2007 Presentations and Handouts
Some of the following presentations given at the 2007 Diversity Conference have links to handouts or slideshow presentations.
Children and Families With ESL Have Fun and Learn Also
Jeanne Helm with Megan Meyrick, Janet Oyler, Amy Bramer, and Lazetta Farnham
Our focus will be to show a connection with families with English as a Second Language. There will be a panel discussion and slides showing the events and activities happening at Pershing School and RCC child care center. The targeted age group for children is birth to five years old.
Can Brain Research Enhance Student (Male Female) Learning? 
Alice Huebner
This presentation will explore recent neuroscience research on brain development from prenatal development through early childhood to suggest ways to maximize classroom learning by modifying teaching and learning strategies and the classroom setting. Discussion will include how parents, teachers and educational resources can implement the research in any child care or educational setting.
Creating a Classroom Community
Diana Shipley
Creating an acceptance for diversity begins in the early childhood setting. By modeling and proving appropriate materials and experiences you can create a caring community that accepts and appreciates those things that make us alike and different. Literature, and materials, toys and activities introduce children to diversity in their natural environment. This workshop will provide participants with information and sources for materials and activities to create an accepting and caring classroom and a positive attitude that will last for a lifetime.
What’s Happening in Our K-12 Schools
Dr. Hazel Rozema
This session asks participants to examine the impact of social class, race, per pupil spending and high stakes testing on the children attending urban public schools and on graduation rates. How has "No Child Left Behind" impacted curriculum and pedagogical strategies? Is the culture of the school being changed by "front-loading children," eliminating activities that aren't "on task" for test preparation and labeling teachers as managers? As school integration loses ground, what happens to the achievement gap?
Appreciating Many Voices to Recognize One Voice
Vicky Gilpin
Communication is the key to understanding across a divide of diverse backgrounds and experiences. However, communication does not only occur from a single representative of a culture to another. Recognizing how songs, poems, stories, prayers, and drama can not only represent a particular cultural perspective but can also speak to the common voice provides the opportunity to create a global community. This community can speak with one voice while retaining elements of individual voices developed by unique experiences. Recognition of how diverse texts resonate beyond a specific demographic creates a pathway toward acceptance and appreciation of unique voices within the whole.
Fostering Diversity through Technology
Kris Muschal with Nancy Sullivan
In today’s society we use technology to communicate with people near and far. This workshop/discussion will address how you can enhance your use of technology in the workplace, in the classroom, and via the Internet through learning portals and Web pages to help ensure that the information you send can be accessed by the widest range of people. We will be sharing tips and tools to create documents, slideshows, and Web pages that are easy to use and accessible to people with disabilities.
Human Diversity Assessment Outcomes
Anita Kelley with Dr. Cecilia L. Lopez, Carrie Nepstad, and Keenan Andrews
This program will share the outcomes from assessing human diversity at Harold Washington College (HWC). The HWC Assessment Committee developed a tool to measure and assess diversity at the college. Diversity is one of Harold Washington College’s General Education Objectives and part of its Mission statement. As an urban, multicultural institution, meeting and achieving this objective is critical to the success of the college.
College Awareness & Preparation Outreach to the Under-represented and Underserved Citizens of Illinois
Janet Ingargiola
Looking for new ways to service and outreach your nontraditional, under served and under represented populations in our community in regards to access and affordability of higher-education? This presentation will focus on some of the developing, practiced, and successful initiatives that you could implement at your school, agency or organization.
Understanding Sexual and Gender Diversity
Dr. Barbara A. Hunter
Through a series of exercises and illustrations, this program will challenge attendee’s conceptions of gender and sexuality. This session aims to increase empathy, understanding, and knowledge of gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, intersex and transgender individuals.
SafeZone Handbook 
SafeZone Contract
Diversity – Integral in Creating a Constructive Culture
Jesse W. Price
Diversity and Inclusion are Caterpillar Decatur’s next best ideas in creating a constructive culture where employees are empowered to influence the outcomes in their workforce.
A constructive culture, one that is collaborative not competitive, supportive not challenging, and sharing not secretive is not only desired by employees, but is proven to be conducive to productivity and great financial performance.
This presentation discusses the process to discuss diversity and inclusion in the context of improving the culture at Caterpillar Decatur while addressing issues in the workplace and the community.
Unity in the Community: The New Paradigm for Valuing Differences
Doug Harris
As we have seen the diversity industry advance with sophistication, not frequently have we heard the word unity mentioned as an outcome of our efforts. When we truly leverage differences and empower people, we create unity in a lasting way that produces powerful results. Is unity assimilation? No. Is unity inclusion? No, unity is that state of operating when the best of all our people are able to flourish into meaningful and useful ideas. We are moving from in the house to “valuing the neighborhood”. This session will highlight diversity in a way that encourages support from all stakeholders within the organization.
Seeing Diversity: Advertising and Photography’s Documentation of Cultural and Racial Issues
Saul Solano and Alida Duff
This presentation will display and interpret historical and contemporary examples of diversity, as portrayed through the eyes of commercial and photographic artists.
Developing a Multi-Consciousness by Thinking Outside of Our Boxes
Dr. Ollie Taylor
This session will address the detrimental effect of utilizing a singular cultural perspective in a multicultural endeavor. Perceptions and frames of reference will be discussed. An awareness and acceptance of differences can create a realistic and more unified effort to solve problems and address issues which pertain to everyone. Activities during the session will be conducted to stimulate discussion and interaction.
Developing the Talk: Creating Critical Responses to Enhance the Racial Dialogue
Dr. Lilu Siu with Gail Bauer, Leon Fonville, Kris Muschal, Diann Spannaus, and Michelle Stephens
This will be a practical and practice session to examine and develop competence in discussing racial issues and in conflict situation. Through scenario analysis and performativity, participants will examine communication pitfalls and develop strategies to talk about race. Having a set of considered and reasoned responses will enhance competency at intercultural communications to promote critical thinking and problem solving skills.
The Diversity of Entitlements: Earned or Appointed? Are We Working Working Working Day and Night or Wanting Something for Nothing?
Dr. Belinda Dalton-Russell
Many today operate as if entitlements are a privilege without having earned it. Entitlements have become an expectation that touches every level of our society. Individual goals are sometimes self-promoting and often destructive with little regard to consequences, human dignity or respect to others. We are a society that operates from the pleasure principal. Entitlements once viewed as a privilege for the wealthy and handouts for the poor have expanded to include a new dimension that includes the middle class, youth, elderly, educated, under-prepared, under represented, undeserved, deserved, US citizens and non US citizens.
Have Entitlements become like a Mardi Gras celebrated with carnivals, masquerade balls and parades of costumed merry makers?
It is difficult to lead by example and teach our youth earned responsibility and self respect when adults in our society vigorously model behavior that is at times reckless and self indulgent. How will the actions of today shape the future of tomorrow? What role should selflessness, respect and responsibility have in bringing a dismantled society together in respect and equality as one vision and one voice?
Heritage vs. Identity
Donna Tanner-Herald
There have been two extremes about biracial or multiracial people – one view is of the poor, misguided, stigmatized individual who lives a confused existence and the other is the glamorized view that it means having the best of both or many worlds. Join Donna Tanner-Harold for a thought-provoking exploration of the growing debate about racial classification. Examine societal attitudes and stereotypes regarding heritage, race, culture and identity and discuss the associated opportunities and challenges.
Modern Stereotypes in the Media: Speaking of Racism and Sexism with One Voice
David L. Womack with Amber Anderson
Over time, the media has set the tone and dictated the direction of racism and sexism in the print, advertisement and television. The overt media coverage of racism and sexism in the 60’s has been replaced with covert stereotypes. Modern media has successfully labeled the definition of beauty. It also covers the topic of race in new disturbing ways.
This presentation will take a visual approach to speaking of modern racism and sexism with one voice. Photos pertaining to race and women from famous ads, television and magazines will be highlighted. This presentation will expand your horizon in identifying modern stereotypes in the media.
Avoiding the Stereotypes by Promoting People’s First Language
Linda Heath
Stereotyping creates an image when applied to people with disability, as it projects the disability rather than the individual. These stereotypes become ones feelings and expectations that may have nothing to do with a person’s abilities, needs, or interests. Because of the bias perceptions, people with a disability have become victims of discrimination. They have been denied job opportunities, housing, etc. because of disabilities not abilities.