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The Event, Hosted by the N.J. Chamber and the African American Chamber of N.J., Was a ‘Call to Action’ Featuring Leaders Who Can Make ‘Transformational Change.’

"Do We Have the Will to Change?" Leaders Ask

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The first-ever statewide Champions of Diversity Gala presented by New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) brought a crowd of 300 people to the Pines Manor in Edison on Nov. 10 – double the number expected.

“When I look out at this audience tonight, I see New Jersey,” exclaimed John Harmon, CEO of the AACCNJ. “This is our state. And the more we gather like this, the more we engage each other, the more we’ll find that we have a lot in common."

It was a lively crowd of business leaders, advocates and activists who share a desire for a more inclusive, diverse and equal New Jersey – and a more competitive one too. The Gala included a networking reception, the presentation of awards to outstanding organizations in the equality movement; and a dinner that featured a roster of rousing speakers who discussed the imperative of equality in New Jersey – and in America.

 Do We Have the Will for Change?

“The resources and the talent in this room can make transformational change,” Harmon said. “The question we have to answer is: Do we have the will (for change)?”

The event brought much-needed discussions to the forefront, said ROI-NJ newspaper in its coverage of the event.

“Tonight’s event is a call to action. It’s game time," said Tom Bracken, president and CEO of the N.J. Chamber of Commerce. “There is something that each of us and each of our companies can do to expand the principles of diversity and inclusion.”

How We Can Change

Bracken highlighted specific areas in need of change now. “We can think differently about our hiring and promotion practices, we can build sustainable partnerships with schools and programs contributing to the talent pipeline, we can think strategically about supplier diversification, and we can make sure that our boards are reflective of the communities they serve,” he said.

Added Bracken: “I’ve seen all of you step up and support this work in big and small ways. This is an invitation to take a deeper dive.”

The event was a rally, and among those impressed was Rick C. Wade, senior vice president of strategic alliances and outreach at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “I’ve been around the world, and I’m not sure I have ever seen people coming together over diversity and inclusion like this," Wade said.

Wade accepted an award on behalf of U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for its diversity and inclusion work, which has objectives of 250 more Black people on corporate boards in America by the end of 2022, and connecting more Black-owned businesses to corporate supply chains. “It’s not just the right thing to do, there is a business case: Companies that are diverse perform better.”

And there is a moral imperative. “It’s so every woman, man and child – whatever their background – have a fair shot at the American dream,” Wade said.

‘Not Stopping Until You Get It’

The U.S. Chamber was one of five organizations recognized at the Gala for the work they do to promote equal opportunity and advance diversity, including Jobs for America's Graduates New Jersey, which works together with schools to help ensure students stay in school and are prepared for college and careers; and Friday is Tie Day, which mentors Back youth by imparting the knowledge and skills needed to improve their life outcomes both personally and professionally.

The Friday Is Tie Day program is geared towards young men in grades 8 through high school, and it encourages the young men to wear ties to school on Fridays to stand out as leaders. “We are fighting for a future where they can be their full authentic selves and we love them not only when they wear ties but when they wear sweatpants and hoodies,” said Friday is Tie Day Executive Director Darrell Edmonds to rousing applause. “It’s all about having a plan after high school and not stopping until you get it.”

Also recognized were the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey for its years of advocacy in the cause of equality for Black business executives and Black businesses in New Jersey; and the Pascale Sykes Foundation for its decades of advocating for and providing funding for social and economic programs that transform the lives of working families.

The keynote speaker was Monique Nelson, chair and CEO of UWG, a multicultural advertising agency on the importance of diversity in the workplace.

A Chance to do Something Transformational

The N.J. Chamber of Commerce and the African American Chamber of Commerce of N.J. have been working together to address the economic inequities that exist for Black citizens and Black business owners in the state. They are focusing their efforts on strategies that disrupt the status quo and expand opportunity for historically marginalized communities, including communities of color.

Still, Harmon stressed this is not a black-and-white issue — and that people of all backgrounds need to work together to effect true change. “Each of you have an opportunity to make a difference,” Harmon said. “All of us have read books about folks who’ve done great things. We talk about them to our children. This is your opportunity to say you’ve done something transformational, that you’ve done something that the country will acknowledge, your children will acknowledge.”

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