In sort of a nonchalant yawner – at least for me – September 25th, National Daughter’s Day came and went with nary a thought; understandable I guess if one isn’t blessed with having a daughter.
But suddenly, like swift kick in the groin, this coming November 5th, Election Day, a relevant September 25th piece by John Pavlovitz, and a piece I wrote a dozen years ago led to a dot-connecting, “oh wow,” pause by me.
Continue reading National Daughters Day and the Election – by Terry Howard
Abstract
The focus of this paper is the social, economic, and political development of the black community once known as South Asheville in the city of Asheville, North Carolina. It spans the period of slavery, the Civil War, emancipation, Reconstruction and Fusion politics. From 1865 to 1900, Blacks in Asheville experienced much progress mostly because they felt far less racial discrimination than what was experienced in other parts of the South The mixed racial attitudes of the Whites in Asheville allowed them access to more of the positive things happening in the city so the newly emancipated became a significant part of the boom Asheville experienced after the Civil War. Since there were very few plantations , formerly enslaved people were not concentrated in small geographic areas of the city, Some, like Mr. William McDowell, who did, however, run a slave plantation, did much to help his former slaves and Blacks in general thrive by breaking up his former plantation into small pieces of land which he gave to them or allowed them to purchase at a small price. This created the suburb of Black South Asheville.
Continue reading South Asheville Black Community – by Barbara Weitz
“In that moment, (Tyreek) Hill thought he was a member of the Miami Dolphins. He wasn’t. Hill was a Black man in America, and the rules are different,” opined The USA Today’s columnist Mike Freeman. “That’s one of the main points of the talk. Police, I was always told, will try to put you in your place, or put you on the ground.”
Déjà vu all over again? Did we just experience George “I can’t breathe” Floyd 2.0. …..Or 3.0? …..Or 4.0? I’ve lost count.
Like those meddlesome dandelions in the front lawn, here we go with still another police/African American interaction that quickly went south, a storyline that conjures up the late Marvin Gaye’s lyric, “It makes you wanna holler and throw up both your hands!”
Continue reading Did Tyreek forget the “talk”? – by Terry Howard
Since Abraham, forefather of Judaism smashed all the idols in his father’s lucrative idol showcase business which consisted of wooden deities, fertility gods, big and small idols promising provisions, as well as idols that assured health and wealth, this was the precise time when Abraham decided that there is no man-made visible god, but one who dwells up above, in the Celestial Heavens, the God that promised to protect and demanded of his Chosen People loyalty, humanity, wisdom and above all knowledge of their past history.
As time was overlapping one another, his people obeyed and disobeyed, were loyal and betrayed Him, stuck by Him through thick and thin not to mention those who abandoned him altogether.
During the first week of September, the latest mass shooting tragedy occurred at a high school in Winder, Georgia. This has thrust the issue of gun safety reform squarely into the 2024 presidential campaign.
Thus far, there have been more mass shootings than days in the year (385 according to the Gun Violence Archive). Here are a few other shocking statistics to consider:
As another annual 9/11 observance has come and gone, I want to pay tribute to those lost, including a close childhood friend who was working in the Twin Towers as a financial trader on that tragic day.
President Roosevelt (FDR) called the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II: “A date that will live in infamy.” The same can be said of 9/11.
Even though it’s been 23 years, we must be mindful year-round of all the families, friends and relatives who lost loved ones. The memories and pain of loved ones lost never goes away.
Continue reading One 9/11 Victim’s Positive Impact Posthumously – by David B. Grinberg
As ignoring technology is no longer an option in the workplace, various fields and businesses are leveraging digital transformation for diversity, innovation, and empowerment.
A previous post illustrates how the online registration software company Regpack was able to build a diverse and inclusive workplace with the help of technology. The company used digital tools to promote creativity and collaboration, while also embracing remote work opportunities to accommodate unique needs, especially among tech professionals of color.
Continue reading Impact of AI on Diversity in Financial Accounting – by Rose Joneson
Avi Hoffman is a globally renowned award-winning actor, director and producer, and Co-Founder & CEO of Yiddishkayt Initiative, Inc. (YILoveJewish.org)
This is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting Antisemitism through the Arts : Yiddish Saves The World.
Avi was recently awarded Congressional recognition. He was invited to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis and was inducted into the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame for his lifetime work advancing Jewish culture, Yiddish language and Holocaust awareness.
The Waymakers Collective is dedicated to supporting community arts and organizations in the heart of Appalachia that are historically underfunded: those led by BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color), youth, LGBTQIA+, and non-English speakers/immigrants. Earlier this month, we held our Annual Gathering to celebrate our community of Appalachian artists, culture workers, organizers, activists, doers, and creatives who are committed to building a just and equitable Appalachian future.
Continue reading Waymakers: Celebrating and Protecting Diversity in Appalachia – by Joe Tolbert Jr.
We may be living through the most turbulent half decade in the history of the diversity movement that took off in the late 1960’s. In the process, the very idea of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has been taking a shellacking, including legislative restrictions on its very existence. Consider some of events.
The publication of The 1619 Project and the ensuing attack on Critical Race Theory. The police killing of George Floyd. The growing strength and virulence of the anti-diversity movement, ranging from President Donald Trump’s 2020 ban on federal diversity training through Florida’s passage of the Stop Woke Act to the national surge of diversity-related book banning. The 2024 presidential campaign, with inflamed and accusative proclamations about biracial identity, transgender rights, White nationalism, immigration, and, yes, tampons.
Continue reading Renewing Diversity # 1: High School Ethnic Studies – by Carlos Cortés
