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.

Dr. Joseph Nwoye: Belief Formation & Transformation

Dr. Nwoye is an educator and inclusion specialist focused on belief formation. As president of Diversity Frontier, he also focuses on unconscious bias, diversity policies and practice. He is the author of two books and more than 50 articles that share tools from his experience tackling social issues such as achievement gaps, race, and gender. Dr. Nwoye served as the Director of Multicultural Education at Illinois State University and as chief investigator on discriminatory issues.

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Freedom and Feudalism in the U.S. – by Debasish Majumdar

I just love the U.S. I have no desire to visit there, but I am thrilled by their homeland history where feudalism was eclipsed by the  American struggle for independence, where from slavery there was an elevation, to a capitalist economy which paved the way to become an epitome of Justice, Liberty and Fraternity.

But, of late, the essence of feudal vices being emanated from their very core of social life is a grave concern for all who love freedom and liberty. I am worried that it may lose their pristine essence of the land of liberty, for which many aspire to embark upon.

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Susan Popoola: The Challenge of Unconscious Bias

Susan Popoola is a Human Value Optimisation Specialist and published author of books that reflect on the opportunities, challenges, evolution and diversity of today’s world. Headquartered in the UK, Susan has a rich experience working in different people-related roles within organisations whilst simultaneously engaging in education and wider society. See more at www.MosaicFusions.com

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Holocaust Lessons at Memorial Auditorium – by Deborah Levine

(originally published in The Chattanooga Times Free Press)

DEBORAH LEVINEWhen I heard that Holocaust Survivor Eva Schloss was speaking in Chattanooga, I seriously considered staying home. I know Holocaust stories all too well from my work in Holocaust education, the hand-typed memoirs of survivors sent to me, and my father’s World War II letters. Dad was a US military intelligence officer assigned to interrogate Nazi prisoners of war. His letters described their education into fascism and its authoritarian ultranationalism, dehumanizing minorities and suppressing opposition.

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Pastor Paul McDaniel and the Interfaith South — by Deborah Levine

When I arrived at Chattanooga’s Second Missionary Baptist Church, A true Southern gentleman, Pastor Paul McDaniel, met me personally met at the door.   Born in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Pastor McDaniel has been part of the Southern landscape and its African American community for most of his life. After attending Morehouse College in Atlanta, he received a Masters of Divinity degree from Colgate-Rochester Divinity School and a Masters of Arts degree from the University of Rochester in New York. A Chattanooga resident since 1966, Rev. McDaniel stepped down from his post at the Second Missionary Baptist Church after almost 50 years of service.  A larger-than-life figure in the community, I share our conversation in his honor.

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Claudiu Murgan: Water Entanglement

Water EntanglementThe author of Water Entanglement, Claudiu Murgan, was born in Romania and has called Canada his home since 1997. Claudiu’s experience in industries such as IT, renewable energy, real estate and finance, helped him create complex but real characters that carry forward his meaningful messages.

His latest fiction book, Water Entanglement, focuses on the precious resource of Water, the risks to water globally, and the potential catastrophic impact of ignoring those risks.

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Who You Callin’ Old? – by Deborah Levine

Originally published in The Chattanooga Times Free Press


DEBORAH LEVINEBirthdays that end in zero are milestones to be celebrated, or completely ignored, depending on your point of view. I choose to celebrate my milestone by writing about the beauty and value of older women. Too often, the presence of older women can be used to delegitimize a good cause. There were several editorials about Women’s Marches calling them irrelevant because so many of the women involved were old, limping, and decrepit.

Maybe I should be used to this dismissive language, I’ve heard it often enough. I’m reminded of the time I gave a presentation at a national interfaith workshop in Huntsville. Wrapping up, I asked for comments from an audience of woman chaplains and pastors. The first question had everyone nodding their heads, “How do you get people to listen to you? Once I turned sixty nobody cared what I thought or said.”

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Cultural Diversity and Politics – by Deborah Levine

To celebrate my birthday, I addressed a group of Global Scholars at Chattanooga State Community College on the societal trends in this political environemnt through the lens of cultural anthropology. Chattanooga is experiencing major cultural shifts as globalization transforms the South’s demographics. We are very much in need of a new generation with global leadership skills, multicultural expertise, and political involvement.

What Should an Aspiring Leader Know? — by Deborah Levine

Here’s what teenage leaders-in-training had to say when asked what a young leader should know. The words of wisdom come from high school and middle school students participating in the American Diversity Report Youth Global Leadership Class. Enjoy their  timeless advice and then read what leadership experts said about preparing the upcoming generation of leaders.