Written By: Wes Holloway Vice President of Diversity Black History Month affords all of us an opportunity to acknowledge the many, but seldom known, contributions made by African Americans to help make our world a better place. Each year, Price Chopper develops messaging for our stores to celebrate these significant achievements, and while choosing which stories to tell, it occurred to me that the Golub Family and Golub Corporation have their own history of significant achievements relating to diversity and inclusion, and this would be a good place to share them. Throughout an 82 year history in the grocery Industry, Price Chopper, the Golub Corporation, and Golub family members have been champions for human rights, fair treatment and improving the quality of life of our neighbors. In 1963, our founder’s son, Ben Golub, served as chairman of a five-man committee that established the Schenectady Commission on Human Relations. This was the first local body in NY State established to deal with discrimination complaints. The following year, Ben and members of the Commission traveled to Washington to urge passage of the Civil Rights bill that was stalled by a Southern filibuster. Jane Golub, wife of Neil, our Executive Chairman, received endorsement in 1987 from the Greater Capital Region Teachers Center for the K-12 curriculum she developed to help teachers reduce prejudice in students and classrooms. The program, “A World of Difference,” is still used to build awareness of how differences contribute to a vibrant, productive community. An anti-bullying module was recently added to the curriculum. Annually, Price Chopper conducts Diversity/Inclusion training classes to make our teammates aware of their role in this important initiative. We are vigilant in developing policies to ensure that our environment is welcoming, and teammates and guests are valued and respected, without regard to race, religion, disability, gender, veteran status, lifestyle or age. Our Teammate Code of Conduct reflects a commitment to fostering work environments that are free from bias, prejudice, bullying and intimidation. Price Chopper and the Golub Corporation value and embrace the rich diversity present in each of the communities that we serve. Over the years, we have partnered with culturally diverse community organizations in support of programs, projects and celebrations to serve the needs of our fellow citizens. Our partners include NAACP branches, YMCAs, YWCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs, and Black History Month celebrations across our footprint, as well as the Schenectady Human Rights Commission, Centro Las Americas, Hamilton Hill Arts Center, Martin Luther King Birthday celebrations in Utica, Albany and Schenectady, NY, the Tri-India Association, the Association of Nigerians of the Capital Region, Faith Communities, Building Bridges, Bridges Out of Poverty, In Our Own Voices, and 100 Black Men. As Vice President of Diversity for Price Chopper Supermarkets, I take great pride and pleasure In sharing some of the lesser-known but great accomplishments of African-Americans. I take the same pride and pleasure in shining a light on the lesser known accomplishments of the family behind this company and the company itself, for its continued support of individuals and groups from diverse cultural backgrounds. As we celebrate Black History Month, I encourage all of us to celebrate the wonderfully diverse nature of the neighborhoods where we live, work and play!