Black History Month: How Mentorship Ensures Black History Will Continue to be Made
Black History Month: How Mentorship Ensures Black History Will Continue to be Made
2 minutesOprah Winfrey once said, “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” As we take time this February to reflect on the achievements, and contributions of African-Americans and African-Canadians throughout history, we want to also shine a light on the ways mentorship ensures Black history continues to be made. According to a recent LinkedIn study, more than 40% of Black professionals believe mentorship/career coaching opportunities will help lead to a more equitable workplace culture. At Panasonic, through the work of our Talent, Learning, and Organizational Development Team and our BLAAC Employee Network Business Impact Group (BIG), we are proud to offer opportunities for Black employees to empower and be empowered by participating in our formal Panasonic Mentorship Program as well as organic community connection.
To share the ways mentorship is driving awareness, inspiration, professional development, networking, and community empowerment, we reached out to our employees to share their perspectives and experiences.
In what ways has mentorship inspired hope and provided role models for you?
"Through mentorship I found accountability and grace. What is interesting about the mentor-mentee relationship is there are no dire consequences handed down from the mentor for missing a goal. I have missed deadlines that I have given myself but the shameless encouragement I received helped me to continue pushing forward, continue studying, and reminded me every push makes me better off than I was the day before." -- Tyrell Cotten, IT Program Specialist, Panasonic Corporation of North America
In what ways has mentorship improved your education and awareness on issue impacting Black professionals in the workplace?
“Mentorships are so important because there’s a foundation of mutual learning and that’s why it takes on so many forms – peer mentoring, reverse mentoring, advocates, advisers, etc. While mentoring can certainly be beneficial for career advancement and professional development, for me mentorships have been a safe space to share similar experiences, constructively discuss transformative actions, and build a community of diversity of thought.” – Dannea DeLisser, Head of Communications, Panasonic Corporation of North America
In what ways has mentorship supported community empowerment?
"When it comes to mentorship, both ends must be equally vested in order to achieve the best objectives mainly geared towards the mentee. A good mentor has is able to empower others by creating an environment where the mentee feels comfortable to reach out at any time, and discuss any topic they would like advice on. It's key to be super approachable." -- Fidelis Itsede, Sr. Manager, Advanced Engineering, Panasonic Automotive Systems of America
How do you view your responsibility to mentor others?
"People frequently underestimate their capacity to mentor, myself included, often believing they lack certain qualifications or haven't fully grasped a subject. However, one can make a significant impact by simply sharing your knowledge and experiences, regardless of perceived shortcomings. Mentorship does not need to be formal, however I think our PNA mentorship program does an excellent job at providing foundational mentoring principles and encourage all to participate. It's important to keep in mind that the essence of mentorship lies in making genuine connection and shared insights between individuals." -- Vennae Ingram, Human Resources Business Advisor, Panasonic Corporation of North America
As the late author and educator Toni Morrison so profoundly said it, “I tell my students, ‘When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.” It is in that same spirit as we reflect on Black history that we are reminded of our responsibility and commitment to create a supportive environment for individuals to learn, grow, and succeed with the help of one another so that Black history can continued to be made.
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