The Ameren Network of Minority Employees (ANME) hosted its 3rd Annual “Let’s Talk Diversity” networking reception and panel discussion recently at Ameren headquarters in downtown St. Louis, 1901 Chouteau Ave.
ANME is an Ameren employee resource group established in 2004 to develop, support and retain minorities. The group’s key initiative is to assist in the professional and personal development of Ameren employees.
The event brought out roughly 90 local leaders, advocates and supporters of organizational diversity efforts. This year’s panel discussion theme set its sight on the future: “Diversity and Inclusion in the Next Generation.” The discussion mainly was focused on how to enhance diversity competencies and diversity-sensitive policies and practices in the workplace.
The panelists were Carlton Adams, senior vice president of global supply chain management at Peabody Energy; Tim Fitch, chief of police with the St Louis County Police Department; Anna Shabsin, senior lecturer at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University; and Rabbi Susan Talve, founding Rabbi of Central Reform Congregation.
A young woman, who described herself as a millennial, asked the panelists whether they thought diversity issues in the workplace will disappear once the so-called baby boomers retire.
“I think it’s a start,” Chief Fitch joked.
Adams said no because history “will revisit you.”
“What’s the norm for your generation will be revisited by subsequent generations as being ridiculous and difficult to deal with,” Adams said.
He also stated that this is the first time in history where four separate generations have been in the workforce at one time. Because of this, he said, the next generation has an edge.
“If you’re able to learn from the challenges you had with the generation that was holding on for dear life to the power strings, you have the opportunity to make it better,” Adams said.
Shabsin agreed, stating that people are brought up by those in older generations who teach their children what they think is right or wrong.
“We all have stereotypes and ways we think the world works,” Shabsin said. “We should get real and understand who we are and bring that to the table, because that will be more helpful in determining how we go from here.”
Addington Stewart, south central regional director of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters, wondered where we go from here. Stewart said it is time to stop talking and start implementing ideas regarding diversity and inclusion.
“I’m getting too old to be having a conversation,” said former Fire Chief Sherman George. “I’d like to see something done for these young people who want to have an opportunity.”
George said that racism still exists in the St. Louis community and across the nation and is the “silent killer” of young African-American men and women.
Chief Fitch responded that he will hire any qualified applicant and that employers should look to organizations like the NAACP as a recruiting agent to increase workplace diversity and inclusion.
Shabsin said the problem is that no one has defined best practices in terms of diversity and inclusion.
“One of the things that came out of this conversation is that the most important thing you can do in diversity and inclusion is to have courage,” said Sharon Harvey Davis, vice president, diversity and chief diversity officer at Ameren.
“Because it’s going to take each person individually having the courage and willing to confront something they see as wrong.”
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