DTF Call August 27, 2008

Attendees: Meredith (DC), Meredy (DC), Betsy (Miami), Sarah (DC), Barbara (Rockland County NY), Sammi (Seattle), Diane (Cedar Rapids), Monica (NC), Jesus (Virginia), Ruth (Philadelphia),

I. INTRODUCCIONS:
Meredith posed the question: “How do you think about Diversity issues in your daily interactions or connections either as part of RESULTS or something else. Seeing diversity in your own community?

Some of the group’s thoughts:
o Meredith: Attending a birth center that serves low income African American women and teen moms. Thinking about how much I am learning from other backgrounds and diversity
o Betsy: Watching the Democratic Convention for several years now and noticing increased diversity in the crow – African American, Latinos, Gay and Lesbians, etc there all voicing their opinions. There is a new movements!
o Barbara: Thinking about American Indians, going to Pow Wows, reliving history. There are many groups in the NY area. It will be nice to give them the chance to change our organization and reduce poverty. There should be a focus on them and domestic issues. How visits to Congress work? Indian community has their own member of Congress?

Meredith: Based on the reparation program there are now divided in separate regions. It is based in their districts where that national representative is part of that district. In South Dakota, there are 2 senators and 1 representative (/) that represent them.

o Diane: I am part of the pilot project and I talked to a Rabbi at the local temple. I explained RESULTS and our efforts to make the group look like Cedar Rapids with different colors and faiths represented. Like a microcosm.
o Meredy: There is a history of those communities giving up their land to US Government with the promise of health services, etc. Diversity for me as a staff person has to do with where we post our job description. For example, for our Communications position, we posted or we plan on posting for the first time in several list-serves reaching minority communities like Asian, Hispanic, Native American.
o Betsy: What are American Indians legal rights? How can we help them?
o Barbara: Yes, we need to learn about it first to help them
o Sammy: I have a mutual friend called ‘Narima Amen” who works for Micro-credit and we had an event with the Muslim school and University of Washington – Muslim Association. They are working on the faith curricula that RESULTS has and it has been a good opportunity to work with the Muslim community.
Meredith: Don’t forget the Faith in Action Conference Call. Take a look at the Website for the calendar – domestic updates.

o Sarah: From the DC office there are educational issues around diversity. Immediately, I partner will go and see Greg Mortenson speak, from the book three cups of tea, tomorrow. He builds schools in Northern Pakistan,. He had an amazing ability to connect to this culture.

Meredith?: For foreign assistance reform, there is a lack of understanding of cross-culture. Diversity is inter-connectedness. The goal is to bring that to our decision-makers.

o Monica: Be mindful of stereotypes and preconceptions when reaching out to other communities since those affect how we share information, how we reach out, how are we perceived, etc.

II. UPDATE ON THE PILOT CITY PROJECT:

Ø Monica: We developed an action plan just a couple of weeks ago with the NC group. We are working on phases where phase I is dedicated to the group’s preparation and dialogue around diversity, needs, etc. Target groups that represent our area will be identified. Phase II will focus on reaching out to target groups and develop trust and communication. Phase III will focus on joint action. See documents attached to Meredith’s e-mail announcing the August Call.
Betsy: Any challenges in reaching out to groups?
Ø Diane: I have had 4 contact meetings with target groups.
o First: Native Americans. I had lunch with a friend from the community and she decided to join RESULTS. She will be adapting Indian Stories to RESULTS materials. She will become more familiar with RESULTS before going out to reservations or the community to present. We are developing trust.
o Second: Meeting with a pastor with 40 flooded out low income families. There was a relationship of trust there already. He likes the idea of RESULTS but he wasn’t ready to buy in the concept yet. I’ll follow up next week and I’ll develop some questions for him.
o Third: A meeting with a new priest from the Catholic Parrish. They have mass in Spanish mass for the Hispanic community. Our state has had 2 ICE raids where there was 400 people arrested last time so they are nervous. It is a slow process. Priest liked the idea of RESULTS but he is new.
o Fourth: Meeting with a Rabbi at the temple. He loved the idea. He wants his community to reach out and not be so parochial. There will be an information meeting at a special event for that community. Faith in Action already has materials for the Jew community so he’ll use those.
Barbara: If pastor not familiar with Hispanic Community, I suggest you go over TB with him. It is prevalent in our area with the Hispanic community. A doctor has served high numbers of Ecuatorians and when he traveled, discover that people contracted TB in their transit to US probably due to staying in close quarters at houses in transition,etc.


Betsy(?): Don’t forget we developed fact sheets, including TB, that we will use in Pilot communities but they can be adapted with local communities. It is available.

Monica: Are the goals of the Pilot Project, listed on the agenda, ok with the group? YES.

Target populations for Pilot Cities will be identified based on region.

Cedar Rapids: Muslims, Hindu, African American, Native American, Jewish

North Carolina: African American, Hispanics, African community. Our group has members from 3 cities closed to each other and issues on each overlap but there are also differences.

Pilot groups will keep the task force updated during the calls!

III. Report from Betsy regarding Board’s response to Diversiity Task Force efforts:
Betsy has been talking to Douglas (?) to pressure the board to see if there is interest. I am so glad there are 12 people on the call tonight!!!

Douglas is very interested as well as the board he said. There have been many changes at RESULTS and that has been the center of attention but the task force and diversity has not been forgotten.

Meredith: Remember that there are two open board positions. Voting is due on September 2nd. We will include Diversity Task Force as part of the orientation for new board members!

IV. NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY

Monica: Explained the questions included in the document sent by Meredith.

Jesus contacted the marketing committee and the idea is to merge these questions with their massive survey to increase response. They are focusing all folks in our network. Their plan is to launch it in 4 to 6 weeks!

Feedback to Monica’s Questions:
Include open ended question to get suggestions for the task force
What is their perceived level of diversity in RESULTS board and staff?
Include gender, people with disabilities, sexual orientation questions to have as a databank. For general use.

V. TRANSLATIONS:
Meredith: Link to home page in Spanish. Thanks to folks helping with that. I like Monica’s idea to get suggestions from grassroot staff for documents to translate.

There are requests from Faith Action group to please translate their flyers, etc in the fall or winter if possible.

Jesus will attend the Faith in Action upcoming call to provide an update on translations from the DTF (Diversity Task Force ;)

NEXT CALL: SEPTEMBER 17TH, WEDNESDAY, AT 7:45 PM ET