To Increase Diversity (The New York Times)
The New York Times, July 16, 2017
To Increase Diversity (Letter to the Editor)
By Bret I. Parker, Executive Director, New York City Bar Association
“‘Real Men Might Get Made Fun Of,’ by Lindy West (column, July 12), resonated with me as a straight white man. I’ve been trying to figure out how to increase diversity in my organization and in the legal profession generally, which continues to struggle with this issue to a greater extent than most other professions. In addition to Ms. West’s excellent suggestion that we white men ‘speak up,’ I follow some other practices at any professional gathering I attend, including making it a point to introduce myself to and talk with someone who doesn’t look like me. And since personal and professional lives are intertwined, if your friends are all from the same background as you, it is likely that the people in your professional circle are, too. Look at your Facebook friends and LinkedIn connections and see if your network reflects a wide variety of backgrounds. If not, it’s a sign that there’s work to do.”
