Showing Up Authentically: Simone Kennedy

Simone Kennedy (She/Her)

Digital Product Management Test Lead, Global CXT

Dear younger Simone,

Your career may not be what you always imagined now, but almost 7 years into it, you couldn’t have chosen a better company to work for. It is all working out.

Being born and raised in Detroit, I have always loved being a part of the “Motor City.” It was always so fascinating to me growing up that my hometown is the driving force behind the auto industry. Naturally, working for an automotive company headquartered in downtown Detroit seemed like a big win.

As a Black, first-generation college graduate, I felt as if I had the pressure of the world on my shoulders. I was the first of my immediate family to graduate and I paid for most of my education with student loans. I wanted to make my family proud and work for a company who was making a great impact to the world around me.

According to the Census Bureau, only 26% of Black people ages 25 and older had obtained a bachelor’s degree in the United States.

Post-graduation was hard for me as a Black woman looking to break into the professional world. I was interviewing for spaces that didn’t have many people who looked like me. I wasn’t sure how my authentic self would fit in a corporate setting — even though I had plenty of skills to match the work needed.

After a few months of post-graduation depression and not landing a full-time offer, I finally landed a contract role at General Motors in digital retail customer service, launching their Dealer Chat Program — not knowing this would lead me to the career I have now.

Walking into the Ren Cen office spaces for the first time as a 22-year-old, I was bright-eyed and excited for my next move. I was lucky enough to work with a diverse group of recent college graduates who also had similar college degrees and backgrounds. I no longer felt lost and alone because we were all trying to figure out what our careers would lead to.

Even though I was still contracted, I felt an immense level of pride working for GM.

The work environment around me was a true grind — but it was fulfilling to learn so much about GM’s impact on the auto industry. In a matter of months, I was already well-versed in the GM lineup, the vehicles’ features and specs and was essentially a brand ambassador outside of work, telling my family and friends about all the exciting work GM has accomplished.

After 3 years of working in the GM Dealer Chat department as an advisor, senior advisor and marketing coordinator, I was hired into GM as a full-time employee, landing the role of Team Leader.

This was a pivotal moment in my career.

I was finally able to call myself a GM employee — but even more exciting, I finally felt my career was heading in a direction I could be proud of, even if it wasn’t in my initial “plan.” The career options here at GM are endless, and I have had so many opportunities to explore paths beyond my initial career plans.

Along with hard work, I like to think I landed in this space because of my ability to network and communicate effectively. I was lucky enough to be surrounded with managers who wanted to see me win. I was always clear that my goal was to be here long-term and make an impact for young Black girls from Detroit who were also dreaming big.

I wanted to show my younger self that even if life doesn’t go as planned, there’s still an exciting path for you up ahead.

As a Digital Product Management Test Lead in the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) space, I feel valued here at GM beyond my day-to-day work. What’s even more exciting about my path ahead is the work I hope to contribute to GM’s EV future. In the UAT space, we are testing various GM customer-facing mobile apps and websites, such as the GM Owner’s Center.

While GM’s electric vehicle portfolio is expanding, our space is also working to ensure our EV customers can experience the same level of quality as our ICE customers when they log into their GM accounts online. When you access a brand’s website, you can count on our team to make sure your online account is up-to-date and functioning.

I love my day-to-day job, but my favorite thing about working here is the level of awareness GM has about the world around us. 2020 was an incredibly tough year for everyone — and in that time, we were facing a pandemic and a height of racial injustices throughout the country.

I will never forget the trouble of having to work through the stress of 2020, but I will also never forget how GM made me feel safe through it all. Whether it was allowing most employees to work remotely or Mary Barra and my managers addressing tough racial conversations happening at the time, I knew this company had my best interest at heart.

Every day at work, there is an opportunity for employees to be their true, authentic selves here at GM. On my current team, both of my managers are Black women, so I have direct support from people who identify with my background.

Not feeling like an outcast makes my workday so much easier, but in addition, just knowing I am a part of a company who represents what true diversity looks like makes me proud.

From our GM Behaviors such as “Be Inclusive” to our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) like the General Motors African Ancestry Network (GMAAN), I personally have a safe space as a Black employee here at GM.

Making me feel proud and safe is just the beginning of what all of us can do to continue pushing for a more inclusive world. Racial discrimination or injustice may not be happening in my workspace today, but I don’t speak for every Black person here at GM and can’t speak for all our Black customers — who are equally as important.

I believe we will always have more work to do to ensure Black Americans feel valued by our company.

Celebrating Juneteenth as a company is a great step in the right direction to me. Until recently, Juneteenth was never discussed in my workspaces as a holiday and many of my counterparts were unaware of this pivotal moment in American history. Within the last year, however, Juneteenth has been brought up in conversation more than ever.

In the drive towards a more diverse and inclusive world, recognizing Juneteenth is important. For a long time, the history of enslaved people in America gaining their freedom has been swept under the rug to erase a dark past — but celebrating our freedom in this country shows our resilience.

Like any national holiday, Juneteenth should be spoken highly of.

Last year, GM did a great job of spotlighting Black-owned businesses we can support in our community in recognition of Juneteenth. Along with this, there were opportunities to join virtual discussions and learn more about the holiday’s history, traditions and Black America’s influence on culture.

I hope to see this celebration of Juneteenth continue in the years moving forward so other young professionals joining the GM workforce can be immersed in a workspace that is truly pushing for inclusion. I will continue to be my best self here at GM — all while being Black, hardworking and proud. So far, that makes my career journey all worthwhile.

So younger Simone, keep going!

Your dreams of working for a company who impacts the world will come true in a different way than you planned, but it will lead you to a company that you’ll always be thankful for. Here, you matter — and you’re doing amazing work to prove it.