, many things take more than one solution to resolve and racial injustice is one of those things.
Timothy Kincaide
Title: Sr. Account Executive
Location: Chicago, IL
I recommend: How Martin Luther King Jr. Changed the World (YouTube link)
Here’s why: This documentary truly breaks down the history of a man who fought day-in and day-out for the basic human rights of African Americans.
Shelby Johnson
Title: Operations Specialist
Location: Atlanta, GA
I recommend: James Baldwin and William F. Buckley University of Cambridge debate, 1965 (YouTube link)
Here&'s why: The topic of the debate, which is that the American dream is at the expense of Black Americans, is as relevant today as it was over 50 years ago.
Cody Kelly
Title: Sr. Account Executive
Location: Chicago, IL
I recommend: "The New Jim Crow" By Michelle Alexander; "We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy" By Ta-Nehisi Coates; Podcast: 1619 Podcast - Depiction of American History/History of Slavery from 1619 – 2019 Posted by the New York Times.
Jolie Moody
Title: Customer Success
Location: Chicago, IL
I recommend(and why): The book "Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass". This book changed my life. I read it in undergrad and wondered why I wasn’t taught about African Americans in public school education. This book inspired me to continue my education and obtain my master's degree in Inner City Studies.
“The Color of Law” by Richard Rothstein: fascinating insight how segregation in America — the incessant kind that continues to dog our major cities and has contributed to so much recent social strife — is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state, and federal levels.
Ronald E. Cleveland
Title: Account Executive
Location: Atlanta, GA
I recommend: America’s Long Overdue Awakening To Systemic Racism (article link); Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I’ve Been To The Mountain Top” - April 3, 1968 – Final Famous Speech
Here’s why: The pieces that I have chosen speak to what is going on today, followed by what Dr. Martin King address in his final speech to the sanitation workers in Memphis, TN. As you listen to one of the greatest speakers of all time, it is amazing the relevancy and the urgency of his message which is applicable in our society today.
Victoria Palacios
Title: Associate Manager of Software Support
Location: Atlanta, GA
I recommend (and why): History of Juneteenth (link) - It’s important to know why Juneteenth is recognized and celebrated, and that it is not when the slaves were freed but when they found out two and half years later. "How to get serious about diversity and inclusion in the workplace" TED Talk - only 11 mins and provides some ideas that are applicable for today’s society. "3 ways to be a better ally in the workplace" TED Talk - how to foster a better culture especially for those with less privilege than others.
David Canario
Title: Account Executive
Location: Chicago, IL
I recommend (and why):
Black In Latin America - A PBS miniseries by scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (scholar and writer) about the complexities of race and colorism in Latin America, the erasure of our past with colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade, all of which provides insights into the race relations here in the US between minority groups. (Also the book "Black in Latin America" by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.)
"Stony The Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow" by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
"An African American and LatinX History of the United States" by Paul Ortiz - race, labor, colonialism, an intersectional take on American History
DO312 List of Chicago Black Causes & Charities
Halla Karaman
Title: Success Manager
Location: Chicago, IL
I recommend: “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: And Other Conversations About Race” by Beverly Daniel Tatum
Here's why: This insightful book explores the varieties of Americans experience with race and racism in everyday life would be an excellent starting point for the upcoming national conversations on race.
Christian Royal Bridgeman
Title: Sales Development Representative
Location: Chicago,IL
I recommend: "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah
Here's why: We are currently focused on the racial injustices in America, but the world is watching and responding with their own protests and movements. I think it is important to see how others overcame injustices in other countries, but also understand what it is like to be mixed race or “light skinned” in America. I myself am Mexican, Nicaraguan and Black.
Michael Hespen
Title: Key Account Executive
Location: Chicago, IL
I recommend: "Stamped from the Beginning" by Ibram X. Kendi
Here's why: Understanding that most, if not all, racist ideas and systems in place were done so by prominent historical figures over time can help people understand that reversing them is much more ingrained than imagined. No change will be overnight but learning how the systems started can enlighten one to develop ideas to start change.
