• Week 1 – Our Voice
• Week 2 – Our Communities
• Week 3 – Our Wellness
• Week 4 – Our Culture
As we dive deeper into the meaning and importance of each themed week, understand that the voice is at the root of it all. We are the voices of our communities that exist to ensure that our brothers’ and sisters’ wellness is strong enough to continue to grow our culture and positively impact the generations after us.
Our Voice
“Understanding the power of advocacy and self-expression”
In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, the world reckoned with consistent, unresolved inequities and, social unrest boiled over. There was collective reflection on systemic racism as voices across the U.S. from allies and people of color demanded change.
Your Action Item: Part of UJIMA’s mission is to provide a voice across the Gilbane enterprise. We challenge you to think about your voice and how you can use it to help others. Think about how you can use it to advocate for yourself and others and become more aware of the impact of self-expression. The voice is a powerful tool. Use it to make a difference in our communities and for those after us.
Our Communities
“Empowering, inspiring and connecting the communities we live and work in”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us about the necessity of serving those in our communities. Not just by giving, but by empowering growth of majority black communities, inspiring the youth to dream big, and connecting families to opportunities.
Your Action Item: We challenge you to be the servant that your community needs, volunteer locally and encourage others to join you. Whether you volunteer at a shelter or food bank or speak to students at a school, you can make an impact by just showing up and caring.
Our Wellness
“Recognizing the strength in healing and self-care”
When it comes to wellness in black communities, sometimes socioeconomic disparities can impact the ability to obtain resources to help and learn how to cope. These disparities can stem from stigmas due to the lack of conversations around healing and self-care as well as bias and lack of care from providers or educators. It is important that all employees feel supported professionally and personally, so now is the time to educate and promote the necessity of personal wellness. We’ve invited external speakers and handpicked books surrounding financial, mental, and physical wellness to teach and encourage our Gilbane community to take care of themselves.
Your Action Item: Check in with your family, friends, and peers. A simple ‘How are you?’ can make a change. Schedule an annual physical and encourage your family members to do the same. Take the time to educate yourself on the importance of all things wellness: mental, physical, financial.
Our Culture
“Who we are”
The diverse culture of black and brown people is unique thanks to the different areas around the world that we come from and serve as a melting pot for music, art, food, dance, etc. Who we are is more than just a race; our culture has influenced traditions and customs around the world. There was, and still is, a time where Black history was deemed irrelevant; schools didn’t teach it and the origins of ideas and traditions were falsified. Today and every day is the time to educate and celebrate black culture.
Your Action Item: We challenge you to open your mind to new experiences and different cultures. Talk to different people in your office or on your jobsite and learn one thing new about them. Research different cultures and learn something new; you never know what might interest you.
At Gilbane, we know that Black History Month is more than a month. Beyond February, we are proud to be able to celebrate, educate and advocate with our communities. As we continue to foster an inclusive culture, we look forward to moving the needle necessary to create positive change in the world.
