This is me, Marlon
Last updated onIn the month of February, we recognize Black History Month. This month celebrates the rich, vibrant history, culture, and accomplishments of the Black community, while acknowledging the challenges faced over hundreds of years.
To celebrate Black History Month, Marlon Merritt, one of the amazing members of our team, shared his story.
This is me, Marlon
I’m Marlon, the Vice-President of Supply Chain based out of Houston and I started with TC Energy just this past October. I am fortunate to work alongside so many amazing men and women to develop strategies and provide solutions to deliver enterprise outcomes.
My wife Jennifer and I have six kids – three girls and three boys – ranging from one year old up to 11 years old, whom Jennifer homeschools and cares for while I am at work. Neither of us grew up in large families so we both knew we wanted a large family of our own – being married and having children has not only changed my perspective, but it has given me new meaning and purpose in life. At the end of the day, we all look out for each other and there’s never a dull moment in our household.
When I’m not spending time with my family, I like to decompress by going to the gym, attempting to golf or jogging outside. I also spend a lot of time in the kitchen testing recipes from a variety of cuisines including favourite recipes passed down from my mom and grandparents. My wife and I also love to get out of the city and take the kids traveling to help them see different ways of life.
To me, Black History Month is a celebration and recognition of my heritage and an opportunity to honour and thank my ancestors who sacrificed so much to make this world a more inclusive place. Their spirit of resiliency is infectious. Since my wife designs their school curriculum, we tailor the lessons to help our children understand the significance and importance of their heritage, rich culture, family history and current societal dynamics, especially around Black History Month.
Our kids are very curious about our heritage, and we don’t sugar coat or hide anything. I will openly share the experiences that I’ve had as an African American male because I want to help them better understand the complexities of our world so that they’re well-informed and educated.
It’s exciting to me that we’re having these conversations about inclusion, diversity and belonging within our business and that we’re creating a safe space to talk about the issues. We all have a responsibility to recognize, appreciate and celebrate our differences – understanding the layers of diversity and figuring out how we can learn from each other.