This is the second of two articles. The first article can be found here.

To qualify as LinkedIn’s Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Rosanna Durruthy has had to gain both an understanding of herself and how to cultivate a culture that allows employees to live their authentic self.

As a queer Afro-Latina, Durruthy has been advocating for herself as much as she has been for those around her, working to provide a workplace that accepts them.

However, while talent is evenly distributed across communities, in Durruthy’s experience opportunities are not so equally shared.

For example, a 2022 report by LinkedIn found that 34% of Latino professionals received no mentorship or the presence of a coworker that they could consider an ally in their difficulties.

Of those same Latino professionals, nearly two thirds of those aged 18-34 felt overlooked for career opportunities because of their race.

Following a long career in both human capital and talent and diversity, Durruthy received an offer from LinkedIn for their Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging in 2017.

As she gained more experience, Durruthy would become the Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging in 2019, working across all levels of LinkedIn to ensure the company provides equal opportunity for its employees and users.

As she does so, Durruthy works closely with leaders across LinkedIn, ensuring that the company is equitable in all things, ranging from its systems to talent acquisition.

“I am surrounded by peers who have sought to learn and grow and understand, we all play a role in educating ourselves, understanding what discrimination and bias looks like, and how it exists in many of the systems that we encounter,” Durruthy told AL DÍA in an interview.

“Even we as Latinos are not immune to our own sense of discrimination, our own sense of colorism and bias, which can prevent and get in the way of the relationships we have with each other and how we can support each other in our day-to-day lives,” she continued.

According to a survey by LinkedIn, 44% of Latino professionals have faced discrimination in the workplace. Not only that, but 82% of those with darker skin report there is colorism within the Latino community.

For a workplace to allow its employees to do their best, Durruthy says they have to be in an environment that provides safety. To provide this, everyone must look for opportunities to provide that safety for others and allow them to live authentically.

“LinkedIn's work to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce really relies upon each and every one of us at LinkedIn; ensuring that we're able to operate in a way that drives towards access for every member of the global workforce to reach those opportunities,” Durruthy explained.

“We've demonstrated it's the work of the entire organization, ensuring that our leaders not only lead inclusively, but are building teams that are reflective of the diversity of the member base that we serve, ensuring that people managers have the skill sets to be inclusive as managers,” Durruthy said.

Durruthy’s goals at LinkedIn don’t stop at just ensuring the company promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

By sharing her inclusive organizational structure, she hopes to create an environment where their talent can act as a beacon to other organizations and businesses, giving them insight on how to create an inclusive environment, as well.

“The work that I get to do on a day-to-day basis is largely oriented around how we ensure our mindset of inclusion and belonging, how we develop systems that enable diverse talent to have access and to be seen and understood,” Durruthy said.

“How we create an environment where our talent thrives, where we're able to not only bring in diverse talent, but see that talent grow and navigate through the environment, and how we build a culture where we can all be allies and champion each other,” she continued.

By supporting these Latino professionals in their work, they can realize their full potential and give back to the company that supports them.

“Because when we all do well, your organization succeeds at realizing its vision and ensuring that the world's professionals are more productive and more successful,” she said.