Contributor Deborah Elam is a vice president and the chief diversity officer at GE
Yesterday was a day that will live in our memories for many years to come. I was fortunate enough to be on the U.S. Capitol grounds and had an opportunity to witness history. For many reasons, attending the inauguration of President Barack Obama was one of the most moving experiences I could ever imagine. Having attended a segregated elementary school, I never thought I would live to see an African American elected President of the United States of America. It was a leadership role that always seemed unattainable for African Americans. I can now look at my two daughters and genuinely say to them, “with hard work, focus and perseverance, you could grow up and be president.”
Even though the inauguration of the first African American President was historic, I was also struck by the spirit of optimism, the picture of diversity, inclusiveness and purpose across every demographic imaginable. To see approximately two million people from all walks of life, with heartfelt stories coupled with a common reason for being there was inspiring. There is so much that we can learn from what went on in Washington, D.C., yesterday. As GE continues to grow globally, each of us will need to expand our personal horizons and be more inclusive every day. We will work with colleagues who are very different than ourselves, but with whom we share a common purpose of making GE the best company that it can be.
At its most pure level, we saw real diversity yesterday.
