THE D&I Roundup from COLOR – October Edition Part I

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In this issue, CDO Tru Pettigrew sets new DEI priorities for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Lynx, Nick Cannon cancels student debt for seven HBCU students, numerous CDOs share advice for professionals applying for Diversity Executive Positions, Pamela Rosario Pérez details her journey to success in cybersecurity and more. Access your D&I news below: 


NBA Team’s New CDO Sets Priorities

Tru Pettigrew, the new CDO of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Lynx sees his role as a “bridge-builder,” helping players, management and community partners solve social issues. In a wide-ranging interview, Pettigrew discusses the organization’s activity and engagement in community support following the murder of George Floyd and since the beginning of the pandemic.

Nick Cannon Cancels HBCU Students’ Debt 

Nick Cannon surprised seven historically Black college and university (HBCU) students on The Nick Cannon Show when, he paid off the entirety of their student debt, it was announced Oct. 1. The students, from Saint Augustine’s University, North Carolina A&T State University, Winston-Salem State University and HBCUs across the nation, were gifted hundreds of thousands of dollars through Cannon’s partnership with the United Negro College Fund and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. 

What To Ask Yourself Before Applying for a 6-Figure Diversity-Executive Job 

 Several CDO’s expounded on the key questions to ask yourself if you’re considering pursuing a DEI executive position. Below are a few samples: 

  • Am I willing to have hard conversations? Am I a natural empath? Am I willing to build my network and relationships? 
  • How do I respond to failures and celebrate small victories? Am I OK with aiming for progress over perfection? 
  • Is my approach to DEI holistic? Is the company I’m looking at going to let me approach my job from multiple lenses? 

Construction Industry Seeks to Diversify Its Workforce 

 The infrastructure bill, at whatever the size, could create millions of new construction jobs. Many industry leaders have recognized that one way to recruit new workers to the industry is to intensify efforts to enhance the appeal of construction jobs to groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the industry, including minorities and women. 

A good example of leadership in construction industry diversity is the Time for Change Consortium. Time for Change was created by six of the largest construction companies in the nation with the goals of: 

  • Helping to create a unified construction industry that attracts and retains the best talent. 
  • Boosting employee morale. 
  • Increasing employee productivity. 
  • Improving client relations. 

 

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Don’t miss Brother You’re on My Mind – A Mental Health Panel moderated by Dr. Pablo Rodgriguez with community-health leaders Richard A. Rowe of the Black Mental Health Alliance and Michael Curry, Esq. CEO of Mass. League of Community Health Centers.


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