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Positive Alternatives Coalition - Intercultural Leadership Initiative
Community Wide Prevention Dinner Meeting #1
January 16, 2007
Lac du Flambeau Multi-Purpose Building

Initial Summary

We had a wonderful turnout for this meeting, the first of a series of community meetings that are being held to bring us together as we search for ways to find solutions to ensure the health and well-being of all of our area youth. We had nearly 90 people show up, mostly from Lac du Flambeau, but many from other communities as well. An incredible traditional meal of venison, wild rice, fry bread and fish was served. We would like to thank all of the people in Lac du Flambeau for their hospitality-chi miigwetch.
 
Many good things happened at the meeting. There were also some things that did not go as well. This is a living, breathing process. We will make mistakes and, if we truly honor one another, we will help each other learn how to do things better. Communication. Cultural sensitivity. Understanding frustration. We had some rocky moments but many good things came out of the meeting. Nick Hockings sent us an email that he said we could share if it would help and his words are a good way of sharing part of what happened last night.
 
“An Open Letter to Bob Kovar,
            It must be said that the first meeting that what you envisioned between residents from other communities and Lac du Flambeau tribal members was a success on a couple of levels.  The first being that another meeting was agreed on; the date and place to be announced.  The second success was that I believe, Bob, that you realized there is another worldview present here in the Northwoods.
            This worldview I’m referring to is the worldview of the LdF Anishinaabeg.:
Worldview
All cultures provide a cognitive orientation toward a world in which man is compelled to act.  A culturally constituted worldview is created which, by means of beliefs, available knowledge and language, mediated personal adjustment to the world through such psychological processes as perceiving, recognizing, conceiving, judging, and reasoning…which, intimately associated with a normative orientation, becomes the basis for reflection, decision, and action…and a foundation provided for a consensus with respect to goals and values.”
 Written be Irving Hallowell,  ethnographer of the Ojibwe, 1963
 
             Lac du Flambeau Anishinaabeg believe we have a different, unique way of experiencing the world.  If some Anishinaabeg think they are like everyone else, they should be reminded to read the Constitution of the United States.  It clearly defines us as a separate nation. A nation is comprised of people.  Our ancestors did not ask for this unique distinction, nevertheless, it happened. Interestingly, I cannot recall of any Anishinaabeg involved in writing that document.   Most of us, one way or another, have had to adjust ourselves to the present reality we live in.
            So here we are, some years in the future, living on a part of our ancestral lands still trying one way or another to adjust.  Trying to adjust was no doubt, extremely difficult for our ancestors, because as we know, their adjusting was forced on them.  Our adjusting to this new reality was helped along a little bit in 1978 when the Native American Freedom of Religion Act was passed. I can’t help but wonder, why in the world do we have to adjust, and to what?
            As Anishinaabeg we have always understood our relationship to all of creation, even to those relatives that expect us to adjust to something else.
            Bob, you said that “life wasn’t fair and that we should look for common ground for the benefit and well-being of our children.”  I agree and I believe most Anishinaabeg would believe that also.  It’s that “life isn’t fair” part that I have trouble with.  Does that mean, “don’t bring up the past, don’t fight the status quo, learn how to live with it”! (Racism?)   Remember, Bob, in our culture, long before the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, we had the freedom to speak our minds, if something was wrong or perceived to be wrong, someone said so.  Everyone was given an equal opportunity to say the things that they felt needed to be said.
            No need to expand on how ILI set up the groups and questions.
            Bob, “the king doesn’t have any clothes on!”  No matter how you approach issues of injustice, inequality, discrimination, or cultural conflict, after everything is said and done, the bottom line will be racism, pure and simple.
            There may be some people that have accepted “life isn’t fair”, but what’s at issue here isn’t one person, or one family that has dealt with that problem and overcome it, we’re dealing with all the people.  And even if only one person has to experience racism, that’s one too many!
            A possible solution: Find the source, then educate.  That, of course, is easier said than done.  I can only guarantee that once the problem is identified, at least there will be a sigh of relief.  The hard part now begins.  Possible places to look – home, work, grade schools, high schools, churches, just about anywhere two people bump into one another.  Racism and racist attitudes have to be made into something not acceptable.  We need to be persistent in making the media cooperate!  The greatest asset to a solution will be the youth.  But they must be taught and taught with as much respect and understanding as possible, and this teaching must go on for as long as it takes.  Remember, it has taken this country over 500 years to have internalized this disease, so don’t expect things to change overnight!
            It is absurd to believe that all Europeans are racist.  Most of the people that moved into the Lakeland area would welcome an attempt to get involved one way or another in this problem.  In the twenty years I have been involved in this problem, I’ve come to realize that only when the people work together on an identified common goal, will progress start to happen. Determination, longevity and will, are some key components to solving this problem.           
            There will always be those who say, we can never find a solution to this problem; I concur, certainly not in our lifetime.  That’s hardly the point!  We start the journey, and, if we lay the foundation well enough in the beginning those individuals who follow, should realize the importance of the situation and will keep rolling the ball forward.  It might even take (7) seven generations.  The unique properties to this idea are that everyone benefits from the very beginning and each generation thereafter gets better and healthier.
            In closing, I’d like to say that, “Bob, you didn’t fail!”  What you started took a lot of courage and your vision about the Northwoods may have gone through a metamorphosis of sorts.  All great leaders and ideals have gone through “troubled waters” and have kept on going.  I don’t believe that the fuzzy caterpillar knows that when he weaves himself into a small cocoon that in a few weeks he will come out a beautiful butterfly.  Life is full of mysteries and challenges; however, the bigger the challenge, the greater the reward.  Your challenge has been described as the greatest challenge of the 19th  , 20th , and 21st century.  Asking for help is what leadership is all about, and following the course of a well-defined plan is something that a unified, diverse, mature group of individuals can do.
 
With respect,
Nick Hockings”
 
There were some folks who did not like the structure of last night’s meeting (breaking into small groups, pre-determined questions to discuss). In the invite (over 1000 emails) we had asked people to send us their questions- we received only 1 question and 1 comment. Despite our best intentions some helped us understand we were culturally insensitive and for that I apologized to the group. We need to honor different world views as Nick says. That requires humility, understanding and compassion. Its there, we need to let it grow, nourish it. Others let us know that the format for last night’s meeting worked good for them. With more help and better communication we can do better next time to make sure we honor everyone who comes. It may take some work and we ask for your patience and help. We may not all agree on everything, that is how consensus develops. Lets not give up on one another, our kids need strong, positive role models. Last night has given us the beginnings of something very powerful if we can maintain our focus on the children and a positive approach. Miigwetch Nick for your words.
 
Nancy Livingston’s office (UW Extension) is taking all that was written down last night and will be compiling all of that for us to give back to you. We are hoping to do all this within a week or so. We’ll try and put it together so its easy to see what we were thinking collectively last night. Where we go with it will be up to the group at the next meeting.
 
Lynn Bartling of Northwoods Restorative Justice offered last night to host the next meeting in Minocqua. We are trying to set the date and time for the next meeting, tentatively March 8. There is a group of LUHS ILI students who are working on a dramatic performance that has sprung out of their collective urge to create something positive as a result of the lock down. How would folks feel about letting the youth guide us through our next meeting through their performance? Its one idea we thought of as we processed today. Please send us your ideas, suggestions, etc (email, phone, snail mail, come on in!) for the meeting so we can start planning.

Bob Kovar, Project Director
Intercultural Leadership Initiative
Positive Alternatives Coalition
 
Meeting Notes

We have pulled together all of the information we could get our hands on from the meeting in Lac du Flambeau. Included are the comments that were written down on the bigger pieces of paper we had on the wall at the meeting, as well as handwritten notes from each group and other notes people left us or left behind for us. We also received some notes via email that we included from some folks that took the time to organize their group’s ideas and comments in a very thoughtful manner (thank you!). If you don’t see your thoughts or ideas represented here please let us know and we will add them-the idea is to have all our voices heard. So there are a lot of ideas and things to talk about, a great beginning to a difficult process. Together we can do this and if it keeps coming from our hearts, with respect and understanding of our differences, good things should come.
 
We would like to set a date for the next meeting to continue this discussion. We proposed March 8 and at the last meeting Lynn Bartling from Restorative Justice offered to host the meeting. How do we work together to decide the agenda and structure of this meeting? What about the idea of letting LUHS youth perform their dramatic skit as a beginning and then follow that with discussion? We’re open to any ideas, we just want to make sure we keep this going-lots of good stuff to be talking about! Please keep in touch.

Large Sheets On Wall Notes Taken During Meeting:

Question # 1: What do we need to do as a community to ensure all of our youth have a sense of belonging and feel valued for who they are?
  •          The Ojibwe class in LUHS  should be expanded
  •          Envision Peace
  •          Come together – Share traditions
  •          State issues
  •          Home life is critical
  •          Leadership
  •          Response to issues
  •          Get questions out to people
  •          Help learn respect
  •          Self-respect
  •          Truth
  •          Adults lead by example
  •          Education
  •          Bring school districts together
  •          Community – wide transportation
  •          “Art Show”-use the arts to bring people together
  •          Summer camp
  •          talk about issues
  •          teaching culture better
  •          let people develop questions and/or concerns
  •          listen twice, talk once
  •          look @ prejudices and fears
  •          stand up for what’s right
  •          no tolerance for kids being damaged
  •          insure that every young person has one person
  •          service learning – elders*
  •          support better home lives
  •          The same focus on academics at LdF school as there is for athletics.
 
Question #2 What are the barriers?
  •          Fear of healing – admit that we need healing
  •          Racism/prejudice
  •          Fear of another tradition known
  •          Ability to be self determined – taken away
  •          People don’t listen/don’t walk their talk
  •          Not enough participation *parent group
  •          Possible standardized expectations in schools – level playing field
  •          Different world views
  •          Alcohol – drugs
  •          Trust – respect – lack
  •          Material difference
  •          Parents
  •          Ignorance
  •          Young parents
  •          Lack of safe places to hang out
 
Emailed Notes Received:

Question #1 What do we need to do as a community to ensure all of our youth have a sense of belonging and feel valued for who they are?
  •          We need to be healed ourselves - of racism, sexual abuse, criticism, alcoholism, gossip, violence
  •          We need to learn how to heal among so many with diverse belief systems
  •          Kids learn what they hear.  What are we telling them with our words and with our actions?
  •          We need to see the healing of fractions and divisions within our own organization
  •          Understand that many of us Anishinaabeg were brought up under the culture of those from the boarding school era - and were taught to not trust, not talk, and not feel. This pattern needs to be broken and we need to step out of this pattern into a place where we can envision peace
  •          We all need to learn to listen twice and talk once
  •          In healing, we learn to pull things out from the inside; we understand ourselves and heal a damaging sense of self – worth
  •          In healing, we should identify many different methodologies and honor our healing ceremonies, healing prayers, healing sweat lodges
  •          We are all healers-Our respect and honor for one another comes from the heart
  •          We can go beyond the golden Rule to say "Do unto others MORE than you would do for yourself.
  •          Our prayer should start from perfection - the Creator created us perfect in the physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual realm
  •          The two additional gifts given to women  should be recognized  : the special gifts of being able to give birth and their monthly cycle
  •          We need to find ways to come together with all different cultures - celebrating diversity and seeing everyone as part of a whole and healthy community.  (This could be done in a large cookout - each group coming to share their traditions.)
  •          HOPE – (honoring our people's endurance)
  •        A weekly group that has been meeting, formed out of the concern of the LdF community members due to the significant loss of our community members – especially our youth and young adults – due to alcohol and drug abuse; the groups’ focus is to take a positive non-blaming approach in offering to LdF community alternatives to activities and memorial activities to those we have lost; and to provide support, healing and education to those directly affected.  All are welcome who are interested in supporting this effort to heal our community and mentor our youth.
 
 Question #2 What are the barriers to healing?
  •          Handling fear - of sharing ideas and solutions with others because of past judgments and of past consequences; of risk –taking
  •          Remove the impositions put on us -- for instance when our ability to choose to teach our children OUR language is taken away and our children have to learn the state-required languages like German; Actions like this take away our ability to be self -determined.
  •          We need to find out about our own roots and its innate honor.
  •          Understand that to lose a culture, our roots, and people feel separated.  The remedy is in reclaiming our roots.
  •          Sometimes the fear is TO be healed, because in healing, one often times has to expose the pain and that can hurt.
  •          We need to come right out and say "This is racism."  We cannot cover this up.
  •          We need to hear from the teens.
  •          Recognize also that many whites are not familiar with their roots or their heritage at all.  Sometimes the children of whites feel rootless.
 
General Hand Written Notes Collected From Meeting
  •          Mentorship
  •          Recruit volunteers
  •          Self-confidence
  •          Self-esteem
  •          The playing field looking at the demands of the school work that’s out on the kids from
  •      less popular schools the things some more, is getting
  •          Take action to understand and stop the bullying behaviors our community tolerates and
  •      engages in.  Label those actions
  •          What are barrier - to level playing field
  •          Standardize education re: elementary, at all grade schools
  •          Standardized education requirements area 4 feeders
  •          Stereo types
  •          Transition to be dealt with “Northwoods”
  •          *Parental involvement* How do you?
  •          Barrier -> negative peer pressure
  •          Lack of education – value educate – take “too much for granted”
  •          *We as adults
  •          Self respect
  •          Start “transition” program @ kindergarten
  •          Sarcasm/bullying, label behavior identify behavior
  •          Grade school levels cultural difference
  •          What are the barriers to action?  Lack of positive adult mentor, fair opportunities, get away from authoritarian diversity
  •          Check out admin., maybe their color is the reason
  •          Trust
  •          Need to be heard my voice is of value
  •          Basic human needs are the same and of some value
  •          Take closer look at personal issues
  •          Kids need to know resources that are available
  •          Minocqua area – limited resources
  •          Where is family?  Listen to children
  •          Stand up and say “it’s not ok!” no tolerance for kids being damaged confront core issues
  •          Low self-esteem needs role models positive healing
  •          Generic dialogue
  •          Q’s How do you approach a person who is angry?
  •          When we begin to say prejudice is not ok
  •          All of our youth
  •          “Choices” they have consequences
  •          Students all have choices
  •          Specific dialog
  •          *Families must make choices to learn to connect with children
  •          Communication
  •          Sports
  •          Art exhibits
  •          Design way to have fun
  •          Hear
  •          Education 5 school district – curriculum, - extra curriculum
  •          districts feeding into
  •          *Verified district – more value in education, - discipline issues
  •          Leadership – must focus on education
  •          To show respect for everyone you cone in contact with
  •          No-cut rule for freedom
  •          Every coach is a teacher
  •          Focus of resources/expectations
  •          Personal prejudice & institution to re-enforce (Wall of Fame)
  •          Barriers – school administration, - line of communication, - participation in the parent
  • group (strengthen)
  •          Racism – personal prejudices & institution(s) that reinforce prejudices
  •          Community – youth or valued – opportunity
  •          Kids need support from an adult
  •          Elder involvement
  •          Kids doing volunteer – youth council
  •          Mentoring program
  •          What do we need to do to ins
  •          Healing – come together to share how we heal, heal before moving forward, how to heal
  • w/diverse belief systems, start w/ individual, heal in your way
  •          Hope – something to look forward to creating for youth bottom line is respect – universal
  •          We are all healers – coming from the heart
  •          Complete – remove things that say we’re not complete
  •          Mental
  •          Physical
  •          Emotional
  •          Spiritual
  •          Relational
  •          Women – 2 more
  •          Birth
  •          Importance of words
  •          Who you are
  •          Where you belong
  •          Big cookout/hangout – scripted – coming together
  •          Barriers – removed from opportunities, - not listening, - individual pain, - fear of others traditions & not knowing your area, - fear of what will happen is you talk, - fear of being healed
  •          Children get around a fire – ILI
  •          Someone to think for you
  •          Creativity is involved
  •          What individuals need – self worth issues?
  •          Anger
  •          Universal respect
  •          We are all healers
  •          There is amazing wisdom in the room – eliminate words
  •          Physical
  •          Social
  •          Spiritual
  •          Moontime – birth
  •          More resilient
  •          Women are to be honored, respected & work together
  •          “Do unto others more than you expect from others to do to you.”
  •          No gossip
  •          No abuse
  •          Spiritual healing process
  •          Find a way to heal from the pair of the past
  •          Racism, violence, sexual abuse
  •          Healing the families/support
  •          Programs are divided
  •          Accept
  •          Find a way to get you out of the old pattern
  •          How to reach the adults to
  •          Get together on some sports issues
  •          Our hope group
  •          The kids don’t get a chance
  •          The kids don’t have to excel in a sport or make the varsity square they should have an opportunity to try out
  •          Get kids transportation for getting to activities
  •          Employment transportation
  •          Better communications
  •          Have community events that include surrounding school districts to be held annually @ each school
  •          Summer Camp program
  •          Fear separates
  •          Love connects included
  •          Barriers safety, income levels, understanding
  •          Competition lose/win
  •          Transportation needs for activities? Sports activities?
  •          Communication (better communications)
  •          Big Brothers/Big Sisters address
  •          Cultural issues – teaching cultural differences
  •          Racism
  •          Plays summer camps
  •          How to approach someone of resentments?
  •          When we hear prejudice – when do we start to ignore it?
  •          Bring people together to work on a project – each feels validated
  •          Roadblocks – there for them, - parents not coming together, - values not taught in home i.e. learned behavior, -empower kids to find solutions, adults, - protect & deliver them
  •          Trust, communicate & feel safe, listen
  •          Adults need to acknowledge everyone’s needs/wants/desires are same – no one’s needs more important
  •          Listen 2x what we talk
  •          Need to not only look at behavior but what is believed “it”
  •          Talk about “it” reference(?) to persons to resources who will listen of fears
  •          Need to take over for kids being damaged, living in pain
  •          Need to recognize signs of their hurting & adults work at self-esteem & act as a role model of caring
  •          We now are raising consciousness & create structure of dialogue & adults need to come to terms of own feelings
  •          Need to all confront our own prejudices and fears & then look at how we present ourselves
  •          We all need to remember that we are fighting a common enemy.  If we allow different things to divide us, then we won’t be able to stand strong. 
 
Questions # 1
  •          Children who feel & think they are different?  How to suggest to them, that they are not alone & to focus on learning how they can learn of positive
  •          Need to talk about how alike we are
  •          Extracurricular –access, - academics, - not connected to coaches
  •          LDF School – too much focus on sports, - focus on academics would be better
  •          Starts at home AODA, parenting, - commitment for parents
  •          # of things for kids to do, Youth Center, - family oriented programs
  •          Parent involvement – volunteering time
  •          High school kids mentor after school elementary
  •          Parents – adults to lead by example, - depending on who you are in the equal treatment, - student participations, - young people and families to plan work together towards goal, - truthful w/ one another -> respectful, - understanding themselves, different, cultures, - teaching history, - provide understanding about who we are as a group, who is a part of it, teach about who we are, - peer pressure, - Respect -> Respect -> Respect, - getting beyond themselves – >elders, - self respect, understanding yourself, - acceptance
 
Questions # 2
  •          Finding another avenue
  •          Use LOTC casino buses to transport students for mentoring/extracurricular
  •          LUHS coaches not playing qualified LdF students.
  •          Different world views – teaching the other better, - how to be able to tell the truth & respect
  •          What they hear at home and around, - media, - stereo types, - reservations->, - k 8 system, -barrier, - ignorance, - lack of cultural education, - testing focus, - exploration -> history, - victim thinking = less than, - lack of social know how
  •          Valued
  •          People separating – safety, - own pain, - fear of others traditions, - self determination, - taken
  •          Away
  •          Teachers, administration & other staff
  •          Support group parenting & better home life - give choices & support young people’s decisions,
  •          Coming needs to support families
  •          Barriers –peer pressure, - trust factor both the parents & young people, - respect, - alcohol &
  •          drugs, - parents are not good role models
  •          Solution
  •          Not enough “not in trouble things to do”
  •          Given our Northwoods community one opportunity to get to know each other
  •          Ensure that every young person has at least 1 adult who is a positive influence who can be a
  •          positive person in their lives
  •          Recruit new community volunteers so there are more positive influences on our young people
  •          Look into the opportunities that already exist that give young people service bearing projects &
  •          connects they w/ elders & connect w/ mentors & them
  •          Self worth opportunities – unfair recruitment -> anything
  •          Self worth & self esteem
 
General Hand Written Notes Collected From Meeting
  •          Mentorship
  •          Recruit volunteers
  •          Self-confidence
  •          Self-esteem
  •          The playing field looking at the demands of the school work that’s out on the kids from
  •      less popular schools the things some more, is getting
  •          Take action to understand and stop the bullying behaviors our community tolerates and
  •      engages in.  Label those actions
  •          What are barrier - to level playing field
  •          Standardize education re: elementary, at all grade schools
  •          Standardized education requirements area 4 feeders
  •          Stereo types
  •          Transition to be dealt with “Northwoods”
  •          *Parental involvement* How do you?
  •          Barrier -> negative peer pressure
  •          Lack of education – value educate – take “too much for granted”
  •          *We as adults
  •          Self respect
  •          Start “transition” program @ kindergarten
  •          Sarcasm/bullying, label behavior identify behavior
  •          Grade school levels cultural difference
  •          What are the barriers to action?  Lack of positive adult mentor, fair opportunities, get away from authoritarian diversity
  •          Check out admin., maybe their color is the reason
  •          Trust
  •          Need to be heard my voice is of value
  •          Basic human needs are the same and of some value
  •          Take closer look at personal issues
  •          Kids need to know resources that are available
  •          Minocqua area – limited resources
  •          Where is family?  Listen to children
  •          Stand up and say “it’s not ok!” no tolerance for kids being damaged confront core issues
  •          Low self-esteem needs role models positive healing
  •          Generic dialogue
  •          Q’s How do you approach a person who is angry?
  •          When we begin to say prejudice is not ok
  •          All of our youth
  •          “Choices” they have consequences
  •          Students all have choices
  •          Specific dialog
  •          *Families must make choices to learn to connect with children
  •          Communication
  •          Sports
  •          Art exhibits
  •          Design way to have fun
  •          Hear
  •          Education 5 school district – curriculum, - extra curriculum
  •          districts feeding into
  •          *Verified district – more value in education, - discipline issues
  •          Leadership – must focus on education
  •          To show respect for everyone you cone in contact with
  •          No-cut rule for freedom
  •          Every coach is a teacher
  •          Focus of resources/expectations
  •          Personal prejudice & institution to re-enforce (Wall of Fame)
  •          Barriers – school administration, - line of communication, - participation in the parent
  • group (strengthen)
  •          Racism – personal prejudices & institution(s) that reinforce prejudices
  •          Community – youth or valued – opportunity
  •          Kids need support from an adult
  •          Elder involvement
  •          Kids doing volunteer – youth council
  •          Mentoring program
  •          What do we need to do to ins
  •          Healing – come together to share how we heal, heal before moving forward, how to heal
  • w/diverse belief systems, start w/ individual, heal in your way
  •          Hope – something to look forward to creating for youth bottom line is respect – universal
  •          We are all healers – coming from the heart
  •          Complete – remove things that say we’re not complete
  •          Mental
  •          Physical
  •          Emotional
  •          Spiritual
  •          Relational
  •          Women – 2 more
  •          Birth
  •          Importance of words
  •          Who you are
  •          Where you belong
  •          Big cookout/hangout – scripted – coming together
  •          Barriers – removed from opportunities, - not listening, - individual pain, - fear of others traditions & not knowing your area, - fear of what will happen is you talk, - fear of being healed
  •          Children get around a fire – ILI
  •          Someone to think for you
  •          Creativity is involved
  •          What individuals need – self worth issues?
  •          Anger
  •          Universal respect
  •          We are all healers
  •          There is amazing wisdom in the room – eliminate words
  •          Physical
  •          Social
  •          Spiritual
  •          Moontime – birth
  •          More resilient
  •          Women are to be honored, respected & work together
  •          “Do unto others more than you expect from others to do to you.”
  •          No gossip
  •          No abuse
  •          Spiritual healing process
  •          Find a way to heal from the pair of the past
  •          Racism, violence, sexual abuse
  •          Healing the families/support
  •          Programs are divided
  •          Accept
  •          Find a way to get you out of the old pattern
  •          How to reach the adults to
  •          Get together on some sports issues
  •          Our hope group
  •          The kids don’t get a chance
  •          The kids don’t have to excel in a sport or make the varsity square they should have an opportunity to try out
  •          Get kids transportation for getting to activities
  •          Employment transportation
  •          Better communications
  •          Have community events that include surrounding school districts to be held annually @ each school
  •          Summer Camp program
  •          Fear separates
  •          Love connects included
  •          Barriers safety, income levels, understanding
  •          Competition lose/win
  •          Transportation needs for activities? Sports activities?
  •          Communication (better communications)
  •          Big Brothers/Big Sisters address
  •          Cultural issues – teaching cultural differences
  •          Racism
  •          Plays summer camps
  •          How to approach someone of resentments?
  •          When we hear prejudice – when do we start to ignore it?
  •          Bring people together to work on a project – each feels validated
  •          Roadblocks – there for them, - parents not coming together, - values not taught in home i.e. learned behavior, -empower kids to find solutions, adults, - protect & deliver them
  •          Trust, communicate & feel safe, listen
  •          Adults need to acknowledge everyone’s needs/wants/desires are same – no one’s needs more important
  •          Listen 2x what we talk
  •          Need to not only look at behavior but what is believed “it”
  •          Talk about “it” reference(?) to persons to resources who will listen of fears
  •          Need to take over for kids being damaged, living in pain
  •          Need to recognize signs of their hurting & adults work at self-esteem & act as a role model of caring
  •          We now are raising consciousness & create structure of dialogue & adults need to come to terms of own feelings
  •          Need to all confront our own prejudices and fears & then look at how we present ourselves
  •          We all need to remember that we are fighting a common enemy.  If we allow different things to divide us, then we won’t be able to stand strong.