Earlier this year, I was having a conversation with a friend who works in senior management for a large, Fortune 500 company when I asked if his employer ever contracted trainers to teach diversity. He responded that he was unsure but went on to ask me a stunning question. He asked, “in light of the fact we have an African American President of the United States, do we even need diversity training?” I have to admit, I immediately became somewhat agitated by my friend’s question because we are both African American men. After composing myself, I explained that having an African American President no more means that racism has been eradicated than having a woman Secretary of State or an openly gay Senator mean sexism or that homophobia have dissipated. Nevertheless, our friendship survived the strained conversation.
A few months later I was again chatting with my friend and he mentioned that one of his colleagues, another African American who worked in upper management for the same company had returned from vacation to a rude awakening: The N-word had been written on his office door. When my friend remarked incessantly about how awful and outraged the ordeal made him feel, I reminded him of the conversation we shared three months prior regarding the relevance and need for diversity training.
QCG’s Diversity Series is designed specifically for state and government agencies, universities, non-profit organizations and corporations to address sensitive issues related to diversity appreciation. The series includes topics such as race, white privilege, sexism, homophobia, classism, and religion oppression. Participants are fast-tracked on a trajectory towards inclusion and appreciation of differences. Please contact us today to discuss a customized diversity appreciation program that meets the specific needs of your organization.
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