3/9/09 DIVERSITY TASK FORCE CALL

3/9/09 DIVERSITY TASK FORCE CALL 7-8 pm ET: (888) 955-5369; passcode: 197427.

PILOT CITIES PROJECT
1. NC--Monica: As I mentioned before, I am unable to attend the conference call on Monday but I thought it would be helpful for me to send a short update so that you can share with the group if you don't mind. I am having a lot of help so far with the outreach efforts but also with the preparation of materials. NC Pilot Site Update - Date: 3/7/09:
* We are in the final phase of the development of materials for our outreach efforts in various languages - English, Spanish and French. Thanks to Jesus, we had a wonderful student translating the "How we work" sheet into French. Our basic packet is comprised of the following materials: 1) How we work, 2) Our successes in 2008, 3) Power Point presentation of RESULTS, and 4) Maybe "Our Issues"? RESULTS is helping us with that information.
* We established our first contact with a woman from Kenya, her name is Caren, who is a leader in her community and who also owns a restaurant near downtown. She is interested in using her place also as a community gathering. Two members of the group and I met with her for our first contact; none of us knew her very well. The meeting went really well! She shared with us her struggles back home but also in the US trying to start up a business on her own. She has some experience with Microcredit here in Durham and she is very interested in this topic. She was so interested in our efforts that she committed to bring a group of folks from the Kenyan community to our training scheduled for March 29th. Per Caren's suggestion, we will use an informal community dialogue format for that presentation where we will be all around the table sharing food and information. We are currently developing a flyer and materials for that event. She offered her restaurant space for free at a day when it is not open to the public.
* We also extended an invitation to a Hispanic group and an African American center in the area to have someone meeting with us for that first contact. We are waiting on an answer.
* One of our team members suggested combining our outreach efforts with the faith base community. We are exploring this option.
Feedback for Monica from 3/9
- Diane: congratulations! Big step for you.
- Betsy: keep it up!
- Sarah: may be opportunity at the end of April to have Mary Njoroge, fmr Kenyan Ed Minister, connect with the group.
- Meredith: impressed how the group is tailoring how they present RESULTS to different communities-- not just materials but in the format but in the format of the meeting itself (ex. MD shared how she works differently with different audiences, ex. students.
DISCUSSION: How to present differently to different audiences
- Betsy asked if we could have materials on how to present differently to different audiences-- tips
- Lorna: remember that then guidelines don't always fit... one shoe doesn't fit all, be open to process.
- Meredith: could be joint project with others interested in youth outreach, faith outreach
- Sarah: goal of working together more
2. IOWA-- Diane: focused on outreach to African-American communities in Waterloo, IA, in 1st district
- group start March 22
- found list of 33 different faith communities, did mailing today (used mail merge) of letter and flyer. will start calls on Thursday
- wrote letters to black radio station and newspaper journalists
- will share the letters: load on googlegroup and send via email
- needs help for phone calls: intro self (mention RESULTS), start off with asking if they have a few minutes to talk, receive letter?, not calling for money, offering opportunity (rather than get anything from them)
- Lorna's suggestion in general: get feedback on the letter from an ally for context, sensitivities
- Sarah: generally happy to give feedback especially if it's supportive
- Meredith: also happy to give feedback on email and roleplay.
- Betsy: will share her story (and use for interactive googlemap down the road) and send Diane

BOARD INVOLVEMENT
Douglas: I have a standing band rehearsal on Monday nights from 7:30 - 9:30 pm. Right now Wednesday nights would be my best bet for a conference call. But if the 9th of March is going to be the time, I'll see what I can do to adjust my schedule.
- Diane will call Douglas directly
Betsy: ask for board member to be designated to be a part of our task force
- Diane will add this request to call with Douglas
- Sarah: very important because wants concrete recommendations for what the organization can implement.
- Betsy: ask that same board member be point for youth and faith outreach

MERGING OUR EFFORTS: Lorna: suggest point people for Youth in Action, Diversity Task Force and Faith in Action all join together
- may have outline: where have common ground? where be more active with each other?
- Meredith: will have initial conversation, might recommend we have a joint conf call amongst all or some of the members of the task forces.
- Sarah happy to be a part of the conversation and has had some initial conversations.
- Diane and Betsy happy to be a part of the conversation too (Meredith interested in having a volunteer)
- Betsy suggestion: put out quick survey to other members-- interest in combining? what suggestions?

Postponed: 30 min CONTINUED DIALOGUE: What is the Diversity Task Force message? (begin by 7:25)

CLOSE and NEXT CALL= Wednesday 3/25, 7-8 pm ET: (888) 955-5369; passcode: 197427. Will ind 30 min for dialogue.