All posts by Editor-in-Chief

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.

The Challenge of Unconscious Bias – by Deborah Levine

Unconscious bias training is an admirable project but may often be ineffective. The fuzzy, vague term of unconscious bias is often applied indiscriminately, but unconscious bias isn’t a one-size-fits-all term amenable to a one afternoon of training. Yes, it can refer to the incident where the police were called to arrest two African-Americans waiting for a meeting at Starbucks. But it can also mean only smiling at customers that look like you, rejecting resumes from diverse applicants, and promoting the employees who resemble the current leadership team. If we want to address unconscious bias effectively, we need to first be aware of how the senses, emotions, and brain interact to create unconscious bias. Second, we must go beyond awareness of our biases to sensitivity to their impact. Lastly, we need to develop a system that internalizes wise decision making with ongoing reinforcement of that competence.

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Dr. Joseph Nwoye: Diversity Frontier Podcast

Dr. Nwoye is an educator and inclusion specialist. As the president of Diversity Frontier, he focuses on unconscious bias and diversity policies & practices that work.  Dr. Nwoye has contributed more than 50 articles with focus on tackling social issues such as achievement gaps, race, and gender among others. He served as the Director of Multicultural Education at Illinois State University and as chief investigator on discriminatory issues. Dr. Nwoye is the author of three books. His most recent one which is the focus of this podcast. (Click for Amazon) Cultivating a Belief System for Peace, Equity and Social Justice For All.

CLICK to hear Dr. Nwoye’s podcast about his new book

Selene Calloni Williams: Ancient Traditions for Modern Living

With a degree in psychology and master’s in screen writing, Selene Calloni Williams has authored several International best-selling books and documentaries. Her focus is on psychology, deep ecology, shamanism, yoga, philosophy, and anthropology. As a direct student of James Hillman, she studied and practiced Buddhist meditation in the hermitages of the forests of Sri Lanka, and is an initiate of Shamanic Tantric Yoga. She is the founder and the director of the Imaginal Academy Institute Switzerland.

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Abortion and Political Football – by Deborah Levine

(Originally appeared in The Chattanooga Times Free Press)

I hate the idea of abortion. I hate everything about it and I know I have plenty of company. No one has warm fuzzy thoughts about abortion. Whether you’re pro or anti-abortion, the term evokes pain and suffering as well as sorrow and mourning, Abortion has been a political football for as long as I remember, but the game has become more intense than ever.

Abortion was just a whisper in high school back in the sixties when a friend got pregnant at sixteen. She had the baby, dropped out of school, and never returned. It wasn’t an uncommon story since Roe vs. Wade didn’t became law until 1973. Birth control pills weren’t even a whisper because while legal in 1965, it was only for married couples. Unmarried women weren’t allowed to purchase birth control until 1972, another seven years.

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Pamela Teagarden: Systems Models to Sustain Inclusive Diversity

As a former banker, with grad studies in behavioral psychology, Pam Teagarden works from the intersection of business and behaviors. She developed AI models of ‘Inclusive Diversity’ using cutting-edge systems information to provide performance-based measures of effective inclusion, linking diverse workforces directly to increasing competitive advantage and to sustainable high levels of employee engagement.

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Leadership Planning Podcast Series – by Deborah Levine

Planning for Leaders

Welcome to the  4-part podcast series created to assist new and aspiring entrepreneurs and community activists in planning for the future. Originally created from entrepreneurs in Cameroon, this series demonstrates how to map your Vision & Mission, proceed to Goals & Objectives, map your tasks & budget, and  create your success story.

PART 1: VISION & MISSION

PART 2: GOALS & OBJECTIVES

PART 3: TASKS & BUDGETS

PART 4: THE STORY

Dr. Val Margarit: Transformational Education

Dr. Val Margarit is an expert in Transformational Education, an award-winning educational leader, college professor, speaker, and the author of ​Why Not You? How to Become an Empowered Woman.
Val has a Doctorate in Education/ Educational Leadership and Masters & Bachelors degrees in Sociology and political science. She teaches, mentors, and advises future educational leaders. A passionate advocate, Val speaks on education equity, women empowerment, gender equality, diversity and inclusion.

Val grew up on a farm in a third world country, without money or indoor plumbing, and was determined to change her family’s legacy. Her mother’s lack of education set her on a transformational journey from working on a farm, working in a factory at 16 years old, moving across the globe, learning English, working multiple jobs, and becoming a transformational educator. Val believes  that ​”achieving one’s full potential has less to do with genetics and IQ and everything to do with opportunity, high quality education, and how you think about and live your life – the habits, self-discipline, resilience, hard work, and mindsets.”

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Keith Weedman: Empowerment & Change

Keith Weedman is Principal/ Founder of Level 3 by Design, LLC. focusing on empowerment & change. He is also a member of the Strategic Diversity & Inclusion LinkedIn network. His background includes an advanced degree in Psychology and undergraduate degree in Industrial Management. Founder of a non-profit organization that empowers public assistance clients to become financially self-sufficient, he also boosts volunteers’ empowerment skills. Weedman’s expertise in socio-economic diversity is featured in a case study by Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

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Call terrorism by its name – by Deborah Levine

DEBORAH LEVINEIt was painful waking up to the terrorism news that suicide bombers in Sri Lanka had targeted hotels and churches during Easter services. Hundreds of people were killed and hundreds more were injured. At first, officials pointed to the perpetrators as a local group of radical Islamists espousing a terrorist ideology. Then they announced that international connections had helped design the attacks. At this point, Sri Lanka shut down online social networks, a move that would limit conspiracy theories, copy cat attempts, and violent revenge attempts. Was the ban prompted by guilt that warnings had been ignored, or by the experience days before in Paris?

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