Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Americans while at the same time reflecting on the systems and barriers that continue to suppress and hinder progress toward racial equity.

Our journey to bridge this gap and create a more diverse and inclusive design industry has only just begun. Guided by our DEI Actions, we’re making history today for a better and brighter future.

As we honor Black History Month this February, we’re shining a light on how our company and employees are influencing lasting and positive change in Black communities and beyond.

Read along as we:

-Share the voices of our employees and what they’re doing to make a difference

-Highlight our partnerships with organizations helping underrepresented communities overcome barriers

-Share how the DID collaborative is increasing representation of Black designers in the industry

Uplifting Employees' Voices, Stories, and Passions

It’s been a joy to share my passion with those who will shape the future of design, and I hope to be able to continue doing it for a very long time.” – Roman Simmons, 3D Visualization Artist at MillerKnoll

Roman Simmons, 3D Visualization Artist at MillerKnoll, has a passion for bringing art to students. He pays it forward by visiting schools and sharing his experiences with kids to show them what career pathways in art and design are possible. “I started focusing my speaking series on grade schools and high schools where minorities were the majority, to help bring awareness of what could lay before them,” said Roman. “Many of these students don’t even know careers like what I do or have done even exist. So, I’ve taken the onus to share it.”

“We must give our time, energy, and resources to dismantle systems that negatively impact Black people. Investing in organizations working toward this is the responsible and right thing to do.” – Tara Leonard, Vice President, Global Contract and Field Marketing at MillerKnoll

Tara Leonard, Vice President of Global Contract and Field Marketing, is an active member in her community of Holland, MI. She, along with many employees, works with our global corporate giving program to identify organizations creating opportunities for underrepresented groups. Currently, Tara is involved with I AM Academy, an organization working to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline systems within educational institutions through mentorships with students and community partnerships.

Across MillerKnoll, we’re turning our commitments to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion into real action in the communities where we live and work. Below are just a few more of the organizations we’re proud to partner with that are making positive change and helping individuals in underrepresented communities overcome barriers.

• L.E.A.D empowers an at-risk generation to lead and transform their city of Atlanta by using the sport of baseball to teach Black boys how to overcome three curveballs that threaten their success: crime, poverty, and racism.
• Strategy Center addresses the totality of urban life with a particular focus on civil rights, environmental justice, public health, global warming, and the criminal legal system in communities of color.
• American Heart Association, Philadelphia helps Philadelphians in underserved communities have equitable access to healthy choices, creating a world of longer, healthier lives.

Looking for solutions around racial equity and trying to influence policy felt like a collision of all the worlds I’m passionate about.” – Tracee Bruce, CEO Action Fellow at MillerKnoll

Tracee Bruce is one of four MillerKnoll employees selected to join CEO Action for Racial Equity as a Fellow in 2020. During her Fellowship, she’s had the opportunity to channel her personal experiences as a Black woman, as well as her passions for racial equity and politics, into legislative policy—specifically advocating for the acknowledgment of systemic racism as a public health crisis and developing an action-oriented framework to support those interested in becoming involved. Read more about Tracee’s story here. To learn more about the CEO Action Fellowship, visit ceoactionracialequity.com.

“Change agents are coalescing through this collaborative to transform the design sector and devise pathways for Black creatives to thrive.” – Todd Palmer, Director of Diversity and Design at MillerKnoll

Todd Palmer was recently named the first director of the Diversity in Design (DID) Collaborative, founded to increase the representation of Black Designers in the industry. Todd, along with 35 member companies, is committed to playing a lead role in educating the next generation of designers, making the field more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. This past month, Todd was a panelist on Design Insight Series, speaking with others from the DID network on advancing racial equity within the design sector and taking tangible action.

Learn more about DID at diversityindesign.​com.​

“While much progress is underway, we are aware of the ongoing need to provide equitable opportunities for all. Staying the course will allow us to elevate our ability to address systemic barriers that underrepresented groups often face and ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are accessible to all for years to come.” Cheryl Kern, Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at MillerKnoll

Cheryl Kern, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at MillerKnoll, works to build global DEI strategies and connect them to MillerKnoll’s purpose for existing: design for the good of humankind. Cheryl and her team work every day to ensure DEI practices are showing up in hiring and talent development processes, in leadership development, throughout MillerKnoll’s supply chain, and in philanthropic initiatives. Her team also supports seven resource groups or Equity Teams, which are employee-led groups who identify and break down inequitable systems that limit the success of others so all people can thrive.

MillerKnoll is actively committed to being agents of change with intentional actions that support a more equitable and inclusive design industry.

Visit Our Progress page to stay up to date on the actions we’re taking to design a more diverse, equitable and inclusive company and design industry.