By Paul Watson, Team Lead, Geospatial Reference Data Branch, U.S. Census Bureau I was born in the Bronx, New York, and raised in Prince George's County, Maryland. My family is from Jamaica, and always placed a strong emphasis on professionalism and passion. Many of my family members worked in architecture, construction, and engineering jobs that helped shape the earth beneath our feet. Their...

Issues call to action to unite in driving technological progress and ensuring America’s global leadership Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo delivered a speech titled, “The CHIPS Act and a Long-term Vision for America’s Technological Leadership,” at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. In her remarks, Raimondo outlined the historic opportunity provided by the CHIPS...

By Angela Ewell-Madison, Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Economic Development Administration As a Black American and a career employee at the Commerce Department’s U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), I believe that Black history is American history. I am proud to join generations of Black public servants in my over 30 years of Federal service. My Journey to...

By Ian Saunders, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Global Markets, Western Hemisphere, International Trade Administration Black History Month provides us an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing struggle for racial justice, and I took this time to think about my own journey as a Black man. As a native of Washington D.C., a predominantly Black city, I never expected that I would someday work in a...

By Michele Lee, Intern, Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Affairs Every February, people in the United States celebrate the achievements and history of African Americans as a part of Black History Month. Black Americans have been integral to the development and advancement of innovation in the United States, with more than 30% employed in management, business, science and arts occupations...

By James O. Wilson, Assistant Regional Director of the Midwest Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office I entered the Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in January of 1989. I was hired and inspired by one of the first African American female examiners in the examining corps, Mrs. Johnnie Brown. I have loved the ability to engage, support, and nurture...

The Department of Commerce recently appointed Ines Hernandez as the first-ever Counselor for Equity. In this newly created role, Hernandez will work across the Department’s 13 bureaus to institutionalize equity across all workstreams and advise senior leadership on policy design and implementation strategies that help advance the equity agenda within the Department’s programs and strategic...

By Michael Morgan, Ph.D. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Protecting lives, livelihoods, and property for all people in this country through the use of continually improving observations and predictions - that’s the essence of my job description and one I take to heart. Especially the part about...