To commemorate Black History Month (BHM), celebrated every February in the United States and Canada, KLA’s BELIEVE (Black Employees Leading in Inclusion, Excellence, Vision, and Education) employee resource group (ERG) planned and hosted two special events for employees. These events, focusing on food and heart health, aligned with this year’s national BHM theme of Black health and wellness, as outlined by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the highly-regarded organization which started BHM back in 1926.

The first event, held on February 9 via Zoom, was a live virtual cooking class with well-known Detroit-area culinary personality, Executive Chef Maurice “Moe” Wallace of popular food purveyor Lonestar Catering. Chef Moe demonstrated to eager foodies how to make healthier versions of two soul food classics, soul food stir fry and baked rice fritters, using ingredients that can be found at one’s local grocery store. During this engaging session, filled with humor and fun, Chef Moe also answered many questions from KLA gourmands about his favorite foods, the importance of fresh, high-quality ingredients, and healthy cooking tips and techniques for foodies of all ages.

On February 15, BELIEVE staged its second BHM event, an educational presentation by cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. David Spurlock about heart health. The brother of KLA’s Justin Spurlock, Dr. Spurlock is an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology specialist with Spectrum Health, and affiliated with Spectrum Health Hospitals Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Spectrum Health United Hospital in Greenville. During the live virtual seminar, Dr. Spurlock highlighted the many valuable contributions of Black physicians throughout history and led a lively discussion and Q&A about preventative measures and simple changes that we can all make for healthier hearts.

KLA ERGs 

As part of its worldwide Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) efforts and commitment, KLA has several employee resource groups (ERGs), which are employee-led associations that frequently come together to share experiences, promote awareness and celebrate cultural histories, traditions and achievements. ERGs are important cornerstones of the company’s global I&D strategy and are invaluable empowering forces for creating a more inclusive, equitable workplace.

BELIEVE, which stands for Black Employees Leading in Inclusion, Excellence, Vision, and Education, was established in 2021 and focuses on the support, recruitment and advancement of Black talent, while promoting cultural awareness, understanding and allyship of the Black community.

Other KLA ERGs include:

• WISE (Women in STEM Empowered) ERG has chapters around the globe. Its members of all genders have joined together to support women at KLA and foster an inclusive environment that benefits all.
• Konexión, KLA’s Latinx ERG has a mission to foster an inclusive community where employees can interact and innovate together through cultural sharing and understanding of the diversity of the Latinx community.
• PRISM (where Pride, Respect, Inclusion and Solidarity Meet), is a global ERG that amplifies KLA’s commitment to equality and inclusion by promoting a safe and open working environment for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.
• Mosaic ERG at the Ann Arbor, Michigan, site comprises a diverse group of employees working together to build a culture of inclusion across all dimensions.

To learn more, visit KLA’s inclusion and diversity page. If you’re interested in working with us, you can browse opportunities to advance humanity here.