Letter from the Editor

Hope. Health. Harmony. These words weighed greatly upon us as we began this year and yearned for something new to differentiate the day-to-day monotony in which we have found ourselves for the past twelve months. The desire to interact with co-workers, colleagues, and friends, outside of the opportunities made available through sitting in front of a computer screen, have intensified. Questioning our mental and physical health, and the curiosity of a vaccine intended to allow these interactions to take place but not knowing when you may be able to receive it or if you even want to, have added additional stress to an already stressful time.

The social justice movement is no longer a movement but instead a matter of fact that we hold on to and hold those accountable to, even if others do not. We continue to emerge through these mentally exhausting times with the vigor and tenacity that show our strengths, and we celebrate our many wins, whether big or small.

Embarking on the age of Corporate Social Justice, we are uniquely positioned to be the catalyst needed for growth in the corporate space. Leveraging the expertise and experiences of Black professionals is how we as global citizens see the true possibilities of what could be, instead of what currently is. Advancement of Black talent has been so abundant in the past six months, corporate board diversification is taking top-priority, and the appointment of Rosalind Brewer as the new CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance and ELC Member Thasunda Duckett as the new CEO of TIAA is just the beginning.

We see this edition of the journal as a continued resource to put to paper the resilience exhibited daily, to highlight our strengths within our corporate community, and to bring conversations to the forefront that with the backing of science cannot continue to go overlooked. This peer-reviewed journal is your voice, your experience, and your tool to use as you best see fit.

Christopher Butts, Ed.D. Vice President/Chief Learning Officer for the Institute for Leadership Development & Research The Executive Leadership Council