Director, Business Insight
and Customer Strategy
Theodore Jennings is director of business insight and customer strategy here at Oracle where he strives to transform businesses through emerging technologies.
Transformation characterizes much of his career journey from driving business change across senior consultancy roles to encouraging a different kind of growth as CEO and principal designer of his own Tokyo-based rooftop greening firm.
This Black History Month, he’s reflecting on the power of role models to cultivate a stronger sense of belonging for people of Black LGBTQ+ identity.
Powering onwards
Black history isn’t seasonal for Theo. It’s something that he thinks about every day—and treats as a reminder to “never give up trying to cut through systemic racism that unfortunately colors many aspects of American life”.
It’s also a time to reflect in a way that mirrors “Sunday morning worship”.
“It acts as a way to still my soul, be reenergized by the stories of the Black American experience, and reflect on where we’ve come, yet gives me some fuel to power onwards in the future,” Theo explains.
Shared values, shared struggles
While reflecting on Black identity, Theo sees the bigger intersectional picture and his part in it as a Black gay man.
“When I was a kid, my most revered Black leader was the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. due to all of his powerful contributions to American life. It wasn’t until I attended Oberlin College in the mid-90s did I learn about Bayard Rustin, and him nearly single-handedly coming up with and directing the planning of the 1963 March on Washington.”
While Theo idolized Martin Luther King, Rustin’s part in the battle for civil rights was conspicuous for its absence. Had Theo known about Rustin’s impact in school, he may have felt more positive about his own identity.
Self-acceptance
“It might have given me a much earlier start of self-acceptance to have known that a Black gay man worked as a senior advisor to Dr. King and was influential in what is considered one of America’s most famous civil rights events.”
“That would’ve helped my confidence much earlier. But even learning about Mr. Rustin as a college student gave me huge positive intangibles to my soul and helped me to see that I too could be gay and be great!”
Having endured homophobia while growing up, Theo understands how vital role models can be on a journey of self-discovery.
“Had I known others like me, and if some of those who were out had reached out to me, it might have made a bigger difference in some of the psychological struggles I endured that were extremely painful,” he explains,
Mentors matter
While figures of the past inspire us through their lasting impact on the world, the people we meet every day can have the biggest effect on how we see the world. Much has been said about the professional benefits of mentorship, but the personal side can be just as important.
Kenneth Holmes, Senior Vice Provost at the University of New Hampshire, was one such mentor for Theo.
“He has been an excellent mentor to me and many other gay men in both a professional and personal advisory role. He may not be as famous as others, but he’s doing good work to lift up many young gay students.”
Finding allies
Allyship is a vital part of raising people up. Theo believes that where one-to-one mentor relationships can empower individuals, allyship taps into entire communities to support and defend those who need it most.
“Allyship is like church,” he explains, “it’s finding others with the same beliefs and building a community to support one another through good and bad times.”
Theo believes that the sense of belonging that comes from finding a group that stands with you can’t be overstated: “Having a ‘tribe’ that you know has your back under any situation can mean the world to those struggling. Allyship is essential for success.”
Oracle for all
Oracle takes diversity and inclusion seriously. It’s led to the founding of employee resource groups like the Alliance of Black Leaders for Excellence (ABLE) which advocate for employees across the globe.
Combined with the LGBTQ+ employee resource group Oracle Pride Employee Network, a powerful set of allies is available at the company to tackle issues affecting people across BIPOC and LGBTQ+ identities.
It’s something Theo knows a lot about. As ABLE co-lead for the New York tri-state area, he works to put Black issues on the map inside and outside Oracle every day.
Since 1926, Black History Month has addressed issues from civil rights to representation to resistance, and beyond. This year’s event dives into the richness of
Black cultural contributions to the arts. It’s a subject close to Theo’s heart and he’s seizing the chance to bring an intersectional angle by turning the spotlight on Black women.
ABLE in his region will focus on the role of black women in music over Black History Month and members will attend live shows to celebrate their contributions. The organization will also coordinate volunteer opportunities in New York’s Black community.
Taking action
When it comes to amplifying Black voices, Theo emphasizes doing what you can, when you can. Even something as simple as engaging with the right content can get more people informed on Black history. Right now, Theo is catching up on the history and impact of the Black Church in the Civil Rights Movement on PBS, as well as the 1619 Project TV series on Hulu.
However, getting organized is always the best approach and he can’t overstate how effective group action can be.
“We all have to join social activist groups that are constantly doing the good work of pushing freedom and equality forward for our communities as well as other disenfranchised peoples,” he urges.
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