Wedbush Celebrates Black History Month with “Being Black in Corporate America – The Conversation” Event

On February 25, 2021, Wedbush proudly hosted “Being Black in Corporate America – The Conversation” in honor of Black History Month. The inspiring event provided an inclusive platform where Wedbush colleagues were able to listen and learn from other experiences similar and different from their own.

Terretta Lusk, Corporate Receptionist, emceed the event, and began with a memorial and moment of silence for our late colleague, Ms. Carolyn Hills. Ms. Hills, Manager CSD DVP/Prime Broker for Advanced Clearing and Prime Services, left an impact at Wedbush with over 16 years of service at our firm. Next, Gary Wedbush, President of Wedbush Securities, provided opening remarks, highlighting what diversity means to Wedbush: “Black professionals [at Wedbush] make our firm smarter and more capable…Having a diversity of backgrounds, outlooks, viewpoints, and thoughts makes our firm stronger.”

The highlight of the event was the informative conversation led by certified coach, Jeanette Charles. The panel of speakers featured nine distinguished Wedbush colleagues, including Carmen Davis-Dye (Operations Manager, IFON), Shivan Somaratne (Investment Associate), Terretta Lusk (Corporate Receptionist), Anthony Lee (VP, Investments), Ryan Hopkins (Senior Legal Assistant), Jonathan Jones (SVP, CTO), Adriana Robles (Analyst, Vendor Management), Landon Waring (Helpdesk Technician), and Christine Hall (Executive Assistant).

The panel shared stories and discussed several pertinent topics including:

  • What challenges people of color face in corporate America
  • Growth opportunities for Wedbush
  • How to be more inclusive
  • How we hold our organization, colleagues, and community accountable

In addition to the enlightening conversation with our panelists, WedbushCares donated $2,500 for one of the event’s earmarked charities, Brotherhood Crusade. “The Brotherhood Crusade helps improve the quality of life for underserved communities through various ways,” said Christine Hall, “including promotion of health and wellness, academic success, and personal advancement.” WedbushCares also donated $2,500 to a second charity, The Hidden Genius Project, who train and mentor black youth in technology and helps them work on their entrepreneurship and leadership skills.

Wedbush would like to thank all of our colleagues for sharing their stories. This discussion was a fantastic start and will be part of Wedbush’s ongoing efforts to ensure a diverse and inclusive workplace.

For more information, and to donate, please visit WedbushCares, The Brotherhood Crusade, and The Hidden Genius Project.

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