Talking About Race, Sometimes Awkward But Always Necessary; Let’s start now Talking about race with people who are different than you can be awkward and uncomfortable, but it’s necessary and doable. The fact is racism exists, racial conflict exists, and inequality still exists. If you’re interested in beginning the conversation read on. Even some people who work in the diversity…
This is an account of unspoken racism on the BART train last week. It was sad to see the fear while it made also made me angry. It’s Wednesday morning, and I’m on my way to San Francisco on BART. As I enter the crowded train I take I take the first empty seat I see, next to an…
In my last post I said that conversations about race may be awkward but are very necessary. A woman sent me a comment that said, “if you didn’t mention race so much, it wouldn’t be an issue. You’re perpetuating division.” Issues like the scarcity of people of color in the technology industry and the excuses and false belief that there…
Talking about race with people who are different than you can be awkward and uncomfortable, but it’s necessary and doable. The fact is racism exists, racial conflict exists, and inequality still exists. To say that we are post-racial is nonsense. To say that everyone is the same is nonsense. And to say that we should all be color blind…
Bill O”Reilly was accused of sexual harassment; calling women at home, making blatant comments, and even trying to engage in phone sex with an employee for years. This is not new. I don’t know why they finally decided to get rid of him. Maybe 13 million dollars was their line in the sand. Perhaps they had given him a 13 million…
Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, Cultural Competency- in some circles they have become buzzwords. Organizations, individuals and departments use these terms almost interchangeably. It’s good to believe in their importance, however unless they are connected to concrete actions, they remain good ideas, or buzzwords. So then, what do you do to make people feel included? How do you know they feel included,…
I just returned from the Global HRD Congress in Mumbai where I received the Global Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award and also led a panel on Diversity, Inclusion and Innovation. The conference was amazing. Not just because of the incredible people I met from over 100 countries, but also because of how included the conference organizers made us feel, and…
Diversity doesn’t go away because we have a president who is not on the side of diversity. People still need and want inclusion, and diversity and inclusion is the heart and driver of long-lasting innovation. I hear and know how upset, angry and scared so many people are by the rhetoric and white nationalism, and/or homophobia, islamaphobia, anti-semitism, etc. During…
A long-term client recently called me worried that Diversity and Inclusion would be put on the business back burner. “What will happen to support for Diversity and Inclusions now that Trump is president,” he asked. I replied with three of my own questions, “Are you still committed? Do you still see the business benefits? Are you going to continue leveraging…
Is bias the new buzz? Yes and no. There has been a major push to rid individuals, workplaces, schools and everywhere else of bias. Conversations, articles, and media discussions abound with accusations and denials. However, implicit, unconscious, and conscious bias are not new, just like discrimination, exclusion and prejudice are not new. Taking a class in unconscious bias, reading…
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