To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

GREENSBORO – Mayor Bill Knight made good Tuesday on a campaign promise to help bring Greensboro together, as the city in conjunction with the HR Group hosted its quarterly Diversity Forum at the Coliseum Complex.

More than 200 city, county and businesses leaders signed up to take part in Tuesday’s discussion.

“So often when people hear diversity they think: 'Oh, it's race; or maybe it's race and sexism, that type of thing.’ It is so much more than that,” said strategist Lenora Billings-Harris. “Diversity really is all of the ways that we are different and similar.”

How people embrace that diversity -- whether race, age, sex, color or even size -- Billings-Harris says is the key. The strategist teaches businesses and municipalities across the country how to incorporate that diversity into their daily lives: at home, at work and in their communities.

“It's more than just getting along, because if I only say I just want to get along with you then I will just bring my point of view,” she said. “How do I remember to bring in everybody's ideas? Because our tendency is to just go with the people that we know.”

Start by listening, Billings-Harris explained -- reaching out to those who may look or sound different or come from other religious backgrounds.

Rashad Young, city manager, believes it starts at the top. Young feels as one of the Gate City's top leaders, it's his responsibility to lead by example, regardless of his color.

“My responsibility and role is to start a conversation, engage people and really focus on how our differences can have some commonality of purpose and move the community in a positive way,” he said.

Knight agrees.

“Working together collectively we form ideas, opinions and we go from there,” he said.