The Diversity Factor © 2009
ISSN 1545-2808
Winter 2009
Has there been a paradigm shift?
Volume 17, Number 1

Editor's Foreword
April W. Klimley (aklimley@eyca.com)

News, Views and Gossip
Caitlin Kelly
A compilation of recent news and developments in the world of diversity—starting with the greater number of African–American reporters now seen at presidential news conferences.

Resources
April W. Klimley (aklimley@eyca.com)
This inspiring group of books sheds light on the African–American experience in the U.S. in honor of February’s Black History Month. They include a President Barack Obama’s Dreams from My Father, recorded by the author himself on a CD, as well as political commentator Gwen Ifill’s analysis of new trends in American politics—The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.

Main Focus: What’s Happening in Diversity and Inclusion

Cumulative Privilege: Exploring Our Choices to Live in and Out of Privilege
John M. Clochesy, PhD, MA, CDP (euclidcreek@ameritech.net) and Amber Mayes, MSOD (ambermayes@gmail.com)
We may be entering a new era of greater multicultural tolerance in the United States, but social privilege has not faded—not by a long shot. The fact remains that certain groups retain a more privileged status than others and those within those groups are able to exercise a number of prerogatives—if they wish to.  In this article, the authors, John Clochesy and Amber Mayes, discuss how people may take on more than one role of “cumulative privilege” due to different roles they plan in life, and/or their different roles in society.

Developing a Positive White Identity
By The Rev. Dr. William Gardiner (bill.gardiner@verizon.net)
It is rare to hear the power and privileges of being white discussed as frankly as they are in this article by Rev. Dr. Bill Gardiner. He takes a frank look at these realities, and offers some practical and proactive advice for white people who want to shed deep–seated prejudices: stop relying on inherent privileges, and form collective action with others to create a more anti–racist society. Rev. Gardiner wrote an article on a similar theme that was published in The Center Post in Rowe, MA in the fall of 2008.

Learning is a two–way proposition: A baby boomer experiences a semester teaching Gen Y students
Donna Coulson, founder, Donna Coulson & Associates, LLC, (dccoulson@comcast.net)
The author—Donna Coulson, a baby boomer—has been in the field of diversity training and coaching for many years. Nonetheless, she found it a challenge to teach a course composed entirely of Generation Y students. In this aricle, Coulson writes about her experience meeting up with the “Wikinomics” generation; how their viewpoints were very different from what she expected from their entrepreneurial spirit to their aversion to teams and resistance to “being there or “face time.” Her article is filled with helpful tips and advice on how to bridge this chasm for more effective cooperation in today’s multi–generational workplace.

The Proper Consultant’s Stance in Diversity and Inclusion: “Be All You Can Be” Typified by the Four “Be Attitudes”
Frederick Bryant, founder, Bryant Associates (bry4com@aol.com)
The bearing—or stance—of a diversity/inclusion consultant can make a big difference in how effective the consultant is in any environment, according to Frederick Bryant. In this article, Bryant draws on over 20 years of experience in the field of Organization Development to describe what he considers the four essential “Be Attitudes” that make up a successful stance and how these attitudes play out in a number of learning situations. By incorporating these stances, a consultant will become much more effective creating an inclusive environment within any organization.