Casting Director Calls ‘Ethnic Casting’ A New Form Of Affirmative Action & She’s All For It

Atlanta Daily World
Sonya Eskridge
March 27, 2015

Casting directors think they know why the focus of fostering diversity is bothering certain people, but they still believe it’s time for Hollywood to get a makeover.

As Risa Bramon Garcia sees it, her contemporaries do not like being told that they have to make a more conscious effort to include actors of color in the rosters they build. She told KPCC recently that this really a reflection of consumer power as advertisers are demanding networks do a better job of representing their customers and the networks then lean on the casting directors to deliver.

Read more here!

Racist Police, Courts, Fraternities: Who Says We Don't Need Affirmative Action Anymore?

Huffington Post
Carla Seaquist
March 25, 2015

America is now so sufficiently "post-racial" that affirmative action is no longer needed as corrective action. So ruleth the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a series of recent cases filed by police and fire departments, school districts and colleges, the Court, in closely-contested rulings, has weakened or even wiped out affirmative action's race-conscious policies designed to overcome and rebalance our history of discrimination in employment and admissions. Reflecting the new conventional "wisdom" that affirmative action is itself discriminatory, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in a 2007 decision, "The way to stop discriminating on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race."

Read more here!

Supreme Court May Hear Texas Case Again

By Carolyn Phenicie

Roll Call Staff

March 23, 2015, 2:52 p.m.

Related Links

• Affirmative Action Thrives at Most Selective Colleges

The Supreme Court is set to decide soon whether justices will again hear the case of Abigail Noel Fisher, a white student who was denied admission to the University of Texas-Austin. The court first dealt with the case two years ago, sending it back to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Fisher’s case is far from the justices’ first handling of affirmative action. The court’s rulings have been in flux for more than 35 years.
The Supreme Court in 1978 deemed unconstitutional a University of California Davis Medical School policy setting aside 16 of 100 first-year slots for racial minorities. The decision, in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, upheld use of race as a factor in admissions so long as it did not set a quota insulating minorities from comparison with other candidates.
In a 5-4 decision in 2003, the Supreme Court ruled in Gratz v. Bollinger that a University of Michigan system for undergraduate admissions that awarded extra points to minorities was unconstitutional. The court ruled the same year that the school’s law school admissions, which used an individualized application review that included race among a variety of other qualifications, was permissible.
The high court remanded the Fisher case to the 5th Circuit in 2013.

Akufo-Addo supports NPP's controversial affirmative action

Starr FM Online
March 24, 2015

The flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akufo-Addo has said he would stick by the party’s decision to allow only female candidates contest in constituencies where they have incumbent female MPs.

Read more here!

Sesame Street: 45 years of transcending race

The Miami Times
November 12, 2014

The hit children’s show, “Sesame Street,” is a mainstay on public television today. But when it debut on public television some 45 years ago on Nov. 10, 1969, “Sesame Street” was groundbreaking. The cast was diverse group of puppets of all colors and people of different colors, too. And “Sesame Street” broke the mold of kids’ TV with extensive research before its commercially-inspired segments aired jingles about letters and numbers.

Read more here!

Proposal aimed at awarding more Essex contracts to women, minority-owned businesses

True Jersey
Jessica Mazzola
March 20, 2015

NEWARK — Essex County should award more of its contracts to businesses owned by women and minorities, according to one county legislator who recently introduced a pilot program aimed at making it happen

Read more here!

Where Diversity Takes a Back Seat

CFO Magazine
Chris Schmidt
March 27, 2015

A Duke/CFO study finds that gender and ethnicity remain secondary considerations in the selection of new corporate board members.

In the fourth quarter of 2014, the Duke University/CFO Magazine Global Business Outlook Survey examined the issue of diversity on boards of directors, focusing in particular on the inclusion of women on boards.

Read more here!

At City Hall, a push for a diverse workforce

The Boston Globe
Andrew Ryan
March 26, 2015

At age 5, Shaun Blugh emigrated from Trinidad and Tobago to Brooklyn. He was tapped for a program for promising students of color, giving him entree into the elite world of prep school and beyond.

At age 7, Freda Brasfield rode a bus from her Roxbury home to South Boston on the first day of citywide school desegregation. A crowd hurled taunts and rocks, but she was the daughter of activists who used sit-ins and protests to teach her how to stand up for civil rights.

Read more here!

How to Increase Diversity in Tech? Bring Computer Science Into Schools

edSurge
Blog
Hadi Partovi
March 26, 2015

You couldn’t miss the biggest tech news stories of the last year, all revolving around the industry’s dismal workforce diversity. Google, LinkedIn, Yahoo!, and many other tech companies acknowledged the lack of diversity among their employees. Many followed up with a pledge to improve. For good reason.

Read more here!

Annual Refresher Training for Federal EEO Counselors and Investigators

Register for the    Annual Refresher Training for Federal EEO Counselors and Investigators May 20, 2015 AAAED National Office (202) 349-9855 888 16th Street, NW Suite 800 Washington, District of Columbia 20006 Course Objectives: To ensure compliance with the EEOC requirement to provide an annual refresher training of eight hours to EEO Counselors and Investigators; to continue the effort to apply EEO Counseling and Investigation best practices in the processing of complaints of discrimination and to provide a better understanding of the relationship between the different complaint processing stages.  The session will include:  An overview of the methodologies covered in conducting counseling and investigations; applicable EEO regulations and laws; Connecting the informal pre-complaint process to the formal process; Preparing and writing effective Counseling Reports and Investigative Plans; Review of Case Studies as they relate to the EEO process. AAAED Members:  $250.00 for the 8-hour course before April 24, 2015 (Early bird) $295.00 for the 8-hour course after April 24 2015 Non-Members  $295.00 for the 8-hour course before April 24, 2015 (Early bird) $325.00 for the 8-hour course after April 24, 2015  Regular and Onsite Registration Tuition Onsite Registration accepted if space remains available ***SPECIAL DISCOUNTS*** Registrations of two or more individuals in the same group will receive a $50.00 discount for each registrant.  Contact the AAAED national office toll-free at 800-252-8952 or (202) 349-9855 for more information.   Participants will receive a AAAED Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.    (Registration Link:  Annual Refresher Training) Questions?  Contact the AAAED National Office for more information: aaaaexecdir@gmail.com or phone (202) 349-9855.

National Conference Call Tomorrow!

You are Invited: #ConfirmLynch National Conference Call

Tuesday, March 31 at 3:00 p.m., ET

Join a special guest from the White House and leaders from around the country as we discuss this critical nomination.

Loretta Lynch, the superbly qualified nominee for United States Attorney General, appears to be the latest victim of U.S. Senate dysfunction.

What: A *special* national conference call to discuss the nomination of Loretta Lynch for U.S. Attorney General

When: Tuesday, March 31, 3:00 p.m., ET

Who: Leaders from around the country will join The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Center for American Progress, and *a special guest from the White House*

To receive instructions for how to participate in the call, please send an RSVP to the linkhere.

Please forward this invitation to your colleagues and partners around the country!

Questions? Contact Jordyn Bussey (bussey@civilrights.org) at The Leadership Conference or Sean Wright (swright@AmericanProgress.org) at the Center for American Progress.

“Should this nomination continue to languish over the recess, the work of the Department of Justice will continue to be undermined without a permanent replacement for Attorney General Holder,” said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference.

U.S. Department of Labor in extending their comment period

The U.S. Department of Labor is extending by two weeks the comment period for its proposed rule governing the obligations of federal contractors and subcontractors not to discriminate on the basis of sex in their employment practices.  The extension ensures that the public has time to comment on the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s March 25, 2015, decision in Young v. United Parcel Service.  That decision involved application of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to pregnancy discrimination in the workplace.  The Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs follows Title VII principles when enforcing the law against employment discrimination by federal contractors and subcontractors.  OFCCP published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register on January 30, 2015, with a March 31 deadline to submit comments. The comment period will be extended for all comments through Tuesday, April 14. To read and comment on the proposed rule, please visit http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/SDNPRM/index.html.

Award Nominations for the AAAED Annual Awards Luncheon

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR ACCESS, EQUITY AND DIVERSITY  41st  NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND ANNUAL MEETING Awards Nominations Deadline Approaches April 10, 2015 AWARDS WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE AAAED Annual Awards Luncheon June 3, 2015   The American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity (AAAED) is soliciting the nomination of candidates to be considered for the awards listed below.    Arthur A. Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award Named for the "Father of Affirmative Action," recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement promoting and advocating for affirmative action, EEO and diversity.    Cesar Estrada Chavez Award Presented to an individual who has demonstrated leadership in support of worker's rights and humanitarian issues. The Cesar Estrada Chavez Award nominees will be evaluated based on six criteria: 1) longevity of service; 2) scope of impact of leadership; 3) ability of replication of leadership; 4) social justice impact of leadership; 5) leadership impact on worker's rights; and 6) humanitarian efforts resulting from leadership.    Rosa Parks Award Presented to an individual who has served as a role model and leader to others through personal achievements, excellence in a chosen field, commitment to human rights, civil rights, social issues, and has made contributions to the betterment of society. The Rosa Parks Award nominee will be evaluated based on six criteria: 1) longevity of service;2) scope of impact of leadership; 3) ability of replication of leadership; 4) social justice impact of leadership; 5) civil rights impact of leadership; and 6) leadership impact on social justice impact of community service.    Edward M. Kennedy Community Service Award Presented to an individual or organization demonstrating outstanding community service. The Kennedy Community Service Award nominee will be evaluated based on four criteria: 1) longevity of community service; 2) scope of impact of community service; 3) ability to replicate the community service; 4) social justice impact of the community service.    Roosevelt Thomas Champion of Diversity Award Given to an organization that has demonstrated an outstanding level of dedication to the AAAED's mission of fostering equal opportunity as well as exhibiting outstanding commitment to diversity.    The Roosevelt Thomas Champion of Diversity Award is given to an organization based on five criteria: 1) commitment to teamwork; 2) originality of efforts; 3) positive impact of equal opportunity; 4) long-term impact for promoting diversity; 5) cross-cultural involvement.    SUBMIT THE NOMINATION FORM AND ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS TO:  AAAEDAWARDS@GMAIL.COM     For additional information, contact: Dr. Danielle L. Wood Awards Chairperson 2015 AAAED Conference  Office of Equal Opportunity & Compliance University of Arkansas 479-575-4825    Awards Nomination Form

People Issue: Police Chief Steve Anderson on Post-Ferguson Policing, Diversity on the Force, and More

Nashville Scene
Steven Hale
March 2o, 2015

For this year's People Issue, I sat down with Metro Police Chief Steve Anderson, who received loads of positive national press in a year when law enforcement has been under as much scrutiny as in any year in recent memory. An excerpt of our chat appeared in the dead-tree version, but here's the whole conversation, beginning with the chief's explanation of why he shows up to every Metro Council.

Read more here!

Coloring Science Fiction with Diversity

Urban Faith
Noah Burlatsky
March 20, 2015

Online feminist activist and writer Mikki Kendall talks about diversity in science fiction and its intersection with social justice, feminism, and race.

Mikki Kendall

Longtime Hyde Parker Mikki Kendall is best known as an online feminist activist and social media force; her hashtag #solidarityi

Read more here!

MIKULSKI, DELAURO REINTRODUCE PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT TO END WAGE DISCRIMINATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             

March 25, 2015

 

CONTACT:

Matt Jorgenson / Alanna Wellspeak (Mikulski) 202-228-1122

Sara Lonardo (DeLauro) 202-225-3661

 

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) today reintroduced the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation which would help close the wage gap between women and men working the same jobs. On average, women make just 78 cents for every dollar made by a man.

 

“Middle class families need a raise and more money in the family checkbook. Five years ago we made a down payment towards equal pay passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to keep the courthouse doors open. I’m fighting to finish the job and stop wage discrimination from happening in the first place,” said Senator Mikulski, a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee. “Equal pay is not just for our pocketbooks, it’s about family checkbooks and getting it right in the law books. The Paycheck Fairness Act ensures that women will no longer be fighting on their own for equal pay for equal work.”

“Equal pay is not just a problem for women, but for families, who are trying to pay their bills, trying to get ahead, trying to achieve the American Dream, and are getting a smaller paycheck than they have earned for their hard work,” Congresswoman DeLauro said. “The Paycheck Fairness Act will help the Equal Pay Act fulfill its intended objective, offer real protections to ensure equal pay for equal work, and see that women are paid the same as the other half of our nation’s workforce for the same job.”

 

The Paycheck Fairness Act builds upon the landmark Equal Pay Act signed into law in 1963 by closing loopholes that have kept it from achieving its goal of equal pay. The bill would require employers to show pay disparity is truly related to job-performance, not gender.

 

It also prohibits employer retaliation for sharing salary information with coworkers. Under current law employers can sue and punish employees for sharing such information. In addition, it strengthens remedies for pay discrimination by increasing compensation women can seek, allowing them to seek both back pay and punitive damages for pay discrimination.

 

The bill empowers women in the workplace through a grant program to strengthen salary negotiation and other workplace skills, and requires the Department of Labor to enhance outreach and training efforts to eliminate pay disparities.

 

President Obama’s first bill, signed into law on January 29, 2009, was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which overturned the 180-day statute of limitations for women to contest pay discrimination. ThePaycheck Fairness Act would close the loopholes that allow pay discrimination to continue in the first place and, with Ledbetter, provide employees the rights they need to challenge and eliminate pay discrimination in the workplace.

 

The bill has been endorsed by President Obama, Lilly Ledbetter and a coalition of over 300 advocacy groups.

 

 

AAAED NEXT WEBINAR! Pregnancy Discrimination

Pregnancy Discrimination What's New; What's Not? April 23, 2015 (New Date!)  2:00 PM, EDT   This webinar will be jointly led by the EEOC's Washington Field Office Acting Director Mindy Weinstein and Schuyler Affirmative Action Practice Counsel Marilynn Schuyler.  The webinar will briefly cover the history of pregnancy discrimination, but the primary focus will be on the recently issued guidance, and how the guidance should inform the development of workplace policies.  This is an emerging area, and all relevant court cases, including Young v United Parcel Service, which was argued in the Supreme Court on December 3, 2014, will be addressed.  Marilynn Schuyler, Esq. Marilynn L. Schuyler has been developing Affirmative Action Plans for public, private, and academic institutions since 1996, and has been working in the field of Equal Employment Opportunity since 1988.  She provides clients with strategic advice and analysis related to all aspects of Affirmative Action compliance, and produces Affirmative Action Plans consistent with OFCCP regulations.  She has successfully led clients through audits, from notice of audit to notice of compliance, and develops compliant compensation analyses and all other analyses required for responses to OFCCP.  Ms. Schuyler began her professional career at the Department of Labor.  She served in the Oakland District Office of the OFCCP as Assistant District Director, and in the San Francisco Regional Office as an OFCCP Liaison and as the Regional Civil Rights Officer.  In the National Office, she was the Department of Labor's Affirmative Action Officer. She also served as the Affirmative Action Officer for the Office of the President at the University of California, for whom she developed the Affirmative Action Plan for four years.  Prior to establishing Schuyler Affirmative Action Practice, Ms. Schuyler was a Senior Attorney and Director of Affirmative Action Program Development at Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP.  She received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.  Ms. Schuyler is co-Chair of the Washington Metro Industry Liaison Group and a Board Member of the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity. She was the attorney of record and co-wrote the amicus curiae brief filed in the Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin case on behalf of AAAAA, now AAAED. Mindy Weinstein, Esq. Mindy Weinstein is the Washington, DC Acting Field Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Registration Link: April Webinar Registrants will receive the speakers' PowerPoint presentation after the event.    Can't make the live event?  You can now purchase the PowerPoint presentations of AAAED webinars on the webinar registration page. Click on the registration link.    Questions?  Contact the AAAED National Office for more information: aaaaexecdir@gmail.comor phone (202) 349-9855.

Summer PDTI !

Do You Have Your CAAP?  Do You Have Your Sr. CAAP? Do You Need Recertification Credits?     Register for the Summer 2015 PDTI classroom training in Madison, WI (Registration Link:  Summer PDTI in Madison)   Monday, August 03, 2015 8:00 AM - Saturday, August 08, 2015 5:00 PM (Central Time) BOARDMAN & CLARK LLP 202-349-9855 1 S PINCKNEY ST STE 410 Madison, Wisconsin 53701-0927   Come to the Summer PDTI for a delightful training experience in downtown Madison.  Our training site is directly across from the Capitol Building and the city of Madison is replete with a college town flair and a Mid-Western sensibility.   Learn the essentials about EEO Law, Complaint Processing and the latest information about Developing and Implementing an Affirmative Action Program including all of the latest regulatory changes.   Want to obtain Title IX training?  Sign up for our 8 hour Title IX Investigations class.  Are you a Diversity professional?  Learn from the best in the nation in our Diversity Management classes.   Registrants may work towards the completion of the Certified Affirmative Action Professional (CAAP) or Sr. CAAP credentials by registering for the following courses:     August 3 - 4, 2015 - Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Law (16 hrs.) Instructor: Robert Gregg, Esq., Boardman & Clark Law Firm August 5 - 6, 2015 -Developing and Implementing an Affirmative Action Program  (16 hrs.) Instructor: Jean Abramowski, Principal, A Compliance Connection August 7 -8, 2015 - Complaint Processing, Counseling and Resolution (16 hrs.) Instructor: Beth Wilson, J.D. Registrants will receive AAAED Certificates in Diversity Management with the successful completion of the following courses:   August 5, 2015 - Introduction to Diversity Management (8 hrs.) Instructor: Christopher Metzler, J.D., Ph.D. (Attendees will receive a Certificate of Completion in Introduction to Diversity Management.  Counts towards the Senior CAAP and continuing education requirements) August 6, 2015  Diversity Planning (8 hrs.) Instructor: Christopher Metzler, M.A., J.D., Ph.D. (Attendees will receive a Certificate of Completion in Diversity Planning. Counts towards the Senior CAAP and continuing education requirements) The following course counts toward the Senior CAAP and recertification requirements: August 7, 2015 - Title IX Investigations (8 hrs.) Instructors: TBA (Counts towards the Senior CAAP and continuing education requirements.  Attendees will receive a Certificate of Completion in Title IX Investigations) AAAED PDTI Course Catalog for 2015: AAAED PDTI Course Catalog CAAP Group Discount: If 2 or more people register together, you will receive a discount of $100.00 off the total amount for each of the registrants if you register for all three of the basic CAAP courses.  Contact the PDTI office for more information:  aaaaexecdir@gmail.com Early Registration Tuition Early Registration Deadline: July 1, 2015  AAAED Members: $ 450 for 8-hour courses $ 900 for 16-hour courses Non-Members $ 540 for 8-hour courses $ 990 for 16-hour courses Regular and Onsite Registration Tuition Onsite Registration accepted if space remains available   AAAED Members: $ 540 for 8-hour courses $ 1080 for 16-hour courses Non-Members $ 630  for 8-hour courses $ 1170 for 16-hour courses    Save the Date: November 9 - 14, 2015: Fall PDTI in Philadelphia, PA    Questions?  Contact the AAAED National Office for more information: aaaaexecdir@gmail.com or phone (202) 349-9855.