Trump White House takes down website pages about disabilities; Washington Post, 1/20/17

Emma Brown, Washington Post; Trump White House takes down website pages about disabilities

"From The Post’s Answer Sheet blog by Valerie Strauss:

During the Obama administration, there was a page on the White House website that had information about federal policy regarding people with disabilities. Its URL was https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/disabilities. Not under the Trump administration. The Trump-run White House website — which went live moments after Friday’s inauguration of President Trump — says: “You are not authorized to access this page.”...

Read the rest of the story here."

The Trump era begins on the web; New York Times, 1/20/17

Nick Corasaniti, Matthew Rosenberg, Jennifer Steinhauer, New York Times; The Trump era begins on the web

"It didn’t take long.

The Department of Labor’s report on lesbians, bisexuals, gays and transsexuals in the workplace? Gone.

The White House’s exposition on the threat of climate change and efforts to combat it? Gone.

In its place, An America First Energy Plan..."

New York Times Study Calls for Rapid Change in Newsroom; New York Times, 1/17/17

Sydney Ember, New York Times; 

New York Times Study Calls for Rapid Change in Newsroom

[Kip Currier: This week in my "Managing and Leading Information Services" graduate course we started exploring Strategic Planning, with a focus on Mission, Vision, and Environmental Scanning. So it was fortuitous to be able to pass on to the class some information and questions for them to ponder about the just-released New York Times' 2020 Report:

"The internal report discussed in the 1/17/17 New York Times article, "Internal New York Times Report Urges Faster Newsroom Change", is an example of strategic planning, as well as a call for action and *rapid* transformational change.

Read the article about the report and the 2020 Report. Then think about and be prepared to discuss in class:

(1) the SWOT analysis (i.e. identification of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) that may have been done to create a report of this nature,

(2) your thoughts about the goals that were identified by the New York Times' leadership, and

(3) what take-away insights from the 2020 Report may be applicable to other kinds of information services and industries."]

[Excerpt from 1/17/17 article about the 2020 Report:] "The New York Times has deftly adapted to the demands of digital journalism, but it needs to change even more quickly, according to an internal report that recommends the company expand training for reporters and editors, hire journalists with more varied skills and deepen engagement with readers as a way to build loyalty and attract the subscriptions necessary to survive.

The report, released to The Times newsroom on Tuesday, culminates a year of work by a group of seven journalists who were asked by Dean Baquet, the executive editor, to conduct a review of the newsroom and determine a blueprint for its path forward.

Titled “Journalism That Stands Apart,” and known internally as the 2020 report, the document provides a set of broad principles to accelerate the transformation while maintaining a commitment to high-quality journalism.

The report comes at a particularly sobering time for the legacy media industry."

Why We Shouldn’t Mourn The Obamas’ Departure From The White House; Huffington Post, 1/19/17

Zeba Blay, Huffington Post; 

Why We Shouldn’t Mourn The Obamas’ Departure From The White House

"The Obamas meant many things to many people. To some they meant the fruition of the American Dream. To others they meant the destruction of it. There are millions of Americans who are emphatically glad to see Obama go, who are blissfully excited about a Trump presidency and its vague promise to “make America great again.” 

And there are millions of Americans who feel as if a loved one has just died. But no one has died. If we should take anything away from the legacy of these last eight years, it’s that there is no president who can save us from our collective demons. Only we can do that.

For those whose hearts are breaking, it may seem pithy and banal to use the quote: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

But really. Don’t cry. Because the Obamas get to be citizens again, for one thing. They get to move out of the line of fire of an almost constant, condensed stream of racial hate. But also ― we got to witness this. For better or worse. We witnessed a black president. And for centuries to come, children of all races and backgrounds will see his face looking up at them from their history textbooks, and they will take for granted the profundity of it.  

There’s actually a streak of that intangible thing called “hope” to be found in the Obama’s departure. For many of us, the prospect of the next four years seems bleak. But if Barack Obama could get through eight years as a black president in America with his sanity and his dignity intact, and even effect a little change, perhaps there is room for some cautious optimism. At the very least, we can try."

5 Reasons Diversity and Inclusion Fails; Forbes, 1/16/17

Glenn Llopis, Forbes; 

5 Reasons Diversity and Inclusion Fails

"4.  Think mosaic not melting pot

The days of taking a one-size-fits-all approach are over, never to exist again. Our goal as leaders is to convert the melting pot of differences into a mosaic that fuels strategies for growth, innovation, and opportunity to maximize the full potential of people, brands, and businesses. Diversity and inclusion must be about understanding your identity and the identities of all people. Only then can we be courageous enough to steer away from like-mindedness through assimilating people’s differences (melting pot) and towards like-mindedness through honoring those differences (mosaic). To do this, initiatives designed for “cultural competency” aren’t enough. Diversity and inclusion requires diverse and non-diverse leaders to work together to create a culture that embraces diversity of thought and deploys the required best practices, development tools, and resources to maximize talent engagement, advancement, workplace performance, and overall satisfaction.

How well do you practice diversity of thought?  Take the following assessment and find out."

SF Public Library’s quest to put diversity on shelves; SFGate.com, 1/15/17

Lizzie Johnson, SFGate.com; 

SF Public Library’s quest to put diversity on shelves

"Despite a push by book lovers for more ethnic diversity in published books, library shelves have remained largely uniform, with white authors penning tales about white people, statistics show. Those books fail to reflect the rich diversity of San Francisco, and point to a persistent problem across the country, librarians say.

But a San Francisco Public Library program running this month seeks less homogeneity within the pages of books. The citywide We Love Diverse Books program includes 50 events during January to broaden the scope of what patrons read, including author discussions, cooking lessons and manga art workshops. The program emphasizes the importance of “literary mirrors,” where readers see themselves and their identities reflected in the books they read.

“We are the place that supports the values of equity and inclusion — the bedrock of American democratic values,” said City Librarian Luis Herrera. “We work hard to ensure that the books and resources on our shelves mirror the diversity of our city. … We believe it is important for everyone, especially children, to see themselves reflected in literature.”"

WATCH: Superhero movies and shows need more racial diversity; Salon, 1/16/17

Amanda Marcotte, Salon; 

WATCH: Superhero movies and shows need more racial diversity

"Sheena Howard and Naseed Gifted join Salon's Amanda Marcotte to discuss black representation in comic movies" VIDEO

LGBT panel to advise Peduto; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1/14/17

Adam Smeltz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; LGBT panel to advise Peduto

"The mayor was traveling back from Washington, D.C., after a $250 million grant announcement involving Carnegie Mellon University, Mr. Acklin said. He said the group can hold city officials accountable to Mr. Peduto’s vision for “the most open, inclusive city in the country.”

“This is such an amazing and positive step in the right direction to be truly reflective of Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA+ community as it is in 2017,” Mr. Kraus said. Three people helped the mayor’s office to assess 79 applicants.

“I think their charge is even more important today than it was a few years ago, when we started this process,” said Mr. Kraus, who is openly gay. He said “there will always be those who feel that we are, in some way, lesser members of society.” 

The group’s acronym stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex and asexual. The “+” symbol typically signals further inclusiveness."

Trolls decided I was taking pictures of Rex Tillerson’s notes. I wasn’t even there.; Washington Post, 1/12/17

Doris Truong, Washington Post; Trolls decided I was taking pictures of Rex Tillerson’s notes. I wasn’t even there.

"Why are people so quick to look for someone to condemn? And during the confusion about the woman’s identity, why is it presumed that she is a journalist? Or that taking pictures of notes in an open hearing is illegal? Or, for that matter, that she was even taking pictures of Tillerson’s notes?

The bright spot is that a few people have acknowledged that they erred. One person left this note on my Facebook timeline: “I was shocked to find that you are in fact not the fox in the henhouse. For that I do apologize. As penance I have gone to several sites that have posted the untrue information about you and corrected them. I doubt it will do a bit of good. I am terribly sorry and wanted you to know that not all Trump supporters are mindless and that the real truth does matter. Hope this mess gets cleared up real soon. God bless.”

The whole episode is not going to drive me off social media, which provides a way for me to connect with people across the miles, including strangers, and to be exposed to a diversity of opinions — including ones I disagree with. But I hope the ridiculousness of what happened to me in less than 12 hours makes others think critically before sharing something that can be easily disproved." 

Motoko Rich, New York Times; Caroline Kennedy, an Ambassador Whose Role Transcended the Embassy; New York Times, 1/11/17

Motoko Rich, New York Times; Caroline Kennedy, an Ambassador Whose Role Transcended the Embassy

"“We never know when our actions will have the greatest impact,” Caroline Kennedy, the United States ambassador to Japan, wrote, “and it’s often not when we expect.”

That note two years ago, Ms. Shiomura recalled, “really helped me.” It lifted her from a depression over the criticism she faced from political rivals and on social media and inspired her to continue to fight for women’s rights. Months later, at a reception at the ambassador’s residence for female leaders, Ms. Kennedy greeted her with raised fists and told her, “Don’t let these troubles get you down.”

In multiple moments like these, Ambassador Kennedy, who will depart Japan next Wednesday after three years here, sought to convey to women across the country a quiet message of empowerment...

“I just think being a woman ambassador, and I think visible women in positions of leadership, does help change attitudes,” Ms. Kennedy said in an interview this month in her office at the United States Embassy in Tokyo."

Obama Uses ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ To Remind Americans Of The Importance Of Empathy; Huffington Post, 1/10/17

Marina Fang, Huffington Post; 

Obama Uses ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ To Remind Americans Of The Importance Of Empathy

"President Barack Obama in his farewell address to the nation Tuesday argued that empathy for those who are different is an essential pillar of democracy.

Quoting one of American literature’s most famous characters, Atticus Finch from “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Obama urged Americans to “start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family like we do.”

He asserted that fighting racism and bigotry requires both political and social change. 

“Laws alone won’t be enough. Hearts must change,” he said. “If our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, each one of us must try to heed the advice of one of the great characters in American fiction, Atticus Finch, who said, ‘You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.’”"

Kerry apologizes for past LGBT discrimination at State Department; Politico, 1/9/17

Nahal Toosi, Politico; 

Kerry apologizes for past LGBT discrimination at State Department:

"Secretary of State John Kerry is formally apologizing to gay, lesbian and other State Department employees who were fired or otherwise discriminated against in the past because of their sexual orientation.

The unprecedented apology, issued in a statement Monday, is the latest step that the Obama administration has taken to promote inclusion of the LGBT community in its ranks. It appears to refer to the "Lavender Scare" purging of gays and lesbians from U.S. government ranks in the 1950s and 1960s, and it comes less than two weeks before President Barack Obama leaves office, making the way for President-elect Donald Trump's team.

"In the past — as far back as the 1940s, but continuing for decades — the Department of State was among many public and private employers that discriminated against employees and job applicants on the basis of perceived sexual orientation, forcing some employees to resign or refusing to hire certain applicants in the first place," Kerry said in his statement. "These actions were wrong then, just as they would be wrong today,"

He added: "On behalf of the department, I apologize to those who were impacted by the practices of the past."

Michelle Obama spreads message of diversity in her last speech as first lady; Politico, 1/6/17

Madeline Conway, Politico; 

Michelle Obama spreads message of diversity in her last speech as first lady:

"“As I end my time in the White House, I can think of no better message to send to our young people in my last official remarks as first lady,” Obama said. “For all the young people in this room and those who are watching, know that this country belongs to you, to all of you, from every background and walk of life.”

“Our glorious diversity, our diversity as the faiths and colors and creeds, that is not a threat to who we are — it makes us who we are,” she said, after citing immigration and religious diversity as proud American traditions. “To the young people here, and the young people out there, do not ever let anyone make you feel like you don't matter, or like you don't have a place in our American story, because you do, and you have a right to be exactly who you are.”

“But I also want to be very clear,” she continued. “This right isn’t just handed to you. No, this right has to be earned every single day. You cannot take your freedoms for granted. Just like generations who have come before you, you have to do your part to preserve and protect those freedoms, and that starts right now, when you're young. Right now, you need to be preparing yourself to add your voice to our national conversation.”"

This Rogue One Fan’s Story Shows Why the Film’s Multicultural Cast Is So Important; Slate, 1/4/17

Marissa Martinelli, Slate; 

This Rogue One Fan’s Story Shows Why the Film’s Multicultural Cast Is So Important:

"Hopefully, reactions like these—plus Rogue One’s incredible financial success, which now totals more than $800 million worldwide—will help inspire the creators at Lucasfilm to continue to make even more inclusive Star Wars movies, ones that prove the galaxy belongs to not just the straight, white, chosen few but to people with disabilities, gay people, women of color, and all of us."

In Navajo Nation, a Basketball Elder Earns Respect; New York Times, 1/1/17

Michael Powell, New York Times; In Navajo Nation, a Basketball Elder Earns Respect:

"Mendoza took a battery of tests and aced math. He applied to a college and was awarded grants. He met his wife, Marjorie, a Navajo, in college. She got pregnant, and they dropped out. Mendoza worked in a factory, making $30,000 a year.

It was good money, yet again he felt an ache: He wanted to coach and teach children to navigate new worlds. When he quit his factory job, his friends hooted: “You’re crazy! You won’t make any money teaching!

He paused, laughing.

“Sure enough, my first job at Window Rock, I made $9,500 a year.”

Mendoza has worked ever since as a guidance counselor and coach in the Navajo Nation and the Apache Nation in the White Mountains. His wife teaches on the reservation.

These nations are bounded by mountains and forests and buttes, with embracing clans, leaders and spiritualism woven deep. Each is poor, plagued by alcoholism and drug abuse and fractured families...

The Apache reservation suffered an epidemic of teenage suicide. Mendoza is a master at infusing the rez ball whirlwind with offensive and defensive discipline. His proudest accomplishment, however, was this: None of his teenagers took their own lives.

“I told the kids, ‘I understand, I knew fear,’” he said. “I learned how anger can affect you.”"