Among current public policy examples related to various aspects of diversity, media representations support the perception that activism is largely a reflection of identity group membership and exclusivity, suggesting relatively narrow self-interest. This presentation will focus on the distinction between such media representations and the increasing collaboration among groups often characterized and seen as competing or certainly not as consistent collaborators.
In public policy related to affirmative action in university admissions, gay marriage, voting rights, and immigration, advocacy organizations have had agendas, which differed. Documented efforts to exploit differences reflect that groups have “found themselves pitted against each other,” (Taylor 2012) and represented as having competing agendas. Substantial media discussion addressed the extent to which, in both the 2004 presidential election and the vote on California’s Proposition 8, lack of African American and Latino support for gay marriage propositions led to policy defeats.
In the so-called “post-racial” context and an era characterized by “second generation discrimination,” with racial and ethnic disparities viewed differently than disparities involving sexual orientation and gay marriage, for example, racial minority advocacy and gay rights’ organizations have looked on “each other warily. African-American leaders often saw the gay rights groups as insensitive to racial concerns.” (Taylor 2012) However, the acknowledgment of similar goals and increasing collaboration has received little coverage.
The NAACP’s endorsement of gay marriage and participation of gay rights’ groups in protesting New York’s controversial stop-and-frisk policy, which has been criticized for the targeting of African Americans and Latinos, has received little attention, as has the support of gay organizations on voting rights, affirmative action, and immigration reform.
This presentation will also address the increased likelihood of collaboration around priorities related to reducing gun violence after mass shootings with African American victims in South Carolina and predominantly Latino and GLBT victims in Florida.
About the presenterMark Winston
Mark Winston has been a leadership, organizational development, and diversity consultant and trainer, who has worked with academic, corporate, and public sector client organizations. He has held prior positions of Development Officer, Engagement Officer, Assistant Chancellor, Library Director, Assistant University Librarian, and teaching faculty member. His scholarship and publications focus on various aspects of leadership, diversity, ethics, access to information, and economic inequality.