by Carole Copeland Thomas Carole with 2018 Event Honoree Liz Miranda. Today is the last opportunity for you to help Carole Build Community by joining the Multicultural Symposium Series at $99. Building Community is the essential success ingredient of The Multicultural Symposium Series. It's an opportunity to meet people around the world from all walks of like. And our November 1st Multicultural Conference will bring together business leaders, community advocates, educators, government officials and up and coming professionals who are in their own way advancing the cause of multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion. It's an exciting time to get involved!
Special pricing ends today, Saturday, June 30th. Only $99. The price goes UP to $179 on July 1st. Sign up your team. Help me reach my goal of signing on 180 new members who want to learn, lead and build a cross-cultural community with people across the world. With your help, the goal can be reached! Learn more at http://bit.ly/2MTWcOH
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By Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP, CITM  Multiculturalism represents the landscape of our community as human beings. It’s a bigger concept than diversity because its very meaning requires an open platform for embracing multiple cultures, ethnic groups, and ideologies within a society. Multicultural means many cultures operating in the same space. America, like other countries, is multicultural because different cultural groups maintain a meaningful co-existence within the span of 50 states. Even though there are decades of history where oppression, racism, discrimination and legislative restrictions affected one ethnic group over another, the cultural coexistence remains a vital link to our identity as Americans. Multiculturalism demands that you coexist with others. In a truly multicultural society, one cultural group does not dominate another. The abundance theory is the prevailing rule, where society’s output is big enough for all of our cultures and ethnicities to be represented in an equally respectable manner. We seem to fully embrace multiculturalism in food. Visit any mall or shopping center in any city or town and the food courts are populated with people from all walks of life. From soul food to Cajun cooking, to Chinese cuisine to Indian vegetarian dishes, a typical food court presents the best argument that cultural pluralism can yield good value to any consumer’s taste buds. On the other hand, some aspects of multiculturalism are closely guarded and tolerated only to a point. It’s fascinating to watch professionals in the workplace celebrate the worthiness of multiculturalism on the job. One would think that the level of commitment to cross cultural causes would get packed up and taken straight home to share, just like that leftover shrimp fried rice gets taken home after the party at work has ended. Instead, far too often you witness the reinforcement of cultural silos as employees head to cars, buses, and trains to take them back to their neighborhoods that are all White, all black, all Hispanic, or mostly Asian. The social conformity of our neighborhoods provides the greatest opportunity for us to break through our comfort zones, venture out, and live among other cultures. It represents one of the central frontiers of true multiculturalism. Diversity is an important byproduct of multiculturalism. It speaks to the segmentation of our societies and frames the very categories that define who we are as individuals and members of specific groups or cultural components. I define Diversity from this perspective: Diversity is understanding, appreciating and ultimately managing difference and similarities at the same time. The emphasis is on the word AND. Diversity looks at both difference AND similarities, with one not being more important than the other. That’s where most people make a mistake by focusing on either one’s difference or one’s similarities without realizing that BOTH are in operation at the same time. For example, as an African American female, when speaking at conferences and meetings, I am accustomed to being “the only one,” that is, the only person of color either attending the meeting or speaking at the meeting. To focus on my difference from the rest of the conference attendees is only embracing half the experience. The other half recognizes that there are personal values, educational experiences, regional interests and industry issues that I share as similar points of intersection with those attending the same meeting. To just focus on my ethnic difference cancels out the rich value of those similarities of which I share in common with others. Okay, let me explain it another way. Some years ago I traveled to Kenya for the first time. It was the trip of a lifetime for me. The minute I stepped off that airplane, pulled out my American passport and presented it to the customs officer at the Nairobi, Kenya Airport, my differences AND similarities were on full display with every other American on that plane. Some of the passengers had black skin like mine. My travel mates (now called the Kenya Sistahs) were also African American females. Some of the passengers were white Americans. Others were Hispanics while other were Asian Americans. There were Europeans, Asians, and Africans on the plane, too. So the differences were on full display from ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic class. However, the similarities also represented this collection of travelers. I held an American passport, as did many others on the plane. And meeting other Americans on that maiden voyage trip to mother Africa was so very exciting, since we were all thousands of miles away from home, and it was comforting to connect with other ex-patriots from the States. In diversity work, the similarities are as important as the differences. Similarities are on equal footing with differences. That is so important to remember since there is an incorrect assumption that diversity is polarizing because it only focuses on differences at the expense of similarities. You see it in families all the time. Brothers and sisters with the same biological parents, yet their values and opinions are as different as night and day. I see it in my own adult daughters, Michelle and Lorna. Their political, spiritual and economic opinions are very similar. However, their work habits, approach to preparation and personalities completely different. The same is true for extended families, members of associations and corporate colleagues. Differences should be valued with the same level of importance as similarities. They represent a different slice of the diversity equation. Take advantage of the countless situations that can frame your multicultural and diversity points of reference. It can become a lifelong opportunity for you to enhance your knowledge base while building cross-cultural relationships that can have a positive impact on your life.  Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP, CITM is a Boston based speaker and consultant focusing on global diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion. She has been featured in the New York Times, Boston Globe, WGBH Radio, Black Enterprise Magazine, and CBS-TV. Visit Carole online at www.carolecopelandthomas.com
 THANK YOU For Attending The November 5th Multicultural Conference
It was a STANDING ROOM ONLY Crowd at UMass Boston, and the excitement and buzz are still in the air. A Special THANK YOU to our sponsors, speakers, conference attendees/members and volunteers who helped make our event an outstanding success. The Conference Photo Gallery and Video Highlights Coming Soon. • • • -Carole Copeland Thomas 
He covered a wide berth of information during his presentation on the impact of immigrants in Boston during the November 6th Multicultural Conference. And given President Obama’s latest executive action on our country’s need for immigration reform, Boston will remain an important international destination on the world stage. When it comes to research and expertise of immigration issues, Denzil Mohammed knows it best.
The November 6th Multicultural Conference was a treasured event. Nearly 100 attendees from all walks of life with one goal in mind: Understanding, advancing, managing and appreciating multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion. It was nonstop buzz from the early morning networking session to the close of the luncheon in the afternoon. One of the distinguished speakers who helped make this 8th conference a triumphant success was Denzil Mohammed of the Immigration Learning Center. State Street Corporation is the LEAD SPONSOR of the Multicultural Symposium Series. From Trinidad and Tobago, Denzil Mohammed is an intercultural communications professional and journalist who works to build understanding across boundaries utilizing an asset-based approach. He believes immigrants’ success is a crucial component of America's well-being. Denzil became director of The International Learning Center Public Education Institute on November 17th. More highlights from the Multicultural Conference will be uploaded to the website in the coming days. Click Here To JOIN The Multicultural Symposium Series for only $99 a Year. For further information contact Carole Copeland Thomas at 508 947-5755 or email carole@mssconnect.com 
The November 6th Multicultural Conference was a treasured event. Nearly 100 attendees from all walks of life with one goal in mind: Understanding, advancing, managing and appreciating multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion. It was nonstop buzz from the early morning networking session to the close of the luncheon in the afternoon.
One of the speakers who helped make this 8th conference a triumphant success was Dr. Rita Hardiman. At her Roundtable session at the November 6th Multicultural Conference, Dr. Hardiman carefully helped each attendee understand the role of transportation in a diverse marketplace. Her organization, Keolis, was a SPONSOR of the conference and is a new player in Boston. Keolis is the largest private sector French transport group. It runs passenger railways, tramways, bus networks, funiculars, trolley buses, and airport services. Based in Paris, Keolis is owned by SNCF and Quebec Deposit & Investment Fund They are new to Boston, replacing the MBCR (Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company) in running Boston’s commuter rail system. Keolis Commuter Services operates and maintains the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s commuter rail system, carrying more than 127,000 passengers daily throughout Greater Boston. State Street Corporation is the LEAD SPONSOR of the Multicultural Symposium Series. Rita Hardiman, Ed.D, is a multicultural organization development professional with over than 25 years of experience, working with organizations such as CIGNA, Boston Museum of Science, DuPont, and Microsoft. She joined Keolis Commuter Services in March of 2014 as Director of EEO, Diversity and DBE Management. She is responsible for overall workforce diversity with both Keolis employees and subcontractors. This includes overseeing affirmative action, EEO, and DBE programs to ensure compliance with federal and state laws, and Keolis internal policies, which provide for a diverse workplace More highlights from the Multicultural Conference will be uploaded to the website in the coming days. Follow This BLOG SECTION and Read About The Other Featured Conference Speakers. Click Here To JOIN The Multicultural Symposium Series for only $99 a Year. For further information contact Carole Copeland Thomas at 508 947-5755 or email carole@mssconnect.com 
Employee Resource Groups (ERG) at State Street Corporation are some of the best managed and supported in corporate America. With more than 30 in operation, these ERGs provide internal associations for culturally and professionally-minded colleagues from diverse and similar backgrounds. Ritesh Mehrotra co-leads one of these groups, The Indian Employee Network.
As a Distinguished Panelist at the November 6th Multicultural Conference, Ritesh will share best practices and group dynamics on how his group thrives in an ever growing organization. State Street Corporation is the LEAD SPONSOR of the Multicultural Symposium Series. Ritesh Mehrotra is a hands-on technology leader in enterprise applications development working as an IT VicePresident at State Street Corporation. Ritesh is leading the design and development of Client Data Integration platform for State Street Investment Analytics. He specializes in leveraging talented resources across the globe to deliver a fully functional system and support model. He is a graduate of of Babson College and Boston University. Ritesh’s interest include hearing on mobile computing platform, multicultural team management and industrialized agile. He started with State Street in February 2002 and serves as one of the co-leaders of the Indian Employee Network at State Street. We hope that YOU will attend this upcoming conference. It will be held at the University of Massachusetts - Boston Campus - Student Center (Alumni Lounge 2nd Floor) on Thursday November 6, 2014 from 8am to 3pm. Tickets are only $99, which includes a 12 month membership in the Multicultural Symposium Series. Click Here to register for the Multicultural Conference. Click Here to learn more about the Multicultural Conference. For further information contact Carole Copeland Thomas at 508 947-5755 or email carole@mssconnect.com 
I learned a great deal team teaching with him over the course of this past summer when we designed a cultural competency course for healthcare professionals in Southeast Massachusetts. He uniquely weaves in the essential components of culture, diversity and inclusion in his presentations...along with a touch of poetry and jazz. Truly unique. Truly Beau. His family is well known in the circles of the National Black MBA Association, and that quest for deeper knowledge and understanding is a hallmark of everything the Stubblefield clan does both professionally and personally.
At his Roundtable session at the November 6th Multicultural Conference, Beau Stubblefield-Tave will weave together the essence of understanding cultural competency in healthcare, business, education and beyond. State Street Corporation is the LEAD SPONSOR of the Multicultural Symposium Series. Beau Stubblefield-Tave is a research-based management consultant specializing in cultural competence. He also serves individual clients as a leadership coach. A Principal with the Center for Culturally Fluent Leadership, Beau helps organizations build their cultural competence capacity: the behaviors, awareness, skills, and knowledge essential to working with and for people from diverse backgrounds. Past clients include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Cambridge Public Health Department and Merck. Beau earned his BA and MBA at the University of Chicago. We hope that YOU will attend this upcoming conference. It will be held at the University of Massachusetts - Boston Campus - Student Center (Alumni Lounge 2nd Floor) on Thursday November 6, 2014 from 8am to 3pm. Tickets are only $99, which includes a 12 month membership in the Multicultural Symposium Series. Click Here to register for the Multicultural Conference. Click Here to learn more about the Multicultural Conference. For further information contact Carole Copeland Thomas at 508 947-5755 or email carole@mssconnect.com 
Ever upbeat and enthusiastic. I have seen him describe the endless construction on campus and its inevitable parking challenges as “progress in the making.” And I have seen him take the high ground in professionalism and dignity when career setbacks would have made the average executive cry “foul!”
The students love him. The community respects him. And his tall physique and booming voice make everyone stop and stand at attention. Dr. Keith Motley, Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston Campus is a TRUE friend of the Multicultural Symposium Series and my various business endeavors. He is a FRIEND to the small business community and goes out of his way to support worthy causes. We have held our annual Multicultural Conferences on his campus since 2010 (following a strong partnership with Bentley University) and the partnership between the university and my business is anchored in the dedication and commitment of Dr. Motley. Dr. Motley will bring Greetings during the November 6th Multicultural Conference in his unique and energizing way to let us know we are welcome to his campus. State Street Corporation is the LEAD SPONSOR of the Multicultural Symposium Series. J. Keith Motley, Ph.D., is the eighth chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston. He leads an institution with approximately 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students, a full-time and part-time faculty of more than 900, and a $294 million annual budget. In addition to representing UMass Boston locally, nationally, and internationally, Chancellor Motley provides direct oversight of a four-pronged strategic plan for the university whose stated goals are to increase student access and engagement; attract, develop, and sustain highly effective faculty; create a physical environment that supports teaching, learning, and research; and enhance campus-community engagement through improved operational structures. In support of this strategic initiative, Motley is also guiding a 25-year master plan for the physical plant of the university that will significantly enhance the face of the campus and its layout on the scenic Columbia Point Peninsula in a way that invites and welcomes the Greater Boston community to interact with its public university. This project will also include the construction of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, which the late senator requested to be located on the UMass Boston campus next to the JFK Library. The institute will be dedicated to educating the general public, students, teachers, new senators, and senate staff about the role and importance of the senate. Chancellor Motley has also overseen considerable growth in UMass Boston’s faculty research spending, which has increased to more than $46 million in 2008-2009, and an expansion of the university’s private development funding, which has increased by nearly 200 percent under his leadership. Dr. Motley holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northeastern University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Boston College. He also holds an honorary degree awarded by Northeastern University. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh’s Upward Bound Program. He is married to Angela Motley and is the proud father of Keith Allyn, Kayla Iman, and Jordan Kiara. We hope that YOU will attend this upcoming conference. It will be held at the University of Massachusetts - Boston Campus on Thursday November 6, 2014 from 8am to 3pm. Tickets are only $99, which includes a 12 month membership in the Multicultural Symposium Series. Click Here to register for the Multicultural Conference. Click Here to learn more about the Multicultural Conference. For further information contact Carole Copeland Thomas at 508 947-5755 or email carole@mssconnect.com 
She is the type of wise advisor and friend every diversity professional needs to have. Confident yet caring. Insightful yet understanding. Contemporary yet respectful of historical legacies. And someone who is passionate about multiculturalism, global diversity and education.
At her Roundtable session at the November 6th Multicultural Conference, Dr. Barbara “B.J.” Addison Reid of Lesley University will speak on, “Confronting The Backlash-Educating To Empower,” an important look at how education can be used to help enlighten others on the value of global diversity. State Street Corporation is the LEAD SPONSOR of the Multicultural Symposium Series. International Speaker | Professor | Executive Career Coach Dr. Barbara Addison Reid is Director of Diversity and Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator at Lesley University in Cambridge Massachusetts. She has delivered papers at the Oxford Round Table, Oxford University, Oxford England, and the International Diversity Conference in Beijing China. Barbara currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Commonwealth Compact. She is Chair of the Commonwealth Compact Higher Education Collaborative comprised of 30 academic institutions, and she is the Emerita Chair of Women of the Harvard Club of Boston. We hope that YOU will attend this upcoming conference. It will be held at the University of Massachusetts - Boston Campus on Thursday November 6, 2014 from 8am to 3pm. Tickets are only $99, which includes a 12 month membership in the Multicultural Symposium Series. Click Here to register for the Multicultural Conference. Click Here to learn more about the Multicultural Conference. For further information contact Carole Copeland Thomas at 508 947-5755 or email carole@mssconnect.com  When it comes to designing and implementing Employee Resource Groups (EFGs), nobody knows it better than Linette Sanders of State Street Corporation. Linette has been at the frontline of operating successful ERGs for more than a decade in a corporation that has more than 30 in existence. As a senior leader in the Black Professionals Group (BPG) Linette will share her insights and best practices for starting, operating and growing an ERG in your large or small organization. And you won't want to leave without receiving Linette's detailed handout!
Back by popular demand, this is the second year Linette has spoken for the conference. We welcome her participation in the November 6th Multicultural Conference at UMass Boston. State Street Corporation is the LEAD SPONSOR of the Multicultural Symposium Series. Linette Sanders is an assistant vice president who works in IT/Corporate Project Services at State Street Corporation. She is an Information Security Administration Manager responsible for overseeing the Aveksa Compliance Recertification Process and has project management duties to assure that the associated corporate, industry and external audit standards are met. Her career in financial services spans over 30 years and she has been with State Street since 2000. Linette has a BS in Management Information Systems from Northeastern University and is a member of the Sigma Rho Epsilon and Golden Key Honor Societies. We hope that YOU will attend this upcoming conference. It will be held at the University of Massachusetts - Boston Campus on Thursday November 6, 2014 from 8am to 3pm. Tickets are only $99, which includes a 12 month membership in the Multicultural Symposium Series. Click Here to register for the Multicultural Conference. Click Here to learn more about the Multicultural Conference. For further information contact Carole Copeland Thomas at 508 947-5755 or email carole@mssconnect.com |
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