Pinterest board adds first Black member amid allegations of racism

Pinterest, which has been hit with allegations of racism in the workplace, has added its first Black member to its board of directors, the company announced Monday.

Former Harpo Studios executive and Skywalker Holdings President Andrea Wishom joined the board as its ninth member, USA Today reported.

“She’s an expert in creating positive and inspirational content for global audiences, and a passionate advocate for building a company culture of respect, integrity, inclusion and support — areas in which we must innovate and improve,” Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann said in a statement. 

Wishom’s addition to Pinterest’s board comes after two Black women who left public policy roles at the social media company said they experienced racial discrimination. The former employees alleged they dealt with unfair pay, racism and retaliation. 

One of the two, Ifeoma Ozoma, told USA Today that Pinterest’s appointment of a Black woman to the board was “meaningless.”

“I hope that she is paid fairly, and not the way that I and other Black women at the company have not been paid fairly and have been dismissed,” Ozoma said. “One person is not diversity.”

Last week, Pinterest’s former chief operating officer Francoise Brougher filed a lawsuit accusing the company of gender bias and wrongful termination.

Pinterest employees launched a workplace digital boycott on Friday, saying in a statement, “Even when unintended, all forms of discrimination and retaliation at Pinterest must stop.”

A January report from Pinterest showed the company had one Hispanic woman in a senior management role and no African Americans, USA Today reported.