National Diversity Week 2002.

The fourth annual National Diversity Week takes place October 13-19 and activities in Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Dallas and will celebrate, educate and reiterate the societal and business importance of valuing diversity at every level. The week-long schedule of events composed of celebrations, symposiums and awards highlighting industry leaders and experts from the public and private sectors. The week is also geared towards examining and eradicating notions that workforce diversity is all that is needed in realizing global economic success.

Created and organized by Philadelphia-based diversity media group Next Step Enterprises, National Diversity Week brings together leaders from the ethnic, gay and lesbian, white and physically-challenged consumer segments representing the civic, political, business, academic, faith, social and media communities, to discuss various issues that hamper and/or promote the effectiveness of managing diversity today.

Among the themes that will be explored during the week are spiritual and religious diversity; issues surrounding the physically challenged; women and gender concerns; race, ethnicity and culture and generational differences.

The diversity discussion is not new, for decades people have been predicting the changes in the nations demographics, particularly with regards to ethnic minorities, said Norm Bond, president of Next Step Enterprises. Yet contrary to outward appearances, there is still an unfortunate resistance to taking on some of the really critical issues of diversity in this society that goes beyond the workforce, affirmative action and compliance. Our goal during National Diversity Week, is to open up dialogue that may be able to shed light on both the areas of resistance and the areas where significant change has been or could be made.

In fact, in an effort to encourage consumer grassroots education and awareness, an area that Bond believes is a stumbling block to significant change, Next Step Enterprises will be introducing a program to help consumers monitor the diversity commitments and activities of major companies on an ongoing basis.

For more information at http://www.nextstepmag.com