Diversity Executive Leadership Academy

A DELA graduate called today to share that he was grateful for what he learned in our Certified Diversity & Inclusion Recruiter (CDIR) program. He is the Diversity lead for a Fortune 250 company and said that he completed the training along with 11 employees. This cultural diversity expert deserves a shoutout because he had already completed the CDP, CDT, CDIP, and CDE. That amounts to 11 courses. Our courses are rigorous as any serious training for this expertise should be. The graduate said he’d has had enough and was not taking any more courses from us. Can you blame him? Then we described our new Cultural Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (CDEP) program. He became so excited that he asked to be the first to register. #dei #competence #training #cdp #cde #diversitycertification

“So, as we sit here debating whether we can give up two-day shipping or Target's aesthetically pleasing aisles, the real question isn't whether a boycott is possible-it's whether we're willing to make the same sacrifices our ancestors did. We're in a strange place when it comes to activism. Black resistance is still alive, but the way we mobilize has changed. The protests of 2020 filled the streets with demands for justice, yet in the years since, we've watched corporations make hollow DEI pledges only to abandon them when they became politically inconvenient.” “Compare that to today, when the thought of deleting Amazon Prime gives people heart palpitations. But the truth is, most of us could find alternatives. Supporting Black-owned businesses, buying local, or simply being more intentional with our spending is not impossible-it's just inconvenient. But when has liberation ever been convenient?” #black #power #liberation #civil #rights #amazon #resistance #boycott #target #blackowned #sacrifice https://lnkd.in/guehSY49

“So far, neither pro- nor anti-oriented measures have gained much majority support. In fact, Bieber said, support levels among S&P 500 companies dropped for both pro- and anti-DEI proposals over the last couple of proxy seasons.” #dei #stocks #stockholder #fortune500 #proxy #votes #pro https://lnkd.in/gx8b5gBq

“Republican lawmakers in Montana voted en masse to help defeat two extreme anti-trans bills in an unprecedented move on Thursday, after powerful speeches from two trans representatives imploring them to reject the latest intent to criminalize gender nonconformity. State representative Zooey Zephyr spoke out against a bill that sought to ban drag performances and Pride parades in Montana, introduced by a Republican member of of the house who has referred to transgenderism as a “fetish based on crossdressing”. #trans #pride #montana #zephr #criminalize #republican https://lnkd.in/gm6J5E3x

“In a report released today by the research insights firm Gravity Research, nearly three-quarters of corporate executives claim that potential federal investigations into corporate DEI have been keeping them “up at night.” This sentiment was nearly universal across the finance sector, with 95% of leaders expressing those concerns—in line with reports that Wall Street firms have pared back their DEI initiatives over the last year.” “When we actually talk to our clients, there’s a lot of question marks around: ‘I thought we were legally compliant,’” says Gravity Research president Luke Hartig, noting that the group of employers surveyed includes Fortune 500 companies.” #dei #compliance #ceo #wallstreet #federal #investigations #fortune500 https://lnkd.in/grWF4TEX

"To argue that taking a stand against Israel’s war on Gaza is antisemitic is to pervert the meaning of the term," the letter read. "Labeling pro-Palestinian expression as anti-Jewish hate speech requires a dangerous and false conflation of Zionism with Jewishness, of political ideology with identity.” #dei #gaza #protests #zionism #jewish #isreal #antisemitism #pro #palestine #freedomofspeech https://lnkd.in/gaevcz8s

“Shareholders understand that diversity and inclusion are material to profitable growth,” Andrew Behar, CEO of As You Sow, a shareholder activist group, said in a statement following the John Deere vote earlier this week. “Anyone who's looking at the data, which the companies and shareholders are, comes to the conclusion that greater diversity leads to financial outperformance.” Nell Minow, the vice chair of Value Edge Advisors, which advises large institutional investors on corporate governance issues, agrees with that sentiment. “This is literally a market test, and it shows that investors support diverse organizations because they make more money,” she tells Fortune. Minow adds that it’s not unusual for shareholder votes to take a few years to gain traction, and support can build up slowly over a few years. But the miniscule number won by the latest anti-DEI votes doesn't bode well for their future success. “These don’t seem to be getting any traction whatsoever,” she says. “ #dei #bottomline #shareholders #vote #anti #johndeere https://lnkd.in/g8edrHeD

“According to Business Insider, Coca-Cola’s annual filing states that fostering an inclusive workplace culture is “critical” to its growth and success. “Our diverse, high-performing global employee base helps drive a culture of inclusion, innovation and growth,” the company stated. “We aspire to develop a global workforce with diverse perspectives, experiences and backgrounds that reflect the broad range of consumers and markets we serve around the world.” Coca-Cola warned that failing to entice and retain this specialized top-tier talent could lead to negative consequences for its growth and future success.” #eeo #dei #cocacola #global #diversity #eceonomic #growth https://lnkd.in/grdG2T_Z

If democratic nations continue to exploit Africa without fostering self-sufficiency, communist countries may step in to capitalize on the continent’s resources. Developing space technologies in Africa offers a pathway to self-reliance, provided that leadership remains committed to this goal and resists external pressures. Historically, Africa’s vast natural resources have been extensively exploited by Western corporations, yet this has not translated into significant poverty alleviation for the continent. This pattern of exploitation has often left African nations dependent on external entities for economic development. In recent years, China has expanded its influence in Africa by forming space alliances, constructing satellite labs, and providing technological support. For instance, China’s collaboration with Egypt led to the establishment of a high-tech satellite lab near Cairo, heavily reliant on Chinese technology and personnel. While these partnerships offer technological advancements, they also serve China’s strategic interests, granting access to valuable data and a physical presence in African facilities. To counteract external exploitation, African nations are increasingly focusing on developing indigenous space capabilities. The African Union’s Africa Outer Space Strategy aims to leverage space technologies to bolster development in critical sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, and climate forecasting. Similarly, the Kenya Space Agency has launched satellites like TAIFA-1, designed and developed by Kenyan engineers, to enhance earth observation and support socio-economic development. By investing in space technology, African countries can gain autonomy over critical data and infrastructure, reducing reliance on foreign entities. However, realizing this potential requires steadfast leadership committed to prioritizing national interests and resisting external pressures that may undermine self-sufficiency. In summary, while external powers have historically exploited Africa’s resources, the development of indigenous space technologies presents an opportunity for the continent to achieve self-reliance. Success in this endeavor hinges on leadership that is dedicated to harnessing this potential for the benefit of their nations.

“The National United Black Carpenters Union aims to advocate for the rights of Black carpenters who are marginalized and excluded from predominantly Latino carpenters’ unions. In these unions, Spanish-speaking workers are often used as a barrier to prevent Black workers from receiving training, relegating them to menial tasks such as cleaning, instead of providing them with proper opportunities. There are currently more than 10,800 carpenter apprentices in California, of which nearly 7,900 are Latino, more than 1,850 are white and only 742 are Black. Latinos make up about 40% of California’s population but nearly 70% of its state-registered construction trades apprentices. Whites, who are 34% of California’s population, were 19% of the registered construction apprentices, and Blacks, who are 6% of the state’s population, were 5% of construction apprentices. The National United Black Carpenters Union aims to foster better relationships with Black carpenters within predominantly Latino unions to ensure fair treatment. Additionally, it encourages Black carpenters to join its union, which is focused on addressing their specific needs and rights. It also advocates for English as the primary language in the construction industry. And it calls for the repeal or amendment of all project labor agreements to include open shop apprenticeships.” #construction #industry #workers #carpenters #Black #NationalUnitedBlackCarpentersUnion https://lnkd.in/gUjw5Ukm