Droughts, Lobbyists, & You - Follow the Money #6

Judicial Watch: New Documents Show Homeland Security Released 165,900 Convicted Criminal Aliens throughout U.S. as of April 26, 2014

Judicial Watch: New Documents Show Homeland Security Released 165,900 Convicted Criminal Aliens throughout U.S. as of April 26, 2014



I swear by the fact that President Obama can not be aware of all these antics going on behind his back.

Professionally speaking, a person in his capacity is briefed by specialists from different areas of US government and the foreign service.

There is no way on earth President Obama would knowingly authorize the release of terror suspects with criminal convictions that include these type of heinous crimes against persons and property.

Russell Brand Destroys MSNBC Talk Show Host - Discusses Bradley Manning ...

Maintain Net Neutrality - Speak Up!

http://campaigns.dailykos.com/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=977

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has now spent the majority of his career in Big Telecom.

Prior to his career taking off he understood the importance of information-sharing and two-way communications which is evident in his book on the topic of how Abraham Lincoln used the telegraph to help win the Civil War.

Real-time information & knowledge exchange is paramount in the quickly changing environments of the 21st century.

His bio can be accessed here and I urge everyone to send him a letter to maintain Net Neutrality and prevent Big Telecom from making it a revenue center and preventing people of all socio-economic groups from accessing knowledge, education, and useful information in a timely manner: http://www.fcc.gov/leadership/tom-wheeler.

Thank you!

Road Hardly Traveled: Black Women Achieving Economic & Professional Success

Strategies for the Advancement of Women of Color in Corporate America

Introduction
Historically, Blacks (I use a big B whether grammatically correct or not, to me it is politically correct to do so) have been regarded as chattel and in-servitude to Whites. In contemporary times Blacks have had the honorable distinction to become subservient class members to recent immigrant groups to America. Any hint of a dark tint that has its origin in African slaves brought to America, you are certain to encounter resistance in your attempts to weave oneself into the American landscape.

Human resource management can serve an extremely valuable function to the firm and to these high-potential ethnic minorities. Through HR’s role in identifying and recruiting high-potential women of color, supporting their assimilation into the corporate family, and establishing in conjunction with upper management mentoring programs for leadership positions, HR can provide this protected class with the resources to advance past the glass ceiling and gain entry to the ranks of the “c-class.”

Black men are not included in this study because they don’t have this problem. They share an “identifier” with the dominant group occupying the c-class: gender.                                                                                                                                                                 

The most recent statistics for the breakdown of “CEO-graphics” among the Fortune 1000's – approximately 32 out of 1000 are people of color; men of color hold 29 of these and the rest belong to Asian, Latin, or Black women.[1] Clearly men of color are not experiencing as much resistance gaining entrance to the board rooms of America as are women of color.

I don’t think it is a secret that the more diverse a people the more creative and ingenuous they seem to be also. History has demonstrated this phenomenon time and again across many different institutions. Our society would be fiercely more competitive if we could dispense with discrimination across the board but most definitely stands to reap exponential returns on their investment in women of color.

Professional women of color, more than any other group (White men and White women and Black men) are more involved in community and faith based volunteer activities. This can translate into valuable insights and information to corporation public(s) and provide them with the competitive edge they need to market their product or service more effectively to a target market in the affected geographic area.

Business can derive tangible benefits to both their internal and external customers from recruiting, selecting, and promoting the managerial ability and professional development of women of color.

Background -

Corporate America has “gotten paid” at the expense of Black America through product promotion using Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben, to the use of degrading references to Blacks’ superior capabilities in the kitchen, in the fields, in the mills, and in the bedroom too. The use of high profile Black athletes and entertainers to endorse and promote the use of particular products and services has garnered American and foreign corporations billions of dollars in sales to this and the major constituencies that are attracted to these images/role models. But the same institutions that use these images and icons of the African American community and culture to improve their commercial performance are the very same institutions that will not ‘give back to Black’ by hiring them to work in their marketing, finance, or sales departments. Is it discrimination, disparate treatment/impact on a group of people because of their proscribed heritage? The explanation seems to lie in the perception that people of color born in America of African descent (that is, enslaved Africans) are different: slavish. African American women particularly are perceived as care-givers, docile, compliant, possessing a willingness to accept whatever they are offered, possess no self-esteem or low self-esteem and as a group of like-kind people, lack unity. “Mentors are not likely to have enough exposure to or understanding of women of color as colleagues to feel comfortable with them in that role,” (Carter, p. 20) or any other corporate role.

In his book, “Divided We Stand,” Bruce Nelson speaks to the establishment of an ‘agency’ coalition created by whites and the unions for European, Celtic and Eastern European immigrants. These newcomers were ‘entitled’ to earn a decent livable wage, have health benefits, and a clean, safe, work environment because of their ‘whiteness.’ He propounds the perception of whites that, “Blacks were slavish and dependent by nature,” (Nelson) and as such had allowed themselves to be exploited by unscrupulous employers. “Whiteness” emerged as opposition to “blackness” in the form of cultural attributes which were modified to include any immigrants who were light, bright, and could pass for White. Whites viewed Blacks’ willingness to ‘accept’ what they were offered for wages as a threat to their ability to secure “workers’ just rights.” (Nelson, p. xxiv)

Working class is defined as white (usually male). White and Black groups’ sense of themselves as racial subjects was closely intertwined with their identities as working people.” (Nelson, p. xxv) Robin Kelley, cited in Nelson’s work, argues, “day to day interaction in the workplaces of the South served to accentuate difference and hierarchy much more than it created a sense of common ground. Blacks were subjected to obnoxious verbal and physical insults and racist attacks of white workers were the norm.” (Nelson, p. xxvi)

This lowly treatment and perception of Blacks does not give rise to whites’ ability to appreciate or expect that a person of color possesses managerial or decision-making ability. This suggestive imagery/perception of Blacks is still propagated today.

Staff Support and Development

The question I seek to answer through my study of this issue is: “How can we as “Double Outsiders”[2] succeed in a culture such as this?”

Human resource management now takes center stage – this staff unit becomes a valuable strategic partner with upper management to fill in the labor gap developing as a result of the natural attrition of Baby Boomers and the inadequate professional development levels among Gen X and Y’s as well as changing the way the White people perceive and relate to people of color in America.

Networking and Support Groups

HR can render a number of value-added services to both the employee and the corporation. It can be commissioned to establish networking and support groups for specific ethnic minority group members with separate groups for women of specific groups. Since women outnumber men in the general population, and women disproportionately bear the burden of the dual responsibility as primary caregiver to children and aging family members explains the need for there to be separate networking/support groups for them.

Support groups are meeting spaces where employees can vent frustrations with commonly held identifiers, share success stories and coping mechanisms, support each other morally, and socially, and mentor one another through the challenges they face as working professionals having to balance work and life and career development. Having support from other people who are experiencing or have gone through the challenges you are confronted with attempting to assimilate with the corporate culture is extremely helpful and healthful. It leads to lower absenteeism, higher retention rates, and lower overhead costs per employee. This helps the corporation to save money which improves its bottom line.

It also creates a safe and positive work environment/experience when an employee who is having a bad time knows that there is somewhere she/he can turn to in the organization that won’t betray their confidence and use the situation to their detriment. This boosts morale and leads to greater job satisfaction and higher productivity.

This support mechanism for women of color is particularly invaluable in the area of developing healthier responses/reactions to workplace comments intended to convey a compliment but that you interpret as a personal affront. This happens extensively and depending upon your reaction can be used a determinant as to your psycho-graphic being in line with the corporate culture.

Mentoring

Mentoring is another performance enhancing professional development tool. HR would work with senior management in determining the corporation’s strategy and develop a program from those benchmarks. In this way the company maximizes its investment of time and energy on administering this program “if they match employee needs and mentor expertise on a functional basis.” (Carter, p. 59)

The commitment of high level officers’ in the mentoring program sends a clear signal of the company’s commitment to advance minority women and dedicate the necessary time and resources to ensure their success. Retention feature*

Job rotation is another program that HR can implement to improve skills and broaden an employee’s understanding of the business model(s).

Diversity Task Forces

Diversity task forces are handled through the HR function and this is where the recruitment and talent management roles are fulfilled. “Many diversity task forces focus their energies on gaining exposure for high-potential minorities, but often neglect to educate them on the informal pipeline to the top of the organization. Each company has its own culture, and included in that culture are “feeder” positions that fast-track employees to higher-level positions after a one-or two-year stint.” (Carter, p. 61) “One of the easiest predictors of the future leadership of an organization is to see who is holding these feeder slots. If diversity initiatives do not track whether high-potential women of color are getting into these roles – there is little hope that they will rise to the top of the organization.” (Carter, p. 62)

When you have the cooperation and full support of senior management in a company, all senior managers are on notice that they are being held accountable for the successful outcomes of the firm’s succession planning, performance management, and high-potential development programs. This situation encourages these managers to do their very best to achieve; they are incentivized.

Women Taking Charge of their Futures

Creating Informal Networks

Women of color need to learn how to establish healthy relationships with people inside and outside of her ethnic group. “The dual strategy employed by Latinas may provide the most overall support for women of color. Because they encounter significant challenges, sticking together is helpful for emotional support. But to support their career advancement, it is necessary for women of color to also blend in.” (Carter, p. 31)

Women of color seek to take additional action in their network groups: they work with diversity task forces to ensure that women of color are adequately represented in line and senior level positions in the company. By encouraging one another to continue with CPE units and higher degree attainment levels, we are increasing our inherent worth.

Conclusion

The path to success for the women of color in America is through collaboration with each other and outside groups; a spirit of conciliation and forgiveness with a desire to form healthy relationships with outsiders, and your own healthy personality. Human resource management is instrumental in identifying sources of high-potential minorities and through effective management of diversity task forces coupled with individual aptocrats’ stick-to-it-iv-ness, and determination to overcome the stereotypes through our example, we will assume leadership roles in American corporations.

[1] “Double Outsiders,” Chapter 4: When Gender Discrimination Hits Home, p88.

[2]This is the title of Ms. Jessica Faye Carter’s book used in conducting research for this paper.

Works Cited

 Carter, J. F. (2007). Double Outsiders: How Women of Color Can Succeed In Corporate America. Indianapolis: JIST Works.

Nelson, B. (2001). Divided We Stand. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Amending the Fair Credit Reporting Act - Enforcement?

Senators Warren, Leahy, Brown et al have proposed the following amendment that supposedly prohibits the use of poor personal credit report information from being used to ferret out undesirable employees (see a draft of the bill here: http://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/Bill%20text%20-%20Equal%20Employment%20for%20All%20Act.pdf) but who is going to make certain it is enforced and when it is not, how are the poor people, the 99% going to attain compensation for their economic injury?

It's a start but only that. If the system wasn't so 'rigged' against the 99% the financial and insurance industries that undergird every other industry wouldn't be using this tactic to begin with.

Retirees of Worcester's AstraZeneca, Saint Gobain (frmr Norton Co.) Post-Employment Cancer Victims?

We are provided a steady diet of 'noise' about what is happening everywhere else in the State, Nation and world that is heart-wrenching, unjust, uncivilized treatment of indigenous populations in emerging nation-states, et cetera. Instead of 'filler-feed' to distract inhabitants of the viewing area(s) from the information/news related to how they are being treated by their bodies politic.
Saint Gobain has been noted as the largest methanol polluter in this City. What is methanol, you ask? Methanol is a deadly caustic chemical that is destroying the cell tissue in the employees that are exposed to it because they pass through/by areas where this material is being used but because they are not directly handling it, OSHA's rules (I'm reaching out here a bit to err on the side of the employer) don't cover this type of employee, or it does and they just weren't provided the right type of protective mask to use while passing through in the fulfillment of Quality Assurance or QM functions.