Diversity And Inclusion Workshop
Diversity And Inclusion Workshop
LESSONS IN PRIVILEGE & BIAS: HUMANITY 101With Dr. Joel P. Martin And Guest Facilitator, ASU’s Dr. Neal A. Lester
May 24, 2019, 9 am – 4 pm
Hera Hub, 2111 E. Highland Ave, Ste 240 Phoenix, AZ 85016
Event producer, Dr. Joel P. Martin is dedicated to changing lives, businesses, and communities for the better. She is president of Triad West Inc. a global company which provides customized consulting, coaching, and training services in Transformational Leadership Development, Diversity & Inclusion, Team Buiding, and New Tech Manager Effectiveness. She is also an author, speaker, and the Founder of the Positively Powerful Woman Awards and Programs.
Guest Facilitator Dr. Neal A. Lester is a Foundation Professor of English and Founding Director of Project Humanities at Arizona State University. He has published, lectured, and taught extensively in the area of African American Studies. Among his many accomplishments, his course, “The N-word: An Anatomy Lesson,” the only such course taught in the country, has garnered local, national, and international attention. (Read more)
The morning session, facilitated by Guest Dr. Neal A. Lester, strives to do more than provide short-lived cathartic experiences. Real community and social change, however, begins internally with each individual, ultimately creating new and different ways of thinking, acting and being–long after a workshop. The goal of this workshop then is to engage participants in critical conversations about “difference” that move beyond typical “diversity training” to explore systems in which we all exist. Ultimately, the workshop challenges us to recognize and promote our individual and shared humanity through seven values Arizona State University’s award-winning Project Humanities initiative identifies as Humanity 101—respect, integrity, compassion, kindness, forgiveness, empathy, and self- reflection. The success of the workshop depends on each participant’s willingness to challenge their own assumptions about others and to be self-empowered. This workshop concludes with a discussion of the real social, political, and cultural ramifications of unchecked privilege and bias and will arm participants with strategies and resources to become true agents of change.
The afternoon session, Unconscious / Conscious Disconnect Of Inclusion, facilitated by Dr. Martin is an interactive workshop focusing on the Micro-inequities that separate us…what is it that we are unaware of, as well as those that we are aware of, and what this disconnect is producing in our relationships, communities, and among the workforce. “What to do about it” is presented as a facilitated action strategy dialog. The day will end with an appreciation and discussion of what might be possible when there are no barriers to inclusion.
“Separate as the Fingers, Yet One as the Hand”
Who Should Attend:
Open to the public, we ask community leaders, students, organizations’ work groups, members of corporations, entrepreneurs, trainers, and others to join us for this important topic.
The Diversity & Inclusion Workshop is open to the public.
underneath and fanned them out beautifully. It seemed to me that this very first impression created by this beautiful, peaceful and welcoming scene set a quiet, yet definitively peaceful, embracing tone for the evening ahead. As people began to arrive, there was ease of access to avail themselves a cool refreshing drink at either of the two drink stations, able to mingle before the event began. There was an atmosphere of camaraderie in the courtyard as participants registered, met each other as returning participants recognized and greeted each and new ones introduced themselves to each other, already setting the scene for a mutually light hearted feeling to the evening. At the appropriate time, guests were invited to enter Dorrance Hall to witness the glamorous decorative tradition of the Powerfully Powerful Women’s Award celebration. The look provided a bright and dramatic welcome to a fun-filled, friendly and “welcoming” evening. The décor was quietly, welcoming and elegantly stunning. 
In her keynote address, Dr. Joel Martin drew the audience into the spirit of inclusivity through first introducing us to her late mother with and a black and white photo showing an elegantly and stylishly dressed woman, and then describing the diversity within her family which she described as a “little UN”. Through her diverse family, she learned about loving differences, about inclusiveness – which is really family, friends, folk, and community. In short, 
fostering environments where individuals are encouraged to feel they are valued and belong. Certainly, the atmosphere of the event was one of belonging and acceptance. Dr. Joel introduced a symbol beside the picture of her mother, open hands on which there is a heart – symbolic of her encouragement for us all to “Pay it forward with intentionality, with intensity, and fierce collaboration with open hearts”. She also shared how at a young age the humming of planes flying over captured her imagination and she developed her love for planes, intuiting that there is something about flight that is a humbling experience. She encouraged guests to “fly without wings, dream with open eyes and see in darkness” as that is much needed today because when “fears are grounded, dreams take flight”. Then dinner began, photos were taken and there was laughter and friendship among the guests. After Joel’s personal recognition of each Positively Powerful Woman Awards recipient, the presenters awarded each woman her trophy. The honorees’ authenticity and purpose struck a chord with us all. As I left Dorrance hall, reuniting myself with my comfortable shoes and walking to my car. Visitors were still milling around, enjoying the balmy breeze which fanned through the leaves of the trees. As I walked out, it came to me that even if I wasn’t feeling particularly happy when I went in (I was hot and hurried), the spirit of happiness was definitely in me when I came out. This feeling was endorsed by the quiet, perfect lift of the light cool leaf rustling breeze moving among the trees of the Desert Botanical Garden. I heard what seemed to me, the sigh of Spirit well pleased. A perfectly orchestrated and decorated event, contributing uplifting energy into the ether of the Universe – a mission of love and belonging accomplished and complete. 
