4 Key Takeaways From the Young, Gifted, and Black (History): The Gen Z Takeover Panel
Highwire PR and the National Millennial and Gen Z (NMGZ) community were excited to join forces in the mission to amplify the voices of Black Gen Z’ers — passionate advocates for integrity-driven, human-centered workplaces and visionary leaders who are creating their own platforms and community spaces to bring inclusion to life.
Guided by DEIB strategist and facilitator Damon Maassen of ModelExpand, our distinguished panelists included:
Let's dive into the key insights and takeaways from the webinar.
The Value In Creating Welcoming Spaces for Black Gen Z Voices
- Black Gen Z professionals are actively creating physical and digital spaces where their voices can be heard.
- When discussing his “why” for launching The PR Habitat, Damaryan emphasized the importance of creating spaces that are diverse by design.
- Ashley was inspired to launch her podcast when she realized that she wasn’t seeing other Black Gen Z’ers getting involved in discussions about Project 2025.
- From the cubicles of the work world to the writing rooms in Hollywood, Black Gen Z professionals aspire to bring a “for us, by us” mindset into these spaces to ensure authentic representation.
They Not Like Us: the importance of bringing our authentic selves to every setting, every space
- Priscilla reminded the audience that Gen Z is the most diverse population to enter into the workforce to date. As such, Black Gen Z professionals are bringing rich cultural heritage influences into the workplace and into the world; let’s celebrate the opportunity to expand our connections and deepen our cultural fluency.
- Yasmin pointed out that Black Gen Z hip hop icon, Dochii, is a powerful example of someone who built her career on the strength of being unapologetically authentic — from her fashion to her content to her creative process. We can all learn a lot from her journey.
Meaningful Inclusion + Intersectionality Is a Winning Formula
- Damaryan emphasized that one of the things he most appreciates about his fellow PR Habitat leads is that they are aligned about the upside of fostering collaboration among so many diverse contributors. “We embrace this as a superpower, not a hindrance.”
- Ashley shared that her experience as a student at HBCU Spelman College fostered intersectionality at its best, teaching her how to be accountable, a good friend, a good sister, and a go-getter, all while being uplifted and celebrated by a rich community of instructors, campus champions, and the extended Black community.
- Yasmin relayed a colorful anecdote about feeling so welcomed into Highwire’s Have Several Seats affinity group that she jumped at the chance to be a co-lead when a slot became available, despite being an intern. She affirmed that, “not only is this community inclusive, it’s responsive to the ever-evolving needs of Black women in the workplace, which I think is very unique.”
Accountability: Why Its Vital to Reflect and Live the Ideal
- As a Black Gen z early career professional, Priscilla shared that she celebrates the fact that her generation has been outspoken about holding brands accountable and taking them to task for being performative vs. authentically invested in inclusion. "Social media has given us a platform for forming connections with like-minded people around the globe, and there's power in that"
- Black GenZ-ers are taking a look in the mirror and holding themselves accountable, too. Ashley noted that there’s work to be done as far as more intentional coalition-building, which can often start close to home. “We need to be asking ourselves, ‘do I know my neighbors?’” and begin engaging in foundational dialogues in real life and not just by way of connecting on social media.”
- Those who are interested in investing in Black Gen Z talent should also prioritize accessibility. Reflecting on his stated desire to attend a professional work conference in alignment with his professional goals, Damaryan shared that his vision came to life solely due to the creative problem-solving approach of his agency leaders. “My champions found creative ways to pull a bit of budget from this source and then another source…by leveraging a village approach to this, I was able to make my conference dream come true and I attended AdColor.”
Lesson learned? Be sure to factor in professional development opportunities when exploring ways in which inclusion-led employers can enhance access for historically underrepresented talent. Professional development opportunities are top of mind with today’s Gen Z professionals.
Kudos to these dynamic and inspiring leaders for pushing the boundaries of inclusion, authenticity, and accountability. As Black Gen Z continues to shape the future with boldness and vision, it’s up to all of us to listen, uplift, and co-create the conditions for their brilliance to thrive. If you’re eager to be even more inspired by these incredible individuals, you can watch the full webinar here.