Black leaders in business: Hope, anti-racism, and the struggle for equity

The coronavirus pandemic hit the Black community with disproportionate impact, both in terms of the health toll and the economic toll. Concurrently, a wave of violence crested, crystalized by the tragic and brutal deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among other Black Americans. The widespread social justice protests that followed were often met by hostility.

Many business leaders have taken steps in response, announcing new and enhanced diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and anti-racism programs. After years of keeping silent, many Black executives are openly sharing—for the first time—their . . .