PRESS RELEASE
[CIVIL.REG.,022398,0800]
Study Circles
(Iowa Civil Rights Commission; 2/23/98; 0800)
10 Iowa communities say yes to study circles on race
Ten Iowa communities have now formed sponsoring coalitions to plan and conduct
community-wide study circles on racism and race relations. Burlington and
Ottumwa are the latest to begin the work of sponsoring a series of small
group discussions involving hundreds, even thousands, of ordinary people,
from all walks of life.
Other communities with study circle sponsoring coalitions include: Des Moines,
Denison, Dubuque, Muscatine, Sioux City, Storm Lake, Waterloo/Cedar Falls,
and Fort Dodge/Webster County.
Eight to fifteen people meet four times, each time about 2 hours. With the
help of a trained, neutral facilitator, the group talks about race and race
relations in a democratic, safe environment. In session one, they talk about
how race has affected them and their lives. In session two, they talk about
the state of race relations in this country. In sessions three and four,
they talk about what can be done to improve race relations, what they can
do individually or as a group, and what government and corporations can
do.
Study circles offer the participants the opportunity to share experiences
and perspectives and to learn from each other. Study circles provide not
only the chance to identify and explore common ground and goals, but to
begin the work of finding real solutions.
Two years ago, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission (ICRC) began promoting the
use of study circles as a way to activate more people and organizations
in the fight against discrimination.
For more information about study circles or to obtain a copy of ICRC's quarterly
newsletter Iowa Study Circles, call Don Grove at 515-281-8084 or 1-800-457-4416
ext. 1-8084, or visit the ICRC at its website, http://www.state.ia.us/government/crc.
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(Contact: Don Grove 515-281-8084)
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