A different world cannot be built by indifferent people. The goal of the California Diversity Council is to "share the vision" – we aim to make a difference through the promotion of respect, inclusion and opportunity for all people. We will advance and embrace the principles of diversity in our organizations, communities and through our youth, resulting in a truly inclusive culture that values uniqueness. Our organization is committed to being a leader in advancing diversity and inclusion to build stronger communities for all Californians.

We have a dream to see chapters of the California Diversity Council in San Diego, Sacramento, and Orange County, as well as other areas within the state. We have much to do here, and there are too many public figures and leading companies just "talking the talk" – we must hold them accountable so that they're also "walking the talk."

While three-quarters of the American population and nearly two-thirds of the nation's workforce is comprised of women and ethnic minorities, women comprise just 19 percent of senior management positions, while people of color hold only 16.7 percent of these key management roles. Note that these figures do not include all workers who have disabilities, or are GLBT or religious minorities.

The Washington Post published research from Cedric Herring, a professor at the University of Illinois in Chicago, stating that those companies that have very low levels of racial and ethnic minorities have the lowest profits, lowest market share, and the lowest number of customers. Herring found the same correlation between diversity and business success, whether a company was large or small, which makes the following statement very profound – If the change outside your business is greater than the change inside your business, you are probably going to be out of business.

This organization will only grow with more leaders like you. Please join us in learning how to "do" diversity and inclusion better, to serve our businesses and fellow man better. We are all here to learn, to ask questions and to teach others about these relevant issues. In the process, we participate in interesting events and establish valuable relationships.

One day your daughters and sons will ask, "What did you do to make the workplace better?" Will you be able to say that you left it better than when you found it?

We hope you enjoy the first edition of the California Diversity Council's DiversityFirst™ newsletter.

Sincerely,

Penny Sallberg-Carrillo
President, Greater Los Angeles Chapter-California Diversity Council
Executive Vice President, CPGjoblist