WHAT WE DO‎ > ‎

LEDA North

Overview
Free Workshops!
Diversity, Inclusion & Equity

The Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance is presently offering free workshops on racial equity to nonprofit, educational, faith based and public sector organizations located in the northwest Ottawa County area.
  • Expert trainers will provide a safe and open environment to engage in essential conversations.
  • Infused with the latest research in the field, workshops offer an interactive, eye-opening experience.
  • Workshops provide tools to advance equity by understanding the role and impact of implicit bias in everyday interactions and personal development.
  • Gain a better understanding of diversity as an opportunity to learn, benefit and celebrate the characteristics that make us unique.
  • Tailored to meet your organization’s unique needs.
  • Workshops are 2-4 hours in length.
Schedule your free workshop today! A limited number of free workshops will be offered in northwest Ottawa County. Email Alfredo Hernandez or call 616.846.9074 for details and to schedule your workshop. If emailing, please include “Free Workshop” in the subject line.

This project is possible due to the generous support of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation.

LEDA North (formerly the Diversity Initiative of northwest Ottawa County) promotes racial equity and the active inclusion of people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds who work, live and play in Northwest Ottawa County.

Our Vision
The people of northwest Ottawa County will work together to foster mutual respect, understanding and trust in order to achieve an environment where diversity is valued; positions of influence are shared; justice prevails; and economic, educational and civic responsibilities are accessible to all.

What We Aim to Achieve
  • Reduced impacts of unintentional bias.
  • Increased number of People of Color in positions of influence and residing in integrated neighborhoods.
  • Increased employment opportunities and supportive working environments for People of Color.
  • Increased comfort level of Caucasians and People of Color visiting, living in, and working in a multi-ethnic community.
Get Involved
LEDA North is developing partnerships between institutions and individuals to advance inclusion and achieve racial equity in Northwest Ottawa County. This is an enormous challenge requiring intentional effort and many hands. You can become involved by serving on an Action Team.

Action Teams will: identify institutional barriers to racial inclusion and equity in northwest Ottawa County, develop strategies to dismantle one or two of those barriers, select measures for success, implement the strategies and assess progress.

We invite you to be a part of this process. Please sign-up now to be part of this vital work.


Current Participants
More than 40 local leaders from business, education, community and faith-based organizations are currently participating in this initiative.


Co-Chairs of the Initiative are Shaily Menon, Grand Valley State University; Nelson Jacobson, JSJ Corp; Al Vandenberg, Ottawa County; Andy Ingall, Grand Haven Area Public Schools, and Steve Thompkins, Watermark.

Videos
Issues & Answers: Produced by the Grand Haven Area Public Schools (GHAPS) on August 26, 2013

GHAPS Superintendent Keith Konarska and his guests Gail Harrison, Nelson Jacobson, and Shaily Menon discuss LEDA North – why it was created, why they are involved, as well as diversity and inclusion in Northwest Ottawa County.


Holly Johnson, Michigan Council of Foundations talks about their support of the LEDA North.

Support for this initiative is provided by: Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, Marion A. and Ruth K. Sherwood Fund, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Loutit Foundation, Grand Haven Area Public Schools, and various individuals.Meeting space is provided through partnerships with the City of Grand Haven, Loutit District Library and Spring Lake District Library
.