Thank you for reading our magazine. The unique magazine is designed as a knowledge sharing resource for diversity professionals around the globe. The global constitution of the magazine’s editorial advisory board members attests to this commitment.
We know that diversity has unique meanings, functions, and uses in different parts of the world. While the United States may have led the diversity consulting and training movement, the full range of knowledge needed to promote inclusion within and beyond its borders relies on sharing information at the global level. We need professionals from every corner of the world participating in this knowledge sharing to build a global diversity and inclusion knowledge base.
Our first publication situated the magazine’s mission in the past, present, and future of diversity work. Raising the Bar was the first article in this publication. Authors Judith Katz and Fred Miller make the important point that organizations are not invested enough in diversity initiatives to ensure their long term success. They offer a list of suggestions for creating sustainable diversity initiatives.
The other articles in the first publication compliment Katz’s and Miller’s challenge, as well as characterize what the magazine is trying to offer as a whole. I’ll provide a general overview for you.
- The past can tell us a lot about the present, and together they offer a glimpse into the future. It is not easy to find an article about the history of diversity and inclusion outside of academia, and for good reason academia typically confines that history to educational contexts. The article on diversity champions in this magazine brings the different sectors together in focusing on the history of diversity work in the United States. An important point made in the article is that the increased number of professionals leading diversity within organizations today follows a long history of knowledge accumulated from the work of external diversity consultants. Future articles will highlight other countries, as geographical differences warrant creating unique space to learn about those histories.
- Hiring an in-house professional to lead the diversity initiative is on the rise. Who are these professionals? What are their credentials? What are their roles and responsibilities? Damon Williams and Katrina Wade-Golden address these questions in their article. Although their article focuses primarily on the higher education setting, the information arguably generalizes to other sectors with relative ease.
- The bottom line in diversity work is an effort to increase cultural competence within organizations so that people can be as productive as possible. A lead article on cultural competence is based on the assumption that most diversity professionals have a limited understanding of cultural competence and how it fits into their work. The result is an overemphasis on ‘sensitivity†training and programs to legally protect organizations from civil suits. What is cultural competence? What are the benefits of focusing on cultural competence in diversity program development? Can we assess it? How is it related to diversity and inclusion? These questions are addressed in a lead article in this magazine.
The articles that have been published since the inaugural publication are being uploaded to this site by the day, so keep checking back as often as you can. Sign up to receive email notifications. I hope this general summary peaks your interest in reading the rest of this magazine. Check out the other articles, such as the one by Nirmala Menon on diversity training in India and a state-of-the-art diversity initiative strategic planning approach in Gerald Harris’ article.
I know that the articles will really get you thinking critically about diversity and inclusion. Magazine subscribers make this goal possible. But, our success depends on offering subscribers value. In this way, your input and feedback are critical in making this magazine a valuable resource. Please share your thoughts with me. Want to share your knowledge with an article? We welcome your contributions.
Billy Vaughn, PhD CDP
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