United Way of Lake County Leadership Breakfast- Page 1 of 2
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jennifer Yonan
United Way of Lake County
847-775-1014
jennifer.yonan@uwlakeco.org
PREPARING OUR CHILDREN TO SUCCEED IN A CHANGING WORLD
THROUGH DIVERSITY
HEWITT’S CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER ANDRÉS TAPIA SHOWS HOW DIVERSITY CAN CHALLENGE AND
ENHANCE LAKE COUNTY’S ABILITY TO EQUIP CHILDREN FOR SUCCESS
September 21, 2010 (Gurnee, IL) – Andrés Tapia, author of The Inclusion Paradox…The Obama
Era and the Transformation of Global Diversity and Hewitt’s Chief Diversity Officer and Emerging
Workforce Solutions Leader, spoke before nearly 300 of Lake County’s corporate and community leaders
today to show how diversity can challenge and enhance Lake County’s ability to equip children for
success.
“The world is upside down. Trends today are not what we expect. To be a minority is to be a
majority. To be disabled is to be differently abled. To be an economic superpower is to be a declining
power. In a post-American, post-boomer, post-modern, post 9-11 world, how do we prepare our leaders?”
Tapia challenged the audience.
“Diversity is the mix, and inclusion is making the mix work. We need to move from tolerance and
sensitivity to cultural competence. The ability to discern and take into account one’s own and others’
world views to be able to seize opportunities, make decisions, and resolve conflicts in ways that optimize
cultural differences for better, longer lasting, and more creative solutions,” Tapia demonstrated through
studies and poignant examples. “In order to prepare our children to succeed in this upside-down world, we
as a community must equip children to be flexible, creative problem solvers with a global mindset so that
they may succeed in the constantly evolving marketplace.”
United Way’s work is focused on preparing children to succeed in a changing world through four
key programs: Success By 6, Reading Success, Stay in School, and Safe & Stable Families. First, Success
By 6 provides children with the core skills to succeed in school and ensure a healthy start. Next, the
Reading Success program builds literacy skills to ensure all students are able to read at grade level by 3rd
grade. Third, the Stay in School program keeps students engaged in school to reduce truancy and improve
graduation success. Finally, the Safe & Stable Families program empowers families to support their
children’s educational and developmental needs.
United Way of Lake County Leadership Breakfast- Page 2 of 2
“We believe that if children are prepared for kindergarten and successful in grade school, their
chances of graduating from high school, attending college and succeeding in today's workplace will greatly
improve,” said United Way of Lake County President and CEO Kristi Long. “United Way of Lake County
is so fortunate to have such generous and dedicated partners working together to lay the foundation of
success for the next generation. This Leadership Breakfast was an ideal occasion to unify efforts in the
community along with United Way of Lake County’s campaign of ‘preparing children to succeed in a
changing world.’”
About United Way of Lake County
Working with over 50 agencies, United Way of Lake County has identified four key programs to
prepare children for a changing world: Success By 6, Reading Success, Stay in School, and Safe & Stable
Families. United Way believes that if we give our children a foundation for success, it will greatly improve
their chances of graduating high school, attending college, and succeeding in today’s world. Through
education, United Way is shifting the focus from reactive measures to preventative programs designed to
create lasting change and opportunities for a better life for all. For more information, please visit
www.uwlakeco.org.
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