For four years, Nate Holsome's job as a general maintenance technician has "entitled me to do almost anything that needs to be done." That's why he enjoys working at the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension office.

"Every day is a different challenge to be ready for almost any kind of work," he says. He may need to inspect one of the county's vehicles—or be a chauffeur taking disadvantaged kids to camp at Mormon Lake. "I sometimes save people a lot of money because I can diagnose care problems." He may make minor repairs to the building's electrical or plumbing system or fix the printer or the copier. In fact, he's now a part-time printer who fills in after the regular printer has finished his hours. He always raises the flag and makes the coffee—"very important to get the coffee just right," he chuckles. "You name it, and I'll try to fill the need. I'm not computer literate yet, but I will be." He firmly believes he'll never be too old to learn. He recently finished a course in refrigeration technology; "all the other students called me 'Pops.'" Nate calls his job "a joy," partly because he knows his opinion is respected, "well at least 95 percent of the time," he laughs. "I love to talk to people about issues—a good, solid conversation." His hobbies include bowling on weekends, practicing at home to be a good pool player, and lately, fly fishing. "I'm going to take classes so I can walk the stream."

The son of a New Mexico sharecropper, Nate learned the value of hard work as a child. He tries to pass on those values to young black teenagers who think they're getting an unfair deal. "Quit complaining, go for it," he says. "This is America. If you're willing to set a goal and work for it to the best of your ability, you'll succeed and become the best you can be."

Meghan Raymond, a graduate student in the Division of Family Studies, has earned an award from the Feminism and Family Studies Section of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). She is the winner of the 1995 Outstanding Research Proposal from a Feminist Perspective for her proposal, "Development of Sexual Identity in Adolescent Women: The Importance of the Mother-Daughter Relationship." The award, consisting of a plaque and a $500 check, will be presented Nov. 17 at the NCFR annual conference. In his letter of congratulation, Dean Sander said, "Your winning proposal is a great reflection on you, the School of Family and Consumer Resources, and The University of Arizona."

Ask yourself a few questions when you're reviewing memos and letters, newsletters, publications, and releases sent to mass media.

· How might women, members of minority groups, or disabled people interpret the material from their point of view?

· Would an article about a woman have been written the same way if the subject had been a man? Ask the same question about other groups.

· In newsletters and publications, are women, minorities, people with disabilities, and the elderly adequately represented—without stereotyping—in both graphics and writing?

· If people are mentioned by name, have you checked with them to get their permission?

"She's a really tough broad." "Hey, for a black (a crip, a Jap, a fag) he/she works pretty well." "Have you heard the one about...?" Subtle put-downs and not-so-subtle jokes and slurs are all too common in the workplace, say McWhinnie, Esty and Resnick, who write the syndicated column "Work Matters." Yet, co-workers who are bothered by the slurs often remain silent because they haven't thought of an adequate comeback or because they are afraid of embarrassing someone. The columnists admit people can't fight every battle every day. However, they advise picking your time, using humor whenever possible. Here are some all-purpose come-backs they say have worked well in the past:

• "I'm uncomfortable with your last comment."
• "I have a problem with the word 'broad,' or 'fag,' or 'crip.'"
• "That word (or joke) really bothers me—I want you to know that."

And, when you're not sure how to respond, simply saying "Ouch" often does the trick. Speaking up is an act of courage.

• Trade a little pain for lots of gain. Tackling tough issues as a group is always intense.
• Don't expect magic. Even the best diversity program can take years to sink in.
• Speak up.

Two-thirds of Americans aged 16 to 64 are not working despite the fact that surveys show 80 percent want a job. Sixty percent of disabled adults live in households with earnings of $25,000 or less, compared with fewer than 40 percent of non-disabled adults. According to the National Organization of Disability, the reasons disabled adults are not working include:

• Their disability severely limits what they can do (81 percent).
• Employers won't recognize their capabilities (40 percent).
• Full-time employment in their type of job is unavailable (35 percent).
• They don't have the education or skills needed (32 percent).
• They can't find transportation, or they need a personal assistant (24 percent.)

Linda Mack Ross, "Managing Diversity," 1995