Showing posts with label civil rights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label civil rights. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Are You Against Same Sex Marriages?
A fellow blogger reminded me of the following:
Interracial marriage was also made legal state-by-state, until 1969, when it finally became legally recognized & allowed in all the United States. The EXACT same arguments were used against interracial marriage: "it's against teachings of the Bible", "it's against nature", "it will lead to legalizing pedophilia & bestiality", "legalizing it would encourage deviant behavior", and on & on. Also, the churches that were historically against civil rights for racial minorities were the same groups that switched over to attacking the glbt community in the 70's, after having clearly lost their fight against racial equality.
All of this is the same fight... either you are for a structure of oppression & privilege through stratified social dynamics of superiority vs. inferiority or you are against it. Because of these dynamics, if you are not against all oppression, then you are supporting a system of supremacy & oppression.
So true.
Interracial marriage was also made legal state-by-state, until 1969, when it finally became legally recognized & allowed in all the United States. The EXACT same arguments were used against interracial marriage: "it's against teachings of the Bible", "it's against nature", "it will lead to legalizing pedophilia & bestiality", "legalizing it would encourage deviant behavior", and on & on. Also, the churches that were historically against civil rights for racial minorities were the same groups that switched over to attacking the glbt community in the 70's, after having clearly lost their fight against racial equality.
All of this is the same fight... either you are for a structure of oppression & privilege through stratified social dynamics of superiority vs. inferiority or you are against it. Because of these dynamics, if you are not against all oppression, then you are supporting a system of supremacy & oppression.
So true.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Good Intentions Aren't Good Enough -- When It Comes to Diversity Management
Former U.S. President George W. Bush hit one nail on the head when he said, “Good intentions aren’t good enough!” Bush’s quote should be considered today by those organizations that strive for racially and ethnically diverse workplaces, but don’t necessarily meet their diversity goals.
As popular the topic, and with so much being written about valuing diversity and its management these days, many companies might recognize the value that diverse employees can bring, but as it turns out, few successfully exemplify those values.
In a recent study conducted by Commongood Careers and the Level Playing Field Institute, researchers found when it comes to promoting staff diversity there was little connection between intentions and actions of nonprofit organizations.
(Other studies show that private companies are having the same problem implementing diversity, as well. For instance, major European organizations display little diversity in the ranks of their top management according to an analysis by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) of 40 randomly selected companies from the Euro Stoxx 50 index; on average, 93 percent of the executive directors were male; 86 percent were native Europeans; and 49 percent were between the ages of 51 and 60 years old. By contrast, the market demands on these same companies are far less homogeneous: the purchasing power of women is steadily increasing; the companies generate, on average, approximately 40 percent of their revenues outside of Europe; and their customers are growing older. "Diversity must be seen as a strategic response to major business trends such as globalization, demographic shifts, and the talent shortage," explained Dr. Rainer Strack, senior partner at BCG, HR expert, and an author of the report.)
Meanwhile, in the Commongood study, of the 1,638 nonprofit professionals surveyed, 90 percent of employees said they believe their organization values diversity, but 70 percent of respondents also said their employer does not do enough to create a diverse and inclusive workplace. Commongood Careers focused on diversity as it pertains to race and ethnicity.
James Weinberg, Commongood’s founder, says the extent to which an organization embodies diversity not only affects its ability to remain competitive but it also plays a role in fulfilling its founding mission.
“In the nonprofit sector, most organizations are in the business of helping people,” says Weinberg. “You run into a particular set of challenges when you run an organization that is not representative of the community you’re serving, and that opens you up to being disconnected to the nature and challenges of those in the community.”
According to the survey results, 64 percent of the respondents who reported that they left an organization because they experienced a lack of diversity or inclusiveness were people of color. Additionally, the cost to organizations to recruit and fill a vacancy can range from 30 to 150 percent of an employee’s salary – a much bigger loss for the big picture, the report indicates.
“In our experience working with the organizations who prioritize diversity and have a fundamental understanding of the full benefits of diversity and the costs that they incur if they don’t, is what separates a successful organization from those that aren’t,” Weinberg says. “This is a mission critical core value that is vital to organizations and it’s that perception shift that we really need to encourage in the sector.”
Commongood gives several suggestions for how to build diverse and inclusive workplaces in the nonprofit sector.
--Have open conversations that lead to clarity, consensus, and commitment.Talking about race can be difficult, and yet a productive exchange of ideas and openness can take place when there is a thoughtful process involved. To get a conversation going, leaders can form a staff committee with the assignment to organize trainings, structure settings for staff conversations, and report on results.
--Communicate effectively about diversity commitments. Create and share an organizational diversity statement and plan that clearly tells how the organization defines diversity, what its goals are related to diversity, and what strategies it uses to meet those goals.
--Develop partnerships and networks that enable effective recruiting. Target community organizations that represent diversity, such as professional associations, educational institutions, alumni networks, cultural societies, etc. in order to expand the possibility of locating a more diverse candidate pool.
--Ensure hiring processes that are equitable and inclusive. Take steps to ensure that unintentional bias doesn’t affect hiring processes, and to conduct an audit around hiring-related policies for subtle cues that could be interpreted as biased, unfair, insensitive, or offensive. Weinberg suggests involving diverse individuals in the design and implementation of the hiring process. The organization should also make sure that it is clear on its messaging about diversity throughout the interview process.
--Embrace, develop, advance, and retain employees. Simply succeeding in hiring diverse employees is not enough to maintain a commitment to diversity and inclusion. To keep new people, organizations must focus on activities that promote diversity. Consider a well-designed mentoring or coaching program for new employees. There are many other ways for organizations to demonstrate a commitment to diversity throughout all the ranks, while making sure that diverse employees have opportunities to advance to senior leadership positions.
Susan
I look forward to your comments and reviews on my newest eBook, Cashing In On Diversity.
As popular the topic, and with so much being written about valuing diversity and its management these days, many companies might recognize the value that diverse employees can bring, but as it turns out, few successfully exemplify those values.
In a recent study conducted by Commongood Careers and the Level Playing Field Institute, researchers found when it comes to promoting staff diversity there was little connection between intentions and actions of nonprofit organizations.
(Other studies show that private companies are having the same problem implementing diversity, as well. For instance, major European organizations display little diversity in the ranks of their top management according to an analysis by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) of 40 randomly selected companies from the Euro Stoxx 50 index; on average, 93 percent of the executive directors were male; 86 percent were native Europeans; and 49 percent were between the ages of 51 and 60 years old. By contrast, the market demands on these same companies are far less homogeneous: the purchasing power of women is steadily increasing; the companies generate, on average, approximately 40 percent of their revenues outside of Europe; and their customers are growing older. "Diversity must be seen as a strategic response to major business trends such as globalization, demographic shifts, and the talent shortage," explained Dr. Rainer Strack, senior partner at BCG, HR expert, and an author of the report.)
Meanwhile, in the Commongood study, of the 1,638 nonprofit professionals surveyed, 90 percent of employees said they believe their organization values diversity, but 70 percent of respondents also said their employer does not do enough to create a diverse and inclusive workplace. Commongood Careers focused on diversity as it pertains to race and ethnicity.
James Weinberg, Commongood’s founder, says the extent to which an organization embodies diversity not only affects its ability to remain competitive but it also plays a role in fulfilling its founding mission.
“In the nonprofit sector, most organizations are in the business of helping people,” says Weinberg. “You run into a particular set of challenges when you run an organization that is not representative of the community you’re serving, and that opens you up to being disconnected to the nature and challenges of those in the community.”
According to the survey results, 64 percent of the respondents who reported that they left an organization because they experienced a lack of diversity or inclusiveness were people of color. Additionally, the cost to organizations to recruit and fill a vacancy can range from 30 to 150 percent of an employee’s salary – a much bigger loss for the big picture, the report indicates.
“In our experience working with the organizations who prioritize diversity and have a fundamental understanding of the full benefits of diversity and the costs that they incur if they don’t, is what separates a successful organization from those that aren’t,” Weinberg says. “This is a mission critical core value that is vital to organizations and it’s that perception shift that we really need to encourage in the sector.”
Commongood gives several suggestions for how to build diverse and inclusive workplaces in the nonprofit sector.
--Have open conversations that lead to clarity, consensus, and commitment.Talking about race can be difficult, and yet a productive exchange of ideas and openness can take place when there is a thoughtful process involved. To get a conversation going, leaders can form a staff committee with the assignment to organize trainings, structure settings for staff conversations, and report on results.
--Communicate effectively about diversity commitments. Create and share an organizational diversity statement and plan that clearly tells how the organization defines diversity, what its goals are related to diversity, and what strategies it uses to meet those goals.
--Develop partnerships and networks that enable effective recruiting. Target community organizations that represent diversity, such as professional associations, educational institutions, alumni networks, cultural societies, etc. in order to expand the possibility of locating a more diverse candidate pool.
--Ensure hiring processes that are equitable and inclusive. Take steps to ensure that unintentional bias doesn’t affect hiring processes, and to conduct an audit around hiring-related policies for subtle cues that could be interpreted as biased, unfair, insensitive, or offensive. Weinberg suggests involving diverse individuals in the design and implementation of the hiring process. The organization should also make sure that it is clear on its messaging about diversity throughout the interview process.
--Embrace, develop, advance, and retain employees. Simply succeeding in hiring diverse employees is not enough to maintain a commitment to diversity and inclusion. To keep new people, organizations must focus on activities that promote diversity. Consider a well-designed mentoring or coaching program for new employees. There are many other ways for organizations to demonstrate a commitment to diversity throughout all the ranks, while making sure that diverse employees have opportunities to advance to senior leadership positions.
Susan
I look forward to your comments and reviews on my newest eBook, Cashing In On Diversity.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Why in the world would a business owner put up a 'right to refuse service' sign?? No diversity here!
Any retailer that posts a sign announcing they “reserve the right to do business with anyone for any reason," needs to at least recognize that's a pretty dumb way to attract new customers --
I really can't believe I still see these signs, but I do. What is going through the head of any business owner that appears to say, "hey, if I don’t like the color of your skin, or how you look or act, I can tell you to leave my store and I don’t have to even be rational or even follow the law.”
I moved to New Mexico in January and am really surprised that in a state with such a diversity of population, business ‘refusal’ signs are still common in many communities.
For many people – whether or not they fit into a ‘minority’ classification, such a statement harkens back to the days when non-white people were actively discriminated against by racist retailers. So, why would any business owner in their proper mind – someone who wants to make money by serving as many people as possible -- post a potentially offensive sign in their store in this day and age?
Well, here is a quick sociology lesson for anyone who would defend this practice: almost half, nearly 40 percent, of the U.S. population doesn’t fit the white family stereotype that made marketing in the 60s so easy – the image of June Cleaver and her popular family.
Guess what! Leave it to Beaver days are over! The changing cultural landscape of the country is exciting and offers so much opportunity. This requires all of us in business to think about the best way to start an engaging conversation.
An offensive sign that brings back memories of our country’s worst behaviors, the days of water hoses and black children being hosed down, simply is not a way to start a good conversation with any customer.
I DO still remembers those horrible images from the 1950s when watching television with my parents, and I often ask store owners to explain their signs when I see these discriminatory signs in their stores.
It can be an interesting encounter. Sometimes, the store owner is quite defensive, even when I quietly explain how I feel about their sign and why. But I do think they get the message, and I ask others to ‘run’ the same ‘social experiment’.
This type of bigotry, whether or not it is purposefully intended, really harms all of business and can be so hurtful.
One has to wonder. Who is the store owner targeting? Would they kick out a gay couple holding hands? Do they want poor people to stay away? Are they directly targeting Native Americans? Often, the store owner can’t even answer these questions, probably because they haven’t given their sign enough thought in the first place. Yet, I am sure they want to have a successful business and make money from lots of customers.
My new eBook, Cash In On Diversity,is published by Smashwords (distributor of eBooks to the Apple iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Sony Reader Store, Kobo and the Diesel eBook Store) and I've tried to blend practical experience with academic findings and provide do-able solutions for companies that are trying to grow their customer base, capturing a better representation of ethnicity and cultures.
The 12 chapter eBook features a diversity and psychology FAQ contributed by a social and clinical psychologist, a discussion of five common diversity mistakes companies make, specific tips for communicating with non-native speakers, an 11-point organizational diversity analysis, the script from Klopfer’s popular diversity webinar, followed by a complete glossary of critical diversity terms (from Abrahamic religions to xenophobia).
So take a look -- follow the link -- and you can download 20 percent for free!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Diversity Briefings Newsletter; November 23, 2010
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 11/23/2010
Volume 1, Issue 21. Published Each Monday - Friday
Welcome back to Diversity Briefings. Please note, there will be no published issues from Nov. 24 - Nov. 30. Next issue will be published Dec. 1. Have a wonderful holiday. Susan
I hope you are enjoying each issue of this newsletter. Please feel free to resend this Diversity newsletter on to friends and colleagues. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form for Diversity Briefings is below. Also, if you have some extra time, take a look at the new diversity glossary, upper left on this blog site. Take Care and Good Reading!
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
P.S. FREE GIFT inside today's issue! Remember, You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
/////
Wake up to your power
Rupert Nacoste, guest columnist for Technician Online: “I started working on diversity issues in the U.S. Navy in 1974. Back then diversity was all about black-white relations. But diversity in black and white is dead. Neo-diversity is what we live with today; a time and circumstance when for all of us, contact with people who do not look like us happens every day, and is unavoidable. Many people are having trouble adjusting to our neo-diversity America. Not so much because of prejudice and bigotry, but because of uncertainty and anxiety about how to interact.”
http://www.technicianonline.com/viewpoint/wake-up-to-your-power-1.2414892
/////
Diversity Student Council looks into starting "Power of Words" campaign
Kylie Corbett, reporting for The Lariat: Saddleback College's Diversity Student Council is currently looking into ideas for future events and campaigns. The promotion of awareness of social equality issues surrounding LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people has greatly influenced DSC's interest in starting a Power of Words campaign. DSC will soon be purchasing a banner and flag due to the increasing numbers of suicides as the result of peer bullying. The banner and flag will encompass the idea of equality. This campaign will emphasize the use of better words and the importance of accepting one another.
http://www.lariatnews.com/life/diversity-student-council-looks-into-starting-power-of-words-campaign-1.2414460
/////
Sandra Ciseneros Lectures at UCSB
Co-sponsor Mario Garcia, professor of Chicano Studies here at UCSB, discussed why he specifically wanted Cisneros to lecture on campus.“She is without question the finest Latina writer in the country and I wanted to expose my students to her. I am using her book House on Mango Street in my class so I wanted to put a face to the book.”
http://thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu/2010/11/sandra-ciseneros-lectures-at-ucsb
/////
Lynchburg schools under review for civil rights compliance; U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights is conducting the review.
Karen Kiley reporting for WDBJ7: The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) usually investigates complaints of civil rights violations in schools. It gets about 6,900 of those a year, nationwide, and investigates about one-third of those complaints. But now, D.O.E. officials say the OCR is trying to be proactive and is doing "random" compliance checks of school systems. Nearly two dozen of these types of investigations are currently underway, nationwide.
http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj-lynchburg-schools-under-review-112210,0,5037255.story
/////
Travelers Share Tales of Airport Security-Induced Humiliation
Sandra Quinlan reporting for Justice News Flash: West Palm Beach, FL—Two travelers claimed they were humiliated while undergoing enhanced pat-downs by Transportation Safety Administration agents on two separate occasions in the last few months. The incidents, both of which involved cancer survivors, occurred at airports in Michigan and North Carolina.
http://www.justicenewsflash.com/2010/11/23/travelers-airport-security-induced-humiliation_201011236239.html
/////
FREE GIFT http://www.quoteactions.com/a/profile/841
/////
Companies Must Manage the ‘ISMs’ When Working With Diversity
Susan Klopfer writes
-- “We have some great new and positive ideas for restructuring our sales workforce, ultimately helping our entire company to get through this recession. But there is so much resistance to diversity that I can’t implement all of our plans and I am coming to you for some help. How do I encourage our sales division to make these changes?”
--Sales Vice President, Rema, describes her dilemma to members of her company’s special change management team during their weekly meeting at WXYZ Company.
--“Diversity is always a tough area of change,” says Pete, a team member who initiated its organization five years earlier. Pete had taken diversity management classes in college, becoming a devout follower of diversity gurus R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr. and William Sonnenschein. He persuaded his company’s CEO to organize this group that advises other managers as they implement change throughout the organization. “We call this time of most resistance during any change project as being in the Delta,” he explains to Rema.
--“We know you’ve worked hard to get everyone behind the sales restructuring project, and it was especially critical that you considered the diversity component in these changes,” another group member, Marilyn, joins in.
--“But I am not surprised that you are encountering serious resistance from line managers, employees, and even senior managers. Resistance typically rises from many sources.”
Continued --
http://diversitythoughts.blogspot.com/p/companies-must-manage-isms-when-working.html
/////
Find still more Diversity News each day at Diversity News Online http://diversitynewsonline. Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
## End ##
Keywords: cultural diversity, manage and value diversity, diversity training, diversity education, workplace violence, workplace, employment, diversity, disability, inclusion, ethnic, racial, gender, multiculturalism, immigration, lgbt, racism, discrimination, new civil rights movement, civil rights, feminist, latinos, Native Americans, hostile workplace, harassment
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Diversity Briefings Newsletter: 11/10/2010
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 11/10/2010
Today’s New Diversity Topics:
--President appeals for Muslim-Christian tolerance
--Difference Between Men and Women Business Owners?
--December Date Set for 2010 Civil Rights Leader Daisy Bates Summit
--Justice Department Reaches Settlement with University of South Carolina
--Demand For Equal Justice: White Farmers Still Ahead, Says Color of Change Advocate
--The Worse Mistake Supervisors Can Make
--President Obama honors Indonesia as an example of diversity, democracy
--“Defense of Marriage” Lawsuits in US,
--Another Bullied 14-year-old commits suicide,
--New York, Chicago Accused of Title IX Sports Discrimination
--Still More on Managing Diversity: People From Diverse Communities and Mental Health Services
----- ----- ----- -----
Volume 1, Issue 15. Published Each Monday - Friday
Welcome back to Diversity Briefings. I hope you are enjoying each issue of this newsletter. Please feel free to resend this Diversity newsletter on to friends and colleagues. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form for Diversity Briefings is below. Also, if you have some extra time, take a look at the new diversity glossary, upper left on this blog site. Take Care and Good Reading!
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
P.S. Free gift offer inside today's issue!
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
----- ----- ----- -----
Barack Obama in Indonesia appeals for Muslim-Christian tolerance
The President today, speaking at the University of Indonesia in Jakart, talked of the tolerance Indonesians had shown him (the foreign child brought up in their midst), and the tolerance needed today to eradicate the mistrust that had built up over the years between Muslims and Christians. This was the second major speech of his presidency reaching out to the Muslim world. The first was in Cairo last year. More from The Guardian --
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/10/barack-obama-indonesia-religious-tolerance
/////
What's the Difference Between Men and Women Business Owners?
Popular Bag Lady Linda Hollander has been watching The Apprentice as Donald Trump divides the teams into men and women to see their different motivations and leadership styles. She reports the gap between men and women seems to be closing and shares some style differences between the two. Both genders mention the same motivations according a recent study by the Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurship. For example, both “had an equally strong passion to build wealth.” Hollander’s comments are interesting – Read more--
http://wealthybaglady.typepad.com/blog/
/////
December Date Set for 2010 Daisy Bates Summit
The NAACP 2010 Daisy Bates Summit will be held Thursday, December 2—Saturday December 4, 2010. The late civil rights advocate Daisy Bates was president of the Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP and advisor in 1957 to the Little Rock Nine, the students who braved hostile opponents of integration to Central High School. Despite mob threats and intimidation, cross burnings on her property, and other acts of attempted violence, Mrs. Bates persisted because of her strong beliefs.
For her work guiding the Nine through one of the most tumultuous civil rights crises of the 1950s, she was selected as 1957 Woman of the Year in Education by the Associated Press, and was the only woman invited to speak at the Lincoln Memorial ceremony in Martin Luther King’s March on Washington in 1963. But her importance as a historical figure has been overlooked by scholars of the civil rights movement. December’s Summit will convene grassroots organizers from across the country to focus on moving the NAACP’s education agenda forward with a combination of traditional and innovative education organizing techniques conducted in concert with local allies. Continued --
http://www.naacp.org/news/entry/daisy-bates-summit-2010/
/////
Justice Department Reaches Settlement with University of South Carolina to Ensure Students Are Free from Harassment
University of South Carolina has agreed to improve its policies and practices for receiving, investigating and resolving complaints of discrimination and harassment. The settlement agreement will ensure that students, faculty and administrators understand and are trained on their responsibilities under the university’s policies, including when and how to report incidents of harassment or discrimination, and will require the university to respond to such complaints in a timely and effective manner. In order to ensure ongoing compliance with its revised policies, the university also will train select administrators, faculty and students to lead future trainings on campus. The settlement provides that the university will adopt revised anti-discrimination and harassment policies before the start of the 2011-12 school year and will initiate training during the spring 2012 semester. Read on --
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/November/10-crt-1276.html
/////
Demand For Equal Justice: Farmers Still Can’t Get Their Settlement; White Farmers Still Ahead, Says Color of Change Advocate
From James Rucker, ColorOfChange.org: For more than a generation, managers at the United States Department of Agriculture systematically turned down Black farmers' applications for loans and other critical forms of aid. These loans are the lifeblood of farming, and without them many Black-owned farms were foreclosed on — and resold to White farmers. This insidious discrimination enabled some White farmers to prosper and grow at the expense of generations of Black families who sought to make a living off the land. At the same time, it devastated the Black farming community. While 14% of all farmers were Black at the turn of the last century,3 by 2002 only 1.4% were Black.
Black farmers eventually filed a class action lawsuit against the federal government, winning a landmark legal settlement in 1999. At the time, the USDA paid only a portion of the farmers with legitimate claims, so a second settlement was announced — but Congress never approved funding to pay the remaining farmers. This story and Rucker’s demand for equal justice continues --
http://www.colorofchange.org/pigford/?akid=1691.242831.GEK8QT&id=2413-900765&rd=1&t=3
/////
Handling Employee Complaints: The Worse Mistake Supervisors Can Make
Here’s a tip from the HR Cafe on the WORST mistake a supervisor can make: When employees make complaints, listen. Take good notes. Ask questions and get all the facts. But don’t judge. It's a bad idea in general to make assumptions about what employees did or didn't do. But if an employee comes to you with a complaint, those assumptions become even more dangerous. Read on to learn more about the worst mistake supervisors can make in dealing with employee complaints.
http://rapidlearninginstitute.com/hrcafe/employee-complaints-worst-mistake-supervisor-can-make/?utm_source=The+HR+Cafe+Blog&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=02e19878a2-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_HRCAFE
/////
President Obama honors Indonesia as an example of diversity, democracy
President Obama honored Indonesia, as an example of how this country embraced diversity and democracy. The president said that innocent individuals all over the world were still under attack by militants but underlined that the United States was not at battle with the Islam. According to analysts, it is the president’s greatest effort to connect with Islamic world since he talked to Cairo in 2009.
http://whatisthetrend.net/president-obama-honors-indonesia-as-an-example-of-diversity-democracy-20104618.html
/////
Europe’s Largest Gay News Service Follows “Defense of Marriage” Lawsuits in US
Pink News reports: “Two lawsuits have been filed against the US Defence of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of gay marriage.They were filed in Connecticut and New York by gay rights groups, who argue that the 1996 law, known as DOMA, violates the US constitution.Connecticut’s lawsuit was filed by the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders on behalf of gay couples in Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire.” Follow this report –
http://gay.pinknews.co.uk/2010/11/10/two-lawsuits-filed-against-us-defence-of-marriage-act/
/////
Still Another Bullied 14-Year-Old Commits Suicide
From the New Civil Rights Movement Blog: Fourteen-year old Pennsylvania high school freshman Brandon Bitner wrote a suicide note, left home around 2:00 AM Friday morning, walked thirteen miles, then, threw himself into highway traffic, killing himself. A friend says, “It was because of bullying. It was not about race, or gender, but they bullied him for his sexual preferences and the way he dressed. Which they wrongly accused him of.” Here is more --
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/bullied-14-year-old-called-gay-girly-fag-commits-suicide/news/2010/11/08/14890
/////
New York, Chicago Accused of Title IX Sports Discrimination in High School
Bloomberg reports: New York, Chicago and 10 other U.S. school districts failed to provide high school girls with opportunities to play sports in violation of federal law, the National Women’s Law Center said. The school systems, which also include Houston, violated Title IX by denying girls the same access to sports as boys, the organization said in a statement today. The group filed administrative complaints that are based on the schools’ data and show “pervasive and growing inequalities,” said Marcia Greenberger, co-president of the center.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-10/new-york-chicago-among-school-districts-accused-of-title-ix-sports-breach.html
/////
Receive a free inspirational quote every day from me.
http://www.quoteactions.com/a/profile/841
Lots of my friends are enjoying this free gift. I hope you will, too. Susan
/////
Still More on Managing Diversity:
People From Diverse Communities May Be Fearful To Seek Mental Health Services
Maria recently confided to her doctor that she was having a hard time at work because of her depression. He immediately referred Maria to a psychologist and she was able to start getting some benefit from therapy, combined with medicine from her physician.
Because Maria knows her problem didn't arise overnight, she recognizes it will not go away in a week or two. Even with medicine and therapy, her treatment will probably take at least a month before any significant results occur, her therapist says.
While Maria wants to talk to her boss about this matter, particularly since she is having some trouble adjusting to her medications, she is afraid of her boss's reaction.
"Lots of people really don't understand mental illness very well, so you had better keep this to yourself," Maria's mother advises.
By Susan Klopfer -- Read On ...
http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/diversity-127391.php_____ _____ _____ _____
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
## End ##
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Diversity Briefings Newsletter: 11/09/2010
Today’s New Diversity Topics: Battle Over Jail VS Mental Health Heats Up in Orleans Parish, New Immigration Judges Sworn In, Diversity in Law Firms Takes a 'Hit', Does Real Diversity Mean We’re All the Same? (Surely Not), Still Another Bullied 14-Year-Old Commits Suicide, Guy Or a Girl? Issue a Sticky Wicket On Some Campuses, Spice and Chai Down Under, New Buddhist University in Glasgow,Management Diversity Tip: Incorporating Diversity Requires Skill
----- ----- ----- -----
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 11/09/2010
Volume 1, Issue 14. Published Each Monday - Friday
P.S. Free gift offer inside today's issue!
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
----- ----- ----- -----
Orleans Parish: More and Bigger Jails?
Jordan Flaherty reports in today's Huffington Post, the battle is hearing up in the Orleans Parish. With 3,500 beds in a city of about 350,000 residents, the Parish Prison (OPP) is already the largest per capita county jail of any major US city. The elected official with oversight over the jail has submitted plans for an even larger complex. But a broad coalition wants what would be spent on a larger jail be diverted to alternatives to incarceration, like drug treatment programs and mental health facilities. And yet here may be a common ground, some leaders say. Read on --
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jordan-flaherty/the-incarceration-capital_b_781150.html
/////
New Immigration Judges Sworn In
DOJ reports Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler recently invested 23 new immigration judges during a ceremony held at the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) headquarters, marking a roughly 10 percent increase in the judges corps in just one day. Immigration judges conduct formal court proceedings to determine whether an individual from a foreign country should be allowed to remain in the United States. This story continues --
http://blogs.usdoj.gov/blog/archives/1055
/////
Diversity in Law Firms Takes a 'Hit'
Employment statistics are showing that diversity practiced by law firms is taking a hit, thanks to recession — but the pain isn’t being spread to all firms evenly, says Elie Mystal. "The latest NALP figures show that minorities accounted for 12.4% of firm attorneys, down from 12.59% in 2009. Women represented 32.69% of firm attorneys, down from 32.97% in 2009." More figures and analyses --
http://abovethelaw.com/2010/11/diversity-issues-to-consider-before-you-accept-your-offer/
/////
Real Diversity Means We’re Not All the Same? Yes or No?
Some 45 years after Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law, race relations in the U.S. remain difficult at best. "We have the right to drink from the same fountains, ride on the same buses, live in the same neighborhoods, attend the same schools, hold the same jobs and pursue the same dreams, but much still is not right," notes James Badham in a piece he writes for Miller McCune magazine. Continued --
http://abovethelaw.com/2010/11/diversity-issues-to-consider-before-you-accept-your-offer/
/////
Still Another Bullied 14-Year-Old Commits Suicide
Here is more --
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/bullied-14-year-old-called-gay-girly-fag-commits-suicide/news/2010/11/08/14890
/////
Male, Female, Or? Issue a Sticky Wicket on Some Campuses
From Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- When Kevin Murphy entered as a freshman at Mount Holyoke, a Massachusetts women's college, in 2003, he was female. By the time he received his diploma, he was male...Defining gender on same-sex campuses has become murky as ... More schools are encountering complicated cases where not all students at men's colleges identify as male and not all students at women's colleges identify as female.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/11/08/single.sex.college.trangender.nongender/index.html?iref=allsearch
/////
Spice, Chai, Lights and Rhythms at ‘Parramasala’ in SydneyFrom Cultural Diversity News: The Indian community in Sydney is proud to have taken the Australia-India cultural relationship to a new level with Parramasala being the first ever South-Asian Cultural Festival in Sydney. Continued--
http://www.culturaldiversity.net.au/
/////
Receive a free inspirational quote every day from me. Just visit
http://www.quoteactions.com/a/profile/841
for information. Lots of my friends are enjoying this free gift.
Susan
/////
Britain’s first Buddhist College is to open at Glasgow University.
The Buddhist College UK will be modelled on the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, the Venerable Rewatha’s home country. The Venerable Rewatha, also Buddhist Chaplain to Glasgow University. said: “The course will provide an academic approach to Buddhism and open up inter-faith dialogue in Scotland. Setting up the college is a great achievement and I am delighted to be part of it.” Read More --
http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=3,9657,0,0,1,0
/////
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
Incorporating Diversity Management Requires Skill
Susan Klopfer
It sounded so good back in graduate school when Karen took a class in diversity management. The professor had kept everyone's attention as he lectured on this new business practice. Now her boss of two years, at the regional bank, is suggesting Karen may be asked to oversee a transition team to move the bank from affirmative action and valuing differences to a focus on managing diversity.
He tells her that bank board members, the CEO and several key executives are seriously concerned about this project, after two key new-hires recently left their positions. It was expensive to recruit them and there had been high hopes these two college superstars would easily move through the bank's executive training program. "So, do you know why Miss Morales and Mr. Diego left?" Karen asks.
"Well, I did hear they were speaking Spanish together at lunch and someone came up and complained that they didn't care about their co-workers if they didn't speak English at work," her boss says.
"Oh, brother," Karen says, shaking her head. "Why didn't that person ask for Spanish lessons − and take advantage of their ability to speak several languages?
Keep reading --
http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/cultural-diversity-119408.php
///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here...
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
###End ###
Monday, November 8, 2010
Diversity Briefings Newsletter: November 8, 2010
Today’s New Diversity Topics: Two Immigrant Americans Honored, Texas A&M Diversity Conference Set This Week, The Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement, School Warned Over Bullying, Black Legislators Lose Gains, Iowa Prosecutors Fight Free Speech, Fanatics Prefer Intolerance, Maps Errors Rekindle Border Conflict ,Using Correct Terms Increases Diversity Success
----- ----- ----- -----
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 11/08/2010
Volume 1, Issue 13
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Welcome back to Diversity Briefings. I hope you are enjoying these diversity stories and links. Please feel free to resend this Diversity newsletter on to friends and colleagues. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form for Diversity Briefings is below. Also, if you have some extra time, take a look at the newdiversity and multicultural glossary, upper left on this blog site. Take care and Good reading!
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
P.S. Again today -- look for a free gift offer inside today's issue!
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here...
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
----- ----- ----- -----
Today’s New Diversity Topics: Two Immigrant Americans Honored, Texas A&M Diversity Conference Set This Week, The Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement, School Warned Over Bullying, Black Legislators Lose Gains, Iowa Prosecutors Fight Free Speech, Fanatics Prefer Intolerance, Maps Errors Rekindle Border Conflict , Using Correct Terms Increases Diversity Success
/////
Upwardly Global Honors Two Immigrant Americans for Outstanding Leadership
NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Upwardly Global, an internationally recognized nonprofit organization with a mission to eliminate barriers to professional workplace entry for foreign-educated immigrants and refugees in the United States, announced today the names of two influential immigrant Americans it will recognize at its annual 2010 Passport to Possibilities Gala, on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at the Edison Ballroom. Deven Sharma, President of Standard & Poor's, and Mariam Assefa, Executive Director of World Education Services will receive the organization's prestigious Outstanding Leadership award for their personal and professional accomplishments elevating the profile of immigrant Americans as well as supporting diversity in the workplace. This story continues --
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/upwardly-global-honors-two-immigrant-americans-for-outstanding-leadership-106882683.html
/////
Big 12 Diversity Conference To Be Held At Texas A&M Nov. 12-13
COLLEGE STATION, Nov. 8, 2010 – Texas A&M University will host the annual Big 12 Diversity Conference Nov. 12-13, bringing together the chief diversity officers in the top-tier athletic conference that includes schools in seven states. The keynote address will be delivered by William Harvey, provost and vice president for academic and student affairs at Rosemont College and formerly vice president for diversity and equity at the University of Virginia. Stanley said Harvey is expected to share examples of successful initiatives and best practices and discuss methods for collaborating on strategies that support institution-wide diversity agendas. Continued --
http://tamunews.tamu.edu/2010/11/08/big-12-diversity-conference-to-be-held-at-texas-am-nov-12-13/
/////
Speakers link start of Holocaust to civil rights movement in the South
Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus : "It all came to a head on Kristallnacht, during which police and firemen were instructed not to intervene except to safeguard German citizens and their property," the rabbi said. "Sixty thousand Jewish males were sent to concentration camps that night, the start of the Holocaust. That event took place in darkness but the second was in broad daylight. That event turned out to be a tipping point toward justice and dignity for all people."
Joseph McNeil: "We didn't want to be carried out in a pine box, but it was a possibility,"one of the four Greensboro, N.C. students who led the nonviolent protest in 1960.
Here is more --
http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Speaker-links-start-of-Holocaust-to-civil-rights-802408.php
/////
U.S. Dept. of Education Warns Schools Over Bullying; Protects Gay Students For 1st Time
The US Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Russlyn Ali, in a new advisory released Oct. 26, warns that schools can lose federal dollars if they do not comply with the civil rights laws to protect gay students. It has been a traditional Office of Civil Rights policy to protect US students against discrimination based on race, gender, religion, national origin and disability, however this is the first time a government advisory mentions LGBT discrimination. Here is more --
http://www.sanjoseinside.com/news/entries/11_04_10_end_anti-gay_bullying_in_schools/
/////
Alabama civil rights attorney fears loss of gains by black legislators
Tuesday's elections marked the 40th anniversary of the election of the first African-American lawmakers to serve in the Alabama Legislature since Reconstruction.The year was 1970, and Fred Gray Sr. had already gained fame as a civil rights attorney. Gray, a son of Montgomery, was actively keeping the secret pact that he had made with himself to become an attorney and "destroy everything segregated (he) could find" in Alabama. This article continues --
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20101107/NEWS02/11070360/Civil-rights-attorney-Gray-fears-loss-of-gains-by-black-legislators
/////
First Amendment Rights: Iowa Prosecutors Ask Court to Ban Peaceful Protestors
Prosecutors in Polk County Iowa have requested the court ban two anti-war protestors from the Federal Building in Des Moines after their arrest for trespassing. One of the activists, Christine Gaunt of Grinnell, Iowa, has been staging non-violent protests against the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the offices of Sen. Tom Harkin (D) and Sen. Charles Grassley (R) for the past eight months.
The Right to Petition Your Government
Civil rights advocates have expressed concern about the request questioning whether such a move represents a violation of the First Amendment, which guarantees American citizens the right to free speech and the right to petition the government.
Continued --
http://www.care2.com/causes/civil-rights/blog/prosecutors-request-court-to-ban-protestors-from-federal-building/
/////
Receive a free inspirational quote every day from me. Just visit
http://www.quoteactions.com/a/profile/841
for information. Lots of my friends are enjoying this free gift.
Susan
/////
Do America’s religious fanatics prefer intolerance over civil rights?
Blog Eideard: "If you want to understand how the Taliban thinks, you need look no further than America’s fundamentalist army of fanatics. Free thought and education are meaningless to ideological cave-dwellers who would not allow processes that differ with theirs..."
http://eideard.wordpress.com/2010/11/07/americas-religious-fanatics-prefer-intolerance-over-civil-rights/
/////
Still More Diversity Notes
Google Maps errors rekindle border conflict between Nicaragua and Costa Rica
Google Maps error is being blamed for Nicaraguan troops accidentally invading Costa Rica last week. The troops have been accused of crossing the hotly disputed Nicaragua border into Costa Rica in Central America and setting up camp for the night after taking down a Costa Rican flag and raising the Nicaraguan flag.
http://en.mercopress.com/2010/11/08/google-maps-errors-rekindle-border-conflict-between-nicaragua-and-costa-rica?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
Working Harder at Using Correct Terms Increases Diversity Success
Susan Klopfer writes:
Ana is talking with one of her team members about a newly employed woman who has a "strange" last name. "I wonder where she's from. I'll bet you she's an illegal alien," Ana whispers to a co-worker.
But Ana receives an unexpected reaction from a nearby team member, who has been listening in to the conversation.
"Say, wait a minute. My name isn't so common, and I was born in Oregon," Jan Ishi calls over to Ana and her friend. "You had better be careful what you're calling someone at work!"
"Oh I didn't mean anything bad, especially about you," Ana says, as she grabs her coffee and leaves the room red-faced.
http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/diversity-128763.php
///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here...
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
###End ###
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Diversity Briefings: 11/03/10
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 11/03/2010
Volume 1, Issue 10
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Welcome back. I hope you are enjoying these diversity stories and links.
Please feel free to resend this Diversity newsletter on to friends and colleagues. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form for Diversity Briefings is below. Also, if you have some extra time, take a look at the new glossary, top left. Take care and Good reading!
Susan Klopfer
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
Today’s New Diversity Topics: Wage discrimination Act Exclusive, Gen-X in the Workplace, Africa's Bushmen Surprise Science, India Shows Off Diversity, UK TV Lacks Diversity, HIV Diversity Award, California School Boards Lack Latino Members, Mental Health Issues and Diversity: Stigma Gets in the Way
----- ----- ----- -----
Third Circuit Rules Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Inapplicable to Failure-to-Promote Claims
A federal appeals court in Philadelphia has narrowed the reach of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 (“FPA”), determining the protections afforded by the FPA are exclusive to wage discrimination claims and do not cover failure-to-promote claims against employers.
Continued --
http://www.jacksonlewis.com/resources.php?NewsID=3450
/////
Gen X in the workplace: Stuck in the middle?
The generational debate: youngsters want the ol' fogeys out of the way, while the boomers want to keep on working, taking offense at the mention of yielding to their children...Given that baby boomers tend to play things a little closer to the vest, are Gen-Xers best positioned to bridge both worlds?
Continued --
http://views.washingtonpost.com/leadership/leadership_playlist/2010/11/gen-x-in-the-workplace-stuck-in-the-middle.html
/////
Genetic researchers find a broad slice of humanity in one corner of Africa
Africa's Bushmen, also known as San or Khoisan, are among the most genetically diverse people in the world. Two Bushmen who live within walking distance of each other might have more genetic differences between them than a European and an Asian, says Stephan Schuster, a geneticist at Pennsylvania State University.
Continued --
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/56419/title/Decoding_diversity_in_Bushmen
/////
India Looks to Showcase Diversity When President Obama Arrives
WSJ: The President will be visiting the Taj Mahal Hotel as well as the former home of Mahatma Gandhi in Mumbai, what would you like him to learn about India while he is in your city?
Milind Deora: I hope he can try to get a sense of its diversity and contribution to shaping India’s political opinions not just today but also back in the day. Its diversity is in some ways what India is really about...
Click here to continue --http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2010/11/03/mumbai-mp-wants-to-show-obama-city%E2%80%99s-diversity/
/////
ITV schedules have a “remarkable lack of diversity”, chief executive admits
ITV chief executive Adam Crozier, addressing the House of Lords communication committee, said there was a “remarkable lack of diversity” in ITV1’s schedule compared with ten years ago, and warned that Contract Rights Renewal, a mechanism which restricts how the broadcaster sells advertising airtime, had led it to “chase higher rating programmes”, such as soaps.
Click here to continue --
http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/30153/itv-schedules-have-a-remarkable-lack-of
/////
Trans woman receives HIV award at diversity conference
JoAnne Keatley receives an award given by Kaiser Permanente honoring her work with California’s HIV patients at the 33rd annual Diversity Conference.
To continue click here --
http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=112293
Still More Diversity Notes
Low diversity stifles California's education boards
While Latinos comprise nearly half of students in grades K-12, only 15 percent of school board members in California are Latino according to a report by the Cesar Chavez Institute, the community and action research center of SF State's college of ethnic studies.
Titled "Examining Latino Representation on California's School Boards," researchers found that while all board members are committed to improving schools, Latino board members were more likely than white members to focus on improving the academic achievement of African American and Latino students.
To learn more continue here --
http://xpress.sfsu.edu/archives/life/015690.html
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
People From Diverse Communities Too Often Fearful of Seeking Mental Health Treatment
Maria recently confided to her doctor that she was having a hard time at work because of her depression. He immediately referred Maria to a psychologist and she was able to start getting some benefit from therapy, combined with medicine from her physician.
Because Maria knows her problem didn't arise overnight, she recognizes it will not go away in a week or two. Even with medicine and therapy, her treatment will probably take at least a month before any significant results occur, her therapist says.
While Maria wants to talk to her boss about this matter, particularly since she is having some trouble adjusting to her medications, she is afraid of her boss's reaction.
"Lots of people really don't understand mental illness very well, so you had better keep this to yourself," Maria's mother advises.
Susan's article on Diversity continues here -- http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/diversity-127391.php
///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here...
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Diversity Briefings 10/28/2010
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 10/28/2010
Volume 1, Issue 7
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
Welcome to the seventh issue of this new online newsletter. I hope you are enjoying the stories and links. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form is at the bottom of today's issue. Good reading!
Susan Klopfer
Today’s Topics: Corporate Diversity, Scholar Exlores Diversity, Mississippi School Fined, Federal Judge Pushes For Diversity, Latinos Facing More Discrimination, South Park Diversity Initiative; 10 + 10 Diversity Tips For Speakers and Managers
----- ----- ----- -----
Calvert Study: Corporate Diversity Still Coming Up Short for Women
"Examining the Cracks in the Ceiling: A Survey of Corporate Diversity Practices of the S&P 100" shows that out of the 100 CEOs represented in the survey, 92 were Caucasian males. Women make up approximately 18% of director positions within the S&P 100, and only 8.4% of the highest paid executive positions within the same group of companies.
Four key findings from the report are detailed --
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/calvert-study-corporate-diversity-still-coming-up-short-for-women-106078313.html
/////
Feminist Bell Hooks explores the practice of diversity
Bell Hooks, feminist scholar and internationally recognized author of 35 books, said diversity in popular culture means getting and attracting the largest number of customers. Say's "white supremacy is killing us."
Click here to continue reading:
http://media.www.owutranscript.com/media/storage/paper1413/news/2010/10/28/News/Feminist.Bell.Hooks.Explores.The.Practice.Of.Diversity-3950623.shtml
/////
Constance McMillen Prom Update: Mississippi School District Must Pay $81,000 in Legal Fees
The Mississippi school district that canceled its senior prom rather than allow lesbian student Constance McMillen to bring her girlfriend will now have to pay her $81,000 for legal fees incurred when McMillen sued the Itawamba School District for violating her civil rights by canceling the prom.
Click here to continue
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20020765-504083.html
/////
New York Judge Continues Unusual Push For Diversity
Federal judge Harold Baer Jr. received considerable attention last month when he ordered two plaintiffs firms, who were co-lead counsel in a securities-fraud suit, to “make every effort” to assign at least one minority and one woman to the case, repoorts Nathan Koppel in his Law Blog for the Wall Street Journal.
Click here to continue
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2010/10/28/new-york-judge-continues-unusual-push-for-diversity/
/////
More U.S. Latinos say they face discrimination
Certain types of harassment rooted in sexual orientation or religious differences may be a federal civil rights violation, even though members of those groups are not specifically protected in federal law, according to new guidance released today by the U.S. Department of Education's office of civil rights.
To continue click here
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/28/AR2010102803539.html
Still More Notes
South Park Takes Part In Diversity Initiative --
On Oct. 25, Matt Glowacki appeared at '64 Hall to talk about "Diversity According to South Park & Family Guy." Glowacki spoke on diversity in light of his own disability. Family Guy and South Park take part in the diversity initiative that Glowacki stresses. The purpose of these shows is to "take something crazy, make it crazier, and then make you laugh at it, which makes your gut question it . . . they provide us with learning moments of parody and satire that sneak up on you." .
To learn more continue here --
http://www.thecowl.com/news/south-park-family-guy-and-diversity-1.1732938
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
10 Factors That Make Your Recruiting Content More Authentic and Believable
From the city of Scottsdale Arizonia's Office of Diversity and Dialogue: "A simple change in mindset or attitude can make all the difference. Approach generational differences with interest, not fear or negativity. Take interest in the interests of others. You can learn fascinating things about other people if you choose to do so." The city's website offers 10 diversity tips for speakers and 10 diversity tips for managers."
Take a look at
http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/HR/diversity/diversitytips.asp
///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings:
Volume 1, Issue 7
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
Welcome to the seventh issue of this new online newsletter. I hope you are enjoying the stories and links. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form is at the bottom of today's issue. Good reading!
Susan Klopfer
Today’s Topics: Corporate Diversity, Scholar Exlores Diversity, Mississippi School Fined, Federal Judge Pushes For Diversity, Latinos Facing More Discrimination, South Park Diversity Initiative; 10 + 10 Diversity Tips For Speakers and Managers
----- ----- ----- -----
Calvert Study: Corporate Diversity Still Coming Up Short for Women
"Examining the Cracks in the Ceiling: A Survey of Corporate Diversity Practices of the S&P 100" shows that out of the 100 CEOs represented in the survey, 92 were Caucasian males. Women make up approximately 18% of director positions within the S&P 100, and only 8.4% of the highest paid executive positions within the same group of companies.
Four key findings from the report are detailed --
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/calvert-study-corporate-diversity-still-coming-up-short-for-women-106078313.html
/////
Feminist Bell Hooks explores the practice of diversity
Bell Hooks, feminist scholar and internationally recognized author of 35 books, said diversity in popular culture means getting and attracting the largest number of customers. Say's "white supremacy is killing us."
Click here to continue reading:
http://media.www.owutranscript.com/media/storage/paper1413/news/2010/10/28/News/Feminist.Bell.Hooks.Explores.The.Practice.Of.Diversity-3950623.shtml
/////
Constance McMillen Prom Update: Mississippi School District Must Pay $81,000 in Legal Fees
The Mississippi school district that canceled its senior prom rather than allow lesbian student Constance McMillen to bring her girlfriend will now have to pay her $81,000 for legal fees incurred when McMillen sued the Itawamba School District for violating her civil rights by canceling the prom.
Click here to continue
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20020765-504083.html
/////
New York Judge Continues Unusual Push For Diversity
Federal judge Harold Baer Jr. received considerable attention last month when he ordered two plaintiffs firms, who were co-lead counsel in a securities-fraud suit, to “make every effort” to assign at least one minority and one woman to the case, repoorts Nathan Koppel in his Law Blog for the Wall Street Journal.
Click here to continue
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2010/10/28/new-york-judge-continues-unusual-push-for-diversity/
/////
More U.S. Latinos say they face discrimination
Certain types of harassment rooted in sexual orientation or religious differences may be a federal civil rights violation, even though members of those groups are not specifically protected in federal law, according to new guidance released today by the U.S. Department of Education's office of civil rights.
To continue click here
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/28/AR2010102803539.html
Still More Notes
South Park Takes Part In Diversity Initiative --
On Oct. 25, Matt Glowacki appeared at '64 Hall to talk about "Diversity According to South Park & Family Guy." Glowacki spoke on diversity in light of his own disability. Family Guy and South Park take part in the diversity initiative that Glowacki stresses. The purpose of these shows is to "take something crazy, make it crazier, and then make you laugh at it, which makes your gut question it . . . they provide us with learning moments of parody and satire that sneak up on you." .
To learn more continue here --
http://www.thecowl.com/news/south-park-family-guy-and-diversity-1.1732938
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
10 Factors That Make Your Recruiting Content More Authentic and Believable
From the city of Scottsdale Arizonia's Office of Diversity and Dialogue: "A simple change in mindset or attitude can make all the difference. Approach generational differences with interest, not fear or negativity. Take interest in the interests of others. You can learn fascinating things about other people if you choose to do so." The city's website offers 10 diversity tips for speakers and 10 diversity tips for managers."
Take a look at
http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/HR/diversity/diversitytips.asp
///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings:
Monday, October 25, 2010
Diversity Briefings: 10/25/2010
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 10/25/2010
Volume 1, Issue 4
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
Today’s Topics: constitutional issues in gay marriage; China moving closer to civil rights?; religious freedom of roomates; Juan Williams, Part II; Islam and peace, a conversation; too complicated for diversity?
----- ----- ----- -----
A federal law suit filed last year by two California same-sex couples (one gay; one lesbian) has raised constitutional issues in the gay marriage context and is unfolding in a momentous trial. In Massachusetts, another federal case tests whether a federal statutory provision that draws a sexual-preference distinction is constitutional; California sees advantages of immigrants
To continue, click here
http://healthnew.org/2010/10/same-sex-marriage-cases-go-constitutional/
/////
The world is watching China as its leadership works towards improving the human rights situation in the country and allows individual political and civil freedoms to flourish just as much as economic freedom, said a UN human rights official.
To continue, click here
Read more: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=452604&type=Opinion
/////
A civil rights complaint has been filed against a woman in Grand Rapids, Mich., who posted an advertisement at her church last July seeking a Christian roommate. The ad "expresses an illegal preference for a Christian roommate, thus excluding people of other faiths, according to the complaint filed by the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan.
To continue, click here
http://theblogprof.blogspot.com/2010/10/civil-rights-complaint-filed-against-mi.html
/////
A public opinion poll from the Los Angeles Times and the University of Southern California shows that 48% of voters who will be going to the ballot box next November 2 believe immigration is advantageous for the state.
To continue, click here
http://en.mercopress.com/2010/10/25/california-voters-support-undocumented-immigrants-as-advantageous?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily
/////
The uproar surrounding National Public Radio's decision to terminate Juan Williams' contract is partly a reflection of changing standards in journalism and an evolving understanding of the line between news analysis and commentary, according to one former media insider.
To continue, click here
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1080272004
/////
More Notes
Islam is a religion of peace, or it isn't? Imam Khalid Latif is a chaplain for New York University and Executive Director of NYU's Islamic Center. Last week, New York University hosted the Intelligence Squared Debates at its Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. Four panelists, two for and two against, presented arguments on the motion of "Islam Is a Religion of Peace."
Keep reading at http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/11/my-take-islam-is-a-religion-of-peace-or-it-isnt/?iref=allsearch
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
Aren't associated management problems such as resistance and conflict making diversity too difficult to adopt by most organizations? It's a good question to ask, and two popular diversity spokespeople state diversity is clearly possibile, as long as leaders are well educated in the requisite skills for managing it.
Consider the imaginary XYZ Company - a useful model for understanding diversity. During the last ten years XYZ has experienced at every level an increase in the number of women and people of color. One department, previously all male, transitioned to 35 percent female. Mid-management, formerly almost entirely comprised of white males, now includes 30 percent people of color - from African American to Latinos and members of the LGBT community…
Continue this article by Susan Klofer at
http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/diversity-122620.php
///// ///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings:
Volume 1, Issue 4
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
Today’s Topics: constitutional issues in gay marriage; China moving closer to civil rights?; religious freedom of roomates; Juan Williams, Part II; Islam and peace, a conversation; too complicated for diversity?
----- ----- ----- -----
A federal law suit filed last year by two California same-sex couples (one gay; one lesbian) has raised constitutional issues in the gay marriage context and is unfolding in a momentous trial. In Massachusetts, another federal case tests whether a federal statutory provision that draws a sexual-preference distinction is constitutional; California sees advantages of immigrants
To continue, click here
http://healthnew.org/2010/10/same-sex-marriage-cases-go-constitutional/
/////
The world is watching China as its leadership works towards improving the human rights situation in the country and allows individual political and civil freedoms to flourish just as much as economic freedom, said a UN human rights official.
To continue, click here
Read more: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=452604&type=Opinion
/////
A civil rights complaint has been filed against a woman in Grand Rapids, Mich., who posted an advertisement at her church last July seeking a Christian roommate. The ad "expresses an illegal preference for a Christian roommate, thus excluding people of other faiths, according to the complaint filed by the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan.
To continue, click here
http://theblogprof.blogspot.com/2010/10/civil-rights-complaint-filed-against-mi.html
/////
A public opinion poll from the Los Angeles Times and the University of Southern California shows that 48% of voters who will be going to the ballot box next November 2 believe immigration is advantageous for the state.
To continue, click here
http://en.mercopress.com/2010/10/25/california-voters-support-undocumented-immigrants-as-advantageous?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily
/////
The uproar surrounding National Public Radio's decision to terminate Juan Williams' contract is partly a reflection of changing standards in journalism and an evolving understanding of the line between news analysis and commentary, according to one former media insider.
To continue, click here
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1080272004
/////
More Notes
Islam is a religion of peace, or it isn't? Imam Khalid Latif is a chaplain for New York University and Executive Director of NYU's Islamic Center. Last week, New York University hosted the Intelligence Squared Debates at its Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. Four panelists, two for and two against, presented arguments on the motion of "Islam Is a Religion of Peace."
Keep reading at http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/11/my-take-islam-is-a-religion-of-peace-or-it-isnt/?iref=allsearch
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
Aren't associated management problems such as resistance and conflict making diversity too difficult to adopt by most organizations? It's a good question to ask, and two popular diversity spokespeople state diversity is clearly possibile, as long as leaders are well educated in the requisite skills for managing it.
Consider the imaginary XYZ Company - a useful model for understanding diversity. During the last ten years XYZ has experienced at every level an increase in the number of women and people of color. One department, previously all male, transitioned to 35 percent female. Mid-management, formerly almost entirely comprised of white males, now includes 30 percent people of color - from African American to Latinos and members of the LGBT community…
Continue this article by Susan Klofer at
http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/diversity-122620.php
///// ///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings:
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Keep Up With Diversity News: 10/20/2010
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 10/20/2010
Volume 1, Issue 2
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
Today’s Topics: mental health and disability, effective leaders, ADA & anti-discrimination, citizenship & immigration, “BFOQ,” Credit histories and hiring, mandatory harassment prevention training, EEOC & credit history, Diversity Management Tip of the day
----- ----- ----- -----
***The Justice Department announced that it has entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement that will transform the state of Georgia’s mental health and developmental disability system and resolve a lawsuit the United States brought against the state.
The lawsuit alleged unlawful segregation of individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities in the state’s psychiatric hospitals in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Olmstead v. L.C. Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez called the agreement "the most comprehensive settlement that the Department has ever reached in an Olmstead case."
To continue “Justice Department Obtains Comprehensive Agreement Regarding the State of Georgia’s Mental Health and Developmental Disability System,” click here.
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/October/10-crt-1165.html
/////
***What makes an effective leader? Many diversity experts say that self-awareness is at the heart of strong leadership, and that good leaders stay ahead by working on improving themselves.
An important key is committing oneself to the lifelong practice of self-understanding and comprehending the diverse world around us. No matter how hard a person tries, we all have biases; we discriminate without even recognizing what we are doing.
William Sonnenschein, a noted diversity expert and author, suggests overcoming this tendency by "waking up tomorrow morning" and "try wondering what prejudice you will discover during the day, what assumption you will make that will be proven wrong, what bias will affect your day."
To continue "Effective Diversity Management Starts From Within - Self-Awareness Is Key" click here.
http://bit.ly/bTa2s9
/////
***ADA differs from most other anti-discrimination laws in a significant way: it mandates more than "equal" treatment to ensure equal employment opportunity for individuals with disabilities.
The term "discriminate" includes "not making reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or employee, unless such covered entity can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business...."
To continue “The Benefits and Privileges of Reasonable Accommodation,” click here
http://shawvalenza.com/publications.php?id=283
/////
***As of October 15, 2010, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received only 42,800 of the 65,000 H-1B non-immigrant visa petitions needed to meet the H-1B regular cap, and just 15,700 of the 20,000 visa petitions needed to meet the U.S. master’s degree cap, according to updated information released by the agency on H-1B non-immigrant visa petitions for Fiscal Year 2011 (beginning October 1, 2010).
To continue “USCIS Releases Updated Information on Filed H-1B Petitions,” click here
http://www.jacksonlewis.com/resources.php?NewsID=3430
/////
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on sex and other criteria. But there are some defenses to discrimination. One of these is the "BFOQ" or bona fide occupational qualification.
To continue “Ninth Circuit Explains "BFOQ" Defense in Sex Discrimination Case”
Click here
http://shawvalenza.blogspot.com/2010/09/ninth-circuit-explains-bfoq-defense-in.html
/////
In 2011, most employers with California operations will have to retrain their supervisory employees on preventing unlawful harassment. California passed A.B. 1825 in 2004, requiring that employers provide harassment prevention training every two years.
To continue “How Legal Trends Will Impact Mandatory Harassment Training for 2011 in California,” click here
http://www.littler.com/PressPublications/Lists/Insights/DispInsights.aspx?id=160
/////
More Notes
EEOC looks into using credit histories in hiring
The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will look into the practice of using credit histories to screen employees. The hearings will be held in Washington, D.C. today. Check the Federal Register announcement which provides a phone number for the hearing officer.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-25869.pdf
The House Financial Services Committee recently held hearings on H.R. 3149, the Equal Opportunity for All Act, which would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to outlaw reliance on consumer credit reports by employers in making employment decisions, including hiring.
http://www.dcemploymentlawupdate.com/2010/09/articles/discrimination-in-the-workplac/house-committee-holds-hearing-on-bill-limiting-employment-credit-checks/
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
"Say what?"
As soon as she left the graduation stage, diploma in hand, Jill received a whisper from her favorite professor, "Remember to be aware of the prevailing corporate culture, wherever you go."
Jill paused to wonder just what the professor was talking about, faintly recalling the word "culture" from her organizational sociology class.
Her professor was only concerned that her best student might have a tough time "fitting in" at any company in this rural, conservative state. Jill, an arty person, wears self-designed clothing, sports a tattoo and remains culturally close to her Louisiana Creole roots, reflected in her mixed language.
To continue “Managing and Valuing Diversity, The Top Talent Will Come To You” click here.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Value-and-Manage-Diversity---The-Top-Talent-Will-Come-To-You&id=5226960
///// ///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)