1. Diversity as a Driver Purpose: Build an online interactive platform to address best practices, coaching, data collection and dissemination of employment protection rights for people who are LGBT. Lesbian Gay Bisexual, Transgender and Straight

2. The audiences for the courses are Executives, Managers, Trainers, Employee Resource Groups, HR professionals and general employees. Currently, business people who receive the training are positioned to include more interactive, distance, and technologically advanced components to the courses. Audience

3. The LGBT community represents fifteen million known individuals who are 6% of the workforce population representing 641 billion in buying power. Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs market research, http://www.witeckcombs.com/research_insights/harris_interactive.html Over 8,000 companies including 263 Fortune 500 companies have taken the initiative to include sexual orientation and gender to their nondiscrimination and equal employment policy. This is a first step in creating workplace equality. Gay Numbers

4. Currently there are no federal protections for LGBT workforce and people 19 states and Washington, DC have laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. 11 states and Washington, DC have laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBT and the Law

5. October 2006 Study New estimates of the size of the GLBT population by Congressional district demonstrate that gay men and lesbians live in every district in the country. Gates, Gary J. PhD, (2006). Same-sex Couples and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Population: New Estimates from the American Community Survey, T he Williams Institute, http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/Policy-Census-index.htmlhttp://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/Policy-Census-index.html, Case Studies

6. Homophobia in medical practice is a reality. A 1998 survey of nursing students showed that 5-12% despised lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people, 8-12% found them disgusting 40-43% thought LGB people should keep their sexuality private. Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, (2007). Guidelines for Care of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Patients, San Francisco, Pfizer:, http://www.gaydata.org/, Retrieved October 2007http://www.gaydata.org/ Homophobia in the workplace

7. Examining work policy, practices and staff training on LGBT issues helps companies improve the overall quality of work, increase retention, continue to have a return on investment, and recruit talent from all walks of life. When people can openly identify with their own community and have support at home and work they are more productive people http://my-ecoach.com/ Nora1@jps.net sammyNora1@jps.net Diversity Training