Q&A: Nzinga Shaw, Hawks new Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Courtesy of Chris Vivalamore

Q. First, tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What is your background?
A. I am from Freeport, New York, which is in Nassau County. I went to Spelmen College so I’m so excited to be living here in Atlanta, Georgia. Spelman was my first time away from home and I just enjoyed my experience there. I did my graduate at the University of Pennsylvania. Then my professional career has been in Human Resources, most recently doing heavy diversity and inclusion work. I have worked at Essence Magazine, at the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network, at the National Football League and, most recently, led the diversity and inclusion strategy for Edelman, the world’s largest public relations company.

Q. Had you heard about what went on with the Hawks this summer? What was your reaction?

A. As an outsider looking in and as an African-American woman, initially I was disheartened and very disappointed with the events that took place. As time progressed as when the Atlanta Hawks organization wrote the open letter to the city with their intentions to rebuild trust and partnership in the community, they indicated they would be implementing a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer role and my heart lit up and I became excited about the brand and I knew that with such a bold statement, particularly that statement being bold because there had never been such a role in the National Basketball Association, I became uplifted. I wanted to be a part of that change. The short way of saying it, is that I that I was initially disappointed and as time progressed I became excited and uplifted.

Q. Obviously, there are still these issues hanging over the organization. What do you see as the biggest challenge?

A. I think the biggest challenge is going to be getting people to understand the necessity and the value for this role. So there might be a contingent of people who are apprehensive about the role or may think that it’s just a PR stunt. So I think gaining trust and gaining relationships early on is going to be the greatest area for opportunity.

Q. You’ve been in a similar role in other organizations. How important do you see this position?

A. I see it as critical. I think that organizations that have a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer are far ahead in terms of business strategy, in terms of really deepening the depth of talent that they have on board. Organizations that employee a diversity officer are very forward thinking and our thinking about the emerging communities that they serve, the global context of business and how important it is to interact with multiple constituents. I think this is the right step. I think this will mean so much. I see it as a true liaison between a number of departments in big business. It should not be housed in the human resources department. It is not an HR function. It is a business function that can serve as a community partner, can serve as an internal catalyst for change and for building a strong culture. It can serve as the eyes and ears of marketing and ticket strategy folks and thinking about how we portray our brand to multiple audiences. I find that diversity and inclusion happens to be critical in business, particularly in sports entertainment.

Q. Are there basketball specific elements of this position?

A. There will be basketball specific elements. I really look forward to partnering with the folks in basketball operations to understand how they are structured, understand who the players are from a human perspective and really put our heads together and collaborate and figure out where should we spend our time, where should we spend our resources, how can we utilize this strong team to help build the community.

Q. So much of what happened this summer has not been resolved. Ownership is still in flux and Danny Ferry’s position is still in flux. How much of that plays into your role?

A. My role is focused on moving forward. What happened in the past is unfortunate and the current people who are in place are well-equipped to get through it. My role is more strategic and looking forward. So, looking for opportunities, looking for ways to grow, looking for ways to continue to rebuild and looking for synergy with the community so that we can be the best and most respected team in the NBA and we can have the most inclusive culture in the NBA. That’s how I see this role and that is what the organization wants for this role.

Q. This is a difficult question, but, obviously the ownership situation will eventually be resolved. I wonder, can Danny Ferry come back to this organization?

A. I’m not in a position to offer a perspective on that. I don’t have enough information and I’m not equipped enough to give you an honest answer. I will refrain.