Who Do You See by Jonathan Burton

We are proud to highlight Black Excellence across our footprint and honour those who inspire us, not only throughout Black History Month, but 365 days a year .... This is... My Story. My Voice. At TD.

Behind the Scenes with Jonathan Burton

Jonathan Burton is a Business Information Management Specialist, in Treasury & Balance Sheet Management, TD Bank Group in Greenville, South Carolina. A talented musician, Jonathan composed 'Who Do You See' in recognition of Black History Month. Join us as he explains his piece.

Tell us about your passion for music? What do you love most about it?

Music allows me to tap into my creative side, and through performance and/or composition I get to express that. The best part, I guess, is to be able to see and hear tangible results of that creativity be it on stage or through song recordings.

What is the message behind this song? And, how does it relate to Black History Month?

Music is a powerful thing. It influences young minds and even carves out a space for itself in most if not all cultures. It can be used to build up or to tear down, to divide or to unite. Simply put, this short song was written to trigger a reflective and introspective look at ourselves. This is especially relevant right now with the divide our country is facing.

So how does this song relate to Black History Month. Well, at its most basic form Black History Month represents those ideals that societies are built upon and that are taught to us in our laws, religious texts and social norms. These things are fairness, equality and respect. This goal of this song is to give a sort of mental nudge and ask us to really take a look at ourselves and hold ourselves to a higher standard.

What is one call to action for your colleagues during this year's Black History Month? (i.e. partaking in difficult conversations, joining a new group, etc.)

I challenge my colleagues not to have difficult conversations per say, but to just have a conversation with multiple people of different cultural backgrounds. If you truly listen, you will find that you are much more alike than you are different. Once you begin to relate, you begin to understand that you are the same, whatever your geographical, racial or cultural origins.