What Black History Month Means to Me

Black History Month is an annual celebration of the incredible achievements, stories, contributions, diverse history and global impact of African Americans… past, present and future. In honor of Black History Month, five employees from the IDEMIA North America team have shared what Black History Month means to them, as well as how they have celebrated and will continue to celebrate, and who inspires them. Thank you Nicole, Randy, Kimberly, Brandon and Charnell for sharing your perspectives and stories!

Nicole Hughes, Manager, Accounts Team - Enrollment Services Division

Can you share a little bit about what you do at IDEMIA? I am the manager of the Accounts Team within the Enrollment Services Division. Our team is responsible for processing applicant payments from the Enrollment Centers, reconciling payments received through on-site deposit capture, completing invoicing and posting payments for both our State and Federal customers, creating NCAC accounts for UES and UEP customers, completing refunds, credit card reporting and various other finance functions.

What does Black History Month mean to you? Black History Month gives me a since of pride in my heritage and where I am from. It is an opportunity for all mankind to dig deeper and learn more about the African American Heritage. It also affords us an opportunity to honor and celebrate the lives and achievements of African Americans who have made transformational impacts in our society.

How are/will you be celebrating Black History Month? For me personally it is not just about celebrating Black History during the month of February because I aspire daily to be someone that my ancestors would be proud of.

Who inspires you? I am inspired by the women in my family. They are strong proud black women who have inspired me to rely on my inner strength to become the best person I can be. I am proud to be a direct descendent of Rosa Louise Parks, who is known as the the mother of the modern-day Civil Rights Movement in America. Mrs. Parks and my maternal grandmother were first cousins. Both their names were derived from my great great grandmother, Rose Edwards and my mother bears the name Rosa as well. Growing up in Montgomery, Alabama, the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, allowed me the opportunity to learn early on to be proud of my Black heritage.

Many people mistakenly think that Rosa Parks was sitting at the front of the bus designated for white passengers, but in actuality she was sitting in the back of the bus, in the first seats designated for Black passengers. She was asked to surrender her seat to a white male passenger and she refused and was arrested on Dec 1, 1955. It was not her intention to start a movement; she was simply tired from a day's work and also tired of the unfair treatment of Blacks and refused to move. We now know that her actions sparked the beginning of change in America. We can all learn from Mrs. Parks that we can invoke positive change in society just by standing or in her case sitting for what is right. To the world, she was a Hero, but to me she was simply Cousin Rosa. One of my fondest memories of Cousin Rosa is sitting with her in my grandmother's bedroom, brushing her long, silky, graying hair. I think she would be proud of the woman that the little girl holding the brush became.

Randy Tate, Site Reliability Engineer

Can you share a little bit about what you do at IDEMIA? I am currently part of the Enrollment Services SRE team. We are responsible for using software as a tool to manage our systems, solve problems and automate operation tasks. Security, stability, automation, and metrics sum up our team's focus.

What does Black History Month mean to you? Black History Month is a time where we highlight the accomplishments and reflect on the impact and contributions of Black people throughout American history; a time where we can show appreciation and respect to those who have made a positive societal change that paved the way for equality. It's a month that highlights our culture.

How are/will you be celebrating Black History Month? I will continue to be my best self and honor those who have paved the way by being a stand-up father, a loving husband, a mentor to the youth, volunteering for the underserved, and continuing to take time to learn about the accomplishments and history of Black people, so I can share it with my kids.

Who inspires you? I don't have just one person who inspires me. I am amazed by many who have given the Black community a "boost"; civil rights activists, former/current athletes, authors, musicians, inventors, poets, politicians, your everyday person who strives to boost the community, etc. There are so many I could name, and I'm sure I'd miss a ton of people. Those who push through adversity and are still able to make a positive impact are who inspire me.

Kimberly Clinton, Supplier Relationship Manager

Can you share a little bit about what you do at IDEMIA? I manage the implementation of Supply Chain and Company policies and procedures in pursuit of organizational objectives and Key Results. I develop and foster trusted relationships with IDEMIA suppliers, representing IDEMIA in a professional and ethical manner at all times. 

What does Black History Month mean to you? Black History Month is a reminder that my ancestors played a key role in making America great in the past and the present. We fought for our freedoms and pushed thru obstacles to participate in this great democracy. Black History is not just in February; it's every day. Please learn about everyone's history. All stories deserved to be heard.

How are/will you be celebrating Black History Month? I will be celebrating Black History Month by sharing stories of Sorority IOTA Phi Lambda to my community. Started in 1929, Iota Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. is the first African American Greek-lettered business sorority established by African American businesswomen. We celebrate the achievements of women in business year-round. I love giving back to the community by mentoring and celebrating the next generation of African American women by offering scholarships, supporting community events, and mentoring the next generation of business leaders.

Who inspires you? My mother inspired me to continue my education and take on roles that challenge me. My mom was strong and pushed me to see that despite your economic background, you can achieve anything if you work hard and stay focused on your goal. God first and family is what she stressed and that has kept me going.

Brandon Wiley, Systems Administrator II

Can you share a little bit about what you do at IDEMIA? I joined IDEMIA last month and begin working on the Infrastructure Team. The team consists of some of the most knowledgeable individuals I have met in my career, and I am very honored to be a part of this growing organization. A little bit of what I do ranges from maintaining the datacenter's infrastructure to the very systems that drive daily operations.

What does Black History Month mean to you? Black History Month to me is an essential moment of 'reflection' throughout every year cycle. This is a dominant task for me primarily because it is very easy to get lost in the daily shuffle of life, and these moments of reflection can easily slip without second thought. Reflecting on Black History Month gives me the opportunity to learn something new and become more knowledgeable in not just Black history, or American history, but history for the human species. It presents an awe-inspiring display of where we once were in our timeline; the ups and downs, the good and bad, the leaders and people who have come and gone, the direct history of us as humans. I hope it's something we will not only never forget, but something we will always reflect and continue to build upon.

How are/will you be celebrating Black History Month? Upon taking the moment to self-reflect on this month, I natively celebrated it by learning something new about this history. Searching for an individual in Black history that I have never heard of before and exploring the 'history' on that individual and understanding how it is interconnected throughout our timeline as people. That in itself is a celebration. Keeping the flow of knowledge of this history alive and echoing it any chance I can.

Who inspires you? Daniel Hale Williams III, who was one of the first Physicians to perform a open-heart procedure in the US. The history on him speaks to me so loudly because my father and my uncle are both MD, Physicians within Internal Medicine. Growing up with so much of this influence as a child, the knowledge of this person still echoes throughout me today, and is a direct template and representation of accomplishment.

Charnell Davis, HR Business Partner

Can you share a little bit about what you do at IDEMIA? I provide HR business partnering support to the I&S Functions (Finance, HR, Legal, Business Development, and Client Success, and Purchasing/Procurement). I sit in the Reston, VA office and have been with the company since July 2020.

What does Black History Month mean to you? Black History Month is an opportunity to look back at all of the accomplishments and successes of Black Americans. Being able to read about people like Thurgood Marshall, Shirley Chisholm, Madam C.J. Walker, who was a self-made millionaire, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Barack Obama, and of course Kamala Harris... I could go on and on. African Americans continue to rise to the top, be successful, and make differences in this world. We should recognize that every day, and not just during the month of February.

Who inspires you? So, this is an interesting question, but the one person that really inspired me was my grandfather, John W. Tolbert, Jr. He was a wise man, and was very well loved by all, and left a huge impression on me as I was growing up. I spent a lot of time with my grandfather and just really enjoyed his company. My grandfather was the first Black man to run for public office in Loudoun County Virginia (which is where I reside). He sat on the Town Council for 14 years and for two years served as Vice-Mayor. He served as the president of the local branch of the NAACP, President of Keep Loudoun Beautiful, and much more. He left a huge imprint on many people lives, and he loved the work that he did for the community. When he passed away in 1999, the citizens of Loudoun County returned the favor by the John Tolbert. Jr. Building, Tolbert Lane, and John W. Tolbert Jr. Elementary School, which are all located in Leesburg, VA. It is extremely rewarding to be associated with someone who is part of local Black history.