lincoln center

Henry Timms, the tremendously effective CEO at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, tells Jim he will never stop innovating. Since taking over in 2019, he has accomplished the renovation of David Geffen Hall, and expanded programming to include concerts of hip-hop, and even an LGBTQ mariachi group. Henry is having much fun at Lincoln Center, and so has the New York community.

"When I do anything, I like to break all the bricks. What was here before Lincoln Center was old San Juan Hill, a very affluent or a very popular Afro-Caribbean, Afro Latino area. It just spoke to me. It was like, I'm supposed to be here. I'm supposed to revive the stories of the people and give a voice to the inaudible and that's what the restaurant does. It tells a story of New York, but not the New York that I guess the affluent think of. For me, it's the story of immigrants, it's Puerto Rican it's Dominican, it's Jamaican, it's Nigerian, Senegalese, like all these things for me made New York special."  Kwame Onwuachi

As a 40-year veteran of the restaurant industry, it gives me so much pleasure to see the mainstream recognition and opportunities for success afforded to the talented generation of people of color pursuing careers in hospitality. This group of entrepreneurs and chefs is making a name for themselves illuminating the way forward for the next generation.

My guest, Kwame Onwuachi, has racked up a pretty impressive list of accolades including one of Food and Wine's Best New Chefs, Esquire Magazine’s 2019 Chef of the Year, and The San Francisco Chronicle said that Kwame was the most important chef in America. That's a big title and quite an accolade. He is also the creator of the Family Reunion, an annual multi-day event that takes place in Middleburg, Virginia and celebrates diversity in the hospitality community.

In September, 2021, Kwame hosted the esteemed James Beard Awards having previously won the Rising Star Chef of the Year award in 2019. He is also the author of a memoir, Notes from a Young Black Chef, that is being adapted into a feature film. Raised in New York City, Nigeria, and Louisiana, Kwame most recently opened Tatiana restaurant at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Join me, your host, Brad Johnson, and Kwame as we learn more about this young talent on Corner Table Talk. 

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A new study from Boston College and the Society of Human Resources Management tells us that 65% of organizations believe DEI is important, yet 63% give little to no resources to DEI. This doesn’t surprise me. In my conversations with organizations, I find many who see DEI as an HR or L&D initiative. In other words, recruitment, and training. There are many DEI actions that can be taken that cost minimal external resources, such as policy changes and building inclusion nudges into process documentation. 

I’m a big believer in the 360 approach – beyond HR and L&D, which is why I wrote Inclusive 360 and built our assessment tool. Here’s a beautiful example of how an organization (this one with A LOT of resources!) can become Inclusive 360.

Last month, the David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center in New York reopened after major redesigns. The building was built on land formerly known as San Juan Hill, a low-income Black and Hispanic neighborhood with 7,000 families. That neighborhood was razed years ago as part of a racist “urban renewal” initiative. To correct historic wrongs, 42% of construction contracts for this massive redesign went to minority and women-owned businesses. They launched a robust training program, helping three dozen new construction workers get union cards. Lincoln Center itself increased its leadership diversity, with about 50% of leaders who are women and BIPOC. Finally, the debut concert for the reopening was a pay-what-you-can show called “San Juan Hill” celebrating the music and culture of the old neighborhood. All of this matters because it shows a 360 approach to equity and inclusion. A holistic approach is what’s necessary for true equity.

More good vibes I found this week:

2. Gay Racer Zach Herrin Made His Nascar Debut This Weekend

3. Fortune 500 Companies Tie Executive Compensations to ESG Performance

4 & 5. Several Major Companies Expand Workplace and Workweek Flexibility

Read the full blog here: https://www.theequalityinstitute.com/equality-insights-blog/5-things-360

To learn more about Julie and  Next Pivot Point, visit: https://nextpivotpoint.com/

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