MERGE Momentum:
One Year of Inclusion and Growth
Launched one year ago in February 2023, KBR’s Minority Employee Resource Group for Empowerment, known as MERGE, has continued to flourish at KBR and now has active representation at five office locations including Huntsville, Alabama; Houston, Texas; Lexington Park, Maryland; Chantilly, Virginia; and Dayton, Ohio.
MERGE was created as a vehicle for employees of underrepresented demographics to freely express ideas and to develop new initiatives with a community of like-minded individuals. Throughout the past year, the establishment and growth of MERGE have helped KBR employees around the country flourish and develop a deeper sense of connection.
“Created out of necessity, MERGE has enabled employees of all backgrounds to have conversations and participate in events or activities that take them beyond their comfort zone,” said global MERGE chair Johnnie Richardson Jr. “By engaging in these opportunities, we broaden our understanding of minority cultures, thereby establishing an environment that fosters better collaboration and eventually defining success.”
This February, MERGE chapters around the U.S. celebrated Black History Month, often considered one of the nation’s most important observances dedicated to minority heritages and culture. At KBR, MERGE has approached honoring that legacy with a variety of events and educational efforts.
“Each MERGE site has worked hard at creating events and activities for teams in their areas,” said Richardson. “From our ‘The More You Know’ series to our various heritage month recognitions, we are striving to build a culture within KBR that celebrates and embraces the accomplishments of all cultures, which we believe embodies the spirit of Black History Month.
“The celebration of Black History Month should be an opportunity to learn not just about the accomplishments of Black Americans, but what it means to be a Black American. Even though cultures are uniquely different, understanding those differences may reveal a multitude of similarities.”
While the yearly observance is a “monumental first step” in recognizing Black excellence, Richardson’s ideal scenario is to see this mindset last year-round.
“I would like to see a paradigm shift so that on March 1, we do not return to the tradition of only acknowledging or recognizing the accomplishments of Black Americans for 28 of 365 days of the year,” he said. “I would encourage every individual to continue educating themselves on the significant contributions Black Americans have made to this country.”
When asked what challenges Richardson has run into to ensure Black history is acknowledged and learned from beyond just the month of February, he did not hesitate to call out the fear of having tough, sometimes uncomfortable, conversations.
“We are creatures of habit, and until we have the courage to bring meaningful discussions out of the shadows, real change will not happen,” he said.
Additionally, there tends to be some confusion, or hesitation, as to who can join MERGE.
“There are a lot of reluctances by nonminorities to participate or join because of the sentiment that MERGE is only for minorities, which couldn’t be further from the truth,” Richardson said. “The more diverse we are, the better the conversations and understanding of cultures.”
As MERGE continues to develop and impact KBR, Richardson hopes to see membership growth as well as the continued positive evolution in company diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, conversations, and events.
“Because the world of DEI is ever-changing, and it’s vital we maintain a pulse on new and effective ways to engage and support our employees, I would ultimately like to see an annual MERGE DEI conference that provides developmental seminars and training for all KBR leaders,” Richardson said.
“There are a lot of reluctances by nonminorities to participate or join because of the sentiment that MERGE is only for minorities, which couldn’t be further from the truth,” Richardson said. “The more diverse we are, the better the conversations and understanding of cultures.”
Reaching Out and Giving Back
In keeping with an effort to foster community engagement, MERGE is proud to participate in a variety of outreach events — from local outings for members, to collaborating with recruitment, to sponsoring and supporting events like the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) conference in Baltimore and the upcoming National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) convention in Atlanta. Late last year, the ERG also celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month and gave back to their local communities during the holidays.
MERGE members from the Huntsville, Alabama, office held a Christmas party for children in their community at a local Boys and Girls Club. Boys and Girls Clubs across America serve children and families from all walks of life. They provide after-school care and transportation, sports, educational programming, and, when needed, help with the bare necessities of life. In the weeks leading up to the party, MERGE members visited with the students to learn a little about who they were and what they wanted for Christmas. Wishlist items varied from electric toothbrushes to a LeBron James jersey. MERGE raised more than $4,000 for a delicious holiday meal, toys, clothes and other items for more than 60 children. While all gifts may not have been as extravagant as King James gear, each child did receive multiple gifts including Legos and a ball of their choice thanks to KBR employees.
