Focus On...Diversity

Wide beauty, economic prosperity and cultural richness are words that now describe North Carolina. The state is a place of multitude - with as much variety in its people as is found in its lush, vibrant landscape.  With such great brilliance and traditional spirit, North Carolina has become a very attractive place that newcomers now call home. 

North Carolina has grown beyond its historical legacy of Blacks and Whites who were either Baptist or Southern Baptist.  No longer is North Carolina rural and country where sweet tea and barbecue are the basic food groups. Today any main street in the state bursts with a mosaic of cultures, peoples and languages.  Many of the cuisines smell far from the familiar aroma of southern barbecue, including Asian, Mexican, and Eastern fares. Communities have become a scatter of ethnicities in business, religion, beliefs, customs and dress.  Southerners, northerners and people from hundreds of countries live amongst native North Carolinians, all claiming North Carolina as their home.

So, what has diversity brought to North Carolina - its schools, communities, workplaces and media?  Are all of its citizens truly welcome - or do all of its citizens truly feel welcome? Host Shannon Vickery will pose such questions to a diverse panel representing a cross-section of North Carolina's business, education, religious and community leaders, in addition to political and media representatives. Focus On.Diversity will demonstrate how diversity has influenced education, social community, workplace and religion across the state.