Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance: e-Newsletter 2010-01

e-Newsletter 2010-01

Thank you to all who made 2009 a great year!

Diversity Alliance e-Newsletter

January 2009

The Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance seeks to dismantle racial, socioeconomic, and institutional barriers to ensure that people of all ethnic backgrounds have equal access and opportunity to participate fully in the life of the community.

Slots Remain in Upcoming Winter Spanish Courses

Language Academy
Two 12 Week Conversational Spanish courses will be offered this winter. Both courses will be held at the Macatawa Resource Center, located at 665 136th Ave, in Holland between James and Riley. The textbook used is Easy Spanish Step-By-Step by Barbara Bregstein. Students must purchase their own book, available at Barnes & Noble for $12.95. The cost of the class is $100.

Level One Conversational Spanish
Tuesdays, Jan 12 - March 30, 3:00-5:00pm

Level Two Conversational Spanish
Mondays, Jan 11 - March 29, 6:30-8:30pm

How to Register
1) [download] the application. Be sure to specify what course you would like to take.
2) Once completed, print and send your application (with check or money order) to the Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance, PO Box 2945, Holland, MI 49422.
3) You will receive a confirmation of payment received and a slot in the class will be reserved for you.

For questions, please contact Sarah Salguera at (616) 846-9074 or program@ethnicdiversity.org

The Language Academy provides courses for adults, youth, and businesses interested in
learning and practicing a new language.
[learn more]

AM Keynote: Dr. Beverly Tatum; PM Keynote: Tony Campolo

2010 Summit on Racism

[image]

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum - widely recognized as a scholar, teacher, race relations expert, leader in higher education, and author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? - will be providing the morning keynote addressat the 2010 Summit on Racism scheduled for May 20, 2010.
[read more]

[image]

Joining morning keynote Dr. Tatum, to provide the lunch keynote address is Dr. Tony Campolo - author, minister, and media commentator on religious, social, and political matters - will provide the lunch keynote address.

Dr. Campolo is currently Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania.

He co-hosted his own television series, Hashing It Out, and presently hosts Across The Pond, a weekly program on the Premier Christian Radio Network.

He is the author of 35 books, with the latest releases Red Letter Christians, A Citizen's Guide to Faith and Politics (2008) and The God of Intimacy and Action (2007). His other recent titles are Letters to a Young Evangelical, Speaking My Mind: Which Jesus, Everybody Wants to Change the World: Practical Ideas for Social Justice, Adventures in Missing the Point, The Church Enslaved, Let Me Tell You a Story: Life Lessons From Unexpected Places and Unlikely People, The Survival Guide for Christians on Campus, Revolutions and Renewal, and Following Jesus Without Embarrassing God.

Dr. Campolo is an ordained minister, has served American Baptist Churches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and is presently recognized as an associate pastor of the Mount Carmel Baptist Church in West Philadelphia. He is also the Founder and President of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education.
[read more]

Help spread the word and build momentum by distributing the our new informational handout to any individuals or groups that may be interested in the Summit. (Click the thumbnail to the left to begin the download).

As of the end of December, twenty-four organizations have confirmed their support and participation as Collaborators. These organizations commit to informing and/or engaging their constituents in the work of the Summit. In return they are recognized in on Summit registration materials, letterhead, and on our website.

2010 Summit on Racism Supported By*
*as of 12/31/09. Deadline for underwriters is 02/19/10. Deadline for all other sponsorship levels is 04/01/10. For more information, contact admin@ethnicdiversity.org.

Underwriters
[image]

Supporters
Bank of Holland ... West Michigan Lakeshore Association of Realtors ...
Louis Padnos Iron & Metal Company ... St. Patrick's Church

The Lakeshore Region Summit on Racism gathers hundreds of individuals of the community
to a conference focused on the effects of racism and is designed to stimulate a year of action.
[learn more]

Surveys Rolling In; Volunteers Needed

Great Start Project
Surveying was conducted in the City of Holland and Grand Haven over the month of December and is projected to start in Georgetown/Allendale township during the month of January. Two focus groups are also scheduled to take place in January targeting young mothers and the Asian population.

Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed starting the first week of January and into February to input data collected from this project's surveys. These surveys will help the Diversity Alliance and the Great Start Collaborative identify barriers to success for youth of color and "at-risk" children ages zero to five.

Attention to detail and good typing skills required. The hours are based on your schedule, but the work must be completed at the Diversity Alliance offices located at 665 136th Ave, on the north side of Holland between James and Riley.

Interested or have questions? Please contact Zahabia at zahabia@ethnicdiversity.org

Social Justice Award

The Diversity Alliance is pleased to announce its Migrant Mentoring program was awarded the Holland Human Relation Commission's 2009 Social Justice Award in Education.

Gail's Corner: A Reflection

The Diversity Alliance has always been a grassroots organization. We started as a small group of concerned volunteers brainstorming barriers to racial inclusion and designing strategies to increase appreciation for diversity in our community.

Over the years, thousands have joined our efforts - bringing their talents, ideas, and support to build the great organization and programs we see today.

However, a critical ingredient for creating true systemic change is marrying our strong grassroots base with community leaders of influence. Leaders who have the ability to direct financial resources which enable the grassroots initiatives to grow.

In 2008, this marriage expanded with the founding of our first Advisory Council:

· James W.F. Brooks, Board Co-Chair
Managing Partner at Brooks Capital Management
· Bob Woodrick, Board Co-Chair
Retired CEO of D&W Food Stores
· Franco Bianchi, President/CEO, of Haworth, Inc.
· Dr. James Bultman, President of Hope College
· Tony Castillo, Owner of Milagro Six, Inc
· Noel Cuellar, CEO of Primera Plastics
· Thomas Haas, President of Grand Valley State
University
· Dorothy A. Johnson, Trustee at W.K. Kellogg
Foundation
· Phillip J. Koning, President of Macatawa Bank
· Larry Koops, Senior Vice President at Fifth Third
Bank
· Rodney Martin, Diversity Partner at Warner
Norcross & Judd, LLP
· Mayor Albert H. McGeehan of the City of Holland
· Lawrence J. Murphy, Partner at Varnum Law,
LLP
· Jeffrey Padnos, President of Louis Padnos Iron &
Metal
· Pastor Mike Pitsenberger of Christ Memorial
Church
· Lynne Sherwood, Trustee at JSJ Corporation
Foundation
· Alan G. Vanderberg, County Administrator of
Ottawa County
· Brian Walker, President/CEO of Herman Miller

When I read through that list, knowing these individuals are behind our mission ... and thousands more standing strong on the grassroots level ...
I know true change can, and will happen.

Additionally our donors, small and large, have sustained the Diversity Alliance and provided the means for our valuable work to continue.

Thank you to our Diversity Champions:

Diversity Partners:

and 2009 Diversity Supporters:

Bank of America
Frey Foundation
Greater Ottawa County United Way
Grand Haven Area Community Foundation
Holland Hospital
Johnson Controls, Inc.
Macatawa Bank
Sherwood Family Fund
Springview Foundation
W.K. Kellogg Foundation

And thank you to those individuals, families, and businesses who have responded to our end of the year mailing with a gift.

During these difficult economic times, I am deeply grateful to see so many with giving histories maintain their past levels, and for some, the gifts have increased. It's also exciting to see many first time donations arrive in our mailbox!

The Diversity Alliance is poised for growth.

We're at that apex every small organization experiences after so many critical years of building: now is the time to make significant change.

We eagerly look forward to 2010: the Summit on Racism will return for it's seventh year; core programs like Calling All Colors, Migrant Mentoring, and the Institute for Healing Racism will continue to expand and exceed expectations; and new initiatives will flourish with the support of our grassroots community and top level leadership.

Together we will move forward with a unified vision to advance a socially and economically inclusive region.

My deepest thanks and warmest regards,

Gail Harrison, Executive Director

Please consider supporting the Diversity Alliance.
[click here] to learn how.

Wear You Support

Stand Up. Sign Up.

Local Voices are individuals, businesses, and organizations committed to promoting, supporting, and affirming the value of diversity and inclusion.
Let your local voice be heard.
[learn more]

2009-12-17 New York Times "Federal Hate Crime Cases at Highest Level Since '01"
Two days after the Justice Department announced federal indictments related to the fatal beating of a Mexican immigrant in Shenandoah, Pa., federal authorities said the charges were part of a larger effort to step up civil rights enforcement after nearly eight years of decreased hate crime prosecutions.
[read more]

2009-12-10 NPR "Hard Times Even Harder for Migrant Laborers"
Nearly a million migrant children crisscross the United States with their families from harvest to harvest and job to job. In North Carolina, migrant families struggle to find work and many rely on schools for food and clothing. The people who run North Carolina's migrant program say the living conditions and financial hardships for migrant laborers are the worst in memory.
[listen to broadcast]

2009-12-01 New York Times "In Job Hunt, College Degree Can't Close Racial Gap"
There is ample evidence that race remains a significant obstacle for African-Americans in the job market, even those with degrees from respected colleges.
[read more]

2009-12-03 JBHE Weekly Bulletin "The Racial Makeup of the Nation's Public Schools"
A new report from the U.S. Department of Education shows that in the 2007-08 academic year, there were 48,515,020 students in the nation's K-12 public schools. Of these, 8,267,000, or 17 percent, were African Americans. (Blacks are a larger percentage of the younger U.S. population than the population as a whole. Also, large numbers of white students attend private K-12 schools.)
[read more]

Diversity Alliance Mentioned Message from Mayor Roger Bergman (City of Grand Haven Newsletter)
[read more]

The 20th Circuit Court is accepting applications for a contract position for a Licensed Social Worker or Limited Licensed Psychologist
Love, I.N.C. is accepting applications for a Program Manager position.
Ottawa County is accepting applicants for an AmeriCorps Member/Permanent Supportive Housing and Services Liaison position.

[read more]

National Mentoring Month: January
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: January 18

Reciprocal Language Classes
Informational Meetings: January 07 or 11, 7:30
First Presbyterian Church, 659 State Street, Holland

Classes will be held on Thursday evenings January 21-April 22, 6:30pm-8:45pm. Free child care is available. Sliding scale for fees.

Alliance for Cultural & Ethnic Harmony Meeting
January 08, 7:00
Center for Women in Transition, 411 Butternut, Holland.
Bill Freeman of The Journey Church will present "Faith, Inner Faith, and Interfaith."

Who Killed Vincent Chin? Film/Discussion
January 19, 7:00pm
Fried Hemenway Auditorium MMC 135, Hope College
Vincent Chin was a Chinese-American brutally beaten to death in his Detroit, MI neighborhood after being mistaken for Japanese descent. Chin's White attackers blamed him for the loss of US manufacturing jobs to Japanese automakers. This documentary recounts how this racially charged event lead to the beginning of the Asian American civil rights movement.

[visit website]

Civil Rights Commemorative March
January 20, 11:00-11:30am
Beginning at the Anchor by Graves Hall and ending at Martha Miller Center First Floor Rotunda. This march is an opportunity to commemorate the sacrifices and contributions that people of all backgrounds have made for freedom and equality.

[visit website]

Civil Rights Open Mic Night
January 21, 7:00-8:00pm
Fried Hemenway Auditorium MMC 135
Come share your tales of triumph or tears of frustration. This is a night to perform your own poems, writings, or songs, and speak your mind about issues of social justice and/or your cultural inspirations.

[visit website]

Belhar Confession Presentation
February 1, 4-5pm
Mass Conference Room, Hope College, Holland
Chris Rice, Co-Director of The Center for Reconciliation, Duke Divinity School, will present, "Racial Reconciliation in Christian Organizations".
The Belhar Confession is an "outcry of faith" because, in our racial separation, "the truth of the gospel is at stake." Written in South African under apartheid, the confession also speaks prophetically about the American church.

[click here] to view more events in our community.