Diversity fair branches out by adding workshops

Booths showcase efforts to encourage inclusiveness

By Venice Buhain | The Olympian • Published August 05, 2008

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TUMWATER – Dawn Coffinberry, an office assistant with the Department of Labor and Industries, wowed the crowds by tying a shoelace, and blowing and tying a balloon with one hand.

"Want to try?" she asked state workers as they wandered through the eighth annual Washington State Diversity Fair on Monday.

The annual event started eight years ago and had been held at the Capitol Campus. This year, the event moved to the L&I building in Tumwater and added workshops to the entertainment, food and booths for state agencies and local organizations.

Olympia Mayor Doug Mah — who referred to himself as a "three-fer" for being an elected official, a state employee and an Asian-American — gave the keynote address.

The workshops were about incorporating diversity in the workplace and included speakers from South Puget Sound Community College, the city of Olympia, nonprofits and business.

"It's not just about workforce diversity, but diversity of customers or, in some cases, clients," said fair co-chairwoman Imelda Ang, the L&I diversity administrator.

She said the workshops were added at the request of employees.

"I want people to walk away from this feeling good — not just seeing something different or eating some good food," Ang said.

Nearly 70 booths were set up. The booths featured departments' efforts to increase the diversity of employees and to address the needs of ethnic communities.

Coffinberry, who mainly uses her right hand after a head-injury as a child limited the use of her left hand, took charge of one table with some props she often uses when she gives presentations on what disabled people can do.

She said many learn from her about tools that enable disabled employees to succeed in the workplace, such as her modified computer keyboard.

"People have a lot of assumptions about people with disabilities," she said. "I try to make people aware of what they can do."

Matt Gerard, diversity specialist with the state Parks and Recreation Commission, said that they hoped to publicize the cultural events meant to expose different communities to public parks, which are open to all.

The commission also has translated its informational flier about getting hired as a park ranger into Spanish, in response to job inquiries.

"It's the (fastest) growing population in the state of Washington," he said.

Tamara Fulwyler, Health Disparities Outreach Coordinator representing the Governor's Interagency Council on Health Disparities, said her organization hoped to show ways that agencies can work to address health issues unique to specific communities.

"Diabetes prevention is more than just making sure you don't get diabetes," she said, as an example. "It's looking at whether you have a safe place to take walks and whether you have fresh food readily available to you."

Venice Buhain covers diversity for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5445 or vbuhain@theolympian.com.