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
February 12, 2004
Hello members and friends of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition!
In this week’s PAUR Report:
Announcements 1) Press Release: Bismarck Town Hall Meeting on Diversity Scheduled 2) Press Release: AMericorps Grant Funds Are Available 3) Dakota Resource Council Seeking Full-time Bismarck Organizer
Newspaper Articles 4) Grand Forks Herald, UND: Kupchella calls for better student sportsmanship 5) Grand Forks Herald, Dorreen Yellow Bird: Stop poor sportsmanship before it turns ugly 6) Bismark Tribune, United Tribes funding is missing from budget again 7) Bismarck Tribune, College upset with budget cut 8) The Forum (Fargo), Refugee programs to share director 9) The Forum (Fargo), The sacred Wednesday night: Schools, clubs stay clear, but will it last?
Events 10) Media Advocacy Training, Free Workshop, February 28th, Moorhead
Reminders 11) North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Annual Report for 2002 and 2003 available on NDHRC web site 12) Tri-College NEW (National Education for Women) Leadership Development Institute, May 23 – 27, 2004, Moorhead 13) Nonviolent Action in the 20th Century, February 1, 18, 15 & 22, Moorhead, MN 14) Knowing & Understanding Your Rights is the First Step in Receiving Equal Rights 15) National Fair Housing Alliance’s 2004 Poster Competition 16) Conference Registration and Information Available for the 3rd Annual Building Racially Inclusive Communities Conference, May 6-8, Fargo 17) Black History Month at NDSU 18) Celebration of Women Concert, February 21, Fargo 19) Cultural Diversity Resources, Human Rights Resource Center, Human Rights Movie Night, February 20th, Moorhead, MN 20) Cultural Diversity Resources, Human Rights Book Club, Monthly Discussions 21) YWCA (Fargo) Women of the Year 2004 Nominations Being Accepted 22) UND (Grand Forks) Forums Focus on American Indian Experience 23) AARP North Dakota, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Public Meetings, January and February, Statewide 24) Principles of Community Organizing Training, April 24-27, 2004, Fargo 25) Sisters of the Presentation at Sacred Heart Convent Presents “Peace Studies” 2003 Series (Various Locations in ND and MN)
********************************************* Announcements *********************************************
1.) Press Release: Bismarck Town Hall Meeting on Diversity Scheduled
NEWS RELEASE February 4, 2004 For more information contactRose Stoller, ChairMayor’s Committee on Human Relations222-1634 Bismarck Town Hall Meeting on Diversity Scheduled
The first in a series of Town Hall Meetings to advance diversity will be held in Bismarck on April 6, 2004 at the Radisson Hotel, 605 E. Broadway Ave. The Mayor’s Committee on Human Relations and the North Dakota Fair Housing Council will be hosting the meeting entitled, “Within Our Grasp: Building a Better Bismarck through Diversity.” The meeting will focus on race, national origin and religious discrimination.
“This event will raise awareness and educate people in Bismarck about discrimination,” said Rose Stoller, chair of the Mayor’s Committee on Human Relations. “Bismarck is changing, and all of us need to learn how to make it change for the better,” Stoller said.
The event begins at 6 p.m. with a social. Bismarck Mayor John Warford will welcome participants to the meeting which includes speakers and discussions on overcoming discrimination, people who work to make Bismarck more diverse, common misconceptions of the Muslim and Jewish faiths, and post 9/11 discrimination. The audience will have an opportunity to participate. The evening will close with an event sponsored by the United Tribes Technical College.
Bismarck Mayor John Warford said the Town Hall Meeting is a chance for Bismarck residents to learn about other cultures. “Diversity is a sign of a healthy city,” Warford said. “This Town Hall Meeting gives Bismarck the opportunity to welcome other cultures that help our city grow stronger.”
The mission of the Mayor’s Committee on Human Relations is to protect and promote the personal dignity of all Bismarck citizens and eliminate any discriminatory barriers that prevent them from reaching their full human potential. The Committee seeks to make education and compliance a meaningful and visible strategy as it works to recognize the value of a diverse community. More information on the Committee can be found online at www.ndfhc.org/HRC.htm
Endorsers for the event are still being sought. No financial commitment is necessary; endorsers need only acknowledge their support of the event and commitment to advancing diversity. Current endorsers include: American Association of University Women-North Dakota; Dakota Center for Independent Living; Ghandi Peace Network; International Club; League of Women Voters of Bismarck-Mandan; Mental Health Association in North Dakota; North Dakota Association of School Psychologists; North Dakota Human Rights Coalition; North Dakota Progressive Coalition; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); Protection & Advocacy Project; Ruth Meiers Hospitality House; United Tribes Technical College and the Universal Unitarian Church of Bismarck.
There will be no charge for this event, but registration will be required. A finalized agenda with registration materials will be available later in February. More Town Hall Meetings are planned for the future.
The mission of the North Dakota Fair Housing Council is to provide support, encouragement and assistance to those seeking equal opportunity in housing.
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2.) Press Release: AMericorps Grant Funds Are Available
For immediate release Contact: Cheryll McDowall, AmeriCorps Program Officer Department of Commerce 701-328-7263
The Workforce Development Council – State Commission on National and Community Service will be accepting proposals for AmeriCorps projects in North Dakota through April 30, 2004, for the 2004-2005 program year.
AmeriCorps members provide community services such as tutoring school children or immigrants, restoring natural habitat, mentoring at-risk youth, engaging in public education and advocacy, assisting with disaster preparedness.
Projects are designed to involve groups of AmeriCorps members, either all working at one site, such as a literacy center, or at multiple sites around the state, such as homeless shelters or schools. Priority will be given to programs involving at least 10 AmeriCorps members and/or consisting of a number of community partners and organizations. An additional five (5) points will be awarded to programs proposing to serve rural areas of 2500 people or less, or an Indian reservation.
Sometimes called a domestic Peace Corps, AmeriCorps is a national service program that helps communities addresses their toughest challenges in the areas of education, the environment, public safety, human needs, and homeland security. Grants offer benefits to the sponsoring agency, the members, and the communities they serve.
Eligible applicants include nonprofit and faith-based organizations, local and state government entities, Indian tribes, school and police districts, institutions of higher education, and partnerships among any of the above.
People of all ages and backgrounds are given incentives to provide service through their sponsoring agency. Members receive a living allowance, training, work experience, and an education award of $4,725 to help pay for college tuition or to repay student loans. Members may provide service either full-time or part-time.
The North Dakota Workforce Development Council - State Commission on National and Community Service reserves the right to make no award. All awards will be subject to availability of member slots and funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
A Notice of Intent to Apply should be submitted to the Department of Commerce by April 2, 2004, 4:00 p.m. CST: State Commission on National and Community Service, 1600 East Century Avenue, Suite 2, Bismarck, ND 58502-2057.
The deadline for applications is April 30, 2004, 4:00 p.m. CST at the Department of Commerce. The application is available on the Department of Commerce website: www.ndcommerce.com under Workforce Development. Hard copies can be requested by calling 701-328-7263, or emailing cmcdowall@state.nd.us.
AmeriCorps*State 2004 grant guidelines can be obtained through the national website at www.nationalservice.org.
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3.) Dakota Resource Council Seeking Full-time Bismarck Organizer
Dakota Resource Council is seeking a full-time organizer in Bismarck, ND to work with its local affiliate, the Missouri Valley Resource Council, and energy issues.
Contact Aleta Hendricks, Dakota Resource Council, Dickinson, ND at 701-483-2851 to get a copy of the DRC Bismarck Ogranizer job description / application information.
********************************************* Newspaper Articles *********************************************
4.) Grand Forks Herald, UND: Kupchella calls for better student sportsmanship
UND: Kupchella calls for
better student sportsmanship Grand Fork Herald – 2/2/2004
UND President Charles Kupchella again is asking students to clean up their act at school sporting events, both home and away. However, this time, there's more force behind his words.
"We've had earlier calls to end this, but they've had little effect," Kupchella said.
Kupchella met Sunday with the school's Student Senate, imploring its help in correcting the situation, which he says, is not unique to UND, but far too common at the school to leave unchecked.
He handed out a collection of eight letters he'd received in the span of a month from opposing fans who had attended recent UND games, including one from a University of Northern Alabama supporter, a school that lost to UND in a football playoff game at the Alerus Center.
<snip>
Kupchella paused for a few moments at Sunday's meetings, letting student senators read and reflect on the letters. Then, he said it's such words and phrases in the letters as "racial slurs," "obscene gestures" and "lack of class by UND fans" that really hurts him.
"What we're allowing to happen here is that some folks without much class have been able to get into certain leadership positions, and that makes it look like we all have no class."
<snip>
View full article here
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5.) Grand Forks Herald, Dorreen Yellow Bird: Stop poor sportsmanship before it turns ugly
DORREEN YELLOW BIRD: Stop poor sportsmanship before it turns ugly Grand Forks Herald – 2/7/2004
When UND President Charles Kupchella asked students to clean up their acts at sports events, the editor of the Dakota Student newspaper, Brenden Timpe, noted that poor sportsmanship "seems to be something that happens everywhere."
There is, however, a vast difference in the "everywhere." How much difference is there between a UND fan and national fan? From what I've gleaned from national media, quite a bit.
<snip>
Chuck Korr, a professor and sports historian at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, said that once you legitimize fans acting ridiculous and crude - something that has been going on for the last 10 years or so - you tell them this is your team, and we're in this together. The next natural step is, "Wait a minute, they didn't win it. I won it, and I'm going on the field to show how important I am."
If anything, these incidents of poor sportsmanship turning into violence seem to be on the rise. At some colleges and universities, classless and off-the-wall actions of fans are commonplace because officials give these fans "a wink and a nod." It's all about winning or losing, not how you play the game.
One media observer called the growing out-of-control kind of fans in sports arenas and stadiums the "jackassing of America." That seems to fit.
So, President Kupchella's call for better student sportsmanship shows he is a smart man who is aware of the trend and trying to head it off. Racial slurs, obscene gestures and the classless acts could escalate into something life-threatening.
Yet, I can't help thinking that when the state Board of Higher Education ruled to keep the "Fighting Sioux" mascot and logo, they also opened the door for disrespect at sporting events - disrespect such as racial slurs and obscene jeers. After all, it was disrespectful (and certainly not a show of honor) to ignore the requests of all the tribes in North Dakota and South Dakota that their name not be used as a nickname.
Do as I say, not as I do, seems to be what is happening.
View full article here
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6.) Bismark Tribune, United Tribes funding is missing from budget again
United Tribes funding is missing from budget again By Mark Hanson Bismarck Tribune – 2/3/2004
Just like the nightmare lived out on Feb. 2 by actor Bill Murray in the 1993 movie "Groundhog Day," United Tribes Technical College was once again left out of President Bush's proposed budget for fiscal year 2005 -- which was released on Groundhog Day. It's the third straight year UTTC has been cut from the budget.
But if UTTC is to offer its full slate of courses next school year, it will need to relive the "Groundhog Day" problem of having the same thing happen over and over. In this case it would be getting the $3 million in federal funding reinstated, which it has been successful in doing the past two years.
"We'll have to work very hard to get it restored again," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D.
The battle this time around may be a bit tougher because of a growing budget deficit, but Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said having a seat on the Interior Appropriations Committee, which provides the UTTC funding, will help.
"It's disappointing because (the Interior Department) knows better than that," Dorgan said. "By all evidence that's been a very successful college for American Indians."
<snip>
View online article here
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7.) Bismarck Tribune, College upset with budget cut
College upset with budget cut By Mark Hanson Bismarck Tribune – 2/4/2004
Word out of Washington Monday that President Bush's proposed budget for fiscal year 2005 did not include $3 million in funding for United Tribes Technical College for the third straight year was upsetting, said UTTC president David Gipp.
"We're dismayed, but we certainly have no intention of closing or anything like that," he said. "Our enrollment continues to increase and we have a high demand to continue what we've been doing for 35 years."
UTTC was left out of the budget the past two years, but the money was eventually restored through congressional action. Gipp said the battle is on again to have the money put back into the budget.
In an effort to avoid this problem, UTTC has provided information to Washington about the college's mission and successes. And in 2002 both the head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Secretary of Interior Gail Norton visited the UTTC campus in Bismarck.
It had no effect on this year's proposed budget, though.
"They give no explanation," Gipp said. "I believe they think we don't matter. They see us an easy target for elimination. I'm convinced that Gail Norton and her people at Interior don't care about the future of American Indian people and their families."
<snip>
View full article here
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8.) The Forum (Fargo), Refugee programs to share director
Refugee programs to share director
Faced with dwindling refugee numbers and less available funding, North Dakota and South Dakota refugee resettlement programs have decided to share a director.
“This just makes sense right now,” said Kathy Thoreson, former director of North Dakota’s Center for New Americans, run by Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota.
Donna Magnuson, who technically took over both refugee programs on Jan. 15, said she plans to evenly split her time directing the two programs.
“I’m a pretty hands-on manager,” said Magnuson in a cell-phone interview as she drove from Fargo to Sioux Falls, S.D.
While the programs will have the same director and many of the same features, they will remain independent of one another, Thoreson said.
At the same time, the two programs’ staffs will likely interact more and have more opportunities to learn from each other, she said.
<snip>
View online article here
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9.) The Forum (Fargo), The sacred Wednesday night: Schools, clubs stay clear, but will it last?
Comments from Cheryl Bergian, Director for the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition, are included in the following article.
The sacred
Wednesday night: Schools, clubs stay clear, but will it last?
Brenda Sokolofsky spoke up when she felt one of the area’s unwritten policies was being broken:
Her 8-year-old daughter, Johnee, was expected to attend a special practice of the F-M Acro Team on a recent Wednesday night -- the same night she had a weekly religion class.
If Johnee missed practice, she was told, she couldn’t participate in a performance the following evening.
In the end, Johnee didn’t need to choose.
Her mother and club officials worked out an agreement in which Johnee attended practice and her religion class was rescheduled.
Still, the scenario highlights a growing dilemma facing schools, clubs and churches: Should Wednesday night be reserved for religion?
<snip>
View full article here
********************************************* Events *********************************************
10.) Media Advocacy Training, Free Workshop, February 28th, Moorhead
Media
Advocacy Training
W H E N:
Saturday, Feb 28th
********************************************* *********************************************
11.) North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Annual Reports for 2002 and 2003 available on NDHRC web site
View the 2002 report here
View the 2003 report
here
12.) Tri-College NEW (National Education for Women) Leadership Development Institute, May 23 – 27, 2004, Moorhead
The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition has been participating in the planning meetings for this event. One of the goals of the Coalition is to increase the diversity of representation in state and local government in North Dakota, including increasing the number of women, people of color, people with disabilities, and openly gay people.
Are you interested in developing public leadership skills? Or do you know of a woman who you would encourage to explore public leadership?
The Tri-College NEW (National Education for Women) Leadership Development Institute will be held on May 23 - 27, 2004 at Minnesota State University Moorhead, in Moorhead, Minnesota. The institute is an intensive five-day residential program designed to teach participants about the diversity of women's participation in politics, connect participants with women leaders, and cultivate participants' leadership skills.
Approximately 40 women will be selected to participate at no cost to the participant. Any woman who is interested in politics, leadership, public service, or community service, and has a desire to develop her own leadership skills are encouraged to apply. Both college students and non-students will be accepted; you do not need to be in college or involved in formal political roles, or consider yourself a leader now, to be considered.
More information and an application form is available at http://appserv.mnstate.edu/whitede/conference/. Applications will be accepted until March 15, 2004.
Please forward freely.
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13.) Nonviolent Action in the 20th Century, February 1, 18, 15 & 22, Moorhead, MN
The 20th
century saw the bloodiest conflicts in human history and the development of the
technology to obliterate the human race. But the past century also saw an
emergence of nonviolent movements as well. A number of these movements were
documented in 2000 in a video series entitled ³A Force More Powerful² and its
companion book of the same name. In this course we will watch the series and
discuss the issues raised. Time permitting we will also discuss the future of
nonviolence and obstacles that such movements face in gaining wider acceptance.
For more information visit http://www.cord.edu/dept/fmcomm/classes.html.
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14.) Knowing & Understanding Your Rights is the First Step in Receiving Equal Rights
Learn how to attain your rights
1st Thursday of Each month
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
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North Dakota Human Rights Coalition P.O. Box 1961 Fargo, North Dakota 58107-1961 Phone: (701) 239-9323 Fax: (701) 478-4452 Email: humanrights@ndhrc.org
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