The percentage of the Black female labor force in various domains – from corporate work to service jobs – has dropped from 60.5% in 2019 to 58.8% in 2020, per the Department of Labor. Racial discrimination in the workplace is not a shadow between the gaps anymore. The issue is raised and discussed on many different levels and in many different ways, but still, the stats don’t agree with the movements for the cause.
Lola Adeyemo, hailing from Akure, Nigeria, is a passionate entrepreneur. Having a background education in science, she had envisioned herself as a corporate employee, and that’s exactly where she ended up.
Working with global corporations around ERGs (Employee Resource Groups), Lola got exposed to the fact that it doesn’t matter how much Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is “talked” about. The fact remains that discrimination based on color and race exists in the corporate world.
Aren’t these reasons enough for a woman of color to embark on a new and inclusive journey?
The global pause of 2020 came to Lola as a blessing in disguise. Amidst the pressure of the pandemic, nursing a new baby, and the emotional stress, Lola’s ardent mind was looking for fulfilling opportunities where she could cultivate a space to practically apply her innovative ideas and use her potential to the fullest.
Serving as the COO of the IT Consulting company she co-founded with her husband, Sapient Logic LLC, she utilized the opportunity that came her way through it. She implemented her vision of an inclusive workspace by making their company’s expansion and first full-time hiring a stepping stone. From here, Lola’s journey toward inclusivity for immigrants and people of color began.
Why let the unacceptance as an employee in a corporation get the best of you when you can build a corporate structure yourself?
She fearlessly stepped up as an ERG expert and an advocate for immigrant inclusion in workplaces. Now, Lola works closely with companies that don’t only talk about DEI for namesake but are interested in making their workplace inclusive and thriving for all of their employees.
That’s just the official take-off for Lola as an entrepreneur, but certainly not all. Keeping her work around the ERGs and DEI, Lola has successfully developed a well-formed idea, mission, and message in her field. Given her dedication to the cause, she was soon able to establish her own company, EQIMindset. This not only cemented her expert status in the corporate world, but also elevated her mission of helping more organizations make their workforce diverse and inclusive.
With the-more-the-merrier approach, Lola is en route to spread her message and get as many companies and individuals on board as possible. In August 2022, Lola launched her book Thriving in Intersectionality, packaging her years’ worth of hard work, learning, and experience in one place. Stopping isn’t a thing for her – soon she started a podcast with the same name, continuing the conversation around inclusivity and discrimination in the corporate world.
Speaking at multiple prominent conferences, serving on different boards like HBA, ATHENA, and Girls.Inc., etc., and giving her first TEDx talk in September 2022, Lola is surely making her voice heard loud and clear for the inclusivity of immigrants and underrepresented groups in the corporate world.
She also has a Facebook group, Immigrants in Corporate (IIC): Belong and Thrive in the Workplace, which serves as a point of connection for many immigrants. Apart from that, she is all set to launch her IIC Career Accelerator Program for those who intend to work with her.
It is clear that Lola’s journey is not limited – she has not only made a name for herself, but also paved the way for millions like herself. To know more about her company, visit EQImindset. And if you want some motivation to lift your spirits, check out her website.
Right after graduating from the University of Yale in 2010 Nicole started working as a freelance journalist and wrote numerous articles regarding the effects of global warming and climate change. She has worked with some of the most renowned environmental publications. Apart from being a columnist, Nicole is also an active campaigner for a climate change.
