Ralph Taylor Wins Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award

Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award
The 159th Annual Volunteer Recognition Program – YMCA of Greater Indianapolis

Ralph Taylor has brought his passion for diversity and inclusion to every role he has served in this community. He was the first minority to be elected president of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis and during his leadership he made diversity a key component of his term by discussing this topic at every weekly meeting. When he was Program Officer for the Central Indiana Community Foundation, he launched the Sam H. Jones Creating Greater Awareness Forum to highlight the issues, challenges and concerns of the invisible populations living in the greater Indianapolis area.

Ralph has a long history of supporting our community as a teacher and coach. In addition to being on the youth advisory board of the Fall Creek YMCA and teaching youth basketball, he has been a classroom teacher and coach for IPS. He has been a 4-H Agent for Purdue University Marion Co. Extension Service, Recreation Administrator for Indianapolis Youth Institute, Program Officer for the Central Indiana Community Foundation, a consultant on international relations and is presently a consultant for the Welcoming Indianapolis Project.

In addition to his work experience has has served and continues to serve on several community boards, including the Indianapolis Arts Council, Planned Parenthood of Indianapolis, Coburn Place, the Asian-American Alliance and United Way of Central Indiana’s Committee on Diversity.

When reflecting on his work as an advocate for new arrivals, immigrants and refugees, Ralph is quoted as saying, “I don’t view myself as a leader. I view myself as a concerned individual who wants to make a positive difference in his community. From my perspective, you either care about people or you don’t.”

The Y is proud to recognize him as the first recipient of the 2013 Volunteer/Community Leader Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award.