Deborah Levine founded the American Diversity Report in 2006. She is a Forbes Magazine top "Trailblazer" and award-winning author of 20 books. Her published articles span decades including: American Journal of Community Psychology, Journal of Public Management & Social Policy, The Bermudian Magazine, The Harvard Divinity School Bulletin.
This year, the anniversary of 9/11 and the Jewish New Year coincide on September 11. Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew meaning head of the year) marks the New Year 5787. Yes, the date goes back thousands of years to the Divine creation of Adam and Eve, and humankind. How do I wrap my mind around the simultaneous commemoration of the 9/11 disaster and celebration of the Divine gift of life? Maybe we all need help with that. Rosh HaShanah could provide that help.
For Jews around the world, Rosh Hashanah begins the 10 High Holy Days with apples and honey. This time of gratitude and joy, progresses to introspection, mourning, and repentance. We fast during the solemn conclusion of these 10 Days. Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is a time when forgiveness is asked for mistakes, bad choices, and faulty judgement during the previous year. We remember and mourn the passing of loved ones, and dedicate to doing better in the coming year.This year that list will include those who passed during 9/11.
When I saw that a public workshop was offered at the downtown public library featuring Preserve Chattanooga (PC), I knew where I’d be that afternoon.The mission of PC is to protect the architectural heritage of Chattanooga through preservation, education, and advocacy. That’s a dream of any urban planner, which I was decades ago in Chicago. I designed my masters degree in urban planning to focus on Arts and Culture and got involved in Chicago’s museums and historic architecture.
Howard J. Ross is the author of Reinventing Diversity: Transforming Organizational Community to Strengthen People, Purpose, and Performance and Our Search for Belonging: How Our Need to Connect is Tearing Us Apart. His work has been published by the Harvard Business Review, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and Forbes. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies across a variety of industries. A lifelong social justice advocate and founding partner of the nationally recognized diversity consulting firm Cook Ross, Inc., Howard still speaks broadly with his new company, Udarta Consulting LLC.
Jake Ross is an AI executive and is currently working on building mission-driven communities within the AI industry, bridging the gap between technical expertise and compassionate communication. Jake was just named COO of a new institute (MAISI) being developed to create AI safety. He is also a specialist in interpersonal psychology with a background in the exploration of belonging and its influence on wellbeing. His consulting firm, Belong Together, consults with organizations, startups, and individuals on creating cultures of belonging. He also curates gatherings that create opportunities for community building and connection, focusing on the impact of belonging in the professional sphere.
AI Bias and Mission-Driven Communities
Deborah welcomed Howard and Jake to discuss their backgrounds in creating mission-driven communities within the AI industry and addressing unconscious bias. Howard shared his journey from 60s activism to organizational development, highlighting his evolution from fixing individuals to understanding the role of unconscious bias in human behavior. Jake described his focus on compassion, communication, and connection, particularly in AI and healthcare settings. The discussion emphasized the importance of recognizing and addressing bias as a natural human trait rather than demonizing it, aiming to help people align their decisions with their values.
Information Overload and Cognitive Bias
Jake discussed how people are increasingly bombarded with information from various sources, leading to “weaponized confirmation bias” where individuals can convince themselves that any belief is true without ambient challenges to their viewpoints. Howard expanded on this by describing how modern environments, like baseball stadiums, create constant noise and light that disrupt human decision-making, referencing Daniel Kahneman’s research on how such environments affect cognitive processes. The discussion highlighted how today’s information-saturated world makes people more reactive and instinctive in their thinking.
Seeking Belonging in Polarized Communities
The group discussed how people seek belonging and community, particularly in polarized environments. Jake emphasized that social media allows people to find community without compromising their extreme views, while Howard shared a personal story about a man who felt forced to align with extremist groups after being rejected by both liberal friends and facing discrimination in the workplace. The discussion highlighted how people often seek a sense of belonging when they feel isolated or attacked by both mainstream and extreme positions.
Belonging and Identity Challenges
The group discussed challenges around belonging and identity in diverse communities. Deborah shared her experience of not fitting in anywhere and how she eventually stopped trying to belong, which led to her creative work. Jake challenged this perspective by referencing Brené Brown’s concept that belonging starts with belonging to oneself. Howard concluded by warning that technology, including AI, can actually magnify social divisions rather than help avoid them, citing examples of how algorithms can replicate historical biases.
Weaponized Confirmation Bias Discussion
Deborah, Jake, and Howard discussed the impact of weaponized confirmation bias driven by algorithms and social media, emphasizing the importance of slowing down and being mindful of one’s decision-making process. Howard stressed the value of self-reflection and using System 2 thinking to make better decisions, while Jake highlighted the significance of human connection and compassion in navigating overwhelming technology. The conversation concluded with Deborah expressing gratitude and mentioning an upcoming video series titled “We Restore Our Humanity.”
My Cousin Deb: Response to Pulse article by Rita Crevoshay
I’ve known my cousin Deb since we were in diapers. After all, she’s my first cousin. I should clarify that – Deb was my cousin from Bermuda. I’ve never been there but as a child I regarded it as an outpost of the cultural elite. That was validated by her distinctive British-influenced speech, not exactly a British accent, but nearly so. According to my youthful perception, as an authentic British colonial Bermudian, she had a leg up on us provincial Bostonians.
Deb always conducted herself with a refined tranquility that concealed her brilliance. We were in proximity when she enrolled at Radcliffe (Harvard) at a time when I still lived in Greater Boston. The young woman’s serious approach to her studies distinguished her as a potential future leader, despite her diffident self-presentation.
Community centers are like town squares with their mission to provide a variety of fun and recreation opportunities for people of all lifestyles and ages. That’s the vision statement of the East Ridge Parks and Recreational Department along with: “We work hard to provide a safe, fun and respectable place to enjoy life.”
Attendees saw that vision carried out at the Grand Re-Opening of the East Ridge Community Center. A grant from the Local Parks and Recreation Fund, $2.3 million was spent on renovating the gymnasium, the multi-purpose room and the kitchen order to expand the facility’s ability to better serve the community and host more programs. The Ribbon Cutting celebration marked this huge accomplishment with a tour of the building, family-friendly activities, giveaways, and business-supported raffle.
Veteran Venita Thomas, (ret. Corporal Military Intelligence) Administrative Specialist for headquarters of 3rd Infantry Division, Wurzburg, Germany. Publications Officer awarded Service Medal, Exceptional Service Award and Distinguished Honor. Thirty years experience as HR professional and educator. A State of Ohio certified Peer Support Recovery Specialist, Executive Director of the Greater Cincinnati Veteran Women’s Alliance and consultant.
Hear Venita discuss:
1. What is the best lesson I’ve ever learned?
2. Who would I love to have a meal with and a great conversation (living or dead)?
3. Why do I do, what I do? And is it part of the first picture of my life that I have for myself?
Takeaways
1. An awakening of self.
2. An appreciation of self.
3. And acknowledgment of how to share self.
When was the last time you had a conversations with someone different from yourself? It was probably more recently than you think since we’re all different, no two people are exactly alike. That’s why it’s so strange that the term ‘diversity’ has become almost a curse word. The world is full of diverse folks, cultures, and languages. I learned that as a young kid when we moved from the British colony of Bermuda to New York. I discovered that even kids who looked like me spoke a very different language, American English. They didn’t appreciate my Queen’s English and I was beaten up on the playground. They were just kids, but should have known better. Unfortunately, it’s not much different with adults responding to culturally diverse folks today.
The outbreak of explosive diarrhea cross the U.S. is truly frightening. Referred to as ‘Cyclospora’, the cause is a parasite transmitted via human feces that gets into food through contaminated irrigation water, soil, or infected food handlers.Eeww! According to the CDC (Center for Disease Prevention & Control), Cyclospora advances in the spring and summer, but this year, the number of confirmed cases is 6 times higher than last year. And when the more than 7,000 likely cases are researched, that number could be 27 times higher than last year. It’s unclear why this information remains so vague. But it should come as no surprise that politics are involved.
“Why did we bother?” That’s my cousin Jan’s response to the current dismissal of women. She and I were prominent activists in what was called the Woman’s Libration Movement back in the sixties. We demonstrated and advocated for gains like equal pay for women. We made progress for women power by gaining representation on executive positions and boards. Jan created the Kathie Rasmussen Women’s Theatre for plays written and directed by women. I created Chattanooga’s Women’s Council on Diversity after 9/11. But now, we’re disheartened.
‘Hot’ only begins to describe the weather over the July 4th weekend. Let’s try some other terms: blistering, burning up, and Armageddon. A life-threatening heat dome brought extreme heat to more than 260 million people, And the storms which accompanied the heat led to mass evacuation of the National Mall in Washington D.C. ‘Stupid’ only begins to describe the claim by some Maga folks that the weather had been ‘geoengineered’ by left-wing types to sabotage Trump’s July 4th events. Let’s try some other terms: conspiracy theories, lethal ignorance.
Veteran Venita Thomas, (ret. Corporal Military Intelligence) Administrative Specialist for headquarters of 3rd Infantry Division, Wurzburg, Germany. Publications Officer awarded Service Medal, Exceptional Service Award and Distinguished Honor. Thirty years experience as HR professional and educator. A State of Ohio certified Peer Support Recovery Specialist, Executive Director of the Greater Cincinnati Veteran Women’s Alliance and consultant.