Powerful gospel kick-starts charity effort

By Bryan McKenzie

Published: September 12, 2008

The harmonious verve of strongly sung gospel surges through the State Farm headquarters hallway leading toward the company cafeteria.

Backlit by morning sun, the State Farm gospel group sways back and forth in rhythm, kicking off the company’s United Way charity fundraising campaign.

‘You can feel it’

“You can feel it out here,” nods Letetia Starke, a human resources representative, as she stands in the hall. “Gospel has a lot of power.”

It has popularity, too. The group, organized by employees and sponsored by the company, takes its sound on the road, singing at local schools, nursing homes and events, including a Washington service last year to honor the late Thurgood Marshall, U.S. Supreme Court justice.

That’s not a bad record for a group less than two years old.

“We started in February 2007 when some of us were trying to think of a way to celebrate African-American history at the company and Black History Month was approaching,” said Willie Dickerson, the group’s founding force. “We realized that gospel music was very much a part of our cultural history and solicited people in the office who might want to sing. We ended up with between 20 and 25 voices.”

Gospel is God’s music. For most companies, God is rather unwelcome as an official member of the workplace, but State Farm thinks diversity can bring employees together. That’s why it supports numerous employee interest groups based on religion, race, culture and language.

“Our customers come from the same communities as our employees, so it only makes sense that if we understand each other, we’ll better understand our customers,” said Ms. Starke, who helps to organize the cultural programs at the company. “That cultural awareness is good for the company.”

It also builds loyalty in the employees.

Team building

“They let us practice here, they give us time to perform, they’ve been very supportive and we appreciate that,” said Geraldine Shelton, of the group. “It makes you feel like you don’t have to leave yourself at home when you come to work.”

The group started as a way to share culture and has become a cultural self-affirmation.

“Gospel music is a part of our history. It reaches so many lives and cultures; it revives and restores and makes you feel good,” Ms. Dickerson said. “It makes you want to go on, to encourage yourself. It reminds us that God is in control and cares about us and takes care of us.”

The sound, in a way, defines them.

“There is a power and a feeling that you can share through gospel music,” Ms. Shelton said. “There’s healing in the music that comes through, no matter who you are.“