 Experienced speakers. Diversity practitioners. Organizational leaders. Business professionals. Entrepreneurs. Community advocates. They will also attend and speak at the upcoming November 1st Multicultural Conference that will be held at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm on that day.
This is my 12th Conference since 2008, and I couldn't be more excited about our lineup. It's an opportunity for attendees to deep dive into topics that impact us all both on and off the job. Here are some topics that are part of the November 1st Lineup: --Identifying White Men As Allies In Diversity and Inclusion --Impact of Diversity on Travel, Tourism & The Arts --Building A D&I Initiative Inside Your Organization --Are Universities Preparing Leaders for a Diverse and Equitable Workplace? --The Power of Podcasting: Let Every Voice Be Heard --Millennials Speak Out On Diversity & Issues Facing Young People Today And Much More... The November 1st Multicultural Conference is a Cost-Effective Investment for employee groups, emerging leaders or those who want to learn more about diversity on & off the job The added benefit of attending the conference is becoming a 12 Month MEMBER of the Multicultural Symposium Series. All attendees automatically become MEMBERS, get discounted rates at our upcoming 2019 events (including the March 14th Black History Breakfast), and get FULL ACCESS to the MSS Members Only website that opens later in October. Great value at an affordable price. Our worldwide business, social and political warrant a viable diversity community of active professionals who care about the advancement of multiculturalism. You are part of that crucial community. And the November 1st Conference is your event to galvanize our team for the way forward. Registration is easy. Simply visit Click Here or go directly to https://mss2018.eventbrite.com. Discount pricing for multiple registrations. A single registration/membership is only $299 for the conference and a 12-month membership in MSS. Call me at 508 947-5755 or email me at carole@mssconnect.com if you have any questions or comments. Global Diversity and Multiculturalism meet a receptive and pro-active professional team of champions. That's you. That's MSS. Join and Register Today. Optimistically Yours, Carole
0 Comments
My good friend, Diane Ripstein explains the meaning of Yom Kippur, that ended this evening. It started last night, September 18, 2018, at sundown. Watch the video, learn and share with others. More On Yom Kippur' Yom Kippur As noted, Yom Kippur always falls ten days after the start of Rosh Hashanah. In 2018, Yom Kippur will begin at sundown on September 18 and continue until sundown on September 19. Yom Kippur is viewed by many Jews as the most holy of the Jewish sacred times. Jewish employees may request time off to observe Yom Kippur. It is important to be flexible and meet their needs. “Easy Fast” or “Tzom Kal” in Hebrew, can be used to greet your colleagues and friends appropriately during Yom Kippur. Fasting In observance of Yom Kippur, Jews will traditionally fast for a full day. The fast begins at sundown, usually after a large holiday meal. During the fast, neither food nor drink is consumed. The time when the fast ends is usually referred to as the break-fast. This year, it will occur at sundown on September 19. It is likely that a Jewish employee will request to take the day off in observance of Yom Kippur. However, if a Jewish employee is fas ting in observance of Yom Kippur but has willingly agreed to work, it is important for employers to be aware of the employee’s need for a break to end the fast after sunset. Scheduling In general, it’s important for companies to take Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur into account when scheduling conference calls, meetings, or luncheons. To avoid scheduling conflicts, a better practice is for companies to ensure that the holiday dates are circulated in advance, or automatically programmed into online meeting tools. It is also important to keep in mind that other significant Jewish holidays are observed in the two weeks following Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Sukkot, which always begins the fifth day after Yom Kippur, is a seven day festival commemorating the 40-year period in which the Jews wandered in the desert after leaving Egypt and before arriving in Israel. The holiday is also a harvest festival. Traditionally, as is the case with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, no work is permitted on the first two days of Sukkot, and some Jews may take these days off of work. Sukkot is followed immediately by two additional holidays, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, although in Israel these two holidays are celebrated in one day. Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are also holidays in which many Jews are traditionally not permitted to work, and some Jewish employees may request these days off. Since these holidays come so soon after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, it is important to take into account that some employees may request multiple days off in a short period of time, and to work with such employees to find ways of accommodating these requests. For more useful information on Judaism and other world religions, subscribe to our online resource, Religion at Work: A (Human) Resource. To learn more, visit https://tanenbaum.org/religion-at-work-resource Help Carole Sign Up 100 New Members In Sept!  
Carole Copeland Thomas at her Gaines Family Reunion in Orlando Florida. July 2018
Cousin Theresa Johnson of Detroit, age 90, giving sage advice to Cousin Ryan Law of Atlanta.
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern.
Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime At This Blog Post. Each broadcast can be replayed immediately following the show. ======================== This year's Gaines Family Reunion was particularly poignant for me and for my daughter and many of my cousins, nieces, nephews, and other relatives who shared hugs, kisses, and stories last weekend in Orlando. First, it was sad to acknowledge that our family historian, Clarence Gaines, had died, leaving us with more questions about our expanding family that available answers. Meeting his brother, Douglass, and nephew, Doug, Jr. for the first time was comforting in our collective time of mourning. Then, it was the realization that our family was increasingly multicultural. Significant others who are Jewish, Russian, Hispanic and everything in between are also now a part of the Gaines equation. And that's a big aha moment for me. The question is, who is in your family mix? And what exactly does a modern-day American family look like in the days of diversity, multiculturalism, mixed marriages and inclusion? We'll explore this topic and its impact on the very social fabric of our society. =============== About The Gaines Family The Gaines Family represent the descendants of William and Louisa Gaines, two slaves who were allowed to marry on the Georgia plantation in Georgia in the 1700s. They had 14 children, and the family was not split up, like many slave families during that era of African bondage. One of their 14 children, Gus Gaines, had 14 children, and we are of that lineage. The reunions started in 1986 when cousins Theresa Johnson and Lula McKeever decided to pull the family together for biannual gatherings in celebration of our heritage and deep roots in America. Meticulous family research followed when Clarence Gaines took charge of that multigenerational activity. Now some 32 years later the matriarch of the family remains Theresa Johnson, who just celebrated her 90th birthday. Our family has owned small community banks, has produced doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers, business owners and countless ministers in the past 200 years. We are also aligned with the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, even though we are not directly related to him. And two Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church are family ancestors. My mother's paternal grandmother was Sarah Gaines, one of the 14 children of Gus Gaines. I pay tribute to Sarah, my great-grandmother, and all other members of the Gaines family who came before me. We are Americans. We are a multicultural American Family! 
For Ticket Information To The October 27th Tuskegee Gala
Email Willie Shellman at newengland.tai@gmail.com or Buy Your Tickets Online At: http://bit.ly/2dBwCwQ
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern.
Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime At This Blog Post. Each broadcast can be replayed immediately following the show. ======================== They piloted great airplanes during the critical days of World War II despite the naysayers who declared that black men could not possibly fly. Men of honor and integrity. Men who stared American bred racism and foreign hatred down and fought on anyway. They were the grounds crew. The flight crew. The administrators and leaders of their soldiers. Those who flew the planes. And those who supported or led the squadrons on the ground. And the military and civilian champions following World War II who continue to keep their legacy alive. This is great American story of the Tuskegee Airmen, whose roots go back 75 years to their beginning in 1941. I am proud to be the daughter of a Tuskegee Airman who bravely served from 1941 to 1946. As we celebrate Global Diversity Awareness Month throughout October, we salute the 75th Anniversary of the Tuskegee Airmen with our special guest, Willie Shellman. The New England Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen will celebrate this great story with a75th Anniversary Gala set for Thursday October 27th on the Boston Campus of the University of Massachusetts. -------------------------------------- History of the Tuskegee Airmen For More Information visit: www.tuskegeeairmen.org This is the official organization for the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. The term, "Tuskegee Airmen," refers to the men and women, African-Americans and Caucasians, who were involved in the socalled "Tuskegee Experience", the Army Air Corps program to train African Americans to fly and maintain combat aircraft. The Tuskegee Airmen included pilots, radio operators, navigators, bombardiers, aircraft maintenance, support staff, instructors, and all the personnel who kept the planes in the air. Virtually all black military pilots during World War II received their primary flight training at Moton Field and then their basic and advanced flight training at Tuskegee Army Air Field (TAAF). Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (TAI) is headquartered in Tuskegee, Alabama (about 35 miles east of Montgomery), where the training of black military pilots during World War II began. There are currently 57 active chapters of TAI located in major cities and military installations throughout the United States. ------------------------------------- October is Global Diversity Awareness Month, a celebratory time period I created more than 18 years ago to highlight the importance of expanding your reach beyond your own race, culture or ethnicity. Click Here To Learn More About Global Diversity Awareness Month 
Click Below And Listen To The Radio Broadcast Anytime
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern.
Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime At This Blog Post. Each broadcast can be replayed immediately following the show. ======================== The military assumption of the 1930s was that Black men didn’t have the mental or physical capacity to fly airplanes. White wisdom, widespread racism and the steady hand of Jim Crow reinforced that assumption. So when America entered World War II in 1941, where would they turn to get the military and aviation manpower to fight off the Japanese, Germans, Italians and Austrians while protecting the American home front? The answer rested in the very Black men who were maligned and mistreated and assumed unfit for aviation duty. Their ranks would grow and their dignity and courage prevailed through unending discrimination and mistrust. They started out as members of the US Army Air Corps. They would later be known as the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II. Today as Black History Month comes to a close, we pay tribute to the brave men who flew the planes, repaired them, maintained them, conducted military missions overseas and supervised the soldiers…The Tuskegee Airmen. And we’ll pay special tribute to the men we’ll honor at the March 3rd Black History Breakfast, including my father the late, 2nd Lieutenant Wilson A. Copeland who served with his fellow Tuskegee Airmen with dignity, pride and excellence. Black History IS American History! =============================== History of the Tuskegee Airmen For More Information visit: www.tuskegeeairmen.org This is the official organization for the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. The term, "Tuskegee Airmen," refers to the men and women, African-Americans and Caucasians, who were involved in the socalled "Tuskegee Experience", the Army Air Corps program to train African Americans to fly and maintain combat aircraft. The Tuskegee Airmen included pilots, radio operators, navigators, bombardiers, aircraft maintenance, support staff, instructors, and all the personnel who kept the planes in the air. Virtually all black military pilots during World War II received their primary flight training at Moton Field and then their basic and advanced flight training at Tuskegee Army Air Field (TAAF). Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (TAI) is headquartered in Tuskegee, Alabama (about 35 miles east of Montgomery), where the training of black military pilots during World War II began. There are currently 57 active chapters of TAI located in major cities and military installations throughout the United States. ============================= The Black History Month Breakfast will be held on Thursday March 3, 2016 at the Boston Colonnade Hotel from 8:30 am to 11:00 am.  For Christians, Jesus is the reason for the Season. But for humanity, Christmas provides an opportunity for all of us to stop, count our blessings while we enjoy the holiday season with friends and family. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and ALL faiths can join in the spirit of Christmas with prayers of Peace on Earth, Good Will to ALL Men and Women!
One of the BEST movies that you can watch this Christmas is "It's A Wonderful Life," the 1946 classic starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. You will count your blessings after watching that film no matter what your circumstances, challenges or problems happen to be. I watched it for the umpteenth time last night and found new reasons to count my blessings. From my home to yours I wish you the very best throughout the season. Celebrate, reflect and live another day knowing that YOU are making the difference in someone's life both now and in the future. Merry Christmas!! -Carole Copeland Thomas By Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP, CITM  You are cordially invited to attend the March 3, 2016 Black History Breakfast that will honor African Americans in the Military Past and Present. This is our most ambitious Breakfast since its creation in the year 2000, and it will indeed become our best yet. This is our 23rd Breakfast and we are partnering again with the Boston Colonnade Hotel to host a meaningful tribute to our men and women who have protected and defended the United States through the years. Particular emphasis will highlight those African Americans who have served from World War II to our present day forces. However, we will salute the African American presence in the Armed Forces since the American Revolution.
This event is expected to SELL OUT quickly. We encourage you to buy your tickets and tables in December and reserve your space! Register Online Here Click Here For Complete Breakfast Details Our guest keynote speaker will be Ernest Washington, Jr. He is a well respected Vietnam Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Concerned Black Men of Massachusetts. Ernest has been actively involved in veteran affairs for many years and will deliver a compelling message designed to inspire us all. Confirmed Honorees include the following: Mr. Willie Shellman -Past President New England Chapter Tuskegee Airmen Inc. The Boston Area Tuskegee Airmen 1st Sargeant Michael C. Wiltz - Iraq Veteran Patricia Odom - First Black Female Military Recruiter In Massachusetts Revs. Sandra & Ken Whitley - Career Air Force Veterans and AME Ministers Mary Tuitt - Military Veteran and Chief of Staff To Massachusetts Representative Gloria Fox Rev. Dr. Carlita Cotton - Retired Military, AME Minister and College Professor Ernest Washington, Jr. -Vietnam Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient & Entrepreneur And Other African Americans In The Military From World War II To The Present And A Special Family Tribute To: The Late 2nd Lieutenant Wilson A. Copeland - Tuskegee Airmen & US Diplomat The Late Dr. James Fitzgerald - Korean War Physician - Purple Heart Recipient -MASH Unit It’s the Black History Breakfast you won’t want to miss! Come and celebrate all of our African Americans in the military during this exciting upcoming event. This event is expected to SELL OUT quickly. We encourage you to buy your tickets and tables in December and reserve your space! Click Here For Complete Details.  Roundtable Topic At The Conference: Boston's Pioneers In Diversity
Speakers: Co-Authors Don West and Ken Cooper CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE NOVEMBER 5TH MULTICULTURAL CONFERENCE Now that Boston has officially become a “Majority-Minority” city, with 53% of its residence non-white, it’s time to showcase the many contributions of its diverse citizens. That’s now been done in a graphically rich new “coffee table” book: Portraits of Purpose: A Tribute To Leadership. Portraits of Purpose is a visual chronicle of 127 Boston-based African American leaders and their allies who have continued the pursuit of freedom and justice in a post-civil rights era. Renowned Boston photographer Don West and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kenneth J. Cooper teamed up to capture the images and shared the stories of these significant individuals of conscience. From Charles Ogletree, Jr. and Cheng Imm Tan to Elma Lewis and the up and coming Tulaine Montgomery, these leaders of action are portrayed for the significant contributions they have made to the region…and the country. In addition to their Roundtable, their book will be available for sale at the conference. ==================== Don West A seasoned photographer and consummate professional, Don captures the spirit and character of people, places and events. A newsman at the core, he likes to be where the action is. West began his career as a freelance and news photographer, working for United Press International (UPI) and the Bay State Banner, Boston’s black weekly paper. He has since gone on to a host of photojournalistic assignments that have taken him throughout the United States, Latin America, Africa, China, Europe and the Middle East. He is particularly proud to have served as Nelson Mandela’s photographer when he first visited Boston after release from prison, in South Africa; the official photographer for Mel King’s historic “Rainbow Coalition” Mayoral campaign; and to be called upon to cover special events of Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign in New England. Likened to a “griot,” or people’s historian, Don uses his camera to provide visual witness to our rich diversity and collective contributions, capturing images and telling stories of individuals at work, at play, with their families, and in struggle for what they believe. Ken Cooper Kenneth J. Cooper is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and editor, veteran of 30 years at a major newspaper including The Washington Post and the Boston Globe. Currently, he is the editor for The Trotter Review, an annual scholarly journal focused on the history and culture of African Americans, published by the William Monroe Trotter Institute at UMass Boston. Independent writer for national magazines, freelance editor and consultant on journalism projects, Cooper is exploring new interests in the Middle East and is developing a major writing project, a historical narrative set in Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma. Learn more about the book at www.portraitsofpurpose.us  You Are Cordially Invited To Register Now For
The 9th Multicultural Conference Thursday November 5, 2015 UMass Boston Student Center - Alumni Lounge 2nd Floor 8am to 2pm Internationally Recognized Guest Speakers Almost 20 Speakers In All Distinguished Panel Presentation Sponsored and Designed By State Street Corporation Topic Specific Roundtable Sessions Networking With Results All Focused On Global Diversity • Multiculturalism • Inclusion A Cost Effective Investment For Employee Groups, Emerging Leaders Or Those Who Want To Learn More About Diversity On & Off The Job Register Online At: http://2015mssconference.eventbrite.com or mail your check payable to C. Thomas & Associates 6 Azel Road • Lakeville, MA 02347 $125 Per Person On or Before 10/26 $165 After 10/26 Click Here For Group Discounts Call Carole at 508 947-5755 or email carole@mssconnect.com Limited Seating • Register Today! • Spread The Word! Carole Copeland Thomas By Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP, CITM  I am pleased to announce that on Sunday August 30, 2015 in Denver, Colorado I graduated from the International Guide Academy as a Certified International Tour Manager designation: CITM. A total of 12 students from various backgrounds graduated, representing the United States, Canada and Germany. It was an intense nine day non-stop experience.
The big surprise was that I TIED for Number One, along with classmate Amanda Larson of Colorado. She is pictured to my left with the black shirt. It was a grueling but exhilarating week of travel and tourism terminology, role plays, group exercises, written exams and formal presentations. The intensive program included: Travel Industry Terminology, Tour Operators Methods, Industry Trends, Job Description Tour Manager/Tour Director; Pre-tour Departure Preparations; Paperwork and Expense Accounting: Public Speaking, Airline and Airport Procedures, Baggage Handling and Control; Client Welcome Preparation and Delivery: Cultural Practices: How to Research: Leisure Days on Tour: City Tours; Motorcoach Travel; Destination Itinerary Planning: Motorcoach Driver and Teamwork: Optional Excursions: Group Psychology: Passenger Emergencies and Industry Networking. This new achievement will advance my work in the travel and tourism industry. I am already leading worldwide tours, with the next one scheduled for February 2016 to India (Click Here For Details). I will also pursue tour management opportunities with other companies who engage the services of professional tour directors for group tours run by their organizations. At 62 years old, I proved to myself that learning is still an important part of who I am as a diversity professional and global thought learner. I look forward to future travel adventures all over the world, thanks to my new training through IGA. Why Tour Manager, Carole? This is more of a line extension for my business. I started leading tours two years ago with my first Caribbean Cruise. Now trips to India. The course helped me to better understand the industry while pursuing independent contracting opportunities with tour companies. You know the ones with the brochure of tours where you can travel anywhere in the world. Now I can lead those tours anywhere…thanks to the training I received. And be paid, too! Tour Operators hire tour managers like me to lead groups all over the world. I hope to begin sometime in 2016. About IGA The International Guide Academy, Inc. of Denver, Colorado, USA is the most trusted worldwide recognized international training center specializing in training and certifying professional International Tour Directors and Tour Guides. The program was started in 1973 in Australia, and then the programs were conducted in Hong Kong and later in London. The company has been in the USA since 1988 and in 2007 expanded to holding courses in Mexico. In 2009, an International Tour Director certification program was conducted while at sea aboard the Norwegian Spirit. In 2010 the first program in Canada was held in Ottawa and our second program at sea aboard the Norwegian Dawn. IGA continues its program availability, with courses in Denver, CO and Ft. Lauderdale, FL USA as well as aboard the Norwegian Dawn for a 15-day Caribbean cruise and training. IGA is one of four schools of its kind in the world. For more information visit www.bepaidtotravel.com |
* * * * * * * *
Archives
December 2022
|
RSS Feed
©2023 All Rights Reserved Carole Copeland Thomas • (508) 947-5755 • Carole@mssconnect.com