Kiva R. Wilson
Diversity Program Manager | Facebook
What do you do, professionally?
As a Diversity Programs Manager for Facebook, I help develop the strategic outreach and recruitment strategies so that we can find, grow and keep historically under-represented talent.
Has your sexuality initially shaped your career decision? If so, how has it?
I’m a Black, gay, woman from South Carolina. As such I’m naturally inclined to recognize individual “difference” as an asset, and I’m all the more committed to helping organizations build work environments that welcome that variation. So it should come as no surprise that I pursued a career focused on celebrating and leveraging diversity.
In what way has your sexuality influenced what companies to apply to?
I always apply to the job, not the company. So if the role and responsibilities align with my strengths and developmental interests, then you’ll most likely see my resume. If I’m fortunate enough to interview, it’s generally at that time that I’ll mention my sexuality or the name of my partner. I do that to quickly see how the interview panel responds/reacts. You know, do they avoid the topic all together or do they engage with me just as they would if someone mentioned their opposite-sex partner. It’s a small thing to do, but it generally allows me to see what and who I might be working with.
When and how did you open up to your company about your sexuality?
See above. I’m not a big fan of surprises, and so I introduce the fact that I’m gay/that my partner is female during the interview process. That’s a key piece of who I am, just as it’s important to recognize that I’m Black. Neither element of my identity should be minimized to ensure the comfort of others — particularly not a hiring manager.
What’s your experience of being a person of the LGBTQ+ community in tech been like?
It’s been great so far. I’ve been able to be open about my sexual orientation early on, so much so that my recruiter and relocation specialists knew my partner by name. Since joining the company, that support has only grown. We say often at Facebook that we want you to be able to be “your authentic self.” In other words, we don’t want you masking who you are or shifting gears because of what you think people may want you to be. It’s a simple statement, but it’s very liberating. With that being a shared mentality throughout the company, I truly feel comfortable being me. That means, I’m okay presenting as a masculine of center woman, speaking freely about my better half and being thrilled to see over 1000 Facebookers participate in the SF Pride parade.
Simply put, it’s been nothing short of amazing.
What would make your work environment or the tech industry as a whole more LGBTQ+ friendly?
At Facebook, we’ve been making real strides to recognize and support every letter (the L, G, B, T & Q) in the alphabet soup. I think if the tech industry, as a whole, makes a conscious decision to build a work environment and industry policies that support our trans family members we’ll be stronger for it.
What advice would you give to queer employees entering the tech industry?
Simply put: be your authentic self.
