ccr banner 

September/October 2012 Newsletter
October 2012 is Coalition Month
2012 Annual Dinner Honorees
Fall Forum SitesTrends
Common Issues for New Jerseyans
Two Towns Sing-Along
Nominations Open for CoalitionTrustees
Community Volunteer Projects
Volunteer Options
Quick Links
 
Donate!

If you value our community's culture of integration, support the Coalition's work with a tax-deductible gift. Go to Donate Now on line or send a check to the address below.

Thanks for your support!

Contact Us
516 Prospect St.
Maplewood, NJ 07040

973-761-6116

Message from the Executive Director, Nancy Gagnier

NG 2012 Headshot

October is Coalition Month in Maplewood and South Orange!  As we do each year, we celebrate integration throughout the month with a variety of events: the annual benefit dinner, a roundtable forum to discuss the state of integration in our towns, a community-wide sing-in, and more.  Over the summer we participated in Building One NJ's effort to rally other first suburban communities like ours to generate solutions to our challenges.  To that end, we encourage anyone interested in promoting sustainable, inclusive and economically prosperous communities to join the public meeting on September 30th (details are below).  In addition to being part of this statewide conversation, we were heartened by a national study of diverse suburbs released in July by Professors Myron Orfield and Thomas Luce called "America's Racially Diverse Suburbs: Opportunities and Challenges."  In it they recommend concerted efforts like those practiced by the Coalition in order for diverse communities to be sustainable.  We look forward to a community-wide discussion on their findings and how we can expand our own integration work.

Honoring Charlie Bibbins & Rev. Terry Richardson   

 

Charlie Bibbins    Rev. Terry Richardson             

Join us to honor these two deserving community members at our annual benefit dinner, Celebrating Integration: Embracing Inclusion, Fairness & Opportunity.  Charlie Bibbins is a long-time Maplewood resident who has volunteered his time and talents to many good causes over the last 50 years, including the Coalition on Race as a founding trustee and an on-going member of the Neighborhoods & Civic Engagement Committee.  Rev. Richardson, a former Coalition Trustee, is the pastor at First Baptist Church in South Orange and serves our community and beyond both through his ministries and his leadership on community-building endeavors.  The special guest speaker for the evening is Assemblywoman Mila Jasey.  Read more...

 

Event Details: October 13th, 7:00 pm, SOPAC Loft, South Orange, $100 per person, Dinner, Dancing, Auction.  Call 973-761-6116 if you are interested in attending or go to Donate Now to reserve via Paypal (please note on the memo line "annual dinner tickets").

Fall Forum:The Trend Towards Racially Diverse Suburbs in US:

                  Implications for South Orange/Maplewood   

   Table Discussions Group Shot 1                                          

Join the Community Coalition on Race on October 30th for a community discussion on Sustainable Integration Solutions in SOMA and how we can improve our efforts to build an even more inclusive place to live.  Come to learn what intentional integration is; to hear about the current state of residential integration in our towns; and most importantly, come to discuss with your neighbors how to enhance our community's strategies for inclusion, fairness and opportunity.  Read more...

 

 


Building ONE NJ: 2012 Statewide Public Meeting

State of New Jersey Counties

 

 

Join leaders from across the state to develop bipartisan solutions to the pressing problems impacting our communities: high property taxes, equitable school funding for diverse communities, infrastructure funding, fair housing, criminal justice reform.  Event Details: Sunday, September 30, 2012, 4 PM - 6 PM (doors open at 3 PM), New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, 97 Sunfield Avenue, Edison, NJ 08837.  For more information,  go to www.njregionalequity.org.

 

 

Community Coalition Sings a New Tune!

Community Sing Circa 1921
Courtesy Hennepin County Library.  Riverside Park (MN) Community sing circa 1921

 

 This year, the Two Towns Sing-in will expand to become the Two Towns-Sing-Along to which everyone in the community is invited to sing favorite songs ranging from Motown to Folk, Show Tunes to Blues and more as one community.   Lyrics and accompaniment will be provided.  Bring a snack or beverage and come prepared to have some fun.  Read more...

 

 

Date:  Sunday, October 28              Time:  3:00 PM - 4:30 PM                                 Location:  Burgdorff Cultural Center,     10 Durand Rd., Maplewood NJ

 

To register click here and provide name, address, phone and email address for each person. 

 

How Do You Become a Coalition Trustee?  

   2012 Committee chairs

Looking for an opportunity to give back to your community? Willing to work with a diverse group of your neighbors? Qualifications include your enthusiasm for our mission of integration and a willingness to volunteer your time.  As a Trustee, you can help shape the future of integration in our community!  If you are interested, please contact our office, 973.761.6116 no later than September 22. To learn more click here

  

 

Plan Projects Now for MLK 2013 Volunteer Service Weekend  
2012 MLK Volunteer Fair

Community organizations, faith based communities and individuals who have an interest or a cause that serves our local and extended community should begin planning now for the annual service events sponsored by the Coalition as part of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.   Projects will be solicited and promoted for Volunteer Service Weekend, January 18 - 21 and the Volunteer Fair that follows the celebration on Monday, January 21.  Click here for highlights from last years' service events.    

 

Volunteer Options Tailored to Your Life Style! 
Are you a working parent? Student? Retiree?  No matter what your circumstance, we have opportunities that can work for you, including one-time events.  No matter what talents or little time you have, we could really use your help.  We have a pressing need right now for a WordPress web page designer to change our home page slide show and expand our calendar function. If you can help or know someone who can, please contact us.  If you would like to learn more about our committees, Click here to visit our committee pages and find out what each of our committees is working on.  You can complete a Contact Formcall us at 973-761-6116 or email us at [email protected] to let us know how you would  like to help. Contact us today!