Spring 2007 – Inaugural Publication
Thank you for reading our magazine. This periodical uniquely serves as a knowledge-sharing resource for diversity professionals around the globe. We selected an editorial advisory board that reflects this mission.
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 enhance the utility of diversity and inclusion as an area of expertise.
Our first publication offers insights into the past, present, and future of diversity work. The article
Raising the Bar by Judith Katz and Fred Miller makes the important point that organizations are not invested enough in diversity initiatives to ensure their long term success. The authors offer a list of suggestions for creating sustainable diversity initiatives.
The other articles compliment Katz’s and Miller’s challenge. The past can tell us a lot about the present, and together they offer a glimpse into the future. The article on diversity champions focuses 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.
The practice of hiring an in-house professional to lead the diversity initiative is presently 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, while focusing primarily on the higher education setting, the information easily generalizes to other sectors with relative ease.
Diversity work seeks to increase cultural competence within organizations so that people can be as productive as possible. An article on cultural competence argues that it drives successful diversity programs.
What is cultural competence? What are the benefits of focusing on cultural competence in diversity program development? Can it be measured and assessed? How is it related to diversity and inclusion? The questions are addressed in this article.
Make certain that you check out the other articles that capture the future of the profession, such as the one by Nirmala Menon on diversity training in India and the interesting scenario-based strategic planning approach in Gerald Harris’ article.
The magazine’s success depends on offering subscribers value. I know that the articles will give ideas about how to increase the impact of your strategy. Your input and feedback are crucial for making this magazine a valuable resource. Please share your thoughts with me, and consider submitting articles. We welcome your contributions.
Please use our contact form to let me know your thoughts about the articles. You are also welcome to submit an article for publication.
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