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Who Is Dropping the 'N' Word?

The "N" word, symbolizes "centuries of pain, evil and contempt," says Bryan Monroe, vice president and editorial director of Johnson Publishing Co., which publishes Ebony and Jet magazines. And so the magazines won't allow the word to be used any more.  Ebony's February issue includes several guest editorials that offer various opinions on the topic and a brief "N"-word history detailing the word's evolution. Monroe says: "We have a generation who have been desensitized to - or never were taught - the real origins and impact of such a hateful term. But whether it ends in '-er or -ah' or -a,' the word - and the pain - is still the same." Read more.

For DiversityInc's Yoji Cole's own views on the 'N' word, see: http://www.diversityinc.com/members/1013.cfm

Costco Faces Class-Action Discrimination Lawsuit From Women

A San Francisco federal court certified a class-action lawsuit Thursday against Costco in which a group of female managers claim they were denied promotion to senior staff manager, assistant manager and general warehouse manager positions across the United States. The lawsuit includes more than 700 women who claim they were denied those positions since January 2002. "Plaintiffs have presented strong evidence of a common culture at Costco which disadvantages women," said Judge Marilyn Hall Patel. Plaintiffs alleged that Costco had no promotion process for these jobs, any written standards, application procedure or posting of openings. They also pointed to evidence that Costco senior management blocked recommendations to post the jobs and develop standards, and were aware of the exclusionary effect of its policies. Read more.

The Real Story About Black Fraternities

How did black-Greek organizations help educate and nurture some of the nation's heroes, such as civil-rights leaders Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.? Go see "Stop the Yard." Set on the campus of a historically black university, the film "Stomp the Yard," which opens nationwide Friday, is an all-American coming-of-age story about a teenager from a rough background who earns tuition money by working as a campus gardener. His life is transformed when he joins a fraternity. In a pivotal scene, the lead character, DJ Williams, who is struggling to find his place on campus, learns how pivotal black fraternities and sororities were in developing black civil-rights leaders. "I want people who see this film to know the incredible scope and impact that these organizations have had." Read more.

Athletic Directors of Color at All-Time High

There are only 17 athletic directors of color among the NCAA's 119 Division I-A schools, but that number is at an all-time high, according to a study released Thursday. The report looked at the race and gender of conference commissioners, university presidents, athletic directors, football coaches and faculty athletics representatives for all 119 schools. It determined that whites hold 91 percent of the 358 campus leadership positions, and 48 of them are women. It also noted that Florida International University became the first school in NCAA history with three Latinos concurrently serving as president, athletic director and football coach after the school hired coach Mario Cristobal in December. Read more.

Nation's First Black-Female Judge Dies

Jane Bolin, the nation's first black female judge and the first black woman to graduate from Yale Law School, has died. She was 98. Bolin, who died Monday in New York, was sworn in by New York City Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia in 1939, according to the city's law department. She was assigned to the Domestic Relations Court, later named Family Court, and fought racial discrimination from the bench. She worked to end segregation in child-placement facilities and the assignment of probation officers based on race. She also helped create a racially integrated treatment center for delinquent boys. "I wasn't concerned about first, second or last. My work was my primary concern," said Bolin in a 1993 New York Times interview. Read more.

Race, Income Inequity Absent from Dems Agenda

Issues of race and income inequality are glaringly absent from the Democrats' initial agenda. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced the Democrats' agenda would promote "prosperity, opportunity and security for all Americans." United for a Fair Economy (UFE), a group campaigning to reduce income inequality, however, questions whether that pledge rings equally true for communities on different sides of the so-called "racial economic divide." In a report released today, UFE argues that although the new majority rode into office with heavy support from black and Latino voters, disproportionately poor communities of color will continue to be left behind under the new regime. Read more.

House Passes Stem Cell Research Bill

The Democratic-controlled House Thursday passed a bill bolstering embryonic stem cell research that advocates say shows promise for numerous medical cures. President Bush, however, has promised a veto and the 253-174 vote fell short of the two-thirds margin required to overturn the President's veto. Bush vetoed identical legislation last year and the White House on Thursday promised he would do it again. The White House said the bill — the third bill of the Democrats' first 100 hours agenda to pass the House — "would use federal taxpayer dollars to support and encourage the destruction of human life for research." Read more.

Ad Agencies' Diversity Hiring Goals Released

The New York City Commission on Human Rights today released the first set of goals submitted by the 15 advertising agencies that in September pledged to increase hiring and retention of people of color. Each of the 15 companies set its own numbers, presumably based on what could reasonably be achieved. Each agency is also defining who is included in "minority" status. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., took up the issue of minority representation in the industry's senior-most ranks, with the comment, "We're saying to the ad industry, 'We're waiting for you.'" Read more.

Nigerian Reverend Supports Gays, Separates Family

Rev. Rowland Jide Macaulay has founded House of Rainbow, a church that caters to Nigeria's gay men and lesbians -- a first for Africa's most populous country. Macaulay's father, Augustus Olakunle Macaulay objects. The elder Macaulay founded the nation's Bible university that trained his son in theology, founded the evangelical ministry that ordained his son as a minister and is president of Nigeria's Association of Christian Theologians, which counts his son as a member. Rev. Jide, as the younger Macaulay is called by his small but growing flock, declared himself in a New Year's day sermon, a "happy, holy homosexual. We are all God's children, no matter what some people tell us," he said. The more than 100 attendees, all male, clapped and sang their approval. After the service, the church sponsored a party. In keeping with a church function, no alcohol was served. But the event featured exuberant drag queens lip-synching disco hits. Read more.

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