Originally published on HARMAN Newsroom

At HARMAN, we’re committed to cultivating an inclusive workplace culture where employees feel empowered to bring their true selves to work by embracing their diverse backgrounds and experiences. Each year during Black History Month, our team members around the world reflect on ways we can help champion a more diverse and equitable future.

As a global audio leader with a rich legacy in the music industry, HARMAN has a unique appreciation for the impact of Black culture throughout music history. In honor of Black History Month, the leaders of our HARMAN Black Professionals Network (HBPN) planned informative and inspiring virtual events and local activations related to this year’s theme: “The Influence of Black Culture in the Arts & Sciences.” Explore some of the highlights from Black History Month at HARMAN:

Amplifying Black Voices

To start off our month-long Black History Month celebration, Tamika Frimpong, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer and Executive Sponsor of the HBPN, led a discussion about the influence of black culture on the arts and sciences and celebrated the achievements of trailblazers who have paved the way for a more inclusive future. She was joined by Lorena Loya, VP Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Corporate Functions, who also reflected on efforts to drive a culture of inclusivity and create a safe space for members of the community and allies.

Exploring the Impact of Black Culture

To honor and celebrate the influence of black culture on music and the arts, we hosted a discussion and live performance with blues singer Lady Champagne in our Novi, MI office, which was livestreamed to HARMAN’s global offices. In Northridge, CA, our employees enjoyed performances of African dance, tap, and spoken word, which were also livestreamed to our global audiences to demonstrate how Black culture has impacted other art forms. Throughout the month, we also fostered discussions about career advancement and shared experiences within the Black community with educational webinars on shifting your money mindset and Black wealth, and a Black engineers panel discussion during National Engineers Week.

Celebrating Black Art

In partnership with our parent company, Samsung, and their Galaxy of Black Professionals employee resource group, we wrapped up our Black History Month activations with an intimate discussion about the cultural influence and impact of Black art. The “GBP x HBPN Presents: A Black Frame of Mind” event highlighted the journeys of Cheryl R. Riley, a multimedia artist, furniture designer, and art advisor, and Nina Kennedy, a world-renowned concert pianist, conductor, and filmmaker, in a discussion moderated by HARMAN’s Tamika Frimpong. The event also featured lively sets from Hot 97's DJ Bobby Trends, DJ Michael Purefoy and MC Wayne Lee from HARMAN.

We remain dedicated to building a future where every voice is heard, valued, and celebrated. Black History Month is a reminder for us all to recommit to our ongoing efforts to drive a culture of inclusivity and create a safe space for people from all backgrounds, but we know that our work is far from over. For more information about our efforts to make every employee feel valued and empowered to succeed at HARMAN, visit: https://jobs.harman.com/diversity

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ABOUT HARMAN

HARMAN International (harman.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co, LTD., designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In 2017, HARMAN became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.

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