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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
Melissa Oleson (515-228-1071)
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
Barbara Hug (515-263-2660)
Quad Cities' Roundtables/Anti-Hate Response Team
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)
North Iowa Diversity Appreciation
Team
January 14, 1998
The North Iowa Diversity Appreciation Team met in the second
floor conference room at City Hall, 10 First Street NW, Mason
City, Iowa at 4:00 pm. Those in attendance: Lois Fingalsen, Bruce
Hubbard, Leo Warner, Marcia Stasch, Michelle Wimmer, Mike Servantez,
Colleen Hovinga, Jacque Huisman, Janice Easley, Kevin Smith and
Lahoma Counts.
The group discussed the survey - the Chamber of Commerce has
around 50 and will test their new fax service by faxing the survey
to all members. Hovinga will follow-up on this. Hubbard is working
with the Police Department to have all officers fill one out.
Head Start will mail 200 and Youth Task Force is willing to assist
also. Hubbard will continue to follow up with these organizations,
as well as the Mason City Clinic, Post Office, and the Mason
City School District. Wimmer will include information in the
Compeer Newsletter and will contact Jim Murphy at The Shopper.
Counts will take surveys to Elderbridge and Rotary meetings.
Hovinga suggested that we let organizations know that the surveys
should be returned by February 28.
All members received a copy of the Self-Awareness Test. Each
is to complete and review this test before the next meeting.
The tests will then be reviewed before each meeting to see what
progress is being made as individuals.
Hovinga reported on the October 1997 Diversity Event. The Lt.
Governor's focus is on Business and Diversity for 1998. Also
discussed were the facts presented at the conference, which will
help the team look ahead and plan for attending the 1998 conference.
A copy of David Lyons' overheads from the closing keynote address
are enclosed. David is the Director of the Iowa Department of
Economic Development.
Wimmer is working on an article for the Compeer Newsletter and
will be focusing on employment opportunities for individuals
with mental illness. She shared some of her research and will
make copies to share with the team.
Fingalsen discussed the conference to be held at Hawkeye Community
College on March 13, "The Changing Face of Iowa in the 21st
Century." The cost of the conference is $15, which includes
lunch. If anyone is interested and able to attend, please share
with the group.
Hubbard reported on discussions he has had with the Youth Task
Force. Servantez recommended a picnic. Easley shared an article
she has written regarding nursing homes. Fingalsen reported on
her visit with Sandy Burke of the Marshalltown Di-versity Team.
They will be sharing their brochures and annual report with our
team.
Hubbard has been unable to determine if there are any activities
taking place for Black History Month, although some churches
are celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Hovinga will contact
Andy Alexander at the Public Library and let Fingalsen know what
is happening with this topic.
Hovinga will be sharing her diversity calendar at the February
11 meeting, which is from Creative Cultural Creations. She shared
information on the Global Awareness Series which is sponsored
by the Common Ground Committee.
Immigrants Living in Fear
Following are selected paragraphs from an op-ed article
which recently appeared in the Des Moines Register.
"Governor Branstad, in his Condition of the State address
on Jan. 13, spoke of Iowa's need for immigrants. `Our economy
is crying for more hands to man the tiller of our economic growth,'
he said. Are we Iowans truly ready to welcome the immigrants
present in our communities?
"Many immigrants report being shunned by Iowans, feeling
unwelcome in the grocery stores, malls and churches. There is
a sense that Iowa police stop immigrants on the street more often
than they stop other Iowans. Undocumented immigrants have a never-ending
fear of the police and the Immigration and Naturalization Service,
who could come to their homes or places of work and take them
away at any moment, often separating parents from children. The
situation for immigrants has been made worse by new federal immigration
laws and welfare reform that threaten to divide their families
and deprive them of the benefit of a public safety net. Living
under these conditions, it is no wonder that immigrants are suffering
from depression and fear.
"So what can Iowans do? Welcome immigrants into the communities.
Smile at the immigrant in the grocery store. Invite them to church.
Encourage our children to play with their children. Talk to them
even if they do not speak English. Hand signals and actions can
go a long way toward communication. We do not need to be afraid
of them taking jobs. There is a lot that we can learn from each
other. Most important, we must work together to fight the violence
and fear that are taking a grip on our communities."
-The Rev. Kevin Cameron, Visitation Church, Des Moines.
New Books
Jim Sleeper's Liberal Racism looks at the idea that the movement
away from the promotion of a color blind society to that of promoting
diversity is better seen as a type of racism.
Ellis Cose's Color-Blind tackles such difficult questions as
whether a race neutral society is truly possible and whether
the United States can surmount past racism.
Elisabeth Young-Bruehl's The Anatomy of Prejudices looks at the
study of prejudice from World War II forward focusing on the
different types of prejudices and the social and political settings
that promote them.
K. Anthony Appiah and Amy Gutman's Color Conscious discusses
such issues as the connection between race, culture and identity,
as well as such difficult questions as whether public policy
should be color blind.
To borrow any of these books, please call Alison at 515-242-6132,
1-800-457-4416 ext. 2-6132, or visit the ICRC website at <www.state.ia.us/government/crc>.
Suggested videos for Diversity Teams:
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· Not in Our Town
· Peacock in the Land of Penguins
· Tale of O
Suggested videos for Study Circles Sponsoring Coalitions:
· Changing the Odds
· Free Indeed
· Housing Discrimination: Who Should Ever Have to Get
Used to That?
For both Teams and Coalitions:
· Getting Along
To borrow any of ICRC's videos, please call Carol at 515-281-8354,
1-800-457-4416 ext. 1-8354, or e-mail <carol.leach@icrc.state.ia.us>.
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