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After Isaiah: 'Grey's Anatomy' Stars Featured in LGBT Ad Campaign

Four members of the "Grey's Anatomy" cast appeared in the new the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ad released Tuesday. T.R. Knight, Sara Ramirez and Kate Walsh are among 21 other celebrities talking about the power of anti-gay slurs. The ad is part of the organization's campaign to promote tolerance for LGBT people. Isaiah Washington, who was fired from the show in June, did not appear in the ad with his former co-stars; however, he had filmed an ad for the organization earlier this year. States The Associate Press

(See also: 'Grey's Anatomy' Star Isaiah Washington Makes Amends With Gay Community)

Embroiled Craig Fights for Senate Seat

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig is not going down without a fair fight. After announcing his plans to resign from the Senate on Sept. 30, Craig now says he will not resign if he can get the disorderly conduct case against him dismissed within the next 25 days, according to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. McConnell told reporters Wednesday that if the court rules in favor of Craig, he will still have to deal with the Ethics Committee, which continues to investigate Craig's legal case, and finish his term. Should Craig be able to take back his resignation should his case be dismissed? Read more.

(See also: Sen. Craig Rethinks Resignation [scroll down] and What Are LGBT Groups Saying About Sen. Craig?)

Sitting Down With Ellen DeGeneres

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton made a guest appearance on NBC's "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to answer a few questions. Clinton, who showed up on the season-premiere episode of the program, was all smiles and gags. The senator even had a campaign-survival kit in hand for DeGeneres called "Running for President for Dummies." Clinton told DeGeneres: "I heard the other day that you are thinking about running. I read [the kit], and it's very helpful." Their conversation, however, eventually took a more serious turn, discussing LGBT issues such as gay marriage. Clinton, who supports civil unions with full marriage benefits, also pointed out her opposition to "don't ask, don't tell." View an excerpt of the interview here. Read more.

Get more DiversityInc coverage of Election '08.

Fred Thompson Laces Up for Campaign Trail

Actor-turned-politician Fred Thompson formally threw his hat in the presidential ring via video using his web site as a launch pad. After much speculation, the former Tennessee senator confirmed his presidential bid. Thompson addressed doubters' claims that he is apathetic about running, saying: "I'm going to give this campaign all that I have to give, and I hope you will join me.'' Thompson also said he would "do my level best" to address the serious challenges facing the nation. Read more.

(See also: BREAKING NEWS: Fred Thompson to Run in 2008)

What Motivates Gen Y Jobseekers?

As thousands of jobseekers use the conventional route of finding a job by distributing their résumé, younger generations are taking a different approach. Their motivation is not job-driven or even career-driven; it's geographical. What does this say about Gen Y? Segmentation Company, a division of the marketing consultant Yankelovich, recently surveyed 1,000 respondents ages 24 to 35. Sixty-five percent said they preferred to "look for a job in the place that I would like to live" rather than "look for the best job I can find, the place where it is located is secondary." Read more.

(See also: Do Video Résumés Help or Lead to Discrimination?)

For more on 4 Generations in the Workplace, read DiversityInc's May 2007 issue.

Congress to Boost College Aid: Who Will Benefit?

House and Senate members reached an agreement Wednesday to boost financial aid to college students, a deal that will slash roughly $20 billion in government subsidies to banks that issue student loans. The agreement  reconciles the maximum Pell grant, a grant geared to poor students, which will increase from $4,310 to $5,400 by 2012. Legislation will also cut interest rates on federally backed student loans to poor and middle-class students from 6.8 to 3.4 percent over the course of the next four years. Following up on campaign promises, House Democrats pushed for an interest-rate cut, but such a provision has not yet been included in the Senate-passed version of the bill. Democratic lawmakers said the $20 billion in cuts will affect excessive government subsidies. Nearly all of the cuts made will go toward making college more affordable, but $750 million will be spent on federal budget-deficit reduction tells CNN.com. 

(See also: Blacks, Latinos Caught in Battle to Cut College Costs)

New Prayer Book for Reform Jews

In perhaps the largest national Jewish movement to date—Reform Judaism, claiming approximately 1.5 million members and 900 congregations in America—Jewish clerics are preparing to introduce a new prayer book that is set to satisfy traditional worshipers, progressives and even non-believers. The text, set to signify the diversity of the Jewish faith, provides a central religious text for interfaith families. "It reflects a recognition of diversity within our community," said Rabbi Elyse D. Frishman, the editor of the prayer book. The text provides readers with traditional text on the right side of the page and a more modern interpretation on the left side. Read more.

For more on religious practices, stay tuned for the Nov./Dec. 2007 issue of DiversityInc magazine, which will feature a roundtable on religion and the workplace. Subscribe now.

Local Black Ministers Want White Rep. Out

The racial tide in a predominately black Memphis, Tenn., district is changing as a political and racial move that was once seen as progressive is now being undermined by local black ministers. Last year, Steve Cohen, who is white, was elected to Congress with 30 percent of the district's black vote, leaving his other four black opponents to split the remaining 60 percent. Cohen, who served 24 years in the state senate, was dubbed a civil-rights champion. However, today, black ministers are saying Cohen's race separates him from the issues pertinent to the community. "He's not black, and he can't represent me. That's the bottom line," the Rev. Robert Poindexter told a local newspaper after a meeting last week of the Memphis Baptist Ministerial Association, where Cohen was booed. The separating factor for most of the ministers is Cohen's support of antidiscrimination bills that would allow for same-sex marriage and would seek to level the playing for LGBT employees. Read more.

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