Diversity efforts remain on the work bench for the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce.

Jan. 5. By TL Bernthal. The Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce Diversity Council will continue in 2023 with lunch-and-learn programs and conferences with guest speakers.

Last year’s three lunch-and-learn sessions focused on special needs, cultural awareness and race relations.

Chamber President and CEO Bill Russell says not everyone thinks of special needs as a diversity issue, but it is. And there’s a lot of ground to cover so it may be a topic for this year as well.

Cultural awareness efforts will continue.

“Last year we didn’t engage the Asian perspective,” Russell says, and that’s something that will change this year.

The annual women’s conference and diversity luncheon will be held again, with the guest speakers for each still being lined up, Russell says.

A challenge

“Our biggest challenge sometimes is the more taboo topics,” Russell says. The council has discussed homosexuality and sexual identity, he says. ”It’s a real subject,” but one that may be uncomfortable in North Meck, Russell says.

Ebony and Ivory committee

Russell says the group of past chamber board members will continue to meet.

They are not a direct part of the chamber although Daniel Houston, who will continue as the chamber’s Diversity Council’s chairman this year, heads what he dubbed the Ebony and Ivory committee that meets to discus race issues.

Committee members are: Houston of  Dan Houston & Associates;  Angela Swett, director of marketing, public & community relations – The McIntosh Law Firm; John Foster, owner of Foster’s Frame;  J. A. “Jay” Lesemann Jr. managing member with Lesemann CPAs; and  Chris Hailey, owner of Lucius James Consulting.