Shannon T. Lassen said she wanted to work for World Wide Technology (WWT) long before she even interviewed for the job. Although she grew up in Houston, Texas, Lassen’s parents are originally from St. Louis. She’s traveled here often throughout her life and was very familiar with all things St. Louis. Lassen said she found the fact that the co-founders of the tech company-David Steward and Jim Kavanaugh-are Black and White men, tremendously appealing.
“Jim and Dave are two very different people. They came together with different backgrounds, different lifestyles experiences and created this masterpiece,” Lassen stated, adding, “And they celebrate that diversity; they made use of it, and I think it says something about World Wide’s success.”
“I would say that underrepresented communities in IT spaces are still just that…underrepresented. It’s still predominantly white and predominantly male.” – Shannon T. Lassen, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program Manager at World Wide Technology.
In early 2020, Lassen, who has an educational and work background in business and human resources, had lost her luster for corporate life. Bureaucracy, politics, red tape, and mere lip service to change didn’t coincide with her idea of healthy and productive “diversity” work.
“I’m drawn to the idea of trying to make the workforce more reflective of underrepresented people, like me.” Lassen explained.
The police killing of George Floyd in May of that year made her desire to delve into diversity and inclusion issues even stronger.
“No one was talking about it at my previous job,” Lassen said. “Even though they were up in arms, people were so afraid to talk about it. I’ve never been one to shy away from my feelings but, for some reason, corporations were like ‘what do we do, what do we say?’”
Lassen posted an essay on her previous company’s in-house social page encouraging her coworkers to not just sit in silence as their colleagues of color showed up for work “having to pretend” everything was normal.
“It’s OK not to know what to say but say something,” Lassen wrote. “Just reach out and ask how they’re doing. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, but silence isn’t the answer.”
Lassen, who had gotten married in late 2019 and was working from home due to the pandemic, longed for meaningful change. She was contemplating starting her own business or working for a nonprofit when she applied at WWT, which provides information technology, supply chain solutions, products, and services.
The vetting process was long and intense. When she received the long-awaited news that she’d be hired as one of two “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” program managers she was ecstatic. Executives at her new job,” she said, weren’t just paying “lip service.” WWT was serious about all aspects of diversity and inclusion. When she was officially hired, Lassen said executives made it clear that they were seeking to expand their diversity and inclusion programs.
“They want to make it part of the company’s DNA,” she bragged.
Along with her partner, Emily Robinson, Lassen said their strategic plan is designed to promote three specific outcomes in “Workforce Diversity, Business impact and Community Engagement.”
Workforce goals include recruiting a robust and diverse workforce, providing continuous cultural education, and embracing and celebrating differences. The business impactcomponent works to support cultures of inclusion that utilize experiences and unique capabilities to create innovative and creative business outcomes. Community Outreach centers around driving change and educating through community partnerships.
Reflecting on her 2020 experience after George Floyd’s death, Lassen excitedly discussed her company’s programs designed to facilitate healthy dialogue about possibly sensitive racial issues. WWT’s “Listening Tour” and “WWT Storytellers” are forums developed so employees can share real-life thoughts and feelings through dialogue and stories. The hope is to help them feel safe and valued and foster a sense of empathy and camaraderie across real and sometimes artificial boundaries.
“Equity,” Lassen emphasized, is the desired result of WWT’s 3-tiered approach.
“We focus so much on our workforce being reflective of our global company. We need to look like the people we serve. We need to have that diversity of thought, that innovation as a tech company and we want people to feel safe coming to work. At the end of the day, we realize that equity is the outcome. That means we want to make sure everybody can be their best version of themselves.”
It was a lesson Lassen said she learned when the “mean kids” in middle school caused her to question her own identity. She said cruel questions about her light skin or the proper way she spoke, briefly had her wondering if she was “black enough.”
“I think I was exposed to fighting for my identity really early and that sort of fueled my passion for what I do now. Colorism exists in many cultures. So, when I was growing up, I was called an Oreo-black on the outside but white on the inside. Then there was the ‘talking white’ thing. What does that even mean?”
Fortunately, Lassen has a father who is well grounded in his roots and birthplace, Louisville Mississippi. Anthony Thomas took his only daughter on annual trips to Louisville where she was regaled with stories from her grandparents and great grandparents about their heritage, legacy, and life in the segregated south.
Lassen’s dad also invested his love of music, culture and history in his daughter and helped her build the confidence she needed to embrace her identity and rich history.
She said that learning to accept and be comfortable with herself, has given her empathy with other people of color. As a global company, World Wide has employees and contracts across the globe. “Diversity” is expanded beyond the narrow parameters of black and white. To operate as a successful global business, Lassen stressed, the company must be aware, engaged, and respectful of a vast array of cultures, religions, and other ethnic idiosyncrasies.
“Our teams don’t work in silos. We know our workplace communities take in information differently and we want to make sure those cultural celebrations, holidays, and things like that are shared and lifted so we can learn and celebrate with them. We have to make sure the content we’re creating resonates with our different workforces. To do that, people in those regions need to help create that content.”
Lassen has found her “happy place” where she can put her talents and passions to practice. She said the popular perception of the information technology (IT) industry is “so forward thinking, so innovative and so diverse.”
It’s a misconception, she emphasized.
“I would say that underrepresented communities in IT spaces are still just that…underrepresented. It’s still predominantly white and predominantly male.”
But those challenges are exactly why Lassen enjoys her job.
“It feels great to know World Wide has all these programs in place to reach those who may not see themselves here. We’re intentionally reaching out to these underrepresented communities. It’s not just about recruiting either; it’s also about retaining the talent, making sure people aren’t leaving because of how they feel or how they’ve been treated or whatever the case.”
Lassen said she has happily and wholeheartedly adopted World Wide’s diversity, equity mission of inclusion.
“We’re working to make sure we have that space where people can come to work and see themselves here.”
