Volume 3, Number 2 211 E. Maple St., Des Moines, Iowa 50309-1858 May/June 1998
Purpose of Team Diversity Newsletter: To recognize the work of community diversity appreciation teams in Iowa and to share information about teams and diversity-related ideas and resources.
North Iowa Diversity Appreciation Team
May 13, 1998
The North Iowa Diversity Appreciation Team met in the 2nd floor conference room at City Hall, 10 First Street, NW, Mason City, Iowa at 4:00 pm. Those attending: Steve Beavers, Lahoma Counts, Janice Easley, Lois Fingalsen, Colleen Hovinga, Bruce Hubbard, Jacque Huesman and Michelle Wimmer.
Lois attended the conference in Des Moines, sponsored by the Des Moines Human Rights Commission and the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, which provided excellent training on Workplace Violence, ADA, and other diversity issues. Lois also met with Don Grove, Executive Director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, who will be offering Study Circle Training in September. He will need a commitment from 5-15 people to participate, meeting for about 2 hours, once a week for 4 weeks. Lois offered to set up training times, dates, etc.
Nominations for Co-Chair, Co-Vice Chair, and Secretary were reviewed and accepted as follows: Co-Chairs - Lois Fingalsen and Bruce Hubbard; Co-Vice Chairs - Colleen Hovinga and Jacque Huesman; and Secretary - Marcia Stasch. They will serve until 5/31/99. At that time, the Vice-Chairs will become the Co-Chairs and new Vice-Chairs will be elected. Lois will be out of town for the July meeting, Bruce Hubbard will Chair that meeting.
Regarding the Band Festival Activity for 1998, the team tabled the issue and will plan for an activity for 1999, to show support and look for ideas for next year.
Colleen reported that a Waldorf College statistics class may tabulate the results of the survey as a project, as NIACC and Buena Vista do not have anyone available. Colleen will talk again with Waldorf personnel. The overall perception in the community is that there is not much diversity and that not much is being done to address it. Many, many responses and suggestions included prejudice and aware-ness being the barriers identified. Most responses focused on business opportun-ities and the needs of children. Just over 200 surveys were returned.
Janice will contact the respondent from Police Department and invite him/her to participate in the next meeting. Lois will contact Bill Stoyles and thank him for help with printing and for referring an individual who may wish to join the team. Steve will contact the Youth Task Force to see if we can partner with them during Band Festival to get our mission statement out to the public.
A diversity conference is scheduled for October. Colleen will have information for next meeting.
Minutes taken by Lois Fingalsen.
Diversity: Food for Thought
This unique video program takes place in a diner, and uses the conversations between the owner and customers to emphasize the importance of understanding and accepting individual differences. The overall message for managers and employees is that when differences are valued, discrimination decreases and productivity increases. 20 minutes. Coastal Communications. To borrow any of ICRC’s excellent videos contact Carol Leach at 1-800-457-4416, ext. 1-8354, or <carol.leach@icrc.state.ia.us>.
Congratulations!
Marshalltown and Denison
As recently reported by the Des Moines Register in an article titled, "Grants to foster more hospitality to immigrants," Ecumenical Ministries of Iowa has awarded grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 to organizations in several communities to combat discrimination and prevent hate crimes.
The Marshalltown Diversity Committee received $5,000 for its work to increase hospitality for the city’s 2,000 Hispanic immigrants. The money will be used to expand the work of the Office of Hispanic Ministry, and will also be used by the First Baptist Church to expand its English as a second language classes. Some of the money will be used for temporary rental assistance.
The Denison Cultural Diversity Committee received a $3,000 grant to help provide worship resources in Spanish, hold a cultural fair, and educate residents about diversity.
Summer Reading
ICRC’s Diversity Book Library contains over 40 different diversity and civil rights related titles. Books may be checked out by diversity teams, study circles, local commissions and teachers The only charge is the cost of return postage.
Two recent additions to the diversity library include "Pillar of Fire, America in the King Years 1963-65" by Taylor Branch and "A Shining Thread of Hope" by Darlene Clark Hine and Kathleen Thompson.
"Pillar of Fire" is the second volume of Taylor Branch’s America in the King Years trilogy. Mr. Branch’s first volume "Parting the Waters" won the Pulitzer Prize for history. "Pillar of Fire" is the result of 15 years of research including almost 2000 interviews. "Pillar of Fire" covers such events as the Mississippi Freedom Summer and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
"A Shining Thread of Hope" chronicles the lives of black women in America from the Great Migration, the Harlem Renaissance, the Depression, the Civil Rights movement, to the present. "A Shining Thread of Hope" is thoroughly researched and well written making it an excellent choice for your summer reading list.
To access the book list, visit the ICRC at our website or contact Alison at (515) 242-6132, or <alison.radl@icrc.state.ia.us>.
Polk County Diversity Appreciation Coalition
Meeting Minutes for June 1, 1998
There was a discussion regarding ways to encourage greater attendance at Coalition meetings as well as the goals and purpose of the organization. Since members of the coalition are very busy people with many commitments, it has been difficult to find a meeting time which fits everyone’s schedule and the low turnout at meetings make it difficult to put a lot of structure or plan programs. It was decided that the coalition’s greatest strength is the diversity of organizations represented by its members and meetings could serve as an opportunity for networking and sharing of information. With this in mind, it was decided that the coalition would go from monthly meetings to meeting every two months.
Don Grove gave coalition members an overview of the Katz Drug Store incident of July 7th, 1948. On that day, four African-Americans were denied service at the lunch counter in the Katz Drug Store in Des Moines. The manager informed them, "It is the policy of our store that we don’t serve colored." Outraged members of the community responded with sit-ins and picketing. Subsequent legal action affirmed the rights of all citizens to be served in public accommodations in Iowa. Various people involved with the activities surrounding this incident were interviewed recently and this information will be compiled along with other information available. It was suggested that the information be converted to CD-Rom and possibly made into a documentary which can be distributed to libraries and public schools. Members of the coalition present will make inquiries with their respective contacts to secure either funding or expertise for this project.
There will be a dedication ceremony commemorating the incident at the SE corner of 7th and Locust streets on Tuesday, July 7th, 1998 from 11:30 am to noon. There will also be a reception/ reunion/reenactment that evening from 4:30-6:15 pm at the Iowa Historical Building featuring music by Frank Tribble and a reenact-ment by the Langston Hughes Players. Please plan to attend one or both of these activities and support the commemoration of an important piece of Iowa’s history.
Our next meeting has been set for 11:30 am on Monday, August 3rd, 1998 in the Classic Lunch cafeteria on the first floor of the Human Services Campus at 1111 9th Street (just west of the DMACC Urban Campus). Please put this on your calendar and plan to attend.
Minutes by Chair, Siew San Wong
Ames Diversity Appreciation Team
Sheila Lundt (515-239-5101)
Cedar Rapids Diversity Appreciation Team
Louise Lorenz (319-398-5036)
Cedar Valley Diversity Appreciation Team
Walter Reed (319-291-4441)
Charles City International Fellowship
Jim Sanner (515-228-6085)
Denison Cultural Diversity Committee
Marsha Kracht (712-263-8733) or
Coletta Weeda (712-263-4697)
Diverse-Cities Team (Iowa City/Coralville)
Heather Shank (319-356-5022)
Estherville Diversity Appreciation Team
Glenn Bohmer (712-362-3237)
Hampton Diversity Committee
Pat Sackville (515-456-5668)
Humboldt Co. Diversity Appreciation Team
Joe Hadar (515-332-5312)
Marshalltown Diversity Committee
Sandy Burke (515-294-9307)
MLK, Jr. Committee (Council Bluffs)
Jeanne Barzydlo (712-322-5101)
North Iowa Diversity Appreciation Team
Lois Fingalsen (515-421-4600)
Polk Co. Diversity Coalition
San Wong (515-248-7209)
Quad Cities’ Roundtables/Anti-Hate
Response Team/Diversity Committee
Brenda Drew-Peeples (319-326-0717)
Racism/Race Relations Committee
Connie Barrett (712-274-8678)
Siouxland Diversity Coalition
Matt Boley (712-258-5137)
Storm Lake Diversity Task Force
Dale Carver (712-732-6767)
Tama Co. Team for Intercultural Community
Bruce Leitz (319-266-1039) or
Clarence Lippert (515-484-4811)
Webster Co. Diversity Appreciation Team
Ed O’Leary (515-576-2201)