North Dakota Human Rights Coalition
Working to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights
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North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Working to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights |
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~North Dakota Human Rights Coalition~ PAUR Report
Programs ~ Announcements ~ Updates ~ Resources
Visit our Website at www.ndhrc.org
July 8, 2004
Hello members and friends of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition!
In this week’s PAUR Report:
Announcements 1) Filing a Discrimination Complaint with the Department of Labor, Human Rights Division
Newspaper Articles 2) The Forum (Fargo), Other views: Bachmeier’s analysis of rights lawsuit flawed 3) Associated Press, The Forum (Fargo), & Bismarck Tribune articles regarding the proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit gay marriage or civil unions in North Dakota 4) The Forum (Fargo), Domestic abuse’s effects far-reaching 5) The Forum (Fargo), Forum ethics discussion to include diverse voices 6) Grand Forks Herald, Dorreen Yellow Bird Column: Diversity on government bodies would build strength 7) Grand Forks Herald, Dorreen Yellow Bird Column: Former first lady wields kind words and a mean hammer 8) The Forum (Fargo), Lawyer urges severe penalty: McGuire passes on high court hearing 9) The Forum (Fargo), Dorreen Yellow Bird Column: Despite their faults, tribal governments can work 10) The Forum (Fargo), BHS theft is solved; vandalism case remains open 11) Associated Press, ‘Lost Boy’ rape charges sadden his community 12) The Forum, African men finding work on N.D. farms
Events 13) Free Assistive Technology Presentations, July 15, Bismarck 14) Cultural Diversity Resources, Human Rights Resource Center Book Club Meeting, July 19, Fargo 15) Native American Pow-wows in July, ND Statewide 16) UFE General Assembly and Community Training, August 7, Moorhead
Reminders 17) Welcome New North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Board Member 18) FM Pride Celebration, June 4 – 6, 2004, Photos Available 19) Mayor’s Town Hall Meeting, Within our Grasp: Building a Better Bismarck Through Diversity, July 21, Bismarck 20) Contact the NDHRC if You Have Experienced Discrimination in ND 21) 2004 Training-of-Trainers Workshop: Human Rights as a Tool for Organizing, July 28 – August 1, Fargo 22) 2004 North Dakota Immigrant Access Forum, August 5, Fargo 23) Save the Date – North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Conference, November 5 & 6, 2004, Bismarck
********************************************* Announcements *********************************************
1.) Filing a Discrimination Complaint with the Department of Labor, Human Rights Division
This following information is from the Human Rights Division guide on “How to File a Discrimination Complaint in North Dakota.”
The first step in filing a discrimination complaint with the Human Rights Division is to complete the “intake” process. This simply means to provide the Human Rights Division with initial, specific information about what happened to you. The intake process can be completed in any one of three ways:
1. You can describe what happened to you in writing using an Intake Questionnaire form. You can obtain the form by contacting the Human Rights Division or you can print it from the division’s web site. Once you have filled out the form, return it to the Human Rights Division.
2. You can contact the Human Rights Division and ask to have your intake information taken by telephone.
3. You can have your intake information taken in person. Division staff are regularly available to meet with you to take your intake information in person:
During regular office hours at the Human Rights Division in the State Capitol; or
On the first Wednesday of each month in the City of Fargo at 2624 9th Avenue SW, in the Southeast Human Service Center building.
If you wish to have your intake information taken in person, you should call the Human Rights Division in advance to schedule an appointment.
If you need any additional assistance with the intake process, contact the Human Rights Division.
After the intake process is completed, the Human Rights Division will assess the information you provided to determine whether there is a basis to file a formal discrimination complaint for investigation.
The division may need to request additional information from you to make this determination. If the intake information you provide does establish a basis for a formal complaint, the division will draft a complaint for you to sign. A discrimination complaint is considered filed when the signed complaint is returned to the Human Rights Division.
View additional information on the Department of Labor, Human Rights Division web site at http://www.state.nd.us/labor/services/human-rights/.
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2.) The Forum (Fargo), Other views: Bachmeier’s analysis of rights lawsuit flawed
The Forum published Cheryl Bergian’s letter in response to Commissioner Bachmeier's June 24 letter. Cheryl is the Director for the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition.
Other views: Bachmeier's analysis of rights lawsuit flawed
By Cheryl Bergian, The Forum
In his June 24 letter to The Forum, Labor Commissioner Mark Bachmeier attempts to put a positive spin on the Fargo District Court's denial of his motions to dismiss the class action lawsuit filed against the Labor Department by the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition and seven individual plaintiffs, for failure to appropriately enforce the North Dakota Human Rights Act.
The first response of Bachmeier to the class action lawsuit was to ask the court to dismiss the lawsuit on the basis that it did not state a claim against the Labor Department that the court could address.
Judge Doug Herman did not dismiss the lawsuit. Despite this fact, Bachmeier states that "the court ruled substantially in (the Labor Department's) favor" and that The Forum neglected to report important facts about the case.
Bachmeier did not attend the court hearing. The attorney who did attend the hearing on behalf of the Labor Department, Solicitor General Doug Bahr, was interviewed by the media after the court hearing; surely any misapprehension of what occurred in the courtroom could have been cleared up during that interview. And, there are some facts that Bachmeier would have known if he had been personally present in the courtroom
Instead of dismissing the lawsuit, Herman issued a writ of mandamus ordering the Labor Department to provide administrative hearings to two of the plaintiffs in the class action. Herman stated that he was "left with an uneasy feeling that Bachmeier and the state may have been 'grasping at straws' in an attempt to find reasons not to offer these two a hearing," as quoted by The Forum in its article on June 16.
Bachmeier attempts to color his failure to offer administrative hearings to these two plaintiffs as a belief that the Labor Department was "unable legally to hold hearings" on those two cases. He ignores the court's clear disquiet over his initial refusal to enforce the North Dakota Human Rights Act.
Perhaps this disquiet was enhanced by Bahr's acknowledgement (in response to Herman's questioning during the court hearing) that the Labor Department has issued only eight probable cause findings since receiving full enforcement responsibility in 2001, and has taken none of the hundreds of discrimination complaints it has received since 2001 to administrative hearing in the three intervening years.
Bachmeier notes that the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition has been dismissed as a plaintiff in the class action, simply because of a legal question over whether the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition has "standing" to sue the Labor Department on the question of its inaction.
Again, if Bachmeier had been present at the hearing, he would have heard Herman's statements that the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition was largely responsible for the "progressive legislative action" in 2001, when the North Dakota Legislature agreed to give the responsibility to enforce the North Dakota Human Rights Act to the Labor Department. Herman also stated that the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition is the leading voice on human rights issues in the state.
Bachmeier leaves the impression that the case is completed. On the contrary, the rest of the case is pending. There was no resolution of the lawsuit in the court hearing other than the court's order that the Labor Department fulfill its responsibility to provide for an administrative hearing in the cases it has refused to so far, and the court's decision that the Labor Department's motions to dismiss the case were denied.
So, despite the dismissal of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition as a plaintiff, the case will proceed, with the other seven individual plaintiffs representing the people in North Dakota who have filed complaints with the Labor Department since it received the responsibility for full enforcement of the North Dakota Human Rights Act in 2001 (the Labor Department has had the responsibility for full enforcement of the North Dakota Housing Discrimination Act since the 1999 legislative session).
We are satisfied with that result at this time, as our only goal in the lawsuit is to provide victims of discrimination in North Dakota with an effective state enforcement mechanism for redress of those wrongs through the North Dakota Department of Labor. We did not ask for monetary compensation for our efforts in the lawsuit, as none of the plaintiffs have done.
For the next step in the lawsuit, the seven individual plaintiffs will ask the court to certify it as a class action, so that all people who have filed complaints of discrimination, or will file complaints of discrimination, with the Labor Department will have appropriate investigation and effective enforcement of the North Dakota Human Rights Act.
Bachmeier states that the Labor Department "[has] not and will never deny the opportunity for an administrative hearing to anyone who is entitled to one." This is patently wrong, given the court's order that they provide an administrative hearing to the two plaintiffs who were refused that hearing by the Labor Department.
We hope that the Labor Department's actions in the future will truly provide enforcement of the North Dakota Human Rights Act and North Dakota Housing Discrimination Act, instead of the avoidance of that responsibility that we have observed to date.
Bergian is a Fargo attorney and director of the North Dakota Human Rights Commission.
E-mail cherylbergian@ndhrc.org
View online article here
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3.) Associated Press, The Forum (Fargo), & Bismarck Tribune articles regarding the proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit gay marriage or civil unions in North Dakota
The NDHRC Board of Directors has established a position on the proposed anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment. The position and proposed amendment is as follows:
The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition opposes the proposed North Dakota constitutional amendment to prevent the recognition of marriage or civil unions for same-sex couples.
The NDHRC supports full civil rights for all residents of North Dakota, including gay/lesbian/transgender/bisexual residents of our state. Neither enshrining discrimination in our Constitution nor stripping families of basic protections would serve our state’s best interest. The North Dakota Constitution protects and ensures equal treatment for all people. It should not be used to single out a group of people for harmful and detrimental treatment.
The information that the NDHRC Board of Directors used to adopt this position is available on the NDHRC web site at http://www.ndhrc.org/Goals/NDHRAct/GayMarriageAmmendmentPosition.htm.
Sherri Paxon is quoted in the article below. She is a board member for the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition.
Supporters of marriage amendment want November vote By Dale Wetzel, Associated Press Writer Associated Press Published: Grand Forks Herald – 06/11/2004
Supporters of a ballot
initiative that would define marriage in the North Dakota Constitution said they
hope to put the issue on the November ballot.
<snip>
View online article here
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Marriage petitions circulate
North Dakota moved one step closer to banning same-sex marriage Thursday when a group announced the circulation of petitions for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a "legal union between a man and a woman."
The North Dakota Family Alliance must first obtain at least 25,688 voters' signatures by Aug. 3 to place the proposed amendment on the November general election ballot.
The group does not expect any difficulties in obtaining the needed number of petitions or passing the amendment into law, said Christina Kindel, executive director of the group and chairwoman of the North Dakota Campaign to Protect Marriage.
"People are excited about this," Kindel said.
But Equality North Dakota will use all means necessary to fight the petition and its founders' "language of war," said Bob Uebel, co-chairman of the civil rights organization.
"They are attempting to create a climate of fear and describe lesbian and gay couples as a threat," he said.
Equality North Dakota is leading opposition to the Family Alliance position and working with other local and national groups to urge people not to sign the petition.
<snip>
View full article here
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Groups urge 'no' to petitions By Natalie Storey, Bismarck Tribune Bismarck Tribune – 07/07/2004
Like many teenagers in North Dakota, Sara Berger has a mom who is a good cook. She says dinners are fairly typical at her house, with one notable difference -- her other mom does the dishes.
Berger is a pretty 16-year-old who is a good student at Mandan High School. She has a boyfriend, friends, a job and two lesbian moms who she likes to play rummy with. She says she's living proof that children of same-sex unions can turn out just as normal as children with heterosexual parents.
"People in favor of the marriage amendment often argue that it is in "children's best interests" to have both a mom and a dad, and that if the marriage amendment wasn't passed, it would jeopardize children and the sanctity of marriage," Berger said. "I'm here to say that it wouldn't."
Berger, along with a half-dozen others, spoke out Tuesday against the proposal to place an amendment to the North Dakota constitution on the ballot that would define marriage in the state as between a man and a woman, exclusively.
A coalition of gay, lesbian, bisexual and human rights advocacy groups announced the "Decline to Sign" campaign Tuesday, urging "fair-minded" North Dakotans to refuse to sign petitions circulating in the state that would place the amendment on the November ballot.
<snip>
View full article here
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Group fights N.D. petition By Mary Jo Almquist The Forum - 07/07/2004
A North Dakota equal rights group says a proposed state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages would drive youth out of the state and promote discrimination.
Equality North Dakota is urging people statewide to "decline to sign" petitions circulated by the North Dakota Family Alliance that pushes the state to define marriage as "a legal union between a man and woman."
Equality North Dakota, a gay rights organization, unveiled its "decline to sign" campaign at a pair of press conferences Tuesday in Bismarck and Fargo.
The group hopes to stop the North Dakota Family Alliance petition drive, which seeks to gain 25,688 voters' signatures by Aug. 3 to get the issue on the Nov. 2 ballot.
Jon Lindgren, Fargo's former mayor and an officer in the national group "Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays," said this is the first time one group of North Dakotans has tried to drive another group out of the state.
"This comes at an unfortunate time," Lindgren said, noting North Dakota needs all its people to help improve the state's economy.
But Christina Kindel, director of the Family Alliance, said the "decline to sign" campaign won't derail the ongoing petition drive.
So far, about 4,000 signatures have been turned in, but the majority of petitions are still circulating, said Kindel, also chairwoman of the North Dakota Campaign to Protect Marriage.
<snip>
View full article here
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4.) The Forum (Fargo), Domestic abuse’s effects far-reaching
Domestic abuse's effects far-reaching
One shot shattered Rebecca Hovda's body and her trust in the world.
In March 1992, Hovda's best friend Ann's ex-husband burst into her home and shot her in the gut. That night he also killed his ex-wife and injured two other friends.
A bullet destroyed Hovda's spleen, 85 percent of her stomach and more than 85 percent of her pancreas. Her intestines, liver and kidneys were sprinkled with little pellet holes.
The shootings stunned the small community of Cashmere, Wash., including the victims. Hovda said she feared for Ann's safety, but never her own.
"I realize now there is nothing short of getting Ann out of the country that I could've done to keep her safe," Hovda said. "As for me and the two other people who were shot, I didn't see that happening."
Hovda met Ann Patrick when Hovda was looking for a caretaker for her youngest daughter. It took four years of friendship before she suspected Ann, the mother of four girls, was a victim of domestic abuse.
Ann's husband controlled her every move. When he wasn't shouting at her, he often spoke to her like one would speak to a child.
Today Hovda, who lived in Fargo between 1973 and 1977, has made it her mission to educate the community about domestic violence. She will speak in Fargo on Tuesday in honor of the official opening of the new YWCA Shelter.
<snip>
View full article here
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5.) The Forum (Fargo), Forum ethics discussion to include diverse voices
Forum ethics discussion to include diverse voices
This column ends a month-long discussion on newspaper ethics by announcing a project that I hope grabs your interest and wins your participation.
The Forum is asking for volunteers to be part of what possibly is the only project of its kind in this country involving newspapers and their readers.
It's your invitation to become a trailblazer.
We've been in discussions with the Group Decision Center at North Dakota State University.
The GDC and the Northern Plains Ethics Institute, also located at NDSU, became interested in this month's exchange of ethical ideas between Forum readers and the newsroom.
That led to talks with the GDC and some risk-taking on our part.
We want the public to have opportunity to help shape our new ethics policy by participating through a format that we aren't accustomed to using.
<snip>
View full article here
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6.) Grand Forks Herald, Dorreen Yellow Bird Column: Diversity on government bodies would build strength
DORREEN YELLOW BIRD COLUMN: Diversity on government bodies would build strength
Grand Forks Herald – 06/05/2004
I consider myself fortunate that I have the opportunity to sit on the editorial board of the Grand Forks Herald. For the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to listen to candidates voice reasons why they want to be elected or why they should be re-elected. The members of the editorial board and I don't always agree on endorsements, nor do we agree on other issues that will appear on the editorial page. The majority wins on the board, yet that other voice is heard.
I was impressed with the caliber of candidates who came to visit with the editorial board. It seemed to me that most of the candidates could do a good job. I am, however, concerned that there is a lack of diversity in our government and on city boards. I am concerned about the need for other voices.
Diversity can make a system strong. Diversity can strengthen a good system or lead the way to change in a poor or erratic system.
The lack of diversity occurred to me as candidates who sit on boards talked fondly of how well their board works together and how easily they resolve issues.
<snip>
View full article here
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7.) Grand Forks Herald, Dorreen Yellow Bird Column: Former first lady wields kind words -- and a mean hammer
DORREEN YELLOW BIRD COLUMN: Former first lady wields kind words -- and a mean hammer Grand Forks Herald – 06/22/2004
I learned former first lady Rosalynn Carter is a good carpenter and can hang a mean door frame. I met her a few weeks ago when she came to Grand Forks to support and promote immunization for children, in a campaign called "Every Child by Two." She is the wife of former President Jimmy Carter.
Rosalynn has worked most of her life to improve the quality of life for people around the world. She is an advocate for mental health, human rights, conflict resolution and early childhood immunization. It was that early childhood immunization that brought her to North Dakota. She made a quick stop in our state, then traveled to Washington, D.C., where she and her husband would pay their last respects to former President Ronald Reagan - something that is part of her role as a former first lady.
Most first ladies tend to be background for husbands who hold the most powerful position in the world. Rosalynn was that, too, but she also was an advocate on issues, especially those affecting women and children. For example, she was the driving force for mental health, and her advocacy helped bring about the passage of the Mental Health Systems Act in 1980.
She also is a writer and has written four books. One is her autobiography, and the other three are "how to" books about helping. She received the 1999 American Society of Journalists and Authors Outstanding Book Award.
One of her favorite charities is the Habitat for Humanity. She and her husband have worked tirelessly, building homes for people around the world - people who cannot afford their own home. They built houses in South Dakota, too, she told me. I wondered if they might have worked on houses on the reservation, but didn't ask.
<snip>
View full article here
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8.) The Forum (Fargo), Lawyer urges severe penalty: McGuire passes on high court hearing
Lawyer urges severe penalty: McGuire passes on high
court hearing
BISMARCK – Judge Michael McGuire deserves a severe punishment for his conduct toward female workers in the Cass County Courthouse, the attorney representing the women told the state's highest court Thursday.
Neither McGuire, 63, nor his attorney attended the Supreme Court hearing.
The judge skipped what was likely his last chance to defend himself against charges that a lower court panel ruled in March to be sexual harassment.
Paul Jacobson, the state's disciplinary counsel who investigated and charged the women's accusations in spring 2003, said he was "a little surprised" McGuire didn't ask his attorney to argue his case Thursday.
"Maybe he's just resigned to what's going to happen," Jacobson said.
Mark Condon, the Minneapolis attorney representing McGuire, said later by phone, "As usual, Jacobson couldn't be farther from the truth."
Condon said McGuire felt his defense was laid out sufficiently in written briefs, so an appearance was unnecessary.
<snip>
View full article here
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9.) The Forum (Fargo), Dorreen Yellow Bird Column: Despite their faults, tribal governments can work
DORREEN YELLOW BIRD COLUMN: Despite their faults, tribal governments can work
Grand Forks Herald – 06/26/2004 During another time in my life, I managed a tribal newspaper and radio station in New Town, N.D. I was ousted from my position as executive director because I didn't agree with the tribal chairman. After a few years in office, the chairman apologized to me for what had happened.
What were my misdeeds? Recording tribal council meetings and reporting on some questionable situations in the tribe.
Because of the authority and jurisdiction of the tribe, there was no court that would or could take a "freedom of the press" case. I threw up my hands, disillusioned, then walked away with an armload of documents for a case that never would see the light of day.
The Supreme Court's April decision in "U.S. v. Lara" is one that affirms tribal authority - perhaps the same authority that violated my rights to be heard in a court.
The Lara case is complicated. Here are some facts. Billy Jo Lara, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in Belcourt, N.D., lived or was arrested on the Spirit Lake reservation at Ft. Totten, N.D. He was arrested for punching a police officer and was forbidden to set foot on the Spirit Lake reservation.
One of the questions that arose is, Can Indian tribes prosecute nonmember Indians? In deciding Lara, the court "affirmed tribal authority to prosecute all Indians, regardless of affiliation, for crimes that occur on the reservation," according to a news report on the Web site, www. Indianz.com. In other words, the decision supports tribal sovereignty.
<snip>
View full article here
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10.) The Forum (Fargo), BHS theft is solved; vandalism case remains open
BHS theft is solved; vandalism case remains open By Mike Albrecht Bismarck Tribune – 06/12/2004
No one was
charged with putting human feces in the locker of a 17-year-old Bismarck High
School student, but two teenagers were cited Thursday for stealing a watch from
inside the locker.
<snip>
View full article here
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11.) Associated Press, ‘Lost Boy’ rape charges sadden his community
'Lost Boy' rape charges sadden his
community Published: Bismarck Tribune – 06/17/2004
Chol Deng Chol fled civil war in Sudan with dreams of getting an American education and one day returning home to help repair his country.
Today he sits in jail in his adopted homeland, charged with rape and facing deportation if convicted. His case has embarrassed many who championed the so-called "Lost Boys of Sudan," one of thousands of orphans resettled in America.
Chol, 25, a second-year civil engineering student at North Dakota State University, was one of the first Lost Boys to arrive in Fargo. He cruised through the GED program at an adult learning center and spoke at the graduation of about 100 students.
"His whole life was to come to America, get an education, go home and help his people," said Pat Gores, who has volunteered to help many of the Sudanese refugees in Fargo.
Chol is accused of raping two teenage girls after a night of drinking at his apartment. He was charged April 28 with two counts of gross sexual imposition and delivering alcohol to a minor.
Chol pleaded not guilty to all three charges at a May 27 preliminary hearing. Authorities said Chol raped the girls, ages 14 and 16, after he and a friend supplied them with alcohol.
View full article here
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12.) The Forum (Fargo), African men finding work on N.D. farms
African men finding work on N.D. farms
WILTON, N.D. – Farmers in the Washburn area who are having a hard time finding workers are finding the solution to the problem in South Africa.
About a dozen men from that country are working on farms in the region. Most of them arrive in April, in time for spring's work, and stay through the fall harvest. They then return to their own farms, as the seasons are opposite in the Southern Hemisphere.
"By the time we get back home we start seeding again, so it's just keep on farming all the time," said Dirk Erasmus.
North Dakota's flat terrain requires adjustment, said Nico Uys, another of the workers.
"Where I'm from it's pretty hilly," he said. "We've got fields full of terraces."
Uys and Erasmus said they enjoy working in North Dakota.
View online article here
********************************************* Events *********************************************
A calendar of events is available on the NDHRC web site at http://www.ndhrc.org/Events/Calendar/July.htm.
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13.) Free Assistive Technology Presentations, July 15, Bismarck
FREE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PRESENTATIONS Thursday — July 15, 2004 Doublewood Inn, Bismarck
4:00 p.m. How assistive technology can help people stay on the job or return to work
6:30 p.m. How assistive technology can help people avoid moving to an institution and live as independently as possible
Please RSVP to bmurry@state.nd.us or 328-2950 (TDD relay: 711) by July 13th so we can make sure to order enough refreshments and snacks!
A sign language interpreter has been reserved and will attend and provide services upon request. Please feel free to mention any other accommodations that will make the event more accessible or comfortable for you.
Both presentations are by Richard Dodds, a national leader in the creative use of assistive technology. Assistive technology can be off-the-shelf or custom-made, and Mr. Dodds has an excellent background with both. The presentations will be consumer-friendly, and be of interest to families and policy-makers.
Sponsored by the Protection & Advocacy Project through funds from the U.S. Department of Education.
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14.) Cultural Diversity Resources, Human Rights Resource Center Book Club Meeting, July 19, Fargo
Cultural
Diversity Resources "This is one
of the most enlightening and inspiring books that I've ever read."
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15.) Native American Pow-wows in July, ND Statewide
Native American Pow-wows in July
July 9, 10 & 11 - Arikara Celebration Contest Powwow, White Shield, ND July 16, 17, & 18 - Mandaree Powwow, Mandaree, ND July 30, 31, & August 1 - Spirit Lake Oyate 37th Annual Pow-wow, Fort Totten, ND July 30, 31, & August 1 - American Legacy Traditional Powwow, Mandan, ND
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16.) UFE General Assembly and Community Training, August 7, Moorhead
WHAT: UFE
General Assembly and Community Training by Salvador Miranda
Message from UFE:
NOTE: Due to the possibility of chemical sensitivities, please refrain from wearing fragrances and colognes.
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17.) Welcome New North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Board Member
The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition is pleased to welcome our newest board member, Marsha Ann Blueshield.
Marsha Ann Blueshield is an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe. She has 3 children and 4 grandchildren. Marsha received her nursing degree from Lake Region State College in 1978 and has been working for the Tribal programs for 25 years as a Health Tracks, Asthma, and Maternal Child Health Nurse. She is very active in the community in talking about and teaching health prevention. Marsha is a trained HIV/AIDS presenter and has worked extensively with the youth of Spirit Lake on educating them and utilizing the talents they have shown as role models to other young people. She also works with the Human Service Center Attendant Program in Devils Lake on weekends. Marsha has been involved with the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition since 2004.
Please join us in welcoming Marsha to the NDHRC!
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18.) FM Pride Celebration, June 4 – 6, 2004, Photos Available
Photos from the June 4 – 6 FM Pride Celebration photos may be viewed at http://www.21stpublishers.com/FM%20Pride.htm.
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19.) Mayor’s Town Hall Meeting, Within our Grasp: Building a Better Bismarck Through Diversity, July 21, Bismarck
The second of a series of Mayor’s Town Hall Meetings on diversity issues in the Bismarck community entitled, “Within Our Grasp: Building a Better Bismarck Through Diversity,” will be held on Wednesday, July 21, 2004, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. at the Best Western Doublewood Inn, 1400 E. Interchange Avenue, Bismarck.
This Meeting will focus on Race and National Origin Discrimination in Bismarck and build upon the Mayor’s Town Hall Meeting held in April.
Attendance is free but advance registration is required to ensure adequate seating and materials.
Additional meeting and registration information is available here.
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20.) Contact the NDHRC if You Have Experienced Discrimination in ND
Have you experienced discrimination in North Dakota?
Do you know someone who has experienced discrimination in North Dakota?
Please call the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition!
Please forward freely!
The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition is currently interviewing people in North Dakota who have experienced discrimination to document those experiences.
Our focus is on discrimination involving:
We encourage individuals who have experienced discrimination to allow us to document those experiences to present before the North Dakota Legislature to provide information on:
If you have experienced discrimination, if you know someone who has experienced discrimination, or if your organization has members who have experienced discrimination, please contact Michael Brown, summer intern for the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition.
Thank you,
Michael Brown North Dakota Human Rights Coalition P.O. Box 1961 Fargo, ND 58107-1961 (701) 232-2554
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21.) 2004 Training-of-Trainers Workshop: Human Rights as a Tool for Organizing, July 28 – August 1, Fargo
Date: Wednesday July 28th thru Sunday August 1st Location: Cultural Diversity Resources, Human Rights Center, 303 Roberts Street, Fargo, ND
Who should apply: Educators, students, community organizers, social activists, or those engaged in human rights training in the United States. A particular interest exists for the participation of minorities and refugee/Immigrants.
Workshop goals: To practice deep listening and understanding of diverse perspectives and experiences with regard to the role organizing plays in our life and work
To share effective techniques and processes for building healthy communities and alliances for organizing
To enhance understanding about methodologies used in human rights education
To expose the diverse ways human rights education is occurring in the United States
To explore the connection between human rights education and community organizing theory and practices
To expand knowledge of human rights framework, concepts, theory, and practice
To share human rights education, and organizing, materials and strategies for training and advocacy
To explore effective practices for facilitating conflicts
To increase the network of qualified human rights trainers in the United States
Most people in the United States don’t understand that human rights apply to them. Human rights education facilitates social change organizing through action-oriented sharing that is connected to and built upon people’s everyday lives. Human rights education encourages people to frame injustices as human rights violations. From many struggles, human rights education can help us build ONE MOVEMENT.
For more information and an application contact Tai Leathers at Cultural Diversity Resources, (701) 526-3000.
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22.) 2004 North Dakota Immigrant Access Forum, August 5, Fargo
Date: Thursday, August 5, 2004
Location: Holiday Inn, 3803 13th Avenue South, Fargo, North Dakota
Sponsors: Lutheran Social Services, Center for New Americans; North Dakota Department of Public Instruction; North Dakota Department of Human Services; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Services; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Federal and State speakers will discuss: 1. The rights of immigrants to access Federally subsidized services and programs 2. The protections afforded immigrants under Federal civil rights laws pertaining to employment/labor; TANF; HIPAA; food assistance; Medicaid; INS issues; education; housing limited English proficiency; and Medicare/prescription drug program.
Expected participants: Social service and health care providers, immigrant advocates, and beneficiaries.
Contact information: For questions contact Anna Spradlin (1-800-368-1019 or 1-303-844-7902 or anna.spradlin@hhs.gov) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights.
Cost: Estimated cost $25, CEU’s pending, and brochures forthcoming
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23.) Save the Date – North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Conference, November 5 & 6, 2004, Bismarck
!!! SAVE THE DATE !!! Friday, November 5 & Saturday, November 6, 2004 North Dakota Human Rights Coalition 2nd Annual Conference“Human Rights: The Economic Impact of Discrimination”
Location: Best Western Ramkota Hotel 800 South Third Street Bismarck, ND 58504
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***Member Reminder*** Please keep us in mind for your group or church social action/social justice meetings! We’d be happy to provide a presentation at a meeting or provide newsletter articles for your organizations.
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Do you have a Program, Announcement, Update or Resource that you would like shared on our weekly PAUR report? If so, please send an email to AndreaDeegan@NDHRC.org and we will do our best to accommodate you.
If you are not yet a member of NDHRC, what are you waiting for? Sign up now! The membership form is available on line at http://ndhrc.org/membership_form_revised.htm.
Not getting the PAUR Report directly in your email? It's so easy to be added to the PAUR mailing list! Email HumanRights@NDHRC.org.
If you have received this email in error, or would like to be removed From the PAUR Report mailing list, please send an email to AndreaDeegan@NDHRC.org for immediate assistance.
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