In addition to the Study Circles/Community Roundtables program, there are a number of other people and organizations in Champaign-Urbana that can offer discussion, training, and service experience in racial reconciliation and diversity exposure.
Diversity Works, Inc. Experienced diversity educators Pauline Kayes and Lorena Johnson provide comprehensive training for business, education, and community groups. For information and fees call Pauline Kayes at 378-5135.
Joycelyn Landrum-Brown is an assistant professor of education at the University of Illinois, where she coordinates the Program in Inter-group Relations. She served as a consultant for the Champaign Public Schools equity audit, for which she planned a community dialogue. She can train people of all ages to facilitate dialogue on issues of human difference. For information and fees call Ms. Landrum-Brown at 244-3356, or e-mail her at jlandrum@uiuc.edu.
Imani Bazzell, a community activist and educator, offers an interactive five-part workshop series that “helps participants understand the complexities of racism by offering an accessible theoretical framework to ground their thinking and decision-making in. Through the use of instruction, video, storytelling, brainstorming, group sharing, and direct problem solving, participants gain practical strategies for parenting and teaching around this and related issues.” For information and fees contact Ms. Bazzell at 351-2597.
The New Covenant Fellowship, 124 W. White St., Champaign, is a 25-year-old interracial congregation formed with the intention of contributing to social justice and racial reconciliation. Their leadership can provide racial reconciliation training, discussion, service work, and healing prayer for adults and youth. Fees, if any, are nominal. For information call Ron Simkins at 355-2038.
The Baha’i Center, 807 E. Green St., Urbana, is organized around the philosophy that all races are one. Local Baha’is are more involved in mixed-race activities and service than in diversity training per se, but the Louhelen Baha’i School near Flint, Michigan, offers workshops in race unity. The Louhelen workshops take place over two weekends
(Sept. 21-24 and Dec. 7-9, 2001) and the fee, $350/person, covers food and lodging for both weekends. Financial assistance is available. For information call Louhelen at 810-653-5033. To participate in other Baha’i race unity programs call Amy or Michael Felty at 359-1313.
For UI Students Only:
The UI Counseling Center, Room 110, Student Services Building, 610 E. John St., Champaign, offers its Inter-group Relations Program of for-credit courses for U of I students. The Center also offers staff development for campus departments and training for students who want to learn to facilitate dialogue around issues of human difference, including race and ethnicity. For a complete list of Inter-group programs and an introduction to their training model, see their Web site at www.intergrouprelations.uiuc.edu.
Related Training
The Office for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Concerns, 322-A Illini Union, 1401 W. Green St., Urbana, is sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students at the University of Illinois. The LGBT Office sponsors the ALLY Network Group composed of University and community members who seek to provide safe spaces for LGBT discussion and concerns. The Office has a lending library that is open to the community, and volunteers will talk or devise diversity training for groups or individuals. There is no fee. For information see their Web site at www.odos.uiuc.edu/lgbt,or e-mail the co-directors, Curt McKay at curtb@uiuc.edu or Pat Morey at p-morey@uiuc.edu, or call the LGBT office at 244-8863.
The Jewish Federation, 503 E. John St., Champaign, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping persons of Jewish origin orbackground who are in need locally, nationally, and internationally. They provide diversity lectures and workshops for interested community groups. There is no fee for nonprofit organizations. Call Lee Melhado at 367-7872.
Reconciliation Service Work
The Restoration Urban Ministries, 1207 N. Mattis , Champaign, is committed to “reconciliation and sharing the love of Jesus.” The interracial staff and volunteers at their 70-room facility provide Christian transitional housing for the homeless. They also offer their Self-Sufficiency Program, including addiction recovery, work skill classes, and other training to help people”get back on track and be useful members of society.” In addition, they have a food pantry, a clothing room, and an outreach center for children and senior citizens that is located in a north Champaign neighborhood. Volunteers are welcome, whether they are Christian or not. The experience will be diverse in many ways. For information call Linda at 355-2662.
The UIUC Baha’i Association works with youth probation officer Theo Carter to foster racial understanding at the Champaign County Youth Detention Center. Volunteers conduct activities for the youth incarcerated at the detention center every other Saturday. For information e-mail AllenEghrari at omid19@juno.com.