Greetings,

The civil rights activist Charles Hamilton Houston once said that he would rather die on his feet than live on his knees. I often see this quote play itself out when I watch the allies to diversity stand by their decisions to support difficult positions or unpopular groups.

A few years ago, my husband took a stand and supported the rights of the LGBT community in Connecticut. I'll admit, I thought this was a risky and unnecessary move. America has still not fully embraced this community and I felt that he would gain more enemies than supporters. However, his moral compass was right.

My husband's decision to die on his feet if it meant standing up for the LGBT community was not in vain. Last week, he won the Democratic primary for State Representative in Connecticut, in part, because of the full support of the LGBT community. In addition to receiving an endorsement from Love Makes a Family, an organization that is dedicated to advancing LGBT equality, members of the LGBT community volunteered numerous hours working for Gary's campaign.

This experience reminded me that when we are on the right side of an issue, we may have to wade through difficult waters, but eventually we will prevail.

Click here to see video from the opponent's premature election party
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/08/blango.php

Understanding Causes and Effects in Diversity

Letter from a Birmingham Jail was probably one of Martin Luther King's finest writings. In this letter, he responds to criticism about his participation in civil rights protests in Birmingham. "You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations." In classic King style, he forces his readers to consider that with every effect there is a cause.

Often, we are exasperated by the effect without examining the cause. Sometimes when diversity initiatives do not achieve their objectives--poor participation from employees, failure to attract a diverse array of employees, or inability to keep talented employees--organizations are ready to quit, saying, "See, diversity initiatives don't work." However, this is an opportunity to try something different. This is a chance to find new leadership, tap into new resources, define new goals, identify new challenges and realize new accomplishments.

Even in my everyday life, I try to remember that where there is an effect there is a cause. For instance, as a patriotic American trying to digest Reverend Wright (and the injustice called the Sean Bell verdict), I am forced to question the conditions that may have brought about his condemnations about America. (In April, the three New York City police officers who fired 50 shots at Sean Bell, an unarmed African-American, were acquitted.)

In my e-newsletter, I have included videos and other resources to get you thinking about new ways to advance your diversity initiative. Please feel free to contact QUEST if we can be of any assistance. Please email me at natalie@questdiversity.com to get a copy of the e-newsletter.

Hillary, Barack, and Workforce Diversity

Based on interviews with a range of professionals--from accountants to zoologist--I found that when most people find themselves in the minority, they may encounter one of ten common barriers to inclusion, such as, the inability to recover from mistakes. As I watch cable news' coverage of the presidential campaign, I see how Barack (because of his race), Hillary (because of her gender) and McCain (because of his age) have encountered this barrier and have finessed their way around it. Smart and savvy employees should take notice.

For instance,have you noticed how Hillary makes her mistakes seem human? While her critics tried to discredit her when she claimed that she dodged sniper fire during a trip to Bosnia, she escaped from being branded with a scarlet letter "L" for liar. Instead, she admitted that she "misspoke" and that we all misspeak from time to time. She did not get mired in endless apologies or explanations. Instead, she just moves on to the next topic--one where she can shine. She even appeared on Jay Leno and poked fun at herself.

Similarly, professionals of color, women, and other underrepresented groups in the workplace should deftly move beyond their mistakes in the workplace. They should not allow their critics (or themselves) to diminish their confidence or their contributions to the workplace if they make mistakes. Professionals in the minority should look for the next project where they can show their skills and talent.

For more on this topic, click here to watch my appearance on Good Morning Connecticut, discussing the parallels between diversity in the
workplace and the presidential election.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khIpQjSWUjM