The National Diversity Council is excited to launch a more extensive diversity and inclusion training calendar throughout the United States. The Council’s ultimate goal is to become the premier diversity and inclusion resource for business and community leaders. In Florida, we will be holding our first Diversity & Inclusion Workshop session in Orlando in June.
The Lee Memorial Health System and the Florida Diversity Council proudly present the Florida Healthcare Summit on June 6, 2014. The Gulf Coast Medical Center will host this event on Cultural Competence and Excellence in Healthcare to evidence the importance of Diversity as being a key aspect of the cure for some of the deficiencies in healthcare fields today.
Something’s brewing in the Grand Central District of St. Petersburg, Fla. A new LGBT welcome center and coffee house is in the works in one of the community’s finest areas. The center is welcoming of all who want to come in for coffee, business, wifi or any of the other amenities that will be offered. The house will also focus on providing a safe destination for homeless LGBT youth.
As Diversity Partners, a common interest that we share is creating inclusive workplaces that are welcoming and supportive to everyone. Ironically, the challenge for us is often knowing where we can easily access the information and resources we need in order to be successful. This is especially true right now for those of us with federal contracts because recent changes to Section 503 and VEVRAA regulations place greater onus on companies to have these answers.
The City of Tampa Mayor’s Alliance for Persons with Disabilities is planning a job fair for veterans and persons with disabilities in early 2015. Employers, colleges, nonprofits, Hillsborough County Schools, government agencies, and groups who work with persons with disabilities and veterans are on the planning committee.
Emily Ingram now calls Orlando home, after living in cities like San Francisco and Seattle. She loves to travel and will be going to the Galapagos Islands this year. When she’s not enjoying family time with her spouse of 15 years and her son, she is working at the Golf Channel. She will soon celebrate her 1 year anniversary as Vice President of Human Resources in Golf Channel.
On April 3, 2014 the Florida Diversity Council presented the 5th Annual Diversity & Leadership Conference. Local and statewide business leaders met at the Rosen Plaza in Orlando, Fla. to network, identify prospects for collaboration, support and develop ideals geared toward inclusion at all levels.
I consider myself one of the lucky ones from a career perspective. Throughout my 36 years in the banking industry, I have been surrounded by an outstanding support system. This support system included a supportive spouse, an inspirational grandmother and three significant male mentors, all from diverse backgrounds. But that is a story for another time!
For over twenty years living in the United States, I never had to stop and think about how much I had become “Americanized” until a colleague recently told me when she asked me to write an article about Asian History. I always thought that I am still very traditional and still carry a lot of my culture and beliefs, but when it was time to share some of my thoughts, I went blank.