Local talks on race issues gearing up
Diversity Project seeking participants
Pam Miller
MEDINA – A local group focused on highlighting the issue of racism in this community is continuing its efforts.
The Medina Diversity Project is inviting residents to attend and participate in one or all “community conversations on race” planned for Tuesday, Nov. 29; Thursday, Dec. 8; and Monday, Dec. 12.
All meetings begin at 7 p.m. and will be held in one of the community rooms at Medina Library.
Diversity Project co-chairs Rev. Cornell Carter, formerly of Second Baptist Church in Medina, and Pam Miller, former Medina City Council president, formed the group in early 2015 and have since hosted many public discussions on local race relations. Three were held in October.
“The goal of these conversations is to talk about individuals’ experiences in our community to learn how racism affects people and to look for solutions that can make our community more open to diversity,” Miller said.
Ideally, each group will consist of eight to 15 people with a leader and a note-taker. The conversations are 90-minute dialogues.
“Everyone participates; no one dominates,” Miller said. “Everyone is asked to keep an open mind and listen carefully to others. These are not meant to be gripe sessions.”
Names of participants will not be included in the meetings’ notes, Miller said, in an effort to encourage an open dialogue between participants.
Anyone interested in participating should contact Miller at 330-725-7487 or at pmiller450@zoominternet.net. The Medina Diversity Project is also on Facebook.
The Diversity Project made its first splash in Medina – a city that is roughly 93 percent white, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau – when Miller and others approached city council in June 2015, questioning why more minorities are not hired to city positions, specifically the police department. The event turned into a bit of a debate with municipal officials.
Council later drafted a resolution relative to raising awareness and effort toward hiring more minority employees.
The Medina Diversity Project is inviting residents to attend and participate in one or all “community conversations on race” planned for Tuesday, Nov. 29; Thursday, Dec. 8; and Monday, Dec. 12.
All meetings begin at 7 p.m. and will be held in one of the community rooms at Medina Library.
Diversity Project co-chairs Rev. Cornell Carter, formerly of Second Baptist Church in Medina, and Pam Miller, former Medina City Council president, formed the group in early 2015 and have since hosted many public discussions on local race relations. Three were held in October.
“The goal of these conversations is to talk about individuals’ experiences in our community to learn how racism affects people and to look for solutions that can make our community more open to diversity,” Miller said.
Ideally, each group will consist of eight to 15 people with a leader and a note-taker. The conversations are 90-minute dialogues.
“Everyone participates; no one dominates,” Miller said. “Everyone is asked to keep an open mind and listen carefully to others. These are not meant to be gripe sessions.”
Names of participants will not be included in the meetings’ notes, Miller said, in an effort to encourage an open dialogue between participants.
Anyone interested in participating should contact Miller at 330-725-7487 or at pmiller450@zoominternet.net. The Medina Diversity Project is also on Facebook.
The Diversity Project made its first splash in Medina – a city that is roughly 93 percent white, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau – when Miller and others approached city council in June 2015, questioning why more minorities are not hired to city positions, specifically the police department. The event turned into a bit of a debate with municipal officials.
Council later drafted a resolution relative to raising awareness and effort toward hiring more minority employees.