Zuckerberg Calls Out Employee About #AllLivesMatter
/CEO Mark Zuckerberg isn't pleased with the Facebook employee who crossed out "Black Lives Matter" and wrote "All Lives Matter" on the company's graffiti wall. In an internal message to staff, Zuckerberg called the action "disrespectful" and "malicious."
MPK refers to the company's Menlo Park, California, office. Overall, two percent of the company's employees are Black, and I'm sure this incident won't help with their recruiting efforts. The tech industry statistics, according to USA Today, are worse:
A fraction of the tech work force in Silicon Valley is African American and little progress has been made on the problem. Only 1% of venture-capital-backed start-ups are led by African-Americans and less than 1% of general partners at major venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, the ones that back tomorrow's Facebooks and Googles, are African American.
The predominantly white male industry runs the risk of losing touch with the diverse nation - and world - that forms its customer base. At the same time African Americans are being excluded from the fastest-growing, highest-paying jobs in the nation.
The graffiti wall is an open space for employees to write anything-and yet, crossing out another's writing makes a statement in itself. Zuckerberg is taking a positive approach by inviting employees to learn more about the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
Discussion Starters:
- Explain the issue as you understand it. What are #BlackLivesMatter and #AllLivesMatter?
- What's your view of Zuckerberg's reaction and message to staff?
- The company may find out who changed the marking, What, if any, action is appropriate to take against the employee?
