by Carmen Van Kerckhove, originally published at CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 blog

Slumdog Millionare won eight Oscars on Sunday night, including Best Picture, in addition to the four Golden Globes it won earlier this year. Its commercial success, followed by slam-dunk critical success, would seem to fly squarely in the face of long-held conventional wisdom about what does and doesn’t sell at the box office.

So will the success of this film — a story about an orphan growing up in the slums of Mumbai — translate in Hollywood to an era of increased diversity of characters on the big screen? If the past is prologue, it’s probably best not to hold our breath.

The powers-that-be in Hollywood have historically presumed that people of color will happily flock to watch movies featuring white characters, but that “mainstream” — read “white” — audiences won’t relate to stories about people of color.

So up until Sunday, producing films like Slumdog Millionaire has seemed to make very little sense financially. (In point of fact, Slumdog isn’t even a Hollywood production; it’s a British production.) » Continue reading “Will Slumdog Millionaire lead to greater racial diversity in Hollywood films?”

By Carmen Van Kerckhove

Over 90% of Fortune 500 companies have employee affinity groups. These organizations (sometimes referred to as employee networking or resource groups) are made up of volunteers and usually focus on people who have been historically under-represented in the workplace: people of color, gays and lesbians, people with disabilities, and the like.

It isn’t surprising that employee affinity groups are a popular diversity tactic. They are easy to set up and inexpensive to run. And when they work well, they can help companies recruit and retain top diverse talent.

Affinity groups can help increase employee retention by reducing the social isolation of being the only person of color within a department or division. A good employee affinity group can also boost the number of employees of color among a company’s new hires. That’s because under-represented employees are more likely to refer friends to their employer when they know that an infrastructure exists to support and utilize them effectively.

Finally, the social networks created in employee affinity groups can serve as a counterbalance to the “old boy’s network” and help increase diversity among managerial ranks. When a company makes it easier for employees to meet people in other departments and levels of hierarchy, it creates a greater likelihood of career advancement. » Continue reading “How Employee Affinity Groups Can Help You Recruit and Retain a Diverse Workforce”

by Carmen Van Kerckhove, originally published at CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 blog

In a speech at the Department of Justice yesterday, Attorney General Eric Holder declared that when it comes to dealing with the issue of race, we are “essentially a nation of cowards.”

While his choice of words was harsh, he was absolutely right in pointing out the fact that honest, authentic, and productive conversations about race rarely happen in this country.

Following his historic speech on race last spring, Barack Obama was castigated by some cable channel talking heads for “throwing his white grandmother under the bus” because he had the audacity to point out that his own flesh and blood — the grandmother who had helped to rear him and loved him like a son — had herself been guilty of internalizing and reflecting racist stereotypes.

Should Obama’s revelation have come as a surprise? Not really.

We’ve been conditioned from an early age by advertising, pop culture, and the news media. We’re surrounded 24/7 by images steeped in racial stereotypes. There’s simply no way for us not to be influenced by them.

So why the denial? For the reason Holder explained: Once we open this particular Pandora’s box to the light, we’re going to expose notions and prejudices most people fervently wish we could put behind us. » Continue reading “If not a nation of cowards, then certainly a nation in denial”

by Carmen Van Kerckhove, originally published at CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 blog

A few days ago I found an email in my inbox from publisher Conde Nast, informing me that if I subscribed to Vogue now, I’d be guaranteed to receive the spring fashion issue, featuring Michelle Obama on the cover.

Magazine junkie that I am, I’ve received plenty of subscription solicitations in my day, but can’t remember ever receiving one tied to a promise of receiving a particular issue. It goes to show how big of a deal this cover is.

Copies are selling on eBay at three and a half times the cover price. There are reports of shortages, with people desperate to get their hands on a copy. The issue is even making headlines around the globe in India, England, South America, and Australia.

In case anyone is wondering what’s so utterly remarkable about having Michelle Obama model the cover of Vogue, consider the fashion magazine’s blighted past in matters of race.

Vogue has a history of publishing disquieting images of black people, so the March cover — showing Michelle Obama in a healthy, glowing, glamorous light — is a definite departure for the magazine. » Continue reading “Why Michelle Obama’s Vogue cover matters”

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

Wow… more thoughts on this coming soon.

By Carmen Van Kerckhove

Did you know that people who have well-chosen mentors are twice as likely to be promoted as those who don’t? Or that executives who had mentors earned more money sooner than others?

Working with good mentors is especially important for professionals of color, as it can shortcut your way to the top and help you break through the old boys’ network.

If you’re ready to put the power of mentoring to use in your career, here are 6 ways to get started.

1. Define your goals.

Before you embark on finding an effective mentor, you first need to decide what your goals are. » Continue reading “Skyrocket Your Career by Finding and Working With Effective Mentors”

One of the biggest problems faced by diversity professionals is that of isolation. There are few pre-existing spaces for them to gather and meet each other, especially across different industries. To help combat this, every month I will profile a different diversity professional. In the course of the interview, you’ll not only get to hear about the kind of work this person is doing, you’ll also be able to benefit from the resources, strategies, and tips they share with you.

By Carmen Van Kerckhove

Name:
Gene Batiste

Title:
Vice President of Leadership Education and Diversity (LEAD)

Organization:
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)

1. Can you give us a broad overview of your organization and what it does?

NAIS represents 1,400 independent schools in the United States and subscriber schools internationally. It lobbies on Capitol Hill and provides professional and leadership development conferences.

NAIS school students run the gamut: Pre-K thru 12th grade, college prep school, boarding schools, boarding day schools, day schools, middle schools, Jewish and Lutheran schools, and single sex boys and girls schools. But the organization’s main focus is primarily kindergarten through 12th grade schools that aren’t public or parochial.

2. What’s your role at your organization and in what ways does it involve diversity?

My role is actually split between two initiatives. The first is leadership development, which is beyond the scope of this interview, but it segues into the second. I’m a facilitator of all the diversity initiatives that we engage in as an organization and try to model for our schools.

What I do includes a variety of initiatives and conferences, including the one that you were a hit at, the People of Color Conference. We had over 3,200 people in New Orleans at our last conference. » Continue reading “Gene Batiste from National Association of Independent Schools”

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

Just a final reminder that my one-time-only, 5-part tele-course starts TOMORROW…

Diversity Career Success:
How to Take Your Organization From Culturally Clueless to Diversity Dynamo (and Skyrocket Your Own Career While You’re At It)

If you’re involved in any way with your organization’s diversity efforts – whether you’re the Chief Diversity Officer or simply a volunteer in your organization’s diversity employee networking group – this course is designed just for you.

The fact is, while diversity training for employees abounds, there’s very little out there for those of you who do diversity work. You’re largely left to go it alone. Your boss may give lip service to the cause, but half the time you’re dancing somewhere between feeling completely unsupported and filling a role that’s little more than a legal checkbox.

If you’re sick of the same old CYA tactics, join me as I show you how to get your ideas taken seriously by senior management and share with you sensible, actionable solutions that actually work in the real world.

At the end of the course, you’ll walk away with a blueprint that you’ve customized based on your organization type, your organization’s needs, and your own role within the organization. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, after all, and what you’re able to accomplish as a junior-level employee is very different than what you can get done when you’re a senior executive.

Reserve your spot today!

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

Once a month, I answer a reader-submitted question about navigating the intricacies of race in the workplace. If you have a question for me, email team@newdemographic.com and write “Ask Carmen” in the subject line. I can’t guarantee that I’ll answer your question, but you always have a better shot by making your question relevant to other readers, and making sure it’s one I haven’t answered in the past.

Q. As a white person who sees a competent co-worker of color being discriminated against in some way, what can I do to help set things right?

A. In this age of CYA (cover your ass) diversity training, many people have learned how to hide their racism at work. As a result, it’s often only white people who hear, without censorship, what other whites really think about people of color.

The sad fact is, in a situation of discrimination, a white voice can carry more weight than that of a person of color. That’s because claims of racism are often written off as someone trying to “play the race card” to get ahead at work.

When white people stand up for their co-workers of color, it can send a powerful message. But before you jump in, there are a few things you want to look out for…

1. Don’t make the mistake of unilaterally becoming a knight in shining armor and rushing in to defend your co-worker without his or her permission.

If you feel certain that your co-worker (let’s call her Stacy) is being discriminated against because of her race, take her aside and see if she is feeling what you are about her situation.

If Stacy is obviously uncomfortable discussing the situation with you, just back off. Remember, it’s a delicate situation and she may have compelling reasons for not wanting to rock the boat. Or she may be aware of the situation but is handling it her own way without your knowledge. Or she may simply not trust you, having been burned in the past by other colleagues who did more harm than good when they tried to help. Whatever you do, don’t take it personally if she reacts badly.

But if Stacy agrees with you, offer to speak up for her and see how comfortable she is with the idea. Make it clear that you’re offering your help not because you don’t think she can handle the situation herself, but because you want to show solidarity with her as a friend and colleague.

2. If you have your colleague’s consent to intervene on her behalf the next time discriminatory behavior happens within your hearing, handle the issue the moment it happens.

If you find Stacy’s supervisor shutting down when Stacy offers input, say something like, “Oh, I think that’s a terrific idea, Stacy! I can really see where what you propose could benefit us in a number of ways” (and enumerate them). If someone steals Stacy’s ideas and claims them as their own, step in immediately with something along these lines: “Yes, I thought that was a great idea when Stacy first presented it.” » Continue reading “What can a white person do about racism in the workplace?”