This chapter provides examples of community initiatives culled from across the country. When LCEF began this project, we believed that, of the three societal institutions we were to examine, the workplace might hold the greatest potential for addressing intergroup relations. The workplace alone enables adults to spend a significant portion of their daily lives with individuals from different racial and ethnic groups. We found, however, that enhancing intergroup relations is not a high priority on the business agenda. What is needed is an integrated approach to diversity that includes policies, programs, and strategies that empower every employee to perform to his or her full potential, unencumbered by obstacles that lead to an uncomfortable work environment.
Affirmative action is essential to increase the numbers of underrepresented individuals.
In addition, a commitment to diversity requires leadership from the top. Recognizing that discrimination, historical and present day, helps to cause the level of poverty experienced by communities of color is an important component. Improving intergroup relations within institutions must also include an examination of how institutional policies, practices and arrangements may contribute to unequal distribution of benefits based on race. Thus, for example, within educational institutions such efforts must be coupled with the broader issue of school reform. As one educator commented, race relations are not likely to improve in a school where the honors classes are predominantly white and the lower level classes are predominantly minority.