Phillip J. Milano

Phillip J. Milano is a 21-year newspaper veteran who grew tired of his industry's inability to document real cross-cultural dialogue for fear of offending readers. A straight, married white guy who grew up in the affluent, lily-white Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn, he yearned for a way to get people talking across their differences – differences he himself was sheltered from as a youth. In 1998, he began YForum.com as a way to prove to himself and others that such conversations could be promoted and would lead people to a better understanding of one another. His column currently appears in The Florida Times-Union, where he is also an assistant metro editor.

Milano is winner of the coveted "Let's Do It Better!" national diversity coverage award from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism for his "Dare to Ask" column. He is an in-demand public speaker and author of "I Can't Believe You Asked That!" (Perigee).

He is also creator of The National Diversity Newspaper Job Bank (www.newsjobs.com) and is former chair of the Recruitment and Youth Development Committee of The Newspaper Association of America's Diversity Board. Milano received his MBA from Northern Illinois University and bachelor's degree in journalism from Southern Illinois University. He lives in Florida with his wife and three children.