May 28 – June 1, 2008
The Westin Alexandria

2 Day Workshops: Thursday – Friday May 29 – 30, 2008 Thursday 2:00 pm – 5:15 pm Friday 9:00 am – 5:15 pm

E. Exploring Our Cultural Assumptions: The Journey To Becoming Effective Cultural Allies

Level: Introductory
Amber Mayes, MS and Emilio Williams, MHS

We view the world through individually constructed and societally imposed cultural lenses. Becoming aware of the presence and impact of these lenses constitutes the first step toward successful interaction with people whose lenses are different from our own. Through experiential exercises, videos, and group discussions, participants will develop an understanding of how pre-judgments and fears affect our perceptions and interactions with one another. Participants will explore ways to be active allies to others and to interrupt inappropriate speech and behavior.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Individuals in all fields who are concerned with diversity issues, but who have not had extensive personal cultural awareness training.

Mr. Williams is a diversity consultant and trainer with extensive experience in curriculum development, outreach, human resource management, and program development. His clients have included the Environmental Protection Agency, Prudential Insurance Company, Amtrak, and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Ms. Mayes is an independent organizational development consultant specializing in diversity consultation, strategic planning, team development and leadership coaching. Her clients have included Verizon, Children’s Fund, The Trust for Public Land, Bentley College and the District of Columbia Office of Planning.

F. Sharing Stories – Strengthening Teams

Level: Introductory
Madelyn Blair, PhD and Yvette Hyater-Adams, MS

What if you could lead a team through an innovative process that would build, strengthen, and capture diverse perspectives in ways that deliver measurable results to your organization? The use of story is an effective way to develop high performing and inclusive work teams. In this workshop, participants will learn: techniques that unearth team members’ experiences and skills through stories; ways to use story to create team vision and community; how to create safety and trust through written and spoken stories; story methods that frame and inspire the future; and skills that foster better decision-making and ways to achieve team goals.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Individuals with responsibility for promoting teamwork and encouraging an appreciation of a diversity of perspectives among employees.

Dr. Blair is president of Pelerei, a recognized leader in organizational development, complex analytical studies, knowledge management, and leadership development with emphasis in multicultural environments. She is Co-Director of the Center for Narrative Studies and has consciously used story and narrative in every aspect of her work. Her clients have included the International Monetary Fund, Marriott, American University, Islamic Development Bank and Ernst &Young.

Ms. Hyater-Adams is a writer, diversity and OD practitioner, and a transformative language arts (TLA) pioneer. She uses narratives, creative writing and dialogue methods with individuals for personal development and with teams, organizations, and communities in strategic change initiatives. Her clients have included Wachovia Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline, Rohm and Haas Company, and the Urban League.

2 Day Workshops: Saturday – Sunday May 30 – June 1, 2008 Saturday 9:00 am – 5:15 pm Sunday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

G. Building Cultural Competency

Level: Intermediate
Emilio Williams, MHS and Iantha Gantt-Wright, MS

The goal of this experiential workshop is to increase participants’ knowledge and skills to deal effectively with cultural differences. Participants will learn to identify the different components of cultural competency, including cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution and flexibility.

This workshop will increase participants’ abilities to:
1. recognize when cultural factors may be influencing interpersonal dynamics;
2. communicate effectively across cultures;
3. resolve cross-cultural conflict constructively; and
4. intervene in culturally offensive situations.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Individuals in all fields who have previously taken part in basic cultural awareness training.

Mr. Williams is a diversity consultant and trainer with extensive experience in curriculum development, outreach, human resource management, and program development. His clients have included the Environmental Protection Agency, Prudential Insurance Company, Amtrak, and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Ms. Gantt-Wright is President and Founder of the Kenian Group, which works with a broad range of organizations and institutions to develop and sustain long-term and successful diversity efforts. Her areas of expertise include organizational training on diversity, leadership development and conflict resolution. Her clients have included the National Wildlife Federation, Trust for Public Land, National Network of Forest Practitioners and the DC Public Schools.

H. Designing Curricula for Effective Diversity Training Programs

Level: Advanced
Martha Miller, PhD and Maria Morukian, MA

Customizing diversity training curricula to meet the specific needs of an organization can be a challenging task, but is critical to the training program’s effectiveness. This workshop will identify methods for creating a flexible curriculum that delivers essential concepts while allowing for change in response to “real time” dynamics. The workshop will help practitioners develop training programs which maximize audience engagement, energy and time management.

The workshop will also review theories of adult learning and organizational change; explore strategies for gathering and analyzing assessment data to design training; and identify techniques for modifying existing curricula to maximize the value of the training program.

PREREQUISITE: Completion of Training of Trainers I and/or II or equivalent, and experience facilitating diversity training workshops. Registration subject to approval.

Dr. Miller is a consultant who works with clients on leadership, team building and cross-cultural communication. As a management consultant, she has worked extensively on projects focusing on cross-cultural communication and leadership development for clients such as Hewlett-Packard, General Motors, Unilever and NASA. She taught for seven years at Yale’s School of Management and for the following six years was Associate Dean for MBA Programs at UCLA’s Business School.

Ms. Morukian, Consulting and Training Manager at NMCI, conducts organizational needs assessments, designs training curricula, and facilitates cultural competence building workshops. Ms. Morukian also provides consultation to clients on the design and implementation of their organizational diversity strategic planning processes, and works closely with senior leadership and diversity councils to implement systemic culture change.

I. Human Trafficking: Identifying Victims and Assisting Survivors

Level: Introductory
FREE Workshop!
Laura Shipler Chico, MSW and Joy M. Zarembka, MA

Understanding the complex cultural, social, and economic context that prevents victims from seeking help is essential to successfully identifying victims, building cases against traffickers, and helping survivors access services, recover from trauma and build new lives.

This workshop will increase participants’ effectiveness in identifying, interviewing and assisting survivors of human trafficking by providing: a greater understanding of the cultural, social and economic barriers that victims and providers face; increased knowledge and skills for overcoming those barriers and working effectively across cultures; enhanced awareness of the role of culture in the identification of and service to victims; and practical strategies for interviewing survivors.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Law enforcement personnel, attorneys, service providers, victims’ advocates and others who are working to identify and assist survivors of human trafficking.

Ms. Chico is a social worker and trainer specializing in cross-cultural communication, peace building and trauma recovery. She has provided counseling and case management in the United States for refugees, immigrants, victims of human trafficking, and survivors of torture. She has lived and worked extensively in Rwanda bringing together survivors and perpetrators of the genocide for intensive dialogue and joint community recovery projects. Before moving to Rwanda, she worked on the Thai-Burma border with exiled women from Burma.

Ms. Zarembka is the Director of the Break the Chain Campaign, an advocacy and direct service organization working to help end modern-day slavery and human trafficking in the Washington, DC area. She also currently serves as an expert witness on human trafficking and domestic worker exploitation in civil and criminal cases. Her new book, The Pigment of Your Imagination: Mixed Race in a Global Society, was released in 2007.