Cultural IQ

Nonprofit Boards: In Need Of A Makeover?

Oprah Winfrey’s Big Givers are interesting for their diversity: there’s a beauty queen, real estate developer, big-hearted author and media executive, disaster relief worker and a pre-med student among the richly diverse cast.

As the contestants rush around doing good deeds and helping folks in distress, viewers may notice curious: while people of color are heavily represented among those needing help, they are harder to spot among the nonprofit executives and fundraising boards.

The show inadvertently is highlighting an issue that rarely finds the limelight: In many urban centers, the racial and ethnic makeup of groups that help guide policies and practices in the nonprofit world do not reflect the rich diversity of local communities.

In 2005, the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C., found that 51 percent of nonprofit boards only had white members. Among nonprofits whose clientele are more than 50 percent African American, 18 percent did not have one African American trustee. Among groups catering to Latinos, 32 percent did not have any Hispanic board members.

What’s needed is a business-centered approach to management that positions nonprofits for future challenges by integrating practices that promote diversity and inclusiveness, said Adrienne Mansanares, program manager for the Denver Foundation’s Expanding Nonprofit Inclusiveness Initiative.

Due to the demographic shifts occurring in Colorado and throughout the United States, many nonprofits will need new tools, if they are to continue to be powerful change agents addressing the needs of diverse groups, Mansanares said.

The Foundation decided it would take a lead role in the effort to open doors wider to minority participation and tackle institutional racism. It hired a team of experts and writers to develop a diversity and inclusiveness workbook to serve as a blueprint for developing competencies and processes that support inclusiveness.

The full 18-module document, which is available nationwide for $35, guides organizations through the process of tailoring the plan to their organization, Mansanares said. (Shipping and handling fees are $6 for the first book and $2 for additional books. Select chapters and materials are available for free 

"Oprah's Big Give" was the No. 3 most-watched new series debut this season. The show has a group of contestants seeking ways to help needy people using money they've been given by the show. Their efforts are evaluated by judges and in the end, Winfrey surprises one with $1 million.

Since the initiative’s start back in 2002, the Foundation has begun to compile best practices and insights gained through involvement, experiential learning and research.

Mansanares and other officers offer a few of the more crucial lessons nationwide:

•Many of the key issues of the day intersect around institutional racism, Mansanares said. No matter what the services provided, the effects of institutional racism within a community can hinder nonprofit success, outreach and effectiveness. Organizations that actively identify, address and manage these challenges are better positioned to reach their long-term goals.

•People of color are not in leadership positions in the nonprofit sector, and that could become even more problematic as demographic shifts occur. Research indicates minorities see several barriers to inclusion. Minority executives interviewed said their ideas may not be valued; others may view them as a token or their concerns or special interests are not group priorities. Inclusive nonprofits create an honest and welcoming culture that allows a wide range of views, voices, and ideas to emerge and be considered.

•In many cities, a relatively small number of minorities are sought after by a large number of boards. Nonprofits, therefore, may need to cultivate leadership. Some cities such as  Wilmington, Del., are beginning to nurture talent and provide a pipeline of minority leadership into the nonprofit sector. Veteran nonprofit board member Cynthia Primo Martin organized Trustees of Color, which is developing a database of potential minority board members.

•Nonprofit boards often are used as vehicles for building business relationships and gaining access into lucrative business circles and networks. Therefore, the lack of minority representation may hinder growth and economic development in minority communities.

•Those at the very top of the organization must lead the change, Mansanares said. Nonprofits that are successful share several key characteristics: commitment to inclusiveness from top leadership; expectation that change will be a long-term process; a willingness to integrate diversity into every aspect of the operations (staffing, contracting, policies and practices); an ability to keep assumptions in check and to ask open-ended questions; and a capacity to view challenges through an anti-racism lens.

The Tipping Gamble: Good Service Today, Insults Tomorrow

As an African American, going out for dinner involves a certain amount of risk. I could very well end up with delicious food and hurt feelings – all for the price of a meal in a sit-down restaurant.

Each time I venture out, a little voice inside my head says: “Is this the day the waiter gives me a nice smile and a pleasant hello? Or the day I will get a cold stare or a cold shoulder that says, Why me? Why do I have to wait on this table?”

Eating out for us is bit like rolling the dice. Many waiters believe that African Americans don’t tip very well. As I recently reported in the Memphis Tri-State Defender, a mounting body of evidence now supports that perception. It appears black people do leave lower tips, but why? Do we tip less because the service is not as good as we expect, or because we don’t want to part with the money?

Each time I venture out, a little voice inside my head says: “Is this the day the waiter gives me a nice smile and a pleasant hello? Or the day I will get a cold stare or a cold shoulder that says, "Why me? Why do I have to wait on this table?”

Eating out for us is bit like rolling the dice. Many waiters believe that African Americans don’t tip very well. As I recently reported in the Memphis Tri-State Defender, a mounting body of evidence now supports that perception. It appears black people do leave lower tips, but why? Do we tip less because the service is not as good as we expect, or because we don’t want to part with the money?

That little question is causing big problems in the restaurant industry.

In the great scheme of things, my wise friends say, bad service doesn’t rate high. We ought to be worrying about kids without textbooks or people losing their houses. I’ll concede that point. We all get mistreated if we live long enough. So why am I making a big deal out of this?

Well, what would happen to our economy if all customers decided to say “No worries” whenever clerks insulted them or brokers ignored their telephone calls? Suppose travelers were inclined to say to airlines, “It’s perfectly OK that you made me miss my son’s graduation.” Or that cell phone users placed on hold for an hour said to the operator, “It’s OK, you’re probably much busier than I am.”

The relationship between business and customer is a sacred one that is built upon mutual respect, even genuine affection. So if waiters are getting stiffed because many African Americans are unwilling to leave tips, I care about their plight. If African Americans are getting the cold shoulder because waiters think they aren’t going to leave a tip, that’s my problem as well.

We are the change. (Where have we heard that before?) The restaurant industry and the African American community have an opportunity to create a conversation that makes us both stronger.  All it takes is a meeting of the minds, and a decision to cast aside our egos so we can better understand each other’s issues and points of view.

The Tri-State Defender, Pittsburgh Courier and Chicago Defender have each put tipping onto the community agenda by running the series “Tipping: What’s At Stake.”

Consider these facts from the National Restaurant Association:

• The restaurant industry provides work for over 9 percent of those employed in the U.S. 
• The restaurant industry is expected to add 2 million jobs over the next decade, for total employment of 15.1 million in 2018.
• The restaurant industry employs an estimated 13.1 million people, making it the nation's largest employer outside of government.
• Restaurant-industry sales are forecast to advance 4.4 percent in 2008 and equal 4 percent of the

  U.S.gross domestic product.

• The overall economic impact of the restaurant industry is expected to exceed $1.5 trillion in 2008, including sales in related industries such as agriculture, transportation and manufacturing.

The African American community has a lot at stake. This time, if we are to get our fair share of jobs, African Americans may hold the key that opens the door. As quiet as it’s kept, numerous sources have told me off the record that the tipping issue is keeping many chains from locating in predominantly black neighborhoods. In our cultural family, a job – even one paying $2.13 an hour plus tips – can keep a youth off the streets and on the college track.

Let’s do this for the children. Let’s talk about what it takes to provide the next generation with access to 2 million new jobs. And then let’s do what is right for them so that they will have a new pathway to prosperity.

As an African American, going out for dinner involves a certain amount of risk. I could very well end up with delicious food and hurt feelings

– all for the price of a meal in a sit-down restaurant.

The Wrong Conversation About Rev. Wright

One day, while attending mass in Philly, my priest began badmouthing gays.  I squirmed uncomfortably. Of course, I knew the Catholic Church's position on homosexuals. Until that moment, the church's views had been its problem, not my own.

Everything changed abrupty that day. As the priest lectured us,  my thoughts were focused on my gay friends who always responded to my calls for help. The ones who listened to my complaints about racism when nobody else was around. The ones who would be most likely to stand with me if ever I came under attack.

I found myself getting up and walking out of mass. As soon as I stood up, another man rose and left as well. I haven't been back since. As we walked out, a couple hundred really wonderful people stayed behind and listened without protest or comment.

As I watch the folks outraged by Sen. Barack Obama's association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., I find myself asking: What are the standards of behavior in a faith community? How many of us have asked ourselves the question we now are asking Sen Barack Obama?

American churches are filled each day with decent folks who are held hostage by their cultural lenses and beliefs. We all have these old films playing in our head, and no matter how hard we try we can't seem to silence them. Sometimes, the films keep us from seeing what's really going on. How else can we explain why so many churches remained silent as African Americans were lynched; Japanese Americans were sent off to camps, and Native American children were sent to special schools to eliminate their culture?

The situation Barack Obama faced is one that we all encounter. The overwhelming majority of us do just what he did. We stay and, hopefully, we become a strong voice for change.

After leaving the Catholic Church, I began a journey to find a more inclusive faith community. My first stop was at a Unitarian Church. While attending service there, George Bush came up in the conversations and prayers a bit too often for me. Not in a good way, either. Some two years later I still have not found a permanent religious home. I find myself wondering: Am I asking too much? I want a church that keeps politics out of the pulpit and is loving and inclusive.(If you know of one in Houston, please let me know. I would like to visit.)

My dear friends, let's be honest. Racism, prejudice and cultural filters exist within every faith community. We clearly are having the wrong conversation. Instead of talking about Barack Obama's minister, we ought to be talking about defining 21st-century religious standards and empowering the faithful to right the wrongs within their own flock.

When we find ourselves in a church, mosque or synagogue that is attacking immigrants, minorities, Muslims, Jews, or gays, what SHOULD we do?

Should we stay and try to open suspicious minds. Or walk out and end up a homeless Christian as I have? I am curious. What would you do?

Barack Obama: A Message For My American Family

Barack Obama had a message today for America - the black folk and as well as the white kin: It is time to hold the conversation that can change all our lives.

In crafting the speech, he used the techniques that serve culturally competent people so well: cultural context (he explained the mindsets of each group); inclusive language,and a demand for accountability (it is not the truth if you can't prove it.)

Somehow, Obama manages to give us a slap on the wrist and a peck on the cheek at the same time.  His African American family, he said, must free itself from the past, and resist the temptation to live forever as victims. The European American family, he said, should acknowledge the injustice to blacks, and realize that some effects still linger - for instance, educational disparities and differences in household wealth.

"The profound mistake of Reverend Wright’s sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society, Sen. Obama said. "It’s that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made; as if this country – a country that has made it possible for one of his own members to run for the highest office in the land and build a coalition of white and black; Latino and Asian, rich and poor, young and old -- is still irrevocably bound to a tragic past. But what we know -- what we have seen – is that America can change. That is true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope – the audacity to hope – for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

"In the white community, the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination - and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past - are real and must be addressed. Not just with words, but with deeds – by investing in our schools and our communities; by enforcing our civil rights laws and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system; by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations. It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare, and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper."

Sen. Obama focused upon wounds that never seem to heal. When it comes to race, we seem to prefer to talk about our side, and our part of the problem. We often gather in cultural circles where others agree with us - a strategy that re-opens scars and reignites old anger.

Complicating this is the fact that each of us wears cultural shades, which makes it difficult  to admit there is truth in the other's arguments. An African American who is angry because he or she is jobless and trapped in a violent neighborhood may not see America's strengths as clearly as one who attends the best school and lives in a fine home.

Reasonable people ought to understand why those facing continual injustices may be less willing to give thanks to the nation that made up the rules.  Yet some people can't show them empathy or compassion.

A European American mother who can't afford to send a child to college may feel the policies and provisions in place to eliminate discrimination are unfair. She may find it hard to listen to black Americans who argue that white children have greater advantages because of skin color.

We should be able to understand why White Americans struggling to get by are upset they must pay a price for an injustice they or their forefathers did not create. Yet some can't show them empathy or compassion.

At times, we hide from truth because we are afraid what we will learn about ourselves. We are afraid to look inside of our hearts. If we do, we may actually have to confront our own biases.  That's a painful step, but we won't advance until large numbers of us look into the mirror and recognize that we are America's racial problem.

Where do we go from here?  Change is not going to knock on the door while we sit in front of the TV. It is not going to show up at church one day. It is not going to tap us on the shoulder as we are walking down the street.

We have to create a climate that encourages honest conversations and learn new techniques and cultural skills. We need cultural flexibility, which allows us to view issues from a variety of cultural lenses. We need more diverse circle of advisers and friends to explain what we don't know.

No community should ever start a dialog on racism or inclusiveness unless the conservatives are in the room. Liberals have to stop talking to liberals about diversity. Conservatives have to stop talking to conservatives.

My friend Lance, who honors me by bringing conservative perspectives to this blog, wrote to me today. I want to share some of what he said: " Obama shows a  profound depth of understanding of both sides.  It is a crucial characteristic.  If I see that someone understands my side of the argument, then I'm very inclined to believe that what he/she tells me about his/her side of the argument  is correct as well."

If we are ever going to be One America, we have got to integrate our cultural teams and organizations working for change. As long as most of us choose to remain in our comfort zone, we are going to continue taking two steps forward and three steps back. That dance makes even the passionate grow weary.

Let's hold honest conversations - not just within our cultural communities - but across the expanding divides. To do so, we first need to find language that is inclusive and allows opposing viewpoints to emerge.

Let's learn how to detach and listen to ideas or statements without a huge emotional investment. If someone disagrees, that's OK. If someone doesn't like you because of your skin color, decide that they have the problem - not you.

We don't have to agree,you know. We just have to faith that, in the end, everything will turn all right.

To read the entire speech by Obama, click here.

Friends Don't Let Friends Pay Higher Prices

www.freefoto.com

You and your friends decide to go out to a movie on Friday night. When you get to the ticket counter, the clerk divides you into groups and charges each one a different price. Those who are well-dressed pay the lower rate. Those who are wearing less fancy clothes are asked to pay more.

What would you do? Would you go ahead and pay or back up our friends by walking away in protest?

Many readers might feel this is an unlawful act of discrimination. Special pricing for preferential customers is considered a good business strategy.

Should companies be allowed to offer lower rates (or higher rates) to its preferred customers? Frequent shoppers programs offer special discounts and lower prices. Stores often provide special incentives and discounts to residents nearby.  Newspapers offer deeper discounts and promotions to customers advertisers want to reach.

How would you feel if somebody took a look at you and then arbitrarily offered your a higher price?

That's exactly what happened in the mortgage industry. The new civil rights battlefield increasingly is a clash between classes, not racial or ethnic groups. Our treatment by society may be tied to our class: It can determine the schools we attend, the neighborhoods we can live in, and how many powerful people we know.

Some state and local governments are about to take on this issue of flexible rates and pricing. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Illinois' attorney general issued subpoenas to units of Countrywide Financial Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co. for an investigation into whether lenders  improperly steered minority borrowers into high-cost loans.

"In Florida, Attorney  General Bill McCollum is looking to determine whether Countrywide put borrowers into loans they couldn't afford or loans with rates that weren't what the company was advertising or were misleading.... In January, the city of Baltimore sued Wells Fargo, alleging that it systematically targeted low-income minority homeowners for loans they couldn't afford, in violation of the Fair housing Act?," the Journal report said.

Oh, I know what some of you are thinking. Stop whining: The pricing was based upon that credit score. Well, not if we can believe the conservative Wall Street Journal, which found in 2005 that borrowers with good credit scores got 55 percent of all sub-prime mortgages.

Debora Blume, a spokeswoman for Wells Fargo, said in statement that race is not a factor in the way the company makes loans, only credit risk. (So, how did this happen that people with good credit got bad rates?) She told newspapers the company does not comment on pending litigation.

"We do not tolerate illegal discrimination against, or unfair treatment of, any consumer," the company's statement assured us. "Our loan pricing is based on credit risk. We are committed to serving all customers fairly - our continued growth depends on it."
  I don't know about you but this statement does not make me feel any better. If this was not intentional discrimination, then brokrs were not following the corporate policies. If exeutives didn't do this intentionally, then they must argue they were unaware of the patterns of racial bias and of the rogue employees who violated their pricing policies and, in some cases, brought down their companies.

Investors have reason worry when when high-salary executives argue they are innocent because nobody told them what was really going on. Good parents always know what their kids are up to, and capable CEOs know when something has gone wrong.

As for the rest of us, well, people, we allowed this to happen. We knew that friends and neighbors were unfairly charged higher prices for loans, and yet we continued to look the other way. After all, we had more important things on our plate. While the government has stepped in to help lenders, homeowners are left with homes they can't afford. ( The National Community Reinvestment Coalition says corporations have received $230 billion in federal aid compared to nothing for homeowners.)

The lesson? Friends Don't Let Friends Pay Higher Prices. If we had followed that golden rules, thousands of Americans wouldn't have lost jobs.

The Art of Disagreement

Great conversations help people to come to a meeting of the minds and to formalize an agreement. Progress is easier when rules of conduct are available to help guide participants.

The speaker should:

Rule No. 1:  only speak for himself or herself.

Rule No. 2:  be willing to be held accountable for a.

Rule No. 3: Be able and willing to verify what he or she knows.

Rules for the listener

Rule No. 1: Listen to each word spoken so that you can grasp and examine the speaker's

idea or proposal.

Rule No. 2: Do not make statements before you ask your question.

Rule No. 3: Ask questions that will aid your understanding of what the

speaker has said.

Rule No. 4: Watch your tone. Keep your feeling and opinions about the speaker's idea out of the question.

Rule No. 5: Always ask the speaker about what he or she has said. Don't be in such a hurry to say what think.The listener's primary objective is to grasp the speaker's idea and understand his or her viewpoint. 

ule No. 6: Do not interrupt the speaker.

Rule No. 8: Avoid negatives for they can shut down difficult conversations.

Rule No. 9: Avoid ambiguous words like “But”. If but is added to a statement, it only serves to cancel out everything previously said. For example, "Johnny is a good boy, but he served time for

stealing several years ago."

Rule No. 10: Stay present tense. Discuss what you can do; don't get bogged down in assigning blame.

ule No. 11: Know your audience. Use language and terms they will grasp; avoid words or slang that have a variety of cultural meanings like baby mama. 

Great conversations help people to come to a meeting of the minds and to formalize an agreement. Progress is easier when rules of conduct are available to help guide participants.

The speaker should:

Rule No. 1:  only speak for himself or herself.

Rule No. 2:  be willing to be held accountable for a.

Rule No. 3: Be able and willing to verify what he or she knows.

Rules for the listener

Rule No. 1: Listen to each word spoken so that you can grasp and examine the speaker's

idea or proposal.

Rule No. 2: Do not make statements before you ask your question.

Rule No. 3: Ask questions that will aid your understanding of what the

speaker has said.

Rule No. 4: Watch your tone. Keep your feeling and opinions about the speaker's idea out of the question.

Rule No. 5: Always ask the speaker about what he or she has said. Don't be in such a hurry to say what think.The listener's primary objective is to grasp the speaker's idea and understand his or her viewpoint. 

ule No. 6: Do not interrupt the speaker.

Rule No. 8: Avoid negatives for they can shut down difficult conversations.

Rule No. 9: Avoid ambiguous words like “But”. If but is added to a statement, it only serves to cancel out everything previously said. For example, "Johnny is a good boy, but he served time for

stealing several years ago."

Rule No. 10: Stay present tense. Discuss what you can do; don't get bogged down in assigning blame.

ule No. 11: Know your audience. Use language and terms they will grasp; avoid words or slang that have a variety of cultural meanings like baby mama. 

African American Newspaper Takes on Local Minister Who Is Attacking Jews

The feisty Tri-State Defender in Memphis, TN. is taking heat this week for its article on an African American minister who is distributing flyers targeting a local Jewish congressman.

The newspaper managed to get the first local interview with Rev. George Brooks, an African American minister who has gained the national spotlight for his efforts to persuade Blacks in Memphis that their Jewish Congressman, Steve Cohen, can't represent the community's interests.

" Rev. George Brooks was a virtual unknown until newspapers and bloggers across the country published the prickly contents of his flyer. “Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen and the Jews HATE Jesus,” the headline read in bold letters," the Tri-State Defender article's began. "The initial reaction was a media firestorm that provided Brooks with the platform he sought. Brooks, who lives in Murfreesboro, Tenn., is bent on convincing African-American voters in the ninth congressional district that U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen can’t represent them in Congress."

My favorite quote comes from Rev. George Matthews Jr., Brooks’ cousin, who says:  "I didn’t like what he said about Steve and what he said about the Jews. Steve is Jewish; that’s his belief. I’m Baptist; that’s my belief. We should accept everybody’s religion. Division brings about confusion. God is sick of racism.”

Even within the same family, relatives often disagree.  We each must hold family members and friends accountable for their bigotry and prejudices.

Read more of the Defender's exclusive hard-hitting interview, by clicking here.  Afterwards, please email the Tri-State Defender at kajanaku@tri-statedefender.com to tell the staff how much you appreciate this cultural act of courage and journalistic excellence. This is a newspaper that leads by setting high standards for itself and its community.

Karanja Ajanaku, a longtime friend, is Executive Editor of the Tri-State Defender.  This forward-thinking newspaper recently built an educational campaign around my two-part series on restaurant tipping. That campaign peaked the interest of judges in a NNPA newspaper campaign:

The announcement is below:

"The Tri-State Defender has won Honorable Mention in the 2008 Chrysler Financial/NNPA Foundation Entrepreneurial Award.As Honorable Mention winner, the newspaper is awarded a $2,500 prize and plaque. The award will be presented during the National Newspaper Press Association’s Foundation’s Newsmaker of Year Banquet held March 13 in Washington during “Black Press Week.”

The Defender was selected for the campaign it built around this headline: “Tipping: What’s at stake?” At the center of the campaign is two stories generated specially for the newspaper by freelance writer Linda S. Wallace, “The Cultural Coach.”

Are Your Supervisor's Biases Blocking Your Career Path

Photo credit:Freefoto.com     If you have a bad egg in the basket, address the problem immediately before the rest of the group goes bad.

Many years ago, I had a boss whose face tensed up whenever he saw me coming. My appearance usually meant that I had a sticky cultural issue that I wanted to lay at his feet.

One day, as he and I chatted about poverty in Philadelphia, he grew extremely agitated. He called me by another woman’s name. Later, I discovered that was his daughter’s name; she was a rebel who apparently thought a lot like me.

My boss and his daughter were at a delicate point in their relationship, and that tension was drifting over into his dialogs with me.

It was clear that we had dual conversations playing in stereo. I learned to tune in both frequencies to keep up. Afterwards, our work relationship dramatically improved. I worked very hard on my language so I did not sound like the “angry daughter.”

You see, on any given day, ordinary people bring their problems, values, beliefs, and fears to work with them. And those personal issues, at times, will surface and get tangled up into workforce business. We may have issues with a boss who reminds us of our mother or father. The guy next to us may look exactly like an old boyfriend. Personal e-mails intended as a private joke may fall into the wrong hands.

There comes a point when personal problems and work issues intersect. Inclusive offices need to monitor and manage cultural differences so they don’t infect the culture and spread tensions like a 24-hour virus.

Ask insightful questions that help you to probe for biases and understand your colleague's experiences. The more in tuned you are to another's frame of reference, the better your chances of holding great conversations. Here are a few techniques I have found useful:

1) If someone forwards you an inappropriate email, try to talk to them face-to-face. Don't respond by sending a sharp email.  Share your principles with them.  Instead of stating: Your email was negative and hurtful, you might say: When I send out emails, I try to open the doors and invite dialog. You had a valid point but your message was worded in such a way that it shut down communication.

2) I sometimes find that my filters frame the way I respond to people or situations? Have you ever had that experience? Can you tell me what steps you took to overcome that obstacle?

3) I propose that our team go out together after hours to share life stories and experiences. I think it might help us to connect; understand each other's frame of reference, and create a culture where honest dialogs can emerge.

4) Are there things I do or say that make you feel uncomfortable? Please stop me when that happens. I want you to share your reactions with me. It will help me to improve my communication style so we can have open and productive conversations.

5) This is a challenging situation! Have you ever been in a situation like this before? What did you do? How did you handle it?