CommUNITY 2000: Promising Programs
Listed below are fifteen programs that provide strategies to alleviate community tensions. In our attempt to provide a full menu of strategies, we identified several categories in which programs focused their efforts, including: youth, conflict resolution, the religious community, education, inter-group relations, arts and culture, government, workplace, sport and recreation, and community based organizations. We also examined programs that addressed factors that contributed to community tensions, such as joblessness and homelessness. Each of the programs falls under at least one, although sometimes more, of these categories.
The Programs
Leadership Development in Inter-ethnic Relations
Los Angeles, California
In response to a rise in race related conflicts and calls for crisis intervention, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, along with several civil and human rights organizations representing a variety of cultural backgrounds, established the Leadership Development in Inter-ethnic Relations (LDIR) program to combat ignorance and hate violence among adults and youth in Los Angeles. The program combines cultural awareness, conflict resolution, media relations and community orgranizing education with direct action and implementation on the part of the participants. LDIR exists in three parts: adult training, alumni activity and youth training.
After completing the classroom portion of the training course, adult students then break into small groups with the aim of using the information gained in the classroom to assist in implementing programs that respond to community tensions where they live, work or worship. Past projects have included working with the Los Angeles Police Department to upgrade their cultural awareness curriculum and designing a training program that combines art and cultural awareness at a local high school. Adult alumni also train youth in the similarly constructed youth LDIR program.
Like the adult training component, youth training consists of a classroom style learning element teaching similar skills. After completing the first stage of training, youth trainees implement programs in their own communities such as purchasing multi-cultural books for their school or community library or participating in other activities that further inter-ethnic relations.
Project Harmony
Barberville, Florida
Established by the Volusia County Sheriff's Department, Project Harmony brings together middle school students from all over Volusia county who have been identified as natural leaders despite their involvement with racially related conflicts. The students participate in multi-cultural awareness and non-violent conflict resolution classes, and attend a week-long leadership retreat. Each year about 1,200 students participate in leadership training retreats, which teach a variety of skills ranging from communication, group dynamics and environmental awareness to goal setting and community service.
At the end of the pilot project, the number of racially motivated conflicts at the first participating school decreased dramatically and, when compared to the larger school population, a higher percentage of participants maintained or improved their grade point average during that school year. Due to this success, the project received the funding necessary to continue.
Project Change
San Francisco, California
A creation of the Levi Strauss Foundation, Project Change works to prevent and address racial tension and prejudice in Levi Strauss plant communities by linking industry and business with the issues of concern to its workers and others who live in the community.
To achieve this end in Valdosta, California, Project Change sought to achieve five objectives; to assemble a diverse coalition of local citizens committed to improving race relations in their community; to assess local conditions - such as local history, employment statistics, education and lending practices - to identify the reality of institutional racism; to educate the public about institutional racism by engaging local residents and community leaders in the fights against problems that center on race; to advocate for changes in institutional policy and practice with programs that encourage partnership and the exchange of ideas among diverse groups.
To tackle the problem of institutional racism in the banking industry in Valdosta, a banking coalition was established to identify discriminatory lending practices among local financial institutions and seminars were conducted to educate bank personnel on how to avoid discriminating against minorities. In addition to addressing tensions between the banking industry and the community, the coalition also created and implemented multi-cultural curriculum for elementary and middle schools in partnership with the local state university.
Project Teamwork
Boston, Massachusetts
Project Teamwork seeks to combine the importance of teamwork in sports to educate students in the Boston metropolitan area and Rhode Island in diversity awareness, conflict resolution and violence prevention. Former collegiate and professional athletes are trained to lead workshops in local schools lasting from 4-6 hours each. Often trainers repeatedly visit a school or class, thus giving students repeated exposure to the curriculum.
From these presentations interested students are chosen to become part of teams called Human Rights Squads. Human Rights Squads lead diversity and violence reduction workshops for younger students in the Boston public schools. In addition, the former professional and collegiate athletes provide technical assistance to the Human Rights Squads, in the form of conflict resolution, prejudice awareness and violence reduction techniques.
Montana Human Rights Network
Helena, Montana
The Montana Human Rights Network (MHRN) seeks to oppose white supremacist organizations using a three pronged strategy: research and exposure, community organizing and public policy initiatives. In response to the increased visibility and recruitment efforts of various white supremacist groups in Montana, MHRN seeks to extensively research these organizations and publicly expose them. In addition MHRN sends organizers to communities where hate groups are active or where hate-related violence has occurred; these organizers work to organize a community response to hate crimes. MHRN also engages in public policy advocacy at the local and state level for the enforcement of civil rights laws, and the reporting of hate crimes to state officials.
Outreach efforts have resulted in interest and growth throughout the state of Montana, as MHRN now has twelve local affiliates with more than 1,300 members.
City at Peace
Washington, District of Columbia
City at Peace (CAP) works with area high school students to encourage diversity and cultural awareness through artistic expression. Two casts of students are chosen to participate in conflict resolution training, acting, and writing exercises. One of the goals of the training and exercises is to use the students' stories and discussions in the creation of the scenes, songs and monologues of the production. Under the supervision of staff, scripts are written by the casts of students that represents the diversity of their experiences. The casts perform their productions in June of each year.
The City at Peace project has worked with over 500 youth in DC area since inception in 1994. They are currently in the process of building a national organization to expand City at Peace throughout the country.
Mott Haven Neighborhood Strategies Project
Bronx, New York
The Mott Haven Neighborhood Strategies Project was initiated by a group of community agencies in order to "promote a healthy civic life" among residents of the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx. During the planning period the coalition worked together to assess the pressing economic needs of the neighborhood, where 46% of males over the age of 16 are unemployed and only 37% of all residents have a high school diploma. The coalition identified four strategies to alleviate the economic hardship of the neighborhood as well as ways in which to implement those strategies.
The project has chosen to develop and produce a neighborhood publication, Mott Haven Matters, to be distributed throughout the neighborhood. The publication highlights local businesses and devotes a significant amount of space to job advertisements. The task force also published the Mott Haven Neighborhood Directory, a listing of businesses and community based organizations. In addition to the community forums and other outreach, the Mott Haven Neighborhood Strategies project runs a Job Match Program, whereby the unemployed are referred to companies seeking employees.
From June 1997 to April 1999 the Job Match Program received 481 referrals, placing over half of into permanent positions and placing the rest in programs that provide specific job skills training, or in programs that further the educational level of the applicant.
National Coalition Building Institute
Washington, DC
The National Coalition Building Institute works to end discrimination, reduce intergroup conflict, and build multi-group coalitions through three types of programs: prejudice reduction workshops, conflict resolution workshops, and leadership training institutes. The Prejudice Reduction Workshop increases awareness and reduces the effects of prejudice and discrimination by teaching individuals how to be effective allies on behalf of other groups. The Conflict Resolution Workshop teaches participants the necessary skills to identify underlying tensions that contribute to conflict, as well as to reduce and resolve inter-group conflicts when they arise. The Leadership Training Institute teaches participants the steps required to lead the above two workshops.
"Can't We All Just Get Along?"
Lima, Ohio
By bringing together the resources of clergy, the Ohio State University at Lima, the media and the Study Circles Resource Center, the City of Lima became the first city in the country to establish a city-wide study circles program. Study circles were formed at several of the cities churches to identify a menu of strategies that would serve to eliminate racial misunderstanding and violence in the Lima community. The program operates a series of four-week sessions where members of predominately white congregations and members of predominately black congregations are placed together in groups to examine how racism permeates and shapes their daily lives.
The program has had more than 1200 participants from 47 churches and one synagogue. In 1996 the Resource Center for Violence Prevention was established to move the program from its dialogue focus into a mix of dialogue and action. The center is currently implementing eight projects to further the goals of the program, including a mediation center and an annual diversity day.
Homeboyz Interactive
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Homeboyz Interactive (HBI) is a non-profit organization situated in an area of Milwaukee considered to have the highest concentration of gang activity in the entire city. The HBI educational program/business in the digital media industry addresses the increasing gap between technological "haves" and "have-nots" by enabling young people who would not otherwise gain access to computer technology to develop the awareness and skills that will help them succeed in high technology work situations. Participants are also required to develop skills in conflict resolution, public speaking, and leadership before completing the program. The HBI business creates jobs, and trains and places youths in related trades. Upon completion of the training program, HBI assists these trainees in finding employment in emerging technology fields. The aim is to end violence, to transform the lives of gang members and people who reside in the neighborhood, while creating sustainable economic development that builds equitable, productive and participatory environments that increase the economic power of gang-impacted communities.
The Reinvestment Fund
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Reinvestment Fund, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) located in Philadelphia, makes loans to help revitalize some of the city's most distressed neighborhoods. The fund began with investments from private investors, churches and not-for profit organizations that sought to connect civic organization and power with capital to change the lives of those living in poverty stricken neighborhoods.
The Reinvestment Fund makes loans to small community organizations, business start ups and first time home buyers. These loans are usually smaller than the construction loans that larger banks make and are often considered risky endeavors due to their location or the financial status of the grantee. In the past loans have been granted to establish a variety of efforts, such as a business that trains and employs welfare recipients to be home health care aids, or the construction of a day care center in a poverty stricken area. In addition the Fund serves as a liaison between the larger financial institutions and these smaller communities in need, either by lending money on behalf of banks or by receiving investments from banks.
Inter-faith Bridge Builders Coalition
Utica, New York
Born out of an initial local news story, the Inter-faith Bridge Builders Coalition brings together clergy and parishioners from various religious groups to form study circles that lead to action plans for racial reconciliation in the larger community. Each session consists of 14-17 people and is led by a facilitator who moves the discussion from a frank dialogue of race relations and racism to action steps for public policy and community interaction. The Coalition uses the suggestions and man power of past and present study circle participants to organize responses to incidents of racism, violence and tensions in the community. These initiatives have included: diversity training in area churches, mediation sessions between Bosnian and Hispanic students in the Utica school district and the formulation of a civilian police review board.
Since the program's inception, more than 700 people have participated in study circles, with additional audiences attending Coalition sponsored events.
US Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS)
Washington, District of Columbia
The Community Relations Service is an arm of the U.S. Department of Justice which serves as a federal conciliation service to State and local officials to help resolve and prevent racial and ethnic conflict, violence and civil disorders. The Service helps local officials and residents tailor locally defined resolutions when conflict and violence threaten community stability and well-being. To achieve this end CRS uses conciliators which assist in identifying the sources of violence and conflict to better utilize the crisis management and violence reduction techniques which work best for each community.
Some programs and outcomes of their work in communities across the United States include: the development of a unique conflict resolution strategy, the Student Problem Identification/Resolution Program, which empowers students, teachers, and administrators to diagnose and resolve racially-divisive issues; support of community policing efforts in police departments in cities all over the country; and providing conflict resolution services in disputes involving Native American tribes.
A World of Difference Institute
New York, New York
In1985 The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) partnered with a local television station in Boston to form A World of Difference, an institute with the aim of promoting intergroup relations, working against racism and teaching the values of democracy. Since then, A World of Difference has developed into an international Institute which provides diversity education and technical assistance to schools universities, businesses, community organizations and law enforcement entities throughout the United States and abroad.
A World of Difference offers one day workshops, multi-day training sessions, single topic workshops, consultants and action sessions that allow participants to explore stereotypes, perceptions and observe and interact with participants of different cultural backgrounds. Since its inception, the Institute has reached over 300,000 elementary and secondary school students, 135 colleges and universities, and over 100 corporations.
Facing History and Ourselves
Boston, Massachusetts
Facing History is an educational curriculum that links history to the moral and ethical questions adolescents do confront and will confront in their daily lives. Through a detailed examination of the events that lead to the Holocaust, students come to understand that events in history are not inevitable, but are the result of individual decisions made by citizens.
Teachers are introduced to the curriculum at workshops held across the country. From there interested teachers are linked into a network of technical support including; designing or customizing curriculum to meet particular needs, access to speakers, videotapes, books, and a resource book entitled Facing History and Ourselves: Holocaust and Human Behavior.
Over a 20 year period, Facing History has reached over 1 million students and 20,000 teachers. Each year 1,600 educators are introduced to the program.
Chelsea Police Department Community Support Program
Chelsea, Massachusetts
The Community Support Program (CSP) of the Chelsea Police Department was established in 1998 to address problems within the community and among its residents using alternative dispute resolution methods. Situated within the walls of the Chelsea Police Department, the CSP receives referrals from police officers and other community organizations. Two trained conflict intervention specialists investigate the dispute, talking to the parties involved, examining any evidence, and work with the disputants to resolve their conflicts before traditional law enforcement responses are required.
Peace Games
Somerville, Massachusetts
Peace Games firmly believes that just as violent behavior is a learned behavior, so too is the ability to be a peacemaker. To achieve the goal of teaching children to be peacemakers the organization works with students from kindergarten through eighth grade in local elementary and middle schools. The students participate in weekly classes taught by Americorp Vista volunteers on issues ranging from the basics of friendship, communication and cooperation to conflict resolution, identity and justice issues.
Peace Games is currently looking to expand its operations in other cities by awarding franchises to organizations across the country who wish to engage in teaching children to be peace makers using their approach.
