Black History Month is the Start of the Conversation

Throughout February, the Black and Brown Community of iRobot helped us celebrate Black History Month by breaking down barriers and sharing their personal experiences with their colleagues.

It has been incredibly powerful to hear these stories, and I’m so thankful to those who were willing to put themselves out there to initiate a dialog about race and the importance of diversity. These are the experiences we all need to hear and understand if we are to become better allies to those who are subjected to racism.

As an organization, we are honoring the long-standing legacy of African Americans’ achievements throughout history – amazing accomplishments that have impacted literally every aspect of society. It’s important to remember how much these pioneers accomplished despite facing disproportionate challenges. This is exactly why iRobot is committed to providing the opportunity for anyone to make their mark and create history.

iRobot’s STEM education program celebrates inventors and technology pioneers who have shared their diverse perspectives to solve challenges facing our society and make our world a better place. You can find more information about a range of influential Black inventors who broke through barriers to bring their ideas to life on the iRobot Education site.

iRobot has also partnered with the National Society of Black Engineers to increase career and professional development opportunities for people of color in STEM. NSBE envisions a world in which engineering is a mainstream word in homes and communities of color, and all Black students can envision themselves as engineers. We are thrilled to be helping further this mission!

These are just a few of the steps we can take to ensure we continue creating a culture that celebrates and benefits from its diverse population. The iRobot Black and Brown Community, and our other employee resource groups, will be working to continue this journey of recognition and learning throughout the year. Inclusivity remains a priority for us as an organization, and I hope this month represents just the beginning of our conversation on this topic.

Thank you to all the iRobot employees who came together to honor Black History Month!