by Carmen Van Kerckhove
Please help me to help you!
As you know, my mission with New Demographic is to take workplaces beyond Diversity 101 and promote relaxed, authentic, and productive conversations about race.
To help me better serve your needs, I would love your feedback!
Please click the link below to answer just ONE question for me:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/diversity
I truly appreciate your help! 
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:
Mana Tahaie
Title:
Director of Racial Justice.
Organization:
YWCA Tulsa Oklahoma
1. Can you give us a broad overview of your organization and what it does?
YWCA Tulsa is part of the Young Women’s Christian Association, USA. Its mission is eliminating racism and empowering women. Depending on the association and community, doing this can look very different at different YWCA’s. A lot of YWCA’s provide domestic violence intervention and have shelters for at-risk women. Tulsa already has another organization providing domestic violence and sheltering services, so at the YWCA here, we work to meet the social services needs of the community.
The YWCA has always been a women’s organization. It has advocated for equal rights for women starting with suffrage. Over 60 years ago, they adopted an Interracial Charter, stating “Wherever there is injustice on the basis of race, whether in the community, the nation, or the world, our protest must be clear and our labor for its removal vigorous and steady.” In 1970, they added to their mission the One Imperative: “To thrust our collective power towards the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary”. In recent years, from national and regional levels, there has been a strong push to renew our emphasis on racial justice.
The YWCA Tulsa has always provided social service work for at-risk communities, but it hadn’t focused on advocacy and social change issues in the area of racial justice until more recently. And, again, each effort looks different depending on where it is and the community it’s in. » Continue reading “Mana Tahaie from YWCA Tulsa Oklahoma”
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
In the last few days, I’ve written critically on Twitter (you can follow me @newdemographic) about a couple of items: a Washington Post op-ed on diversity and a new documentary on multiracial identity.
Among the many responses I received to each tweet, there were a handful that said something along the lines of, “Even if it’s not a good article/film, at least it’s creating dialogue!”
Well, sometimes “creating dialogue” is just not good enough.
You might be surprised to hear me say that, since my whole mission is to facilitate relaxed, authentic, and productive conversations about race.
But I’ve seen too many instances of people tolerating, or even justifying, ignorant behavior because of its ability to “create dialogue.”
You know what? I could do without the dialogue if it means not being subjected to the ignorance in the first place.
Why? Because not all dialogue is created equal. » Continue reading “When dialogue about race just isn’t enough”
The Value of Those Who “Stand Out”
Creative Class
“Workplace teams with “socially distinct” newcomers perform at a higher level than those comprised of people who have been working together for a while, or of people of similar backgrounds. This comes from research by Katie Liljenquist, reported by Sarah Boesveld in the Globe and Mail a couple weeks ago (a similar report on her research is here if you can’t access the Globe).”
Diversity Programs Important During Recession
Diversity Insight
“King and her coresearchers found that when white women and men were told that the economy was going to tank and were then asked to evaluate four equally qualified job candidates, the majority selected the white male candidate. When they were told that the economy would improve, however, they tended to favor the female Hispanic candidate.”
Firefighter Gets $1.1 Million for Discrimination
Diversity Insight
“The Second Appellate Division of the California Court of Appeal recently upheld a jury verdict exceeding $1.1 million against the Pasadena Fire Department for subjecting a firefighter to a fitness-for-duty examination and retiring him, failing to provide a reasonable accommodation for his perceived disability, and failing to engage in an interactive process.”
Good Resume But No Interviews? It Could Be Your Name
The Pongo Blog
“But sometimes name discrimination isn’t about race or ethnicity or xenophobia at all. It’s just laziness or fear of embarrassment. If the name on your resume looks hard to pronounce and/or isn’t gender-specific, it’s quite plausible that a hiring manager might (consciously or not) reject it for that reason, alone.”
Diversity as Business Strategy: Company Faced Racial Tensions Head-On
Workforce Management
“Leon Tupper and his business partner knew they would face challenges bringing a diverse workforce to Gilreath Manufacturing Inc. in Howell, Michigan, after purchasing the plastic-injection molding company out of bankruptcy.”
By Carmen Van Kerckhove
The first day at a new job can be nerve-wracking. We’re given what looks like three inches of paperwork to fill out. We don’t know how to log in to our computer or check our voicemail. We don’t know about the practices and protocol necessary to be a success in a new work environment.
For people of color entering a workplace that’s lacking in diversity, these feelings of confusion and nervousness can be even more acute than they are for white employees.
If a company committed to attracting top diverse talent focuses exclusively on its recruiting strategy, but then bungles the new employee orientation process, the results can be grave:
I hate David Dellifield. The one from Ada, Ohio
Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist
“Because each of these guys is choosing to go to work instead of stay home with their kids. Do you know why? BECAUSE THE CEOs THINK KIDS ARE BORING… Here’s another idea, David. How about approaching all those guys with Blackberries at soccer games? Let me ask you something. Do those guys check their email when they’re getting a blow job? Of course not. Do you know why? Because it’s INTERESTING.”
Study Shows Merit-Pay Discrepancies Based on Race, Gender
Diversity Executive Magazine
“A recent study indicated that women and minorities performing the same job for the same boss do not receive the same merit-pay increases as their white and male colleagues — keeping factors such as starting salaries and performance ratings consistent, according to an article in Workforce Management.”
Personal Branding Adds New Angst to Getting Married
Personal Branding Blog
“If I changed my name, how much recognition would I lose? Would people get confused when they follow a link from one of my articles and come across a “different” person? How many social media sites would I have to go to in order to change my old name to my new one? (It’s a LOT more difficult today than just the driver’s license, bank account and passport.)” » Continue reading “Friday Links – April 17, 2009″
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
Orders for my new Diversity Career Success training program are flying in, and I’m so excited!
Seems like I’ve really nailed what people have been needing a long time — a simple, step-by-step system designed for diversity professionals who are sick of the same old CYA tactics, and want to create real, lasting change at their organizations.
And tomorrow is a critical day, as it’s the absolute last day ever you’ll be able to split your tuition for the training program into 2 easy monthly payments of just $199!
You can see what I’m offering at http://www.diversitycareersuccesscourse.com
TIME-SENSITIVE:
If you reserve your copy by 5 pm Eastern on Thursday, April 16th, you’ll be able to split your tuition for the training program into 2 easy monthly payments of just $199!
In this step-by-step course, I show you how to…
Remember, this special deal ends at 5 pm Eastern TOMORROW, Thursday, April 16th, so don’t kick yourself later on! Reserve your copy now before you forget.
I wanted to make this an irresistible offer because I’m passionate about getting this information to you, and I believe that now is the perfect time for you to invest in cultivating the skills, abilities and knowledge needed to take a giant step forward in your career once the economy gets unstuck.
Again, you need to reserve your copy now at
http://www.diversitycareersuccesscourse.com
By Carmen Van Kerckhove
Do your colleagues’ eyes glaze over every time you bring up race or diversity?
Do your coworkers tell you that they, too, believe in the importance of diversity, but when you ask them to participate in any way, they’re “too busy” to help out or even return your phone calls?
Do some of your colleagues avoid you altogether, considering you a member of the PC police, waiting to catch them saying something offensive?
If you resonate to any of the above scenarios, perhaps it helps to know that you’re not alone. It’s a real challenge for diversity professionals to get colleagues involved in the ways we hope they will.
Many diversity professionals get into the field because it’s something they’re passionate about on a personal level. They realize that eliminating racial inequalities is a first step to ultimately achieving social justice.
It’s important to feel passionate — without it, we’d burn out faster than a single match when brought up against the sluggishness with which change occurs in this field.
But consider this: sometimes our biggest strength — passion — can become our biggest weakness. We can get so caught up in the “why” (doing the right thing, the whole matter of justice) that we fail to see that our passion isn’t necessarily translating into results.
Recruiting reluctant people to address diversity initiatives is no easy matter. If you’re not making as much progress as you’d like, here are four ways to reset, recharge, and rebuild.
1. Stop thinking of yourself as the opposition » Continue reading “How Diversity Professionals Can Gain the Influence They Need to Create Real Change”
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
WOW, Wednesday was spectacular event, as we had over 500 people registered for my free teleseminar, “The 5 Secrets You Must Know to Implement a Successful Diversity Strategy and Win the Respect of Your Organization!”
To be fair, I should let you know about the invitation that I extended on the call.
The home study course version of my acclaimed training program…
…is finally ready!
It’s designed especially for diversity professionals who are sick of the same old CYA tactics, and want to create real, lasting change at their organizations.
You can see what I’m offering at http://www.diversitycareersuccesscourse.com
TIME-SENSITIVE:
If you reserve your copy by 5 pm Eastern on Thursday, April 16th, you’ll be able to split your tuition for the training program into 2 easy monthly payments of just $199!
In this step-by-step course, I show you how to…
If this sounds like something you’d benefit from, be sure to reserve your copy by 5 pm Eastern on Thursday, April 16th to take advantage of our convenient 2-pay option!
I wanted to make this an irresistible offer because I’m passionate about getting this information to you, and I believe that now is the perfect time for you to invest in cultivating the skills, abilities and knowledge needed to take a giant step forward in your career once the economy gets unstuck.
Again, you need to reserve your copy now at
http://www.diversitycareersuccesscourse.com
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
If you’ve ever picked up a magazine about diversity, you’ve undoubtedly read that you’re supposed to “make a business case for diversity.”
Well, I’ve got news for you.
Making a business case for diversity is for amateurs.
If you really want your organization to take diversity seriously, you must learn how to think like a CEO.
(Yes, even if your organization is a non-profit, school, or government agency.)
I’ll show you exactly how on this FREE, ONE-TIME-ONLY CALL happening TODAY, Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 5:00 pm Eastern time…
On this lively, information-packed 60-minute call, you’ll learn:
Whether you’re the Chief Diversity Officer or simply a volunteer in your organization’s diversity employee networking group, you won’t want to miss this teleseminar.
The call is chock-full of specific information that will show you exactly why you’re not getting the results you want. Then, I’ll give you the resources to change that around so that you can win your colleagues’ respect and trust, and gain the influence you need to implement real, lasting change.
You know by now that I’m not going to waste your time by giving you fluff information.
So, won’t you join me?
Reserve your line for this FREE teleseminar now!
Limited lines are available for this call, so you’ll want to make sure you reserve your spot right away.
Just click the link above, enter your information in the boxes on the page, and you’ll receive the complete call details via email.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of New Demographic, a diversity education firm. Her perspectives on race and diversity have been featured on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, USA Today, and The New York Times.
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