Dr. César Malavé, holder of the Sugar and Mike Barnes Department Head Chair in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Texas A&M University, was the speaker for the first session of the 2015 Climate Matters Conference held at Texas A&M. The conference's goal is to provide an opportunity for dialogue about the importance of organizational climate and the influence and impact of diversity in educational workplace settings.
Malavé focused his remarks on his personal journey and growth as an advocate for diversity and inclusion. He shared stories from his life experiences and used slides with images and, in most cases, only titles to engage the audience. For example, on the topic of growing up in Puerto Rico, the slide was titled, “Baseball, coffee and rice and beans” and included photographs of traditional Puerto Rican dishes surrounding a ubiquitous sign with the words, “I can't keep calm. I am Puerto Rican.”
Known for his easy-going manner, infectious smile, and sense of humor, Malavé shared his personal story and transition from militant to activist. His message for conference attendees was a call to action and reassurance that every person can and should actively seek opportunities to improve climate and diversity at their level and within their own organizations. He stressed that everyone has a role and the power to affect change.
Malavé shared how he has brought his perspective on diversity into his role as a department head to ensure climate and diversity are considered and included when relevant. He provided examples of his challenges and his successes that reinforced his belief that climate and diversity will not improve unless everyone takes an active role.
Cheryl Kocman, a conference attendee, said, “Dr. Malavé’s presentation made me question myself about what I was doing to promote diversity and was I doing enough.”