12-04-2018
Mark Luckie, a strategic partner manager for global influencers, sent a company-wide memo shortly before leaving his employment at the social media company. He has now posted that memo on his Facebook account.He begins the memo with “Facebook has a black people problem.” Mr. Luckie then outlines how engagement with Facebook is rising among black individuals but that interaction may not be positive. When black people try to create “safe spaces” amongst themselves to honestly discuss issues, it is seen as hate speech by non-black individuals and Facebook removes their content. Within the company, Mr. Luckie asserts that minority groups are excluded from communication which is reflected in Facebook’s allocation of resources, industry events and guest lists for external programs. He also states that the emphasis on diversity-focused hiring lacks a plan beyond the fact of hiring. There is no plan of action of how to bring the diverse perspective into the greater team goals.
For black employees at Facebook, Mr. Luckie states that HR has not been responsive. He has found that they are told their experiences are a figment of their imagination; any action undertaken is meant to protect management and not support the employee. Facebook’s response to the email thus far has been a reiteration of its commitment to diverse perspectives and its intention to support all employees in an effort to become a “truly inclusive company.”