Diversity Awareness Month

October, 2006 is Diversity Awareness Month
Officially Recognized by:
Chase’s Calendar of Events
The TJX Companies, Inc.
The American Medical Association

Press Release (PDF)

To a Very Special Website Visitor:

Spread the word about Diversity Awareness Month. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule a live presentation, please call me at (800) 801-6599.

Warmly,

 Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA
Founder: Diversity Awareness Month
Email Carole at Carole@TellCarole.com Or Call: (800) 801-6599

Categories In This Section:

• Diversity In A New Millennium
• So What Is Diversity?
• Common Diversity Categories
• 25 Ways To Promote Diversity
• I’m Only One Person
• Best Practices

Your Diversity Initiative For Organizational Success

It doesn’t matter what type of company, organization, government agency, association, library, school, community group, institution or hospital you are affiliated with--diversity affects much of what you do! Our ever-changing society needs the skills and tools to help you prepare for the demographic shifts that are taking place in our new millennium.

This guide is designed to help you construct a proactive diversity program that will fit your organization. From a simple bulletin board to a non-stop month peppered with activities, your October diversity program can lead to more interactive dialogue between colleagues and staff members like never before. With careful planning and a bit of creativity, October can make an important statement that YOUR organization is serious about diversity awareness and diversity management.

Review, Reflect and Resource. First review the materials included in this Diversity Awareness Month section. There is bound to be one idea that is right for your organization. Second, reflect on what your organization has already developed around the concept of diversity. If this is your first effort, congratulations on taking that important introductory step. If you have an ongoing diversity initiative, incorporate the ideas and activities you will read about in the guide with your existing initiative. And third, don’t forget to call on individuals WITHIN your organization for tips, suggestions and information that will add to the success of your October festivities. Remember: Some of the BEST Resources for Diversity Awareness Month are right inside your own backyard!

In summary the key to a successful Diversity Awareness Month depends on:

1. Your resourcefulness and creativity

2. Staff and colleague involvement

You don’t have to restrict your diversity activities to just the month of October. Why not begin your diversity program in October and extend your events and activities throughout the year? It will give your employees, colleagues, customers and staff members more reasons to connect to other people who are similar to and different from themselves.

Solicit the feedback of others on how you should structure a year-round diversity initiative that can literally become part of the normal practice of your establishment.
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So What Is Diversity?

Diversity is understanding, appreciating, and ultimately managing difference and similarities at the same time. Its reach is all-inclusive and may represent categories such as:

Class
Race
Gender
Age
Religion
Sexual Orientation
Physical Disabilities
Nationalities
Political Beliefs
And others

To achieve its maximum effectiveness, diversity requires:

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Common Diversity Categories

Although this is not an exhaustive list of the extensive number of diversity categories in the field, the following examples represent terminology common in the practice of diversity issues. Keep in mind that one category/label doesn’t fit all. The only way to identify the correct term is to ASK people which term they prefer.
For more information, please call us at (800) 801-6599 or email me at Carole@TellCarole.com.

• Class/Household Income/Economic Status
• African American/Black
• Biracial/Multiracial
• White Americans/European Americans/Caucasians
• Hispanic/Latino/Latina
• Asian American/Pacific Islander
• Native American/American Indian
• Arab American
• Sexual Orientation: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Heterosexual
• Gender/Male-Female Issues
• Persons With Disabilities
• Age Issues
• Religion
• Education
• Political Beliefs
• Nationality
• Physical Size

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25 Ways To Promote Diversity In Your Organization

-2006 Edition-

1. Design a diversity calendar for your organization.
2. Develop or enhance an intense diversity training program.
3. Establish diversity days in your company’s cafeteria by serving different ethnic dishes.
4. Develop diversity case stories.
5. Conduct a diversity cultural audit with a staff survey.
6. Start a student intern program.
7. Adopt a student and teach him/her about your own cultural background.
8. Audio/Video tape your oldest relatives and their stories for a family archive collection.
9. Form a diversity task force within your organization.
10. Have brown bag lunches with discussion questions such as "What is an American?"
11. Include a diversity statement within your mission statement.
12. Visit a nearby urban area and find out first-hand what life is like to live there.
13. Read at least two or three newspapers each week to broaden your perspective.
14. Create a diversity cookbook or a diversity cooking calendar.
15. Hold a diversity focus group and find out hidden issues in your company.
16. Host a diversity symposium/conference.
17. Collaborate with a non-White organization and develop a mutually-beneficial relationship.
18. Create diversity posters for your organization featuring photos of your employees.
19. Give diverse books to your local school library.
20. Create a diversity night with your family once or twice per month.
21. Create an international list of all the languages spoken in your office, church, temple, agency, or school.
22. Use the internet to search for diversity-related websites.
23. Develop a mentoring program in your organization.
24. Mentor a diverse person within your company or community.
25. Never become afraid to ASK a diverse person questions that are still puzzling for you.

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I’m Only One Person. What Can I Do?

There are many ways that your individual talent, outreach and commitment can propel the concept of diversity forward. One person DOES make a difference, and you can become a very important part of valuing the qualities of other human beings on the planet.

Here are a few suggested ways of making a diversity difference:

1. Learn more about diversity on the Internet.
2. Organize staff/volunteer brown bag diversity discussions.
3. Buy and use ethnic postage stamps on your mailings.
4. Watch diversity related TV programs with your family.
5. Trace your family history and share it with friends outside of your family.
6. Don’t overlook learning about the rich diversity in your surrounding community.

"The future of the nation lies in the diversity of our people."
-Carole Copeland Thomas

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Best Practices

The TJX Companies, Inc
TJX, the parent company of TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Winners (Canada), Home Goods, A.J.Wright, and TK Maxx (United Kingdom) has had an ongoing diversity initiative since 1991. Various assessment instruments, managerial/staff development programs and ongoing committee work have sustained the initiative throughout the years. Diversity commitment and strategic focus are echoed throughout senior management, including a strong diversity endorsement by the corporation's senior leadership. The TJX Companies have one of the most successful Welfare to Work Programs in the country. Carole Copeland Thomas served as the TJX diversity consultant from 1996 through 2002.

Maxwell House and Habitat For Humanity.
"Build A Home America" was a nationwide volunteer initiative to build 100 homes with 100 families in 100 weeks. With the support from Maxwell house and Habitat for Humanity, over 35,000 volunteers were assembled for the campaign. From 1997 through 1998, homes were built from Boston to Los Angeles. One Jacksonville, Florida home was built in a record 18 hours. Maxwell House donated $2 million to fund the initiative.

American Society of Association Executives
As one of the largest non-profit organizations in the country, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) incorporated diversity as a primary goal for the organization. Its Diversity Committee has been in existence for several years, and hosted a Diversity Summit during its Annual Meeting in San Diego, California. Diversity language has also been included in the ASAE Strategic Plan as part of its core values statement. ASAE is a client of Carole Copeland Thomas.

Intel
Intel, the world’s largest chipmaker has structurally integrated diversity into the fabric of their organization. With employees in 40 countries, diversity is a business priority within the corporation. Intel has created nine affinity groups to service the segmented needs of their employee population. The affinity groups are positioned to include the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered, women, Asian, Bible-based/Christian, Muslim, Latino, Native American, Indian, and African American employee populations.
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