 Ed Goldberg, SVP of government and consumer affairs/Macy’s East; panelist Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League; Brenda Scott, director of consumer affairs/Macy’s East; panelist Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network; panelist Hazel Dukes, president of the NAACP New York State Coalition; panelist David Dinkins, the first and only African American mayor of New York City; and moderator Rev. Dr. Paul Smith, First Presbyterian Church |
For several years, Macy’s and its divisional diversity team have been deeply involved in a variety of events and programs to commemorate Black History Month. Recently, Macy’s held “In Conversation,” a community forum that featured prominent leaders Rev. Al Sharpton, Marc Morial, David Dinkins and Hazel Dukes at the retailer’s flagship Herald Square store. During the forum, the panelists offered their perspectives on the economic crisis, the new president and why it’s important to support community based initiatives.
A celebrated civil rights leaders who helped pave the way to the presidency for President Obama, the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of National Action Network (NAN) and a 2004 presidential candidate, offered insight on the importance of civil rights organizations like NAN, the Urban League and NAACP. “The Supreme Court is reviewing a case in Connecticut, where a group of white [people are suing] the city for mandating [affirmative action] to hire a certain amount of blacks and Latinos in the fire department. This court, which is a conservative court, if they reverse affirmative action … we will not have any protection in what is left of the economy. If you think people overlooked us when times were good, imagine what it will be like when times are desperate,” said Sharpton.
 Cheryl Monroe, vice president of minority supplier and vendor development for Macy’s East; and Lisa Walker, director, Macy’s-Herald Square special events |
Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, offered his thoughts on why we are facing a serious economic deficit. “The deficit of the nation has been propelled and fueled by this war, which has included hundreds of millions of dollars to help ‘Baghdad rebuild’ … reconstruct its hospitals, its schools, its sewers, its drains. It’s [the result] of a bad decision based on bad information that dug a deep fiscal hole that this president has to come out of,” he said.
Former Mayor David Dinkins, the first and only African American mayor of New York City, worked closely with Rev. Jesse Jackson in 1988 during Jackson’s presidential campaign and registered blacks to vote, credited that collaboration for his mayoral victory and expressed his happiness with the new administration. “I never expected that the day would come in my lifetime when I would see an African American president of the United States,” said Dinkins.
Ed Goldberg, SVP of government and consumer affairs, diversity vendor development for Macy’s East, who supported his team for making this an annual program, said, “Macy’s strongly believes in the communities that we serve. Our sincere relationships with the consumers and local leadership enable us to build both a business bond and partnership that allows for mutual growth and respect. Black History Month and the civil rights event that we promote demonstrates that bonding and partnership as we all continue to understand and learn about the beautiful heritage that belongs to all of our communities. The panelists are true trailblazers in the African American community who have clearly paved the way towards racial understanding, peace and harmony.” –yvette caslin
 Attendees, Walter Bell, chairman of Swiss Re, and his wife, Loresa, listen to the panelists |
 Attendees listen to the panel impart wisdom |
