Tag: business

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First Ever Hispanic Leadership Summit

“We are fragmented, underrepresented and misperceived, so we need to think less like 26 different nationalities and more as one community. In my heart, I know unification is what our Hispanic community lacks at this pivotal moment in history,” Claudia Romo Edelman

Today in New York City, the We Are All Humans Foundation has convened the first ever Hispanic Leadership Summit. Read more here from Claudia about this historic event in which more than 350 leaders will try to answer some key questions. Here is the link to the event’s website.

The questions asked focus on how to move forward as a community and how success will depend on:

  • Recognizing that the time is now for unifying.
  • Appreciating that we have a distinct window of opportunity before us.
  • Having the courage to address what gets in the way of our potential.
  • Believing our goals are achievable.
  • Accepting this invitation to act.

You can read Claudia’s blog post here: https://www.weareallhuman.org/vision/ and join the conversation via social media by following @WAAH_Foundation and Claudia Romo Edelman on Twitter, weare_allhuman on Instagram and the hashtag #HispanicSummit2018.

I recognize that by coming together to work toward common goals while amplifying the voices of the growing, diverse and dynamic Hispanic population, will ultimately drive positive change. I cannot wait to learn more about the discussion and outcomes from today.

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Elections, Voter Suppression, Megyn Kelly, Intel, CFO Magazine, Diversity in PR plus more

We are less than a week away from the midterm elections and I hope the turnout reflects the energy I have seen online. Having said that, watch this interview with Chiqui Cartagena, on how both parties and many candidates do not understand Latino voters. Or this from NPR  about how candidates like Beto O’Rourke, who is running for the Senate in Texas, need to mobilize Latino voters to win. There is also this from Meet The Press in which Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez says, “you don’t win in #Texas unless you’re talking to brown and black voters.”

I like to keep an informal inventory of who is advertising on Univision while I watch its programming. For example, this week during the 10 pm telenovela, I was surprised to see mostly negative ads against the Democrats, note I live in Miami. In other words – there were was only one ad for a Democratic candidate. It will be interesting to see if any party or candidate understands the opportunities, and challenges, of engaging with this important segment which is very diverse. Another important story to follow next week will be voter suppression efforts which predominantly impact racial minorities, here is a good Washington Post piece on this specific issue. I’m proud to say that I’ve already voted – it was easy and seamless. 

Last week NBC canceled Megyn Kelly Today because of Kelly’s comments regarding “blackface,” so here is this from Nicholas Pearce, another recommended read, titled “Megyn Kelly’s ‘blackface’ comment shows workplace diversity isn’t enough.”

Here are additional stories that I am following this week including this from Forbes titled “Seven Ways To Close The Diversity And Inclusion Gap That Are Easier Than You Think,” “How To Improve Gender Diversity In Entertainment Through Social Networking,” “Making progress on tech’s diversity problem: A female founder’s take on the current situation” and “Intel Hits an Internal Goal for Workforce Diversity.” Bernard Coleman III wrote this on four diversity and inclusion disruptors in the workplace (one of my favorite topics) and here is this from CFO Magazine titled “The Economic Case for Diversity.”

I want to end this post with this video shared by a friend, Jeff Weintraub, “in memory of the victims and in honor of the wounded of Tree of Life Synagogue, Pittsburgh PA.”

Photo by Parker Johnson on Unsplash

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Women in the workplace, board diversity, Sears, Facebook, Burlington Stores, Best Buy, CAA & more

As I opened my email this morning one of my daily reads had this lead, “LeanIn.org and McKinsey have released the latest installment of their Women in the Workplace survey, and it does not make for pleasant reading.” Not the best way to start the morning but a good reality check. “Now in its fourth year, the survey shows ‘almost no progress’ in improving the representation of women in corporate America.” Read more in today’s Fortune CEO Daily plus you can find the survey here. On that topic, here is a recommended read for the week: “Women Managers Have Little Margin for Error.”

Last week I had an interesting conversation regarding corporate diversity and the person I was speaking with focused on the importance of leading from the top. In other words, if companies are serious about diversity, that needs to start at the corporate board level. I completely agree, which is why reading about “diversity fatigue” at the board level is disappointing – especially if you look at the numbers. Yes as the Race Ahead newsletter mentions, there has been some progress  – 16% increase in 10 years but that’s not enough.

I’ve written before about corporate board diversity and the work of organizations including the Latino Corporate Directors Association, Women Corporate Directors and the Executive Leadership Council. This year California became the first state to require women on boards and there is an initiative called 2020 Women on Boards working to increase the percentage of women on corporate boards to 20%. In recent weeks we have seen business leaders like Jessica Rodriguez and Cindy Kent named to the corporate boards of Burlington Stores, Inc. and Best Buy respectively.  I know that because of their contributions they will demonstrate, once again, the value of diversity. I hope shareholders and stakeholders continue to keep companies accountable and that this “fatigue” is temporary – as there is still significant work to be done. Here is a link to the PWC report which has other interesting findings.

Here are some other recent stories and opinion pieces:  “Local VCs Launch Initiative to Make Chicago’s Tech Community More Diverse,“ “CAA Launches ‘The Hubb’ Summit to Promote Diversity in the Music Industry,” “Sears catalog helped African Americans subvert Jim Crow,” and “Inside Facebook’s Stormy Debate Over ‘Political Diversity’.” Also, Sallie Krawcheck’s piece  “Everything you think you know about promoting diversity is wrong. Here’s how to do it” has some valid and important points. Note I still think there is value in ERGs or Affinity Groups.

To end on a more positive note, ICMYI  “Shonda Rhimes: ‘I Am The Highest-Paid Showrunner in Television,’” to which I say, bravo!

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Amazon, LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, Black Enterprise, CES, technology to address workforce diversity, plus more

Can technology, including AI/machine learning, help address workforce diversity issues? Companies like SheWorks!, tEQuitable, Atipica, Textio and Pluto are just some of the startups trying to do this, but they have deliberately made this part of their mission. There are also companies like LinkedIn which announced this week it is using AI to recruit more diverse candidates. However, when leveraging technology, some companies may not realize that they may face bias issues they had not predicted, as we saw this week with Amazon. The recruitment engine the company used showed bias against women. More than 50% of HR managers in the U.S. said “artificial intelligence, or AI, would be a regular part of their work within the next five years, according to a 2017 survey by talent software firm CareerBuilder,” so this is something to continue to monitor. Ultimately I think what this also shows is that you need diversity on the management and development side to create viable solutions.

Google and Facebook announced that they are funding a machine learning course in Africa. This is just one example of how companies are trying to address these challenges but there is a lot of work to be done as diversity in tech continues to be a significant issue. 

It was great to see that CES listened to the concerns last year on the lack of diversity as Lisa Su, chief executive of AMD and Ginni Rometti, IBM’s CEO, were named as keynote speakers. Also, read this from  Black Enterprise titled “Black and Brown Tech Innovators and Enthusiasts Gather for Bigger, Better Techconnext conference.”

In other news, CNBC wrote about how Latino owned small businesses are “turbocharging growth,” I love this from the New York Times done to celebrate the International Day of the Girl and called #ThisIs18 and the Google Doodle honors Roberto Clemente

Finally, ICYMI here is one of my favorite ads this year, from JetBlue, celebrating Puerto Rico.

Photo by Alex Knight on Unsplash

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Nonprofit diversity, Harvard, Vogue, Magazine Covers, Politics, Startups and the PR industry in the #MeToo era

Every day I save articles to include in the weekly blog post, and also do some searches to find some of the best coverage about diversity. That is why I appreciate it when some of you share articles I may have missed or catch a mistake and flag it for me. Thank you Xochitl Yañez for sharing this one focused on diversity in nonprofits, a very interesting read.

I also follow a number of individuals that share great content, including pieces they have written. Here is this from Monica Castillo focused on language, Ana Valdez shared this written by Miriam Rivera titled “How to be an ally in a diverse community,” One area that I focus on is startups, and follow leaders like Arlan Hamilton and Mandela SH Dixon and try to include articles like this piece on “105 black and latino founders who have raised $1mm+ in VC funding…”

One of the topics I talk about almost every week is that representation matters, which is why we we should celebrate that  “For the First Time, Black Women Will Run Four Schools at Harvard University,” and that, as the CNBC headline states, “Women are shattering records in the 2018 primaries with more than a dozen states still to go.”Another story on the politics side, in Michigan, the Democrats have an all-female statewide ticket.  On the entertainment side, the fact that black women are on a number of magazine covers this month is also something to celebrate. Also, if you missed this from Vogue about advice for your 20 year old self based on Beyonce’s cover story, it is a great read.

We do have a long way to go, which is why Tuesday was Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, read more here. This New York Times piece “When a Female C.E.O. Leaves, the Glass Ceiling is Restored” has great insights and data in general about women in the C suite.  

Finally, ICYMI, here is a must read post by Jane Randel, co-founder of Karp Randel, focused on #MeToo and the PR industry.

Thank you for reading and following. Please share any articles you think are important to include!

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The business case for diversity, L’Oréal, Nike, Amplify, DirecTV, diversity in finance, groups driving engagement and more

I want to thank those who have added names to the list of Latino sources for media, we are now up to 90. The list is open for anyone who wants to make additions.

We continue to see studies that speak to the business case for diversity. Here is this from Harvard Business Review which finds that “Diversity significantly improves financial performance on measures such as profitable investments at the individual portfolio-company level and overall fund returns.” In addition to the findings, it includes “evidenced-based recommendations.”

Other good reads this week, L’Oréal shared some diversity best practices as a member of the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, read this from the Company’s CEO. There are many debates on how to fight bias and promote diversity. Here is this from Fast Company. Forbes published this titled  “Seven Ways To Address The Diversity Problem In Finance.” Here is this piece titled “Inside Nike’s purge: More than a #MeToo moment,” and this: “U.S. Bus Tour Promotes Unconscious-Bias Discussion.”

If you try to engage diverse audiences, you know there are many groups and organizations focused on driving engagement. For example, Ben Finzel created a LGBTQ networking group in DC, read more here. Christy Haubegger, who founded Latina Magazine, launched “the most comprehensive site for underrepresented writers” and it is called Amplify, learn more here.   Also, DirecTV and Reese Witherspoon announced a new production deal.

ICYMI here is this great piece by Esmeralda Bermudez where she asked people how language has shaped their world. Having moved to the U.S. when I was ten, I will always be grateful to my mother for ensuring we spoke Spanish. Being bilingual has enriched me personally and opened many doors professionally.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

 

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How one startup is working to break the barriers that separate talent from opportunity for women

Usually I don’t dedicate a blog post to only one topic but I’ve decided to do more than one post this week and what better way to start than talking about women empowerment. Yesterday I had the privilege of joining Silvina Moschini as she unveiled the collaboration of her social impact startup SheWorks! with EY. It was a very proud moment as I’ve had a first row seat watching someone who understands and believes in the work she is doing to use technology to make an impact – as she says “breaking the barriers that separate talent from opportunity.”  Her vision, passion and commitment, coupled with the technology, are why she has been able to attract top tech companies and brands, as well as small enterprises who are being powered by SheWorks! talent. I am fortunate to be a part of the team helping to ensure that more women can pursue their professional aspirations on their own terms.

Some stats to keep in mind:

  • Every year, millions of highly qualified women opt-out of the job market due to inflexible work environments. Approximately 50% of American women with children quit their jobs due to lack of options to maintain a satisfactory work/life balance.
  • Closing the employment participation gap has the potential to create $4 trillion dollars impact in the U.S. economy alone and a global value of $17 trillion,
  • It will take until 2095 to achieve global gender parity in the workplace.

EY as founding sponsor of SheWorks! is walking the talk – in fact the announcement yesterday included a commitment to use SheWorks! to create opportunities for 100,000 women by 2020. Learn more about the announcement here. Julie Teigland, EY Regional Managing Partner—Germany, Switzerland and Austria and EY Global Leader-elect, Women. Fast forward said, “Every year, millions of professional women leave the workforce because they cannot find the flexibility they need to balance work and life. We’re excited to start this collaboration as we believe that SheWorks! is doing something exceptional in working to ensure that women and girls can increasingly benefit from the use of innovative technologies to join the workforce and they can play a role into the economic development.”

Visit www.wheresheworks.com, follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and follow the conversation using #whereareyouworking #whereareyouworkingtoday #womenfastforward.

Congratulations to the amazing teams at EY and at SheWorks!.

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Heineken USA, Starbucks, Google, diversity in tech, Variety and more

Feels like a great morning when you wake up to a Google Doodle honoring Dr. Virginia Apgar for her contributions to neonatology and to read that Heineken USA named Maggie Timoney as its CEO – which as AdAge mentions, shatters the industry’s glass ceiling. This follows the announcement earlier this week that Mellody Hobson, which as Black Enterprise points out, “is one of the most respected and knowledgeable black business leaders” will become  vice chair at Starbucks when Howard Schultz steps down at the end of the month. This is all welcomed news because there is so much work to be done.  

As you may have read, Google employees spoke up about their concerns regarding diversity. Here is this from CNN:  “Google employee confronts execs over diversity: Many of us feel ‘unsafe.” This is an important story to follow, not only about Google but about the tech industry in general. Oh and Google voted the proposal down. Read Fortune’s CEO Daily for more on this. Here is a great read on what needs to happen to drive change, as this LA Times story says, as “diversity fatigue has set in.” There are a number of programs and initiatives trying to address this issue. Thank you Silvina Moschini for sharing this titled “How this coding bootcamp is helping women land tech jobs at Reddit, Facebook and Amazon.”

On the entertainment side, you may have read that Variety’s “A Night in the Writer’s Room” event because of its lack of representation of women. Read more on his this unfolded on Twitter.  You also may have read about The MACRO Episodic Lab Powered by The Black List.

One of my favorite Twitter accounts to follow is @writersofcolor – where opportunities and diverse talent connect because as the twitter bio says “we don’t want to hear *I can’t find any* ever again, okay?”

ICYMI “12 Quotes To Motivate CMOs To Make Diversity A Priority.”

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

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Puerto Rico, #WhereAreTheChildren Movement, Starbucks, Roseanne, Female CEOs & more

This past week there have been important stories that should not get lost and are focused on Puerto Rico and immigration. These two stories speak to the important role media, academia and organizations play in ensuring the voices of the voiceless are heard and why diversity is important. 

If you missed this important story, here is CBS’s coverage of the Harvard report. I share this story because David Begnaud at CBS has done an outstanding job of covering Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria hit, here is more on his coverage. In fact, he will be honored at the Puerto Rican Day Parade because of his work – he also received The Polk award for his coverage. However, it t is important to note that many reporters have been focused on covering Puerto Rico, on the numbers given by the government and asking for updated numbers for some time, including Julio Varela and Latino Rebels as well as Puerto Rico’s Center for Investigative Journalism.

The other story that broke last week was regarding the administration’s policy on family separation and the more than 1,400 children that are unaccounted for. There are different issues here. 1) unaccompanied minors coming to the U.S., 2) the  family policy unveiled by this administration in early May and 3) there is the issue of the reports of abuse of these kids in custody. Here is this from Yahoo! that explains the different issues. These are important stories that need to continue to be covered and having diverse journalists that understand the issues will be important.

For me one area of frustration is the lack of Latinos on the Sunday talk shows – this is from 2017 but speaks to the issue…and Latinos need to be invited not only to talk about immigration. As you may recall, last week I wrote about the lack of diversity in media, here is a tweet from Astead Herndon, national politics reporter at the New York Times about why diversity is important. I don’t want to ignore when diversity gets an important platform in media. I missed the “Everyday Racism in America” discussion on MSNBC but hope to watch it later this week. Here’s a link.  Note this is a link from twitter which shows more than 950K viewers on the platform, I wonder what the TV ratings will be?

On Tuesday afternoon Starbucks closed its stores for the diversity training. The WSJ focused on how this potentially helped competitors, while other media like USA Today focused on the training itself. Here is this good piece from the Dallas Morning News, where they invited companies recognized for diversity to talk about their D&I efforts. Unfortunately the story dominating the news yesterday was Roseanne being canceled because of a racist tweet. I am not sure anyone was surprised by her tweet. The surprise was the swift action by ABC, Viacom’s channels and Hulu as they canceled and/or pulled the show.

Other stories from this week, Snapchat’s diversity, this titled “What’s Behind the Decline in Female CEOs,” Revlon naming its first woman CEO and Law.com’s Diversity Scorecard.

Congratulations to the amazing Girl Scouts CEO Sylvia Acevedo, she was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business – and I could not agree more!

Photo by Dmitry Schemelev on Unsplash

 

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World Day for Cultural Diversity, Election Night, Magdalena Skipper, Barbara Underwood, Stacey Cunningham & more

This past Monday marked the UN’s World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. Michelin released its first diversity and inclusion report for North America that day. The ICC posted this and I found this focused on media and this and this focused on the medical field. I didn’t find too many stories or announcements tied to this day in the U.S. but hope next year we can see a stronger U.S. focused movement to celebrate cultural diversity.

Listen here to The Takeaway on the new report on diversity in U.S. newsrooms. Representation is important, especially in media. A must listen. Look at these charts on political reporters from 2016 elections. As a reminder, here is the New York Times report and here is the Los Angeles Times pay gap report. So as newsrooms plan for this election and for 2020, here are Tanzina’s tips for making newsrooms more inclusive.

Last night was a big night for women running for office: Stacey Abrams became the Democratic nomination for Governor of Georgia, former Sheriff Lupe Valdez won the Democratic nomination for Governor of Texas, Amy McGrath won the Democratic House primary in Kentucky, Gina Ortiz Jones won a runoff in Texas. On the Republican side Vickie Glisson won the GOP nomination for Kentucky’s third congressional district and  Angela Leet won the Republican primary for Louisville mayor. Read more here on yesterday’s elections.

Congratulations to Magdalena Skipper, the first woman editor in chief of Nature Magazine in its “nearly” 150-year history. Here is an interview she did for NPR’s  Lulu Garcia-Navarro. Congratulations to Barbara Underwood who “became the first woman to serve as attorney general in New York after she was appointed to the role in a joint legislative session Tuesday.” Read more here. Also, congratulations to Stacey Cunningham, NYSE’s first female president. Here she talks about the gender diversity problem.

Most of us watched part of, or all, of the Royal Wedding and read about the celebration of black culture we experienced. I had a hard time deciding which story to include about the events this past weekend, but recommend reading “What the presence of Black culture at the royal wedding meant to me.” Oh and yes I’ve now downloaded Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s music and subscribed to his YouTube channel.

ICYMI every week I like to highlight reporters that you should be following. Monica Castillo from The Lily is one I’ve mentioned, here is an April post she did titled “How Figure Skating in Harlem helps black and Latina girls build their confidence.” 

Photo by Omar Lopez on Unsplash