Clear Channel Outdoor's Black History Month Campaign Resonates Deeply With Three of Its Leaders

amp160Vicky Chen What does this Black History Month mean to youAde Galloway In grade school most of us were taught on the Black experience mainly in regard to enslaved African Americans the American Civil War and parts of the civil rights movement This month is an opportunity to showcase how African Americans have contributed to the many innovations of America especially health innovations and underscore some of the lesser known and unsung heroes of our ancestorsGwen Stokes I grew up in the segregated south so when I think of Black History Month I think of the people who were able to help make history be made including my grandparents and my parents who marched during the civil rights movementIt39s important to teach future generations about our history as it shows our resilience and what we39ve accomplished to get where we are today And while we39ve come far I still think about how far we have to goKenetta Bailey For me this month is a time to reflect recognize and celebrate how African Americans have positively impacted all aspects of American society and culture Our community makes up such a huge tapestry of America Eventually I hope there39s a day when who we are as a people is notably celebrated beyond a month and we39re fully seen as part of a collective American storyChen Against the backdrop of the pandemic how is the theme of quotHealth and Wellnessquot inspiring you to look at or approach your own health and wellness differentlyGalloway I try to make a concerted effort to exercise at least three times a week while spending as much time as I can with my family Since navigating through the pandemic I39ve started to take moments for my own mental and physical wellbeing What I39ve come to learn which was difficult for me at first is that selfcare is not selfishStokes I used to separate work from home as soon as I walked through those front doors into my house So when we transitioned into a remote work environment it was tough and I also missed that human interaction with people I39m a proponent of mental health and that includes talking to a professional and finding an outlet to unload to avoid feeling overwhelmed For me that outlet is writing I39ve recently finished writing a book and it39s now in its editing phaseBailey You can39t take care of anyone or anything else unless you first take care of yourself When I learned of this year39s theme I started to think about my own health a little differently African Americans generally are at a higher risk for certain diseases in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups so my sensitivity to my health has heightened I39ve been even more proactive in making sure my physical and mental wellbeing are in lineChen Are there any aspects of CCOA39s Black History Month campaign that resonate with youGalloway Something that jumped out at me was our display of the statistic that Historically Black Colleges and Universities HBCUs educate 40 of all Black healthcare professionals I attended Howard University School of Law and am a proud HBCU alum Seeing how the role of HBCUs in educating Black professionals is being resounded across the country by Clear Channel makes me even prouderStokes I went to Hampton University so I39m also a proud product of an HBCU In addition I think about the story of Dr Kizzmekia Corbett who39s highlighted in this campaign and was instrumental in developing a COVID19 vaccineI reflect back on the polio outbreak in the US and remember feeling afraid during that time I also had fears during this pandemic so Dr Corbett39s story and her contributions to the health of our society really spoke to meBailey While we African Americans have legends across the spectrum from sports to entertainment we oftentimes forget to talk about the legends who39ve made meaningful contributions and accomplishments in other fields like medicine Many African Americans have made a mark in this area so being able to find these gems if you will and highlight them in CCOA39s campaign stood out to meChen How have you been involved in diversity and inclusion efforts at CCOA What inspired you to become involved and what continues to inspire you as a leader todayGalloway In the midst of the pandemic and ongoing protests for civil treatment in our country it was easy to have underlying feelings of despondency and fear To combat these challenges I competitively applied to join the EDAC Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee in 2020 because I saw it as an opportunity to help shape our company culture and foster a space of inclusivity where all CCOA employees truly enjoy working togetherI also believe it39s an exciting time to be a part of CCOA following separation from iHeartMedia as we now get to shape what we do and how we look as an organization going forwardStokes I39m one of the cochairs of our employee resource group a position I took on wholeheartedly to support our BIPOC Black Indigenous and People of Color community at CCOA When I started off in my career it sometimes felt like every step was a struggle I want to be part of a support system for younger professionals who might feel the same as I did But I will say I39m always amazed by the people I work alongside every day as they consistently lift each other up and are passionate about our workBailey I39m the executive sponsor for our EDAC and I stepped up to that role as I feel I can be that bridge between our employees and CCOA39s senior leadership team Understanding our priorities as an organization while empathizing with what employees are feeling especially during these times is critical to building a safe engaging workplace for our people And importantly it39s our people who continue to inspire me as they truly care about the work we do and the people they work withClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

Clear Channel Outdoor's Black History Month Campaign Resonates Deeply With Three of Its Leaders

Publish date

Channel

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

Clear Channel Outdoor's Black History Month Campaign Resonates Deeply With Three of Its Leaders

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

Cookies