HAMMOND - With the goal of opening a dialogue about racism and inspiring a focus on our commonalities over our differences, the Urban League of Northwest Indiana is having its Diversity and Inclusion Symposium at Purdue University Northwest from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Thursday (11/9). Dr. Vanessa Allen McCloud, President and CEO Urban League of the Northwest Indiana serving Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties talks about the organization's goals.
"The purpose actually is to have an opportunity for our community stakeholders to come and have a discussion on racism, uncivil behavior, how to increase diversity in their workplace and in their community," Allen McCloud says. "So the symposium is an opportunity for people to congregate in small settings so they can have these conversations in a safe environment."
Allen McCloud says she wishes to make possible, people to overcome the obstacles that make them afraid to talk to each other.
"I think another objective of the symposium is to determine strategies on how to have these conversations when we go back to our workplace, and or when we actually have these conversations with our families," Allen McCloud says.
She also says that having conversations on diversity and inclusion is needed now more than ever. With the Symposium, the Urban League wants to give agencies and corporations the opportunity to showcase what they have already done to increase diversity and inclusion in their organizations. The event will start of with a panel discussion, that will include the Indiana Department of Transportation. Allen McCloud says the organization is going to talk about the money that are coming to this area and earmarked for jobs.
The Urban League gives an award in March to organizations that promote diversity in the workplace. Applications for that award are available staring on Thursday, November 9th.
