Samuel Betances

Dr. Samuel Betances is one of America’s foremost communicators on diversity, inclusion, and the power of education to transform lives. A Professor Emeritus, Harvard-educated scholar, and consultant to U.S. Presidents and Fortune 500 companies, he has worked in all fifty states, all six U.S. territories, and countries including Japan, Korea, Germany, and Mexico, inspiring audiences to embrace diversity as a strategic advantage.

From Poverty to Harvard and Beyond

Betances’s own journey is his most powerful teaching tool. Growing up in inner-city poverty, facing violence, welfare, and illiteracy in two languages, he dropped out of school before a passion for reading propelled him to earn a doctorate from Harvard University. He taught sociology at Northeastern Illinois University for twenty-five years and has provided staff development training to more than one thousand schools. His book and audio series Ten Steps to the Head of the Class has become an essential resource for educators and students alike.

Building Bridges Across Cultures

As a biracial, bicultural, and bilingual citizen of the world, Betances brings a unique perspective to helping organizations harness the power of their diverse workforces. His dynamic presentations use humor, personal stories, and interactive exercises to challenge negative mindsets and remove barriers to success. He delivers standing-ovation keynotes for Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, women’s forums, and corporate diversity initiatives.

Betances inspires audiences with his powerful message: “It matters less where we are from; what really matters is where we are going.

The Benefits and Values of Diversity

In this dynamic presentation, Dr. Samuel Betances uses humor to unlock your mind and open it to new ideas and new perceptions. Managers, Supervisors and Leaders will learn how demographic changes are likely to impact the way their organizations must do business today and in the future by focusing on diversity as a bottom-line issue and mission driven initiative, Of particular interest will be Dr. Betances’ clarification of how diversity initiatives differ from compliance programs such as Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. Come prepared to laugh and learn!

Diversity in America and in the Popular Culture

Here Dr. Betances would discuss the Changing Face of America, the changing demographics that are occurring, and how those are and will impact education now and in the future. He also takes a look at how Diversity is portrayed in the many mediums of the popular Culture. Will Diversity Distract or Add Value to EEO Initiatives in Your Organization?

This presentation will answer this tough question. It will encourage meaningful dialogue and purpose safeguards to ensure that the important work, based on the legal mandates aimed at reducing prejudice and discrimination, not be derailed by any new untested initiative. The differences between EEO/Compliance and Diversity will make clear and practical recommendations on how to avoid putting these two initiatives on a collision course in your organization will be made. The presentation will be engaging, informative, and tied to mission.

From Destructive Contact to Constructive Cooperation

This presentation revolves around the discussion of the article “Status Inequality and Prejudice” which explains the real reason that prejudice occurs. A group exercise based on the stated article allow for interaction and for the participants to realize the true cause of prejudice and the ways to overcome it. The Professional Audit Exercise allows the participants to individually audit themselves about a time they might have witnessed discrimination, stereotypes that others have about their own cultural group and vice versa, groups they feel they need to learn more about, etc.

Sidetracking Diversity: The Games Organizations Play

This topic is the product of the wisdom, knowledge and experience gained in hundreds of corporate and other seminars, training workshops and consulting work Dr. Betances has led in the past decade. Framed in humor, Dr. Betances would show how formal and informal practices in the cultures of organizations frustrate diversity initiatives. Dr. Betances will also identify the best practices to replace dysfunctional ones.

The Benefits and Values of Diversity in Higher Education

A passionate, entertaining, and motivational journey that will provide insight on why diversity is a plus and not a minus in higher education. The quest to sensitize ourselves to the diversity in our colleges and universities and gleam the positives of multiculturalism while pursuing the quest of academic excellence will be examined. Come prepared to laugh and learn!