Earlier this month, Charles Sheppard, the St. Clair, Michigan County Human Resources Director, received a disturbing letter. The letter was addressed to Sheppard, who is Black, and while it contained no threats, it spoke in detail about black men and "the crimes they’ve committed." It slammed diversity and bore the words "The Negro Problem in America."

As we approach 2008, workplace diversity appears to be thriving and growing. Clearly, however, there are still those (and I feel that there are few rather than many) who believe that diversity is wrong, evil, reverse discrimination, payback time for minorities, etc. And the truth is that as ignorant and racist as these "modern thinkers" (note the sarcasm) may be, they are still entitled to their opinion and even have the right to be vocal about it.

I’ve mentioned many times before that for discrimination and racism in both the workplace and society to be completely eliminated it will take time and pressure, just like it does to make a diamond. These societal ills will eventually change, but in the meantime, we really have no control over the way racist individuals think and feel and can do little to change their minds short of sowing the seeds of change by helping them understand that workplace diversity is not a threat, but an opportunity.

But there is one thing that we have complete control over, and that is the way in which we as minorities react to this sort of hateful and useless behavior. Charles Sheppard, the recipient of the above mentioned hateful letter, provides a great example of how we should react to such episodes.

Sheppard occupies a pretty visible and public position in St. Clair county, as he is the chairman of the county's diversity council. He is visible in the community in that role and has also taught diversity classes to staff in the Port Huron, Michigan Area School District after racial issues surfaced at Port Huron Northern High School in 2006.

When he received the letter, Sheppard read it over several times, as he contemplated in disbelief the fact that even as diversity seems to be commonplace in this relatively new century, something this hateful would still occur. Though disturbed and angered by the letter, Sheppard made a decision.

He decided that he would not be ashamed to stand up and make it known that these people need to be caught and punished. Though that will likely never happen, Sheppard made another personal resolve: he resolved to not fear this individual and those like him or her and to continue to teach on diversity and spread the message of inclusion.

Sheppard’s example is one that we should all follow. Most minorities have experienced some sort of discrimination at some point in their life, and they may experience it again. But in order to truly defeat this type of behavior, minorities must use these incidences to strengthen their resolve to endure to the end and continue the struggle for diversity in the workplace and in all facets of life in the United States.

Because this one struggle that is well worth fighting for.