3 Ways AppianHeritage Is Working to Create an Inclusive Culture

Creating an inclusive culture is an ongoing journey that’s never finished. It means intentionally valuing unique traits and differences everyone brings to the table. 

That’s part of the mission of AppianHeritage, one of our Affinity Groups.

AppianHeritage celebrates and supports employees of all races, cultures, and ethnicities by providing resources and education, professional development opportunities, and support to all employees regardless of their background. 

Here are three ways we’re working to create an inclusive workplace culture: 

1. Committing to continuous education
2. Making space for people of all backgrounds and focusing on listening
3. Building talent pathways that support diversity and belonging

AppianHeritage team members share how it’s important to celebrate heritage days and months, like Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, and more. However, these events are only one step in the journey to inclusion and our mission is to celebrate all individuals year-round. We asked three AppianHeritage members what that looks like in action at Appian.

Meet Pat Camilo

When I was job searching, one of my criteria was to find a company that valued the importance of having Affinity Groups. I believe companies show they actually value diversity and inclusion by supporting employee-led groups that provide a safe space where we can share our different cultures. I’ve been involved with Affinity Groups for over 10 years, educating people about the challenges and struggles that other cultures have faced, as well as the triumphs and achievements that they have made throughout their careers. Shortly after starting at Appian about a year ago, I joined the AppianHeritage Affinity Group. 

At an AppianHeritage event a few months ago, my colleague Max spoke about how Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day, despite what most people think. It was a lightbulb moment for me that sparked my interest in chatting with him in a podcast format about the history of the celebration and Mexican culture to help educate others.

For eight years, I have worked with the Hispanic Organization for Leadership & Awareness (HOLA) as Co-chair, and STEM Lead and Community Outreach. I was also a professor in Florida for four years. Throughout my entire career, connecting with people from different cultures and helping educate others has always been my passion. 
There are so many forms of education, beyond a classroom or training, that have been really important in my career and that we focus on in our Affinity Groups like AppianHeritage: 

• Mentorship: The advice I give to young people is to find two mentors - first is the person you want to become, and second is who will help you get there. We even have a mentorship program at Appian that our affinity group AppianWomen started.
• Expand your global network: As Appian is opening new offices in Mexico City and Chennai, it’s especially important we have a diverse team who understands cultural differences. Through Affinity Groups we can connect and learn from each other globally. 
• Learn about coworkers beyond their job title: Being part of an Affinity Group, you see a new side of someone and get to know their background and interests. It’s given me an opportunity to put myself out there and allow coworkers to see new parts of me that aren’t related to my everyday work. 

Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many talented people from different countries, ethnicities, and cultures. While I’ve learned different ways of thinking, I also realized that so many people don’t have these opportunities to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the diversity that exists around us. Affinity Groups are so important because they spark these conversations and provide opportunities for people to always continue learning. 

Meet Jasmine Richardson 

At Appian, you see women in leadership positions, and senior managers from all different races, ethnicities and backgrounds. When I started, there was limited diversity at the company, but that’s changed as Appian has been deliberate about creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. I’ve seen this through being part of the AppianHeritage Recruiting sub-group where we work on ways to diversify our recruiting process and work closely with our HR and Recruiting teams. 

The AppianHeritage community has allowed me to connect with other Appian employees of color and meet people outside of the Finance team who I wouldn’t otherwise meet. The group has created a safe space for me and other people of color to strengthen our sense of belonging at Appian. 

To me, a safe space is a place where you are able to share your opinion and are asked about your views and experiences in an environment that’s truly open. It’s where people are celebrated and embraced and all employees feel valued and belong, regardless of background, thinking or work style.

After several incidents of police brutality in 2020, I appreciated how AppianHeritage stepped up. After George Floyd’s death, employee support was brought to the spotlight. I had directors and VPs reaching out to check how I was doing, express their concern, and ask if I needed time. This moment in history was so sad and upsetting so it meant a lot that people took the time to see if I was okay.

AppianHeritage hosted a few “Let’s Talk” events which provided space for people to connect with each other and share experiences. We also hosted a book club where we read So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo that brought up new topics for some people about race.

We had a discussion about it afterwards where we talked with other group members about how we’re feeling, how we’ve been affected and shared personal experiences. People were keen to learn and really listen. By reading the book together, it gave members a lot of insight without people of color having to do so much of the legwork educating others. 

AppianHeritage also hosts and attends other affinity group events throughout the year. In February, we celebrated Black History Month with a catered lunch from HalfSmoke Restaurant, a Black-owned restaurant in the DMV. In October, we celebrated Diwali with good food, company, and of course, lights! In March, we celebrated Women’s History Month with a happy hour and motivational speech by one of our very own employees.