Insight #3 — Racial Equity
Applying a systemic approach to racial equity is necessary to build sustainable change for our Black Googlers and users.
Spotlight
Hear Vice President of Responsible AI and Human Centered technology, Marian Croak; Vice President of Customer Care & Vendor Management Office, Cassandra Johnson; and Treasurer of Google and Alphabet, Juan Rajlin, discuss Google’s systemic approach to racial equity.
2021 Diversity Annual Report
A Conversation on Racial Equity
Marian Croak (Vice President of Responsible AI and Human Centered Technology), Cassandra Johnson (Vice President of Customer Care & Vendor Management Office), and Juan Rajlin (Treasurer of Google and Alphabet) helped to spearhead Google’s racial equity commitments.
How did we take a systemic approach to our racial equity work?
Cassandra: We really stepped up and developed our equity program management office. Not just that we stood this office up, but as you recall, Marian, the themes that came out of it were because of the collaboration of our Black group, our Black leadership advisory group, and our BGN group, which is our Black Googlers Network.
Marian: Instead of just looking at individuals, we looked at entire systems like the performance system, the promotion system, the hiring and retention system, and made fundamental changes and recommendations how you could weed out bias that was either intentional or unintentional that were parts of those systems where it could easily be embedded within those systems.
Juan: We also took an external lens as well. We serve billions of people with our products, so we need to make sure that they’re inclusive in terms of how people use them and experience them. Then beyond our products, we also, I think, felt the responsibility to do something for the community itself. We looked at the need for systemic change and the fact that there are wealth gaps and income gaps and health care gaps and education gaps. So one of the things that we did that I’m very proud of is this partnership with OFN, Opportunity Finance Network, which is a network of CDFIs, which are community lenders that reach into the communities – in particular focused on the Black community – and lend to small businesses as part of their recovery, reaching into areas that traditional banks usually don’t get to.
Cassandra: You know what, Juan, you made a great point. And I think what has resulted is not just making an impact but making an impact that hopefully is sustainable.
Juan: I think we’re on the cusp of a lot of multiplier effects. Googlers are amazing, right? They do incredible, creative work. They come up with amazing ideas. I’ll give you an example: Googlers came up with this idea with one of our partner banks where the distribution for the shares of the money market funds are done by MDIs, so Minority Depository Institutions, which are the banks that lend to the Black and Latinx communities. And so they get a new income source, which then allows them to make more of an impact in the community. And now we’ve seen a number of other companies follow in our footsteps and invest in this new product. So I see a lot of potential that every time we do something it sparks another idea in a Googler’s mind, and then we create these other opportunities.
Cassandra: Some of our internal commitments were like the student loan repayment program, and that was an idea that really generated from a Googler. And we built upon that because when you look at a lot of Black individuals they’re usually like first generation going to college. So this student repayment loan program is one that makes a difference not just for them but also their families and their communities. And I’m so excited that Google has now committed to some of our growth sites, including Atlanta, Chicago, London, and other places to really increase our Black+ Googlers.
What has Google learned?
Cassandra: This past year has been an amazing self-awareness from Google, just to learn about the different amazing makeup of our Googlers that we have here: what their experiences are, what their journeys are, what their aspirations are. But just as important too, what some of their fears are. It’s not just about, did I check a box, right? Did I do this? I think now it’s becoming part of our DNA.
Marian: Yeah, and one of the things I appreciated was how quickly things changed once we brought things to the leadership’s attention. Both you and Juan have done a lot of work that reflects upon the intersectionality of some of the racial equity work, and the fact that there’s so many elements in society that are marginalized. And how do you see us extending this work to include the people who have disabilities and people who are nonbinary genders and Asian Americans, Jewish people, people of the Muslim faith?
Juan: Totally, I could not agree more. This time last year when we were getting ready to celebrate Pride, it was just after the murder of George Floyd. And we had a debate within our LGBTQ+ community: How should we do this? Pride is about joy and celebration. The tone of it just felt off in the context of the movement that followed George Floyd. And so we came out with this concept of Pride in solidarity, which was all about intersection of what our Black community was going through and how our LGBTQ+ community could join in the movement for racial justice and racial equity and have Pride be something that could be folded into and be part of racial equity, which is like the two collided. That gives back to sort of your own experience when you can do that, and it builds empathy and allyship, and it’s sort of a virtuous cycle.
Cassandra: The Women@ ERG is made up of an amazing group of Googlers who are Latino or who have disabilities or who are part of the LGBTQ community. I think those communities were able to realize that, Wow, we’re so dynamic.
Marian: Yeah, and you know, I’m looking forward to even having more of our equity work include others. Some of the groups have been almost hidden in their pain. And that’s becoming much more prominent, and our understanding that we need to be definitely more engaged with others and support them.
Juan: What we’re trying to create is a culture where literally everyone thinks they can reach their full potential and the meritocracy works for everyone and everybody feels that they can thrive. I think a lot of the programs that we’ve put in place through equity PMO, which are about sort of equity in our people processes, particularly around the performance process, is critically important work to get at these downstream effects like people leaving, someone leaving.
Cassandra: When you’re working with a company, it’s just not about that nine to five, or whatever your work time may be. We want equality at work, but we also want you to have a quality after-work life. And it’s important for people.
Marian: In 2020, we had some pretty serious missteps – and painful – and we’re still healing from some of those. And I think my focus has been on how do we make sure this never happens again and what kinds of things need to be put in place so that they can’t happen again? And there are many other lessons that we have to learn from what’s happened so that we can’t have this tremendous progress and then we just set ourselves back. As long as we’re learning from it, we can recover and heal. But we’re still in the midst of that process of regaining our confidence and moving forward.
Cassandra: The common thing for a lot of Googlers when I talk to them is no matter what your level is, no matter what background you are, no matter some of your experiences, at the core of it is your heart and your soul. And so when you talk about George Floyd and him crying for his mother, I think as a mother that touched my heart. And I love that Google is trying to touch other people’s heart.
Marian: I definitely understand that. We know things have not stopped externally. We know this is still happening, and it is a great comfort to know that such a major tech company is at least trying very hard to make a difference despite, as I said, missteps. And I think that’s how it starts, you know? I think that’s how society changes, is through corporate leaders trying to make that change.
Cassandra: Yeah. And I think to your point, Marian, being vulnerable is probably the hardest but most amazing thing anyone can do, and I think a lot of leaders and a lot of Googlers have done that this past year. And I think if I had to wrap up this past year, it’s vulnerability, it’s grace, but it’s also growth.
How do you feel about the future of this work?
Marian: What I think I saw start last year was just this awareness that there were problems. Even with the missteps that we’ve had, that’s created even more awareness. And I think from the awareness you get the acceptance that things have to change. And so we’re beginning to see the impact of those changes.
Juan: Not every treasurer out there for every company spends such a large proportion of their time thinking about racial equity and how to make a difference and create an impact. And I think the fact that I get to do that speaks to how Google really cares about this. And that makes me hopeful, and it’s incredibly motivating not just to me but to the team.
Cassandra: When you look at our portfolio of products and services, and how, to your point, the team is committed not just to provide or develop an amazing product but to be inclusive in how we develop that product. And then you even take it one step further, and we do initiatives that we actually leverage our products – utilize our products in the different communities – to make a difference for some of our small minority-owned Black businesses or even in hospitals, to your point, Juan, because we have some of the most brilliant and some of the most creative Googlers and partners. So it’s like, What is next? Let’s do it.
Juan: Right on.
Marian: Cassandra and Juan, it has been great to chat with you about this. It’s such important work, and I know that we’ll be continuing to work together. So thank you again for the opportunity to have this conversation.
Juan: Cassandra and Marian, thank you so much. It’s been an honor to have this conversation with you.
Cassandra: I’m so excited to be on this journey with both of you. So until next time, talk to you later.
What's working
We’ve made concrete, global commitments to racial equity company-wide, from hiring criteria to leadership accountability, community investments, and new product creation.
Created racial equity commitments and an Equity Program Management Office with input from members of our Black Leadership Advisory Group and Black Googlers Network employee resource group.
Further reading
Explore our comprehensive set of concrete racial equity commitments.
In the workplace
We’re working directly with community leaders and representatives from our employee resource groups to create new internal programs that build a greater sense of belonging.
Building from an idea surfaced by Black Googlers, we introduced a student loan repayment program to help alleviate the economic burden of student debt for those most impacted, especially women and communities of color within the U.S.
Committing to more inclusive practices and policies — and revisiting them when we don’t get them right. In years past, we enlisted Googlers’ help to reduce instances of unauthorized visitors in offices, and we now realize this process is susceptible to bias. Our Global Security and Resilience team has since partnered with a cross-functional working group, conducted extensive research, listened to Black Googlers’ experiences, and developed and tested new security procedures to ensure we maintain the safety and security of the Google community without relying on this type of enforcement.
Created a conversation guide to help managers and Googlers have conversations and show support for the Asian community in response to heightened incidents of xenophobia and racism.
In the workplace
We’re creating more spaces for Googlers to share their stories and increase understanding of experiences with systemic inequity all over the world.
Hosted our first virtual Black Executive Leadership Roundtable in EMEA, “Breaking the Black Ceiling: Representative Leadership Goals, Roles, and the Next Generation,” bringing together over 20 Black leaders to discuss real issues, share experiences, and learn from each other.
Launched a monthly internal panel discussion series led by our Women@Singapore group and APAC employee resource group leads. The program, "You Can’t Ask That," drives awareness and understanding of the experiences of underrepresented groups across APAC.
Photo by Garret Gooch
Centering racial equity for all communities led our PRIDE@ and Trans@ employee resource groups to use Pride month to support and celebrate the Black community and embrace intersectionality in the journey for justice.
In the world
In addition to the teams dedicated to making our core products like Search and Maps more inclusive, we assembled a product task force to prioritize and implement the 500+ product suggestions from Googlers all over the world to help Black users in the moments that matter most.
Spotlight
After witnessing a surge of online searches for Black-owned businesses in summer 2020, Google’s product teams worked quickly to introduce new ways to help support Black business owners, including the addition of a Black-owned business attribute for merchants, which shows up when people use Google Search and Maps.
Further reading
Learn more about how we took action to support and honor the legacy of Black-owned businesses within Google Maps.
In the world
We’re helping to create economic opportunity for underrepresented communities all over the world, with a focus on Black entrepreneurship and skill-building.
Created a $175+ million economic opportunity package to support Black business owners, startup founders, job seekers, and developers in the U.S., including:
$100 million to Black-led capital firms, startups, and organizations supporting Black entrepreneurs
$50 million for small businesses serving the Black community
$15 million in training to help Black job seekers grow their skills
$10 million to build equity for the Black community in the developer ecosystem
Googler André Barrence, Head of Google for Startups, LATAM.
Established a $1 million Black Founders Fund in Brazil and a $2 million Black Founders Fund in Europe
Doubling the size of our Grow with Google Digital Coaches program to provide free digital skills training for an additional +50,000 Black small businesses across 20 markets in the U.S.
Meet two of the 76 inspiring founders who have received funding from the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund in the U.S.:
Spotlight
Aquagenuity: Atlanta, GA
Doll Avant is a data scientist and social impact strategist who wanted to address the water-quality health crisis. She created Aquagenuity, a real-time water-quality aggregator that empowers individuals and businesses with critical health information about their water. Doll is an alumnus of the Google for Startups Founders Academy and recipient of the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund.
Spotlight
Cyber Pop-Up: Chicago, IL
Christine Izuakor is rethinking how businesses approach the cybersecurity industry. Cyber Pop-Up is an on-demand cybersecurity service platform powered by vetted and highly skilled freelance experts. Its unique model addresses diversity issues in the industry by expanding employment opportunities for underrepresented communities. Christine is a recipient of the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund.
Entrepreneurs Maisha Burt and Allyson McDougal co-founded WorkChew, a service that offers its members the unique opportunity to co-work from local restaurants and hotels in their communities.
Partnering with the U.S. Black Chambers Inc. (USBC) to deliver trainings that help small businesses grow their presence online. With 145 affiliate chambers and 332,000 members across the country, USBC provides leadership and advocacy resources and initiatives to empower Black business owners.
Grazielle Cardoso receives her certificate in Digital Marketing after attending the Grow with Google program when it landed in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Trained over 3,700 Black entrepreneurs, students, and professionals on digital marketing skills through Black Ads Academy 2020 in Brazil.
Established the Reconciliation Action Plan to encourage every Googler to become an active contributor in driving equitable opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia.
Launched the Angel Investing School, a four-week program for Googlers in the U.S. and EMEA, where participants learned the practice of angel investing. The program saw 24 investors from diverse backgrounds trained, with 20 who planned to make an investment in a Black-founded startup.
In the world
We’re helping to amplify Black voices worldwide.
Launched the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund, a $100 million global commitment to fund programming focused on Black experiences, racial justice education, and to support Black YouTube creators and artists. The #YouTubeBlack Voices Class of 2021 provides dedicated partner support, seed funding, training, workshops, and networking for 132 creators hailing from Australia, Brazil, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, the U.K., and the U.S.
Partnered with Google Arts & Culture to honor the legacy of Black history all over the world. In Brazil, we partnered with Museu Afro Brasil to create an interactive online experience that drove awareness and understanding of the Afro-Brazilian experience. And in the U.K., we launched the first digital hub dedicated to telling stories of Black British history and culture.
In the world
We’re making direct investments to racial justice organizations that work toward criminal justice reform and empowering Black communities all over the world.
Donated $12 million in support of racial justice organizations like the Equal Justice Initiative, the Center for Policing Equity, and The Marsha P. Johnson Institute.
Committed $1.5 million to support racial justice organizations that empower Black communities across Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on training and skill-building for entrepreneurs and Black youth.
“Being vulnerable is probably the hardest, but most amazing thing anyone can do, and I think a lot of leaders and a lot of Googlers have done that this past year ... if I had to wrap up this past year, it’s vulnerability, it's grace, but it’s also growth.”
Cassandra Johnson is the Vice President of Customer Care & Vendor Management Office at Google.