Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, August 15, 2007, Page 14, Image 14

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    il|‘?|J o r tlattò Û!)hseruer 'O iV c n ity in the 'W orkplace
Page B6
August 15. 2007
Posey, Getting Into the Game
continued
from H5
Line begun. Posey recalls Hansen
made good on a prom ise that the
North Interstate Avenue light rail
project would benefit everyone,
including m inority-ow ned firms.
"I d id n ’t believe Fred would
do what he said,” Posey said.
“The running joke was that I
w ouldn’t believe it until the dirt
hit the back of my truck.
H ansen m ade good on his downtown expansion is worth
prom ise with $35 million in con­ about $4(X),(XX). He plans to sub­
struction contracts going to D is­ mit a bid for the upcoming Port­
advantaged Business Enterprise land-Milwaukie light-rail project
and is optimistic about his pros­
(DBE) linns.
"W hen the dirt hit I called him pects.
"W e're in the game,” he said.
and said ’kerplunk,’” Posey said.
"Historically
they said we couldn't
T riM et spokesw om an Mary
do
it,
that
we
don’t have enough
Fetsch says the agency is increas­
capacity.
There
were all kinds of
ing the size of DBE contracts with
stereotypical
ideas
of what black
the current Portland Mall project.
people
can’t
do.”
Posey says his contract for the
Legacy Emanuel Hospital, along w ith
Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital,
is the Portland area's leader in treat­
ing serious and critical health con­
ditions in a caring, com passionate
manner.
Legacy Emanuel Hospital is also one
o f the leaders in caring for a m u lti­
cultural population w ith a diverse
Wells Fargo is one of 20 firms in Portland hosting diverse college students for paid
summer internships. Wells Fargo Regional Human Resources Manager Cathy Cole
(from left) stands with interns Jeremy Jayubo and Joe Yang and Human Resources
Recruiter Betty Lane.
workforce.
We are proud o f our role in support­
ing the north/northeast Portland
Successful Summer Interns
com m unity, and we look forward to
serving you.
Diverse students match with local firms
Legacy Emanuel Hospital
Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital
To find a doctor, please call 503-335-3500.
Legacy Health Sysiem, a nonprofit orqam /ation, includes Emanuel Hospital & Health Center, Emanuel C hildren’s Hospital,
Good Samaritan Hospital n Me« heal Center, Meridian Park Hospital, M ount Hood Medical Center, Salmon Creek Hospital.
LEGACY
Legacy Qlnics and < ireM ari/M anaged i I ' ilthCarç Northwest PPO. ••£ 2007
Health System
“ L if e ’ s m o s t u r g e n t q u e s t io n is :
W h a t a r e y o u d o in g f o r o t h e r s ?”
Martin Luther King Jr.
A national nonprofit organi­
zation with an office in Portland
matches di verse college students
with local companies for paid
summer internships.
The students selected by IN­
ROADS range from those who
just graduated from high school
tojuniors in college. Companies
provide them an 8-12 week in­
*/» ternship with the long-range goal
g
of hiring them after they finish
?
■
college.
Led by Michelle Neal, this is
the 10th year that INROADS
has operated in Portland. The
program also gives the interns
training about leadership and the
workplace in general.
This summer 33 interns are
working at 20 local firms, in­
cluding Wells Fargo. The finan­
cial services company is hosting
two 20-year-old students: Jer­
emy Jayubo and Joe Yang.
Jayubo, who also worked as
an INROADS intern at Wells
Fargo last summer, is studying
business administration and fi­
nance at the University of Or­
egon, where he will be a senior
in the fall. He was born in this
country; his parents emigrated
from the Philippines.
Jayubo is learning all he can
about Wells Fargo’s business
operations this summer. He’s
been impressed with the intern­
ship program and what it has
offered.
"IN R O A D S really opens
doors for college freshmen and
sophom ores,” said Jayubo.
"Many other intern programs
only want juniors.”
Yang is studying accounting
helpful, especially the section
on job interviews,” said Yang.
"I’ve been very impressed.”
At its annual awards cer­
emony in July, INROADS pre­
sented Wells Fargo its “Cham­
pion of the Year” award to rec­
ognize its support of the organi­
zation. Both Yang and Jayubo
were among the interns who
received Distinguished Aca-
INROADS helps us identify
talented, diverse prospects who
might not only work fo r us one
day but who might also become
our firm s future leaders.
-Joe Yang, intern
at Portland State University. He
w ill be a junior next fall. He is
the only member of his South
Korean family to be born in
America.
Yang is stu dying W ells
Fargo’s customer-service ini­
tiative. He will present his find­
ings to senior managers at the
end of his internship.
“A lot of the workplace train­
ing I’ve received has been very
demic Excellence awards.
“INROADS helps us identify
talented, diverse prospects who
might not only work for us one
day but who might also become
our firm’s future leaders,” said
Wells Fargo Oregon Region
Human Resources M anager
Cathy Cole.
More information about IN­
ROADS is available at 503-
248-1298 or INROADS.org.
Embracing Diversity at Work
B ecome A
P o r t l a n d F ir e f ig h t e r
For Job Information:
Call our 24-hour job hotline
at (503) 823-1343
or
Call our Recruiter, Lt. AJ Jackson
At (503) 823-3811
or
Visit our website at
www.portlandonline.com/fire
W e R espond
A hvays Ready
A lw ays There
My colleagues are very under­
standing of my beliefs and cul­
ture."
Alwy’s job includes assisting
customers from the United King­
by K ristina M. J ohnson
Sensitivity training started in dom. Thus, she’s trying to learn
the ’80s, became "diversity" in more about the culture there.
A few questions you might
the ’90s, and most recently
started being referred to as have:
Q: What does "diversity"
"multicultural understanding"
really mean?
and "cultural intelligence."
A: Inclusion in its very broad­
These are buzz words that
are playing an increasingly im­ est sense, and includes, but is
portant role in the workplace. not limited to. race, color, reli­
And employees should learn to gion. sex, national origin,disabil­
ity, veteran status, sexual orien­
embrace diversity at work.
Sabeen Alwy, for example, tation and age.
Q: W hy docs my employer
participates on her company’s
diversity committee, trying to care about diversity?
A: The workplace is the sec­
help promote understanding of
ond
largest social institution,
her culture and to learn more
second
only to family. It simply
about others.
"During Ramadan, it gets makes good business sense for
challenging,” said the 24-year- people to work and play well
old Pakistani muslim staff audi­ with others. Think "safe, re­
tor at Ernst and Young. "We spectful. productive, profitable
fast from sunset to sunrise with­ work environment" for every­
out having any food or drink. one. It’s not about changing
Tips from the
HR Department
anyone’s personal opinions or
values - those still belong toyou.
Q: How can I promote di­
versity at work?
A: Asking yourself this ques­
tion is the first step. Participate
in company-sponsored activi­
ties, where you will be able to
interact with new people. Start
a conversation with someone
you don’t know. Go to lunch
with someone new.
To
help
b uild
your
multicultural IQ, it’s good to
know the demographic trends in
Polk County. The county is about
5 percent black, 6 percent His­
panic and 3 percent Asian. More
than 67 percent of the state's
workforce is over 40.
Lastly, remember that diver­
sity is about enjoying the people
around you. It never stops.
Kristina M. Johnson is a
workplace-services consult­
ant and diversity trainer with
Employee and Family Re­
sources.
i