About the Forum

The Forum is a vibrant two-day conference with a wealth of information about diversity in the workplace. The staff and numerous committee members give nine months of planning directly to the current year content. Part of this process involves creating new and re-creating old segments of the conference to meet attendee needs. The Forum is always alive with conversation to bring the most up to date diversity training to its attendees. 

The planning process also involves the search for candidates to receive the annual Diversity Awards. The awards recognize individuals who demonstrate and support the Forum in various ways.

As attendee testimonials indicate, the Multicultural Forum is "a benchmark for a highly effective conference.", Tan K. Davis, President, The Kirby Group

Each year the Forum collects demographics about its attendees. These demographics have shown that attendees are as diverse as the Forum itself coming from a multitude of different backgrounds in role and job functions, industry sectors and levels of experience.

National Recognition

The National Multicultural Institute (NMCI), based in Washington, D.C., has recognized the Multicultural Forum on Workplace Diversity for its pioneering work in the area of diversity.

Diversity in Minnesota



What does the future hold for Minnesota? According to The Not Yet Gazette, we as a state no longer see diversity through the eyes of one group of people but through the eyes of all peoples. We are no longer an us or them, we are a people striving to secure the future and find a path to fully evolve and bring meaning to our lives.

While researching to update this page about Minnesota diversity, it became evident that we no longer see diversity the same way we viewed it a short 2-3 years ago. Today diversity is looking deeper into the whole and not the part. We see an aging population faced with unprecedented numbers of older people working alongside 20 something co-workers. More people are returning to cities to live, bringing a multitude of cultures together. There will be more integration of people of color into the whole fabric of society. As an example, according to demographers at the State of Minnesota, "By 2020, it is projected that 22 percent of children ages birth to age 14 will be nonwhite, compared to only 5 percent of people 65 or older."

In fact, Minnesota diversity is now global with issues faced by people the world over. The world is not based locally; it is inclusive of a global people. It moves from town to town, state to state, and country to country. One day your job may be working with a local workforce and the next you are flying to another country to train employees in a sister division. How are we to handle such magnitudes of change? What can we do to prepare for a whirlwind of global diversity issues that are sure to arise?

It is not just the "Twin Cities" or Minnesota residents who witness these challenges but every organization throughout the world. The reverse can be said for overseas organizations that purchase American companies. What can they expect when moving their staff to a country of many cultures versus one culture?

Understanding the present and where we are headed reinforces the need for securing the future of D&I with strategies that bring forth a meaningful outcome--the integration of D&I into the fabric of our organizations. Without proper planning and implementation, that outcome cannot be reached. However, armed with information that produces clear strategy and tactics, the goal of D&I—both in Minnesota and worldwide - can be attained.

Weather


As the Forum moves closer into spring in Minnesota, the state is still known to see a few "snow showers" in March. As the saying goes in Minnesota, wait a few hours and the weather mood will change, a March snow fall melts much more quickly than a February snowfall, and should the snow stay a little longer, we have you covered. The Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have taken great strides to make your visit comfortable and memorable. Most businesses, shopping and event venues are interconnected by walk-thru, climate-controlled skyway systems or tunnels. Rarely having to venture into the outdoors, you will be able to comfortably go from your hotel room to the Minneapolis Convention Center to attend the Multicultural Forum without a hint of the outdoor climate. Leave your coat and boots behind and enjoy a comfortable day at the Forum.

And if winter weather is an attraction for you and Minneapolis does not have the snow, just head a few hours north of Minneapolis into the beautiful north woods to ski and snowboard at  Lutson and other well known ski lodges that make snow about seven months out of the year. Or, if you want to stay in the city and enjoy other activities there is ice skating at the Depot, great shopping opportunities, The Mall of America, and wonderful walks around the Minneapolis chain of lakes.

Business Climate


Minnesota claims home base for 13 Fortune 500 companies, ranking it in tenth place nation wide. The Twin Cities area ranks as a top U.S. market and business hub with one million businesses and 80 thousand manufacturers within 500 miles of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

According to positively Minnesota, Department of Employment and Economic Development, Minnesota's government continues to support business development. Minnesota has streamlined state regulatory requirements by providing a business-friendly, one-stop place to learn what you need to know to do business in Minnesota.

Minnesota's Facts and Figures show a strong and vibrant business community depends on the state's nearly 3 million workers to compete in the international economy. Because solid information is essential for global competitiveness, companies and workers need intelligence to make decisions on future prosperity. The Facts and Figures links are your source of worker and company information to prosper while working and doing business in Minnesota.

  • Minnesota has the resources businesses need to compete
  • Minnesota's operating costs are competitive with the national average
  • Property and sales taxes are attractive
  • Minnesota has favorable corporate income tax formula and an R&D tax credit
  • Worker's compensation costs are favorable
University of St. Thomas - Minnesota Opus College of Business