Category Archives: About Us

About the American Diversity Report

Authors I-Q, Education

Parents and Teachers as Possible Partners – by Dr. Beth Lynne

Advisor Beth Lynne
Dr. Beth Lynne

I worked as an educator for twenty-five years in NJ until I retired a couple years ago. The entire district in was a low socio-economic community. One of the major complaints teachers made was that parents didn’t care about their kids. Once I became a school disciplinarian, I found that parents felt the same about teachers—they were just there for the paycheck. Imagine that! If one would believe both parents and teachers, then who did care about the kids and why was there this disconnect between parents and teachers?

One thing I could piece together was that the parents were fierce about their children. If their kid didn’t have the correct gear or the child’s cell phone was taken or someone was picking on their child, they were at the school demanding action. So it was not accurate that they didn’t care. They cared; it was just that education was not their number one concern. It was the perceived role of the school in the health, welfare, and rights of their child that was paramount.

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Authors R-Z, USA Culture

An American Discovers Small Talk –  by Jacquelyn Reeves

small talkSmall talk delights and confounds us, and it is worth asking why.  In this short humorous piece I will confine myself to American small talk, as there appear to be different variations on this tune, as Mark Twain might also have pointed out if he had written more about American English and less about the German language. 

On the one hand, it can feel overly factual and too easy, (are they making fun of me?) on the other hand, it is full of ambiguity and hidden meaning.  But do you KNOW what that meaning is?  It is also a way of getting to know you quickly, whatever the circumstances, sharing information, getting the real information fast or just having some fun in a bored moment.

Hence I share with you a “Small Talk Vignette” from one of my trips in the US.  Although I am American, I have felt like a foreigner in the US at various times, and this was one of them:

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Authors A-H, Culture

Diversity and Speech Part 5: Interculturalism – by Carlos E. Cortés

The diversity movement has raised myriad issues regarding language and the exercise of speech.  Indeed, some critics of diversity efforts have accused its advocates of undermining the U.S. tradition of free speech.  Yet that argument is ill-founded, for two reasons.  First, because totally “free” speech does not exist in the United States.  Second, because establishing selective legal limits on speech is as historically American as apple pie.

This is the fifth in a series of columns based on my research as a past fellow of the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement.   In earlier columns I argued that diversity advocates should not be drawn into the position of opposing free speech, because it does not really exist.  Rather they should clarify and reframe the issue.

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Authors R-Z, Inclusion

INTENT versus IMPACT – by Mauricio Velásquez

Introduction

Mauricio Velasquez
Mauricio Velasquez

This fundamental concept is one of the core principles of my work and integral to DTG’s approach to dealing with diversity issues in the workplace and marketplace.  Diversity issues or employee relation issues (among people who are different) typically involve two people.  The perpetrator or the initiator of the behavior is one party and the target or the receiver of the behavior is the second party. 

The diversity issue or incident (sometimes it is one “moment of truth”) is defined as a behavior, an action, or a series of behaviors (a pathology or trend) that one party (the target) feels or concludes based on the behavior(s) was wrong, inappropriate, disrespectful, discriminatory or illegal.

First – We Don’t Know the Intentions of Others

We all mean well.  I never question the intent of any person’s actions.  We actually don’t know the intentions of the other person but we assume their intentions based on the behavior we see, how we react (our feelings) or the kind of relationship we have with the perpetrator.  This is the first mistake.   We should look at the behavior(s) in question and only the behavior(s).  Looking just at the face value of the behavior is a good start.

I tend to focus on the actual behavior and how that behavior might affect or influence other people.  In other words, I focus on the impact said behavior(s) has on other people.  The consequences of any action, how the behavior might be received or perceived or experienced is what I tend to scrutinize. 

Second – “I didn’t Mean It”

I find too many people will get defensive when the target confronts the perpetrator about the behavior(s).  The perpetrator typically responds with, “I didn’t mean it the way you took it.”  Often, in my travels, people don’t want to be held accountable for their actions.  Unfortunately, this does not take the “sting” out of the behavior(s).  What matters is what you said, not what you meant.

What Is Appropriate

Don’t take it personally – apologize for your comment.  Don’t try to avoid your responsibility – step up to the plate.  Don’t focus on your intentions – no one knows your intentions.  Try to put yourself in the target’s shoes and understand their feelings.  Put your feelings aside.  This is not about you – the perpetrator – this is about the target.  Try to empathize with the target.  Apologize and ask the target to always come and share with this person their feelings whenever they feel wronged.  You want to be perceived as humble, approachable and “bigger” than any one incident.  What you don’t want to do is seem defensive, stubborn, or stubborn.  Reach out!  This is a wake up call that you need to improve this relationship.  Misunderstandings are more likely to arise among strangers or people who have strained or weak relationships.

Most Common Mistakes

“You people!  What do your people think?  You are so articulate for a (blank); I don’t see you as a (blank).  Men/women, you can’t….” These are some of the most common mistakes people make.   Stay away from these behaviors.  Never see people as members of a group but rather focus on the person, the individual.  If you do go here, apologize immediately and reach out and ask for help and coaching from the other person.

Authors A-H, Social Issues

The Online Spaces of the Final Generation – by Samantha Boucher

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“The Final Generation”

Some refer to Generation Z – those born, roughly, from the mid-1990s onward – as ‘The Final Generation’. This is not due to some apocalyptic vision of the future, but rather as a reflection of the nature of culture in online spaces.

The Final GenerationIn previous generations, it could be reasonably assured that a monoculture would develop. Because of the nature of the distribution of media and the limited ways in which it could be communicated, entire generations of youth would grow up with roughly the same cultural experiences – watching the same shows and cartoons, consuming the same film and radio programs.

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Authors R-Z, Teams & Leaders

Effect Change in One Brief Conversation – by Keith Weedman

Unexpected Introduction

When I provided an introductory session for highly skilled Toastmaster Ant Blair, my goal was to earn the privilege of providing him a program that blends training on how to effect change in one, brief conversation with coaching. Ant was quite engaged during his training. I was feeling optimistic about the outcome. Then at the end of his session, something totally unexpected happened. Ant was the one to effect change in one, brief conversation.

About Deborah Levine, Interviewing Deborah, Levine articles

The Art of Perseverance & Endurance

Deborah LevineHear Deborah Levine’s interview with Rabbi Tzvi and learn about the art of perseverance and endurance. She shares her personal stories that are captured in her memoir, The Magic Marble Tree.  In this interview Deborah talks about her journey through pain and incapacitation and why she decided to  write the book.

Click below to hear true stories that will inspire you to Never Give Up!

Authors A-H, Politics, Social Issues

Two Letters – taking a stand! – by Terry Howard

As sheer coincidence would have it, I’d just finished rereading Dr. King’s famous “Letter from A Birmingham Jail” when the following excerpts of a letter from my good friend “Shirley” popped up in my email:
Dear Pastor, I first want to say that I have benefitted from your sermons since I have been a part of your congregation. I, however, have some concerns that prompted me to write to you. I know that my political beliefs aren’t necessarily in line with a large portion of the congregation. I knew that when I first started worshipping here but I didn’t perceive it to be a concern. I believed this to be true because I try to look at people and issues and determine the best course of action based upon all that I hear, read, observe and analyze. Based on that process, I pray that I know what is the most prudent to address and decisions to make.  

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Levine articles, Teams & Leaders

Nurturing and Humility in Leadership – by Deborah Levine

I have been puzzled by colleagues congratulating me on my humility. What are these folks talking about? People who knew me years ago would definitely be amused by that. At best, I was described as “Sweet but Stern.” At my boldest, I was told that I could terrorize entire cities. Community leaders had a white-knuckled grasp on their chairs when I tersely announce my intention to speak off-the-record. Not even a voice from the back of the room calling out, “Oh ho, this should be good!” slowed me down.

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Levine articles, Teams & Leaders

The Challenge of Unconscious Bias – by Deborah Levine

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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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