Issues about affirmative action and diversity in the workforce will be addressed during an informal lecture today.

Eveadean Myers, associate director of Affirmative Action, will be speaking about “Diversity in the Workforce,” at noon today in room 236 of the Memorial Union.

“We are so appreciative that Eveadean is coming to talk,” said Judy Dolphin, director of the Ames-ISU YWCA. “She will be able to add information to people who lack understanding about affirmative action.”

Dolphin said Myers is very knowledgeable about such issues and understands how it affects the diversity in the workforce.

According to the Affirmative Action staff information Web site, www.public.iastate.edu/~aao/introduction.htm, Myers started a consulting firm in 1989 with clients such as The Pillsbury Company, the university and Medtronics, Inc. The firm handles questions of discrimination, affirmative action and diversity issues.

The lecture is being sponsored by YWCA, and Dolphin said the organization looks for topics which can help “empower women and girls and help eliminate racism.” Awareness of diversity in the workforce, market availability for minorities and work climate are all issues the YWCA wants women and minorities in college to become more educated about, she said.

“We would like to see a wide range of people there,” said Natalie Allen, YWCA program coordinator and senior in child and family services. “We hope that for the minorities it can be an opportunity to boost their ego and maybe see the world improved a bit.”

The lecture will be informal and will include a question and answer session at the end.