CID YOUTH INITIATIVE
The Youth Initiative of the Coalition for Inclusion & Diversity is collaboration between youth, adult volunteers and local organizations that provides learning and leadership opportunities to the community around issues of diversity and inclusion. A broad spectrum of community partners have worked alongside youth since 2006 to promote respect for differences and a more inclusive community. See photos in our photo gallery
>Learn more about Unity Days 2009.
Volunteers are needed to help coordinate, support, and promote Unity Days in each high school in Sarasota County in the 2008-2009 school year!
Accomplishments:
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Youth have founded diversity clubs and hosted 7 day-long “Unity Days” at their schools, reaching over 300. The goal of Unity Days is to create safer schools by effecting changes in student and staff knowledge, skills, relationships and personal behavior relating to diversity, interpersonal skills and character development. This is accomplished through activities that are hands-on and experiential and incorporate reading, dialogue, art, music, and physical activities. Not only are participants affected, but they in turn affect many others throughout the school. (2007-2008)
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Raised over $7,000 to send 9 high school students to the nationally celebrated Anytown, a 5-day residential diversity awareness and leadership program created by Community Tampa Bay. (2007)
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Convened hundreds of Sarasota County residents at community forums to discuss issues of diversity, youth programming, violence in the community and positive solutions. Partners in these forums have included SCOPE, the United Way, several faith-based groups, youth organizations, a GLBTQ advocacy organization, student groups from local high schools, The Southwest Florida Peace and Justice Coalition and the School Board of Sarasota County (2008-2009).
Contact: Stephen Warne, (941) 951-2576, [email protected]
DIVERSITY DIRECTORY
The CID is developing a directory of different groups, clubs and organizations in our community that work to foster an inclusive community that values diversity. Diversity-focused nonprofits, agencies, clubs, associations, etc. are encouraged to participate. By publishing the directory, the CID intends to connect diversity-focused efforts in our community and provide access to residents.
Download the Directory
Contact: If your organization would like to be included in the Directory, contact April Doner at SCOPE at [email protected].
COMMUNITY FORUMS
Youth, Diversity and Positive Solutions - October 2009
On Thursday October 8th, 2009, the CID co-hosted a citizen’s initiative to find positive solutions to racism, discrimination, and violence in our society. The event was co-sponsored by The Southwest Florida Coalition for Peace and Justice (www.swfcpj.org/).
A continuation of the 'Sarasota Cares' Forum held on June 25, 2009, this forum focused on open discussions among audience and community members, allowing us to enhance the efforts and approaches that are already underway in Sarasota County. We welcomed a panel of community leaders including Susan Chapman, speaking on Citizens Oversight; Jim Delgado, discussing immigrant rights and the migrant experience; Jennifer Mainey will talk about the importance of diversity training in the schools and we were pleased to welcome a special panel of youth discussing their views on positive solutions to violence and diversity.
Moderators Alexandra Coe, Augie Schmitz and Cody Hart hosted the event. Opening remarks were given by Joyce Raby, Congressional District 13 representative of The Peace Alliance, on county wide efforts to increase non violence and diversity support in our community.
Youth, Violence and Diversity – June, 2009
On June 25, 2009 the CID co-hosted the forum Sarasota Cares—a public forum on diversity, positive change, and violence prevention.
The speakers addressed what they are doing now and in the future to prevent violence and focused on how Sarasota is making positive changes to introduce diversity into various aspects of our community. The latter half of the forum was dedicated to community members' questions, comments and suggestions.
The speakers for the forum included: Mayor Dick Clapp, who gave the welcome address, Lt. Tim Enos, Sarasota Sheriff’s Office, Rachel Wasserman, Sarasota Military Academy, Pam Donehew, Sarasota Military Academy, Capt. Lucius Bonner, Sarasota Police Department, April Barnwell, community member and CID member, and Chris Cale, Vice Principal of Sarasota High School. Cody Hart moderated.
Youth and Diversity – January 2008
On January 27 from 2-4:30 pm, the CID hosted an intergenerational conversation on the subject of youth and diversity. The program featured a panel including Ed James Jr., Charles McKenzie, Jim Delgado, Michael Shelton and Jennifer Mainey; breakout groups for community participation in the following areas: Immigration, Inter-faith, Race Relations, GLBTQ, Disabilities, Schools, and Media as a Bridge.
Community Forum on Hate Crimes – October 2007
The Coalition for Inclusion & Diversity convened 200 community members on Sunday, October 21, 2007 to address the question, "How can our community prevent and respond to hate crimes?" The program included stories from a family affected by a recent hate crime, an expert speaker on hate crimes from the Anti-Defamation League and a panel with representatives from local media and law enforcement. Topic conversations sparked ideas for taking action to prevent and respond to hate crimes. The CID also collected over 50 letters of support for the family victimized by the July 6 arson and vandalism hate crime.
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