[NewsPoster]

Even as Reverend Jesse Jackson was calling on Apple CEO Tim Cook to name a person of color to Apple's board of directors to replace the retiring Mickey Drexler at its annual shareholder's meeting, the company announced that it would invest some $50 million in grants to various organizations aimed at raising the profile and diversity of minorities, women, and service veterans in the technology industry. The money will fund the first stage of a multi-year effort, the company said.

The move comes on the heels of two $10,000 scholarships funded by the company specifically to foster minority university students who are training for careers in tech, and a diversity report from the iPhone maker of its own company makeup -- one of the few tech companies to even do such a report, let alone publicize it. Cook has publicly vowed to work to increase diversity, sharing the view that the kind of outside-the-box thinking that the firm thrives on is best served by a wider array of backgrounds and talents.

The new program is being headed by Apple's human resources chief, Denise Young-Smith -- who also narrated a video made by Apple showing off and celebrating the diversity of staff among Apple employees. This included a cameo by SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue, who is Hispanic. In addition, among the executive team is CFO Luca Maestri, who hails from Italy, and Dame Angela Ahrendts -- currently the only woman at the senior executive management level. There is, however, greater diversity at the Vice President level -- for example, Apple's VP of Environmental Initiatives Lisa Jackson, and music executive Andre Young (Dr. Dre) in a still-untitled capacity as part of its Beats acquisition.

Apple's board of directors includes two women -- Andrea Jung of Avon and Susan Wagner of the RBB Fund -- but like its executive management and primary talent pool, the company is (unsurprisingly) overwhelmingly dominated by white men. This is what prompted Jackson's call for an African-American board member, and while Cook did not commit to such a proposition, he did reassure Jackson that the company is continuing efforts to diversify at all levels throughout the company. Jackson has also met privately with Cook on the topic of diversity.

Two of the organizations that will benefit from the $50 million pool of grants are the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the National Center for Women and Information Technology. Currently, Young-Smith is also holding talks with leaders in the US military to identify or set up technology training opportunities for veterans.

"Though Apple is investing in opportunities for people who don't typically seek technology jobs," Young-Smith said, "the hope is that the entire sector benefits from its efforts ... in any of these programs, we're really trying to provide focus, impact and a ripple effect -- not just on Apple."

[DrSkywalker]

I've always been concerned about artificially-induced diversity; will you simply be prejudicing against another segment of the population? Or will it be truly equal opportunity for all? I have heard some say, "Well tough s&$t for the SWM - they've had it good in the past and now have to suffer." How in the world can that be fair and just? Are you not trading one evil for another?

[Mr. Strat]

Ahhh...diversity...what a beautiful thing. So now someone in HR will set up quotas and segment employees into various categories. I guess finding the best person for the job isn't important any more.

[xomniron]

Here's an idea: What if Apple selected people for the content of their character, not the color of their skin? Dr. King got it right. Rev. Jackson never has.

[Charles Martin]

xomniron, Mr. Strat: why do you think cultivating diversity and seeking the best person for the job are mutually exclusive?

Rev. Jackson did not "demand" that Apple install only a black person on the board -- he respectfully requested that the search for the best candidate include looking outside the traditional areas to include African-American candidates who are qualified. Wow, so unreasonable!

Diversity -- real diversity -- is not about quotas. It's about both *looking* in non-traditional areas to find new talent, and it's about *helping underserved segments cultivate* new talent. If you seriously believe Apple is planning to bring on a bunch of unqualified people who just happen to have differing amounts of melanin in their skin for appearances' sake, you must be very, very new to Apple is all I can say.

[xomniron]

Charles, et al...

I mentioned this once before, but it has been a while. I am a black conservative, the rarest of all breeds apparently. I am also 1/8th Native American; making me a half-breed also. I have NEVER used either of those ethnic opportunities to further my career or general lot in life. I bristle at the condescension that I, as a person of moral and principled character with employable skills and knowledge, would not be considered good enough or capable enough to make it on my own merits, because of the color of my skin. That attitude has done more damage to the black community that any overt prejudice ever could.

Jesse Jackson, along with his close friend Al Sharpton, is nothing more than a race-baiting shakedown con-man. Why anyone, especially Apple, pays any attention to him is beyond me. Does he even own Apple stock?

Diversity is not inherently bad, but it is used by bad people to further their agendas and inevitably devolves to quotas whenever officially employed by any organization, because quotas are the easiest quantifiable method of demonstration that an entity is, well diverse. Again, Dr. King was right. Jesse Jackson never has, and the NAACP has lost its way.