When the horrific anti-Black events of 2020 made headlines, the leadership at many companies including Intel Corporation were jolted into a higher level of awareness of racism in U.S. society and took a range of actions, including a public acknowledgment of racism and its impacts. A few employees at Intel came together to create PIE (Partners for Inclusion and Equity), an organization focused on white supremacy and anti-racism. Two PIE leaders will present how PIE was started, its vision and objectives, initiatives and activities, member responses and some ideas on what’s next for PIE. Our goal with this presentation is to motivate others to create similar initiatives in their workplaces.
Doug Nintzel’s grandparents immigrated from Germany and Czechoslovakia and he has worked at computer technology companies since 1981. Doug’s mother was an activist in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and 70s and was a member of SCLC. She made her children aware of racism and brought Doug and his two brothers on marches, pickets, and voting campaigns. After decades of seeing how 12-step programs with individuals from diverse backgrounds reduced prejudice in its members, Doug founded an organization (UnityInitiative.org) that adapted the 12-step program along with Civil Rights Movement practices for confronting racism within oneself and within communities. Doug led the effort to found PIE at Intel and is on the board.
Sindhu Xirasagar is an immigrant from India and has held engineering and management roles in her 35 year career at technology companies in the US. Over the last few years, she has become aware of the white supremacy framework that continues to create acute inequities in our society, as well as areas of agency of citizens to effect change. NIOT Continuing Conversations, Anti-Racism trainings and resources, and discussions with people engaged in this work have all contributed to her education. She started to engage in anti-racism initiatives and was recently elected as a NIOT board member. She partnered with Doug in founding Intel PIE and is a board member.
This event was recorded on March 7, 2022.