American Association for Affirmative Action Announces Summit and Annual Meeting

NEWS

American Association for Affirmative Action Announces
Access, Equity and Diversity Summit and Annual Meeting
Raleigh, North Carolina
June 30 – July 1, 2010

“The Work Goes On, the Cause Endures… and the Dream Shall Never Die”
Outstanding equal opportunity, diversity and civil rights professionals meet in Raleigh, North Carolina to discuss affirmative action and equal opportunity challenges
Three of the “Greensboro Four” who staged historic demonstration at Woolworth’s will receive a special award

For Immediate Release:

May 24, 2010

Contact: Shirley J. Wilcher

202.349.9855

240.893.9475

Washington, May 25, 2010– The American Association for Affirmative Action (AAAA), an organization of equal opportunity, diversity and affirmative action professionals, announced its Access, Equity and Diversity Summit themed “The Work Goes On, the Cause Endures… and the Dream Shall Never Die.” The Summit is being held at the Raleigh Marriott City Center, 500 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 30 – July 1, 2010. The Summit theme is derived from a speech given by the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy and will acknowledge his legacy as a champion of civil rights. Conferees will also address the progress being made to continue the work for equity, opportunity and inclusion since the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other laws.

Featured speakers include Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker; Dr. James Johnson, William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of strategy and entrepreneurship and director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center, University of North Carolina; Dr. James Anderson, Chancellor, Fayetteville State University; Pamela Arnold, president, American Institute for Managing Diversity; Motivational Speaker Andres Lara “The Cuban Guy;” Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor John Beverly; Amy Hirsh, Job Accommodation Network; and lawyers Valerie Hoffman, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, and Mickey Silberman, partner with Jackson Lewis LLP. Federal agency officials Evelyn Teague, Regional Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and Regional Attorney Katherine “Abby” Coles, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, will provide federal agency updates. Michael Leach, Chair of the Raleigh Human Relations Commission; Kyle Cavanaugh, Vice President for Human Resources, Duke University; and Tameka Green, Diversity Generalist at Compass Group North America will discuss the critical issue of “Maintaining Diversity in an Era of Downsizing.” To update participants on how to comply with current federal mandates, presenters Julia Mendez Fuentes, Director, Workforce Compliance and Diversity Solutions, Peopleclick Authoria; and David Cohen, President of DCI Consulting Group will join Mickey Silberman.

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro Sit-in at Woolworth’s, three of the former students who staged the sit-in will receive a special award: Major General Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain and Jibreel Khazan. AAAA will also confer an award for disability rights in recognition of the contributions of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy and to acknowledge the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“We are excited about the training and educational sessions available,” said AAAA President ReNee Dunman. AAAA will offer two preconference workshops this year. One will address harassment prevention and the other will provide instruction on the federal hate crimes legislation and its implications for higher education. Attorneys Robert “Bob” Gregg, the Boardman Law Firm; and Jacqueline Conforti Barnett, Associate Chief Counsel to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) will provide the training. Presenters have been selected to ensure diverse, cutting edge workshops for attendees who include equal opportunity, affirmative action and diversity professionals representing every imaginable entity in employment, government, education and the private sector. The conferees will also discuss strategies to promote affirmative action and diversity in the face of economic headwinds and legal challenges to end it. “This conference is filled with opportunities to galvanize and design a proactive plan to advance an agenda of more inclusion and opportunity,” said President Dunman.

The AAAA Summit is open to the press. For more information, go to www.affirmativeaction.org. To register for the Summit, go to: https://www.regonline.com/aaaa_2010_summit.

Founded in 1974, the American Association for Affirmative Action (AAAA) is a national not-for-profit association of professionals working in the areas of affirmative action, equal opportunity, and diversity. AAAA assists its members to be more successful and productive in their careers. It also promotes understanding and advocacy of affirmative action to enhance access and equality in employment, economic and educational opportunities.
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