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schools were eagerly became the first black Shortly after Jettye, Pam
recruiting. The Class of 1969 women to participate in the and I joined the labs we
took advantage of the Lab’s graduate study became involved with a
opening doors and blazed program (GSP) and attain newly formed group, ABLE
the trail for others. the Member of Technical (Association of Black
Staff title AT&T Bell Laboratories Employees).
At the Forefront, Ushering
in the Computer Age Laboratories and Bell As an introverted nerd, I am
by Cynthia A. Lemon Telephone Laboratories was amazed with the level of
an industrial research and activism that I displayed in
scientific development the workplace. In the late
company, the predecessor 70s, I was key in taking
of Nokia Labs. The 1970s ABLE to a higher level for an
and 1980s saw more and employee resource group.
more computer-related We incorporated and
inventions at the Bell became a 501(3)(c)
Laboratories as part of corporation; took on the
the personal computing United Way to open
revolution. We were the core corporate giving via payroll
for our work location and deduction (to organizations
Obtaining my initial job at probably selected for GSP in like our own and UNCF);
Bell Labs upon graduation the hope that we would fail began publishing our own
was key to my personal, and management could newspaper (I penned an
technical and academic justify future exclusion of article entitled "We are
development. Jettye Hasben black women or students ABLE but are we Willing?");
Dash, Pamela Vaughn and I from HBCU’s. successfully pushed for
