(Photo Credit: Mary Morgan)
General Motors held its 15th annual Black History Month Celebration. Hosted by Fox 2 News Detroit anchor Josh Landon, this is the first time the event was presented virtually due to the pandemic. The celebration brings together the General Motors family while also highlighting Black excellence in the automotive industry and beyond.
Presented by the General Motors African Ancestry Network, an employee resource group whose mission is to attract, develop and retain employees of African ancestry, the GMAAN Awards ceremony allows the company and colleagues to celebrate the accomplishments of outstanding employees and provide an inside look into GM’s auto plans for the future.
This year’s theme, “Seek Truth. Challenge Convention. Champion Change,” showcased individuals who were pushing the boundaries and achieving excellence in their arenas. With a selection of the Black National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing, General Motors IT Project Manager LaToya Ellis opened the show and prepared guests for the virtual ceremony.
As companies continue to roll out plans for diversity and inclusion amid social and racial injustice outcries from the Black community, General Motors has pledged to become the most inclusive globally. With assistance from the GMAAN employee organization, the auto giant is taking steps to achieve its goal.
“At GM, our employee resource groups have long been a huge part of what makes this company great,” says Mark Reuss, President of General Motors. “GMAAN is a particular asset to the company with a long tradition of service to our employees and to the community. As we strive to become the worlds most inclusive company, we rely heavily on you to help us. “
During the evening’s celebrations, four individuals were honored with prestigious awards from GMAAN and General Motors. The Entrepreneurial Spirit Award was presented to winner Arian Simone for her Black female-owned entrepreneurship achievements and motivating other Black female entrepreneurs to reach their business goals. President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fearless Fund, Simone, hopes her business can help Black women close access and financial support barriers.
“What we hope to accomplish at the Fearless Fund is reducing the lack of access to capital for African American women and minority women as a whole,” Simone says.
In addition to the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, the Excellence in S.T.E.A.M. Award presented for encouraging young girls in science, technology, engineering, art, and math, was awarded to Michelle Reaves, Executive Director of DAPCEP, or the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program. Other awards included the Marketing Excellence Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award to Tobin Williams, a retired General Motors Executive for Global Human Resources.
“Opportunity is rarely convenient and will almost always require a sacrifice,” Williams says.
The evening also featured a special conversation on race and Black History by keynote moderator Dr. Ben Chavis, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, alongside Grammy and Academy award-winning rapper and activist Common. Together, the duo helps a question and answer portion shed light on Black excellence, criminal reform, and social justice.
“We can see that corporate America was jolted by the outcries and seeing what’s happening in America in 2020,” Common says. “They were jolted in a way that they had to pay attention and acknowledge Black people and Black life.”
As the evening drew to a close, guests were reminded of the contributions African Americans have made to not only the automotive world and corporate America but the community and its residents. The company continues to encourage its employees to allow everyone a seat at the table and be inclusive.
”As a culture, we have overcome many obstacles and charted new paths to excellence, generation after generation, says Tammy Golden, President of GMAAN and Plant Director for Flint Engine Operations. “As a result of this celebration, we are hopeful GM Employees will be encouraged to #BeInclusive, stay relentlessly committed to striving for the changes you want to see in the world.”
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