Here’s What It’s Like To Be Black @ Google…

For Obi Elledge, a UX Content Strategist, Google’s diversity efforts are put into stark relief when compared with the broader vibe of Silicon Valley, in which he feels classism and racism are a reality, regardless of the region’s liberal reputation. He writes:

“Thankfully, the culture on the Google campus is by far better (friendlier, warmer, more welcoming of diversity (of thought, of skill, of demographic…)) than that of the surrounding towns and cities. Though I’m still very much in a minority, I have Black peers at work. They may not be on my team, or even in my department, but they are visible and, for the most part*, approachable. By contrast, my neighborhood and the semblance of a social existence outside of work contain precisely zero Black faces. I had to get hired at Google to find Black friends! I can’t easily summarize how valuable it is to have associations with those who can relate to your experience.”