Diversity and inclusion are becoming huge topics on social media platforms and as a professional who works in talent acquisition, I felt it was important to call-to-action companies who are leverage social justice groups like Black Lives Matter. Prompted by the death of George Floyd we saw many companies take a performative stance against racism.  There were plenty of statements being made about antiracism at top companies but were later met with outrage from previous or current employees. 

Linkedin is no different than any other social media platform and has had its fair share of issues. I noticed Linkedin jumped on the bandwagon when latched on to the hashtag #AmplifyMelaninatedVoices. This hashtag was prompted by black influencers who felt they didn't get the same representation as their white colleagues in social media spaces. It was intended to highlight people who were less known to the general world therefore allies would allow black influencers and bloggers to take over their social media and discuss important topics about social justice in America. 

I'm not sure if this was what happened on Linkedin. From what I saw they only amplified voices  of celebrities and CEOs within the black community. Where are the janitors, administrative assistants, and front line workers? Are we only viewed as professionals when we're white or have met a certain wage? This is where elitism rears its ugly head. It's time for Linkedin to take a look at how and why its platform was created. The term professional is triggering for many POC in and out of corporate spaces. Work itself, coming from a slave or slaughter background, can be hard things to swallow. This history of labor in American was built on the backs of black and indigenous people and I feel they have a right to be highlighted on Linkedin. 

With that being said, here's my excerpt and the post linked as "others" that sparked this article.