Last month, two of our Ohana groups, BOLDforce and Vetforce, teamed up to bring some #SalesforceOhana spirit to the Indiana Black Expo’s 46th Annual Summer Celebration. Indiana Black Expo (IBE) has been a pillar of the African-American community for decades as a multifaceted organization that celebrates cultural diversity and inclusiveness across all races, ethnicities, nationalities, generations, socioeconomic levels, and religious affiliations.

The IBE's mission resonates with Salesforce's deeply held belief in Equality for all. As one of our core values, we champion Equality not only at Salesforce, but also in our communities. And we believe that starts with transparency, education, inclusive dialogue, quick action, community building, and an unbreakable commitment to making the world a better place. So, in our pursuit to support the diverse communities in Indianapolis — and around the world — BOLDforce Indy spearheaded the sponsorship of IBE’s Tech Zone and Youth Leadership Summit. The team led an exciting session on personal branding and served as coaches during a business simulation exercise with nearly 300 students from across the state! We were thrilled to be a part of such an impactful event, introducing youth and their families to professions in STEM and helping them build meaningful skills to affect change in their community.

Indiana Black Expo’s VP of Administration & Programs, Jennifer Darby, shared, “There’s no way we could provide this level of engaging, educational programs without the expertise and enthusiasm of partners like Salesforce. And the young people who attend couldn’t be more grateful. One attendee, in particular, started the week skeptical, but by the end of the event he declared it the best experience he’d ever had.”

We also had an incredible presence in the expansive expo hall (more than 300 businesses!). The Salesforce team welcomed the community to learn more about our Ohana, the values we share, and our commitment to #EqualityForAll. We shared information on free tech-focused programs available to underrepresented minority youth, like The Next IT Girl and the Bloom Project. Just one of the ways we're working to cultivate the next generation of tech industry leaders! Plus, Vetforce Indy took the opportunity to educate veterans, active duty military members, and their spouses about the free Salesforce certifications available to help them build knowledge and skills in the tech industry.

BOLDforce Indy Co-Chair, Jeff Woodard added, "It was a great experience! Outside of the tech industry, many in Indiana don't know much about Salesforce or the amazing impact we have in the community. It was so rewarding to see the positive responses from Black Expo attendees when we talked about our involvement. It makes me proud to work at Salesforce!"

To continue the momentum, BOLDforce Indy also sponsored this month’s Midwest Tech Diversity Summit: Disrupt Indy — where thought leaders, educators, and techies (including our very own James Loduca, Director of Equality Programs) worked together to create solutions for increasing diversity in the tech industry.

Want to learn more about our Ohana groups, like BOLDforce and Vetforce? Visit www.salesforce.com/equality.