Celebrating Culture & Diversity During Black History Month
The founding of BlackBirds initially came at the beckon of two African American engineers at Bird who saw the need to bring a diverse set of voices into focus. Started as an informal communication channel, members of BlackBirds have fostered an internal community based on cultural and ethnic commonalities, with a focus on empowering and uplifting one another. To honor Black History Month, BlackBirds developed a series of events dedicated to representing employees, highlighting black-owned businesses, and fostering Bird’s dedication to community. Along with the support from the entire company, BlackBirds was thrilled to celebrate throughout the month of February – the rest is the Black History!
The signature BlackBirds event was a journey from Bird HQ in Santa Monica to the California African American Museum (CAAM) in Downtown Los Angeles. Fully embracing alternative transportation options available to Angelenos – Birds, the Metro light rail, and walking – the Bird team was warmly greeted by Mr. Tyree Boyd-Pates (Historian & Curator & Bird advocate/enthusiast) – “Nothing brings me more joy than giving back to my community in the ways that it counts.”
See the experience of traveling to CAAM for yourself.
A graduate of Temple University with a Master’s degree in Pan-African Studies, Tyree Boyd-Pates is also an alum of California State University, Bakersfield, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with a minor in African American Studies.
This week, Bird welcomed the delicious creations of Black owned businesses the Kobbler King and All Flavor No Grease. Employees across Bird enjoyed and celebrated authentic food from local providers embedded in the cultural fabric of Los Angeles.
Micromobility offers transportation alternatives to many, but can have an even greater impact in communities which historically have been underserviced, neglected, and eventually forgotten. Building an inclusive community is about more than Bird’s employees, it’s also about incorporating and celebrating diversity in our riders, chargers and partners.
The hope derived from this month’s activities is founded on the well-deserved recognition, exposure, and advancement for people of color at Bird – and we are just getting started!
The BlackBird Team
