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March/April 2013 Newsletter
Message from the Executive Director
Integration Through the Arts
Cultural Competence Workshop
Meet New Trustee Barbara Velazquez
Wine Tasting Fundraiser
Coalition MLK Observance/Fair
SOCO Beloved Community Awards
Realtor Open House at Columbia
In Memoriam
Calliing for Volunteers
Quick Links
 
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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


 

2012 ANNUAL REPORT
Our 2012 Annual Report is now available.  

For a look at highlights of what we did in 2012, along with some great images of integration at work, click here.


Message from the Executive Director, Nancy Gagnier

NG 2012 Headshot

 I had the honor of speaking in January at the South Orange Civic Association's 43rd Annual    Martin Luther King Celebration.  The topic was quite a tall order: "The Future of Integration in  the Post-Civil Rights Era."  Given that it's the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation  Proclamation, I decided to begin there and look at how it is we find ourselves still working today  to overcome our separatist patterns and at what we can do about it at the local level.

 As one of the only-if not the only-community in the country today with a dedicated  organization to work on integration, we have witnessed the power of this grassroots, hyper-  local work.  We are most effective when we get neighbors to talk to one another; get parents  to discuss their concerns about raising their kids in a diverse community; when we bring leaders  together to deepen their understanding of issues like the achievement gap or how to increase the inclusion of people of color in civic roles; get families to think about race, about building cross-race friendships, about sharing a life together in a community that cares for and respects people whatever their background.  For the full address, click here.

 

And now, take a look below to see what's in store this spring for building an inclusive community! 

Children's Production and Bookmaking Promote Inclusiveness  

 

Gertrude McFuzz Image

 

Music, Dance, Story-telling-a Theater Production for Children!


Don't miss this year's Integration through the Arts Children's Theater: live performances of Dr. Seuss' Gertrude McFuzz performed with orchestra, songs featuring Lori Mirabal and dance and   Patty Lovell's Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon with noted Acres Emily Zacharias accompanied by       Ahmondylla Best: 

  

Saturday March 16th,

10:00 am and 11:30 am 

SOPAC Main Theater

One SPAC Way, South Orange

 

These theater productions promise to entertain and engage children in thinking about accepting and believing in themselves even when they are perceived by others as "different."  To read more and reserve seats,  click here.

 

                  Capturing Inclusive Community in Visuals and Verse

Hand crafted book by Charles Miley
Adults and high school students are invited to express their experience of our diverse community  

through handcrafted book making combined with Haiku and collage. Professional artists will guide residents through this six week experience on Thursdays from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM from April 11 through May 16 at Maplewood 1978 Art Center on Springfield Avenue. Workshops are free, but registration is requested by April 5th.

                                                                                                        

Building Stronger Connections: The Cultural Competency Workshop

           

Interracial HandshakeResidents love living in our diverse communities- but cultural differences can get in the way of communication and relationships. Join the Schools Committee of the Community Coalition on Race on Thursday,April 18, 7:30 PM at the South Orange Middle School Library for a Cultural Competency Workshop.  Participate in conversations and explorations of how to work through cultural differences, build relationships, and learn to value one another.  Learning to recognize cultural differences and intra-cultural differences will help illuminate the complexities of diversity that challenge us.  Professional Development Hours will be available for teachers. Register in advance by calling the office at 973-761-6116 or emailing us at [email protected].
    

Meet Our New Trustee - Barbara Velazquez!

 

Trustee Barbara Velazquez

  
The Community Coalition on Race Board of Trustees is honored to welcome Dr. Barbara Velazquez as a new member of our Board.  Dr. Velazquez is a long time resident of Maplewood and has a private practice in Clinical Psychology.  She is also founder and director of two non-profits - The Task Force for Humanity Coalition and The Spiritual Unity Network and originator of the Maplewood Kindness Campaign. 

 

Good Wine and Good Friends for a Good Cause!

 

No prior wine knowledge necessary to host this fun and easy event in your home on behalf of the Coalition!  All you need is a willingness to invite friends, serve some light fare, and taste wine.  The Coalition will send out invitations to your guests, who are asked to make a minimum donation of $30 per person to attend.  Here's the fun part: guests are asked to bring their favorite bottle of wine to share and see if it holds up against the other guests' choices in a blind tasting!  Interested in hosting or attending this event the on April 27th or 28th?  Call us at 973-761-6116 for more information

 

Coalition MLK Celebration: Observance and Volunteer Fair

SOMA Kids at Volunteer Fair

  

The Coalition's 12th Annual MLK Celebration truly captured the spirit of intentional integration in Maplewood and South Orange as over 400 people gathered to honor Dr. King through words, music, and action.  From Junius Williams' personal experience of Dr. King during the 1960's, to a moving jazz trio, to a young CHS grad's dream of devoting her life to social justice causes, to community service for children as well as adults-this year's

MLK Observance had it all.

 

 

SOCO Beloved Community Awards

 

2013 SOCO Awardees Dietz and Boswell-May
Theroux, Dietz, Boswell-May, Hall

 

"Beloved Community" Awards Given to Lee Boswell-May & Ulysses Dietz

The South Orange Civic Association hosted its 43rd Annual Celebration of the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at which it commends residents for their exemplary work in building the 'beloved community.' Congratulations to Ulysses Dietz and Lee Boswell-May, and thank you for your dedication to our towns, for your leadership, and for commitment to building the beloved community through integration. More...

 Realtor Open House at Columbia High School

 

2013 CHS Award Winning Robot
CHS Award Winning Robot 

   

 

The Coalition's 'Coffee & Conversations' with local realtors generated the idea for The South Orange - Maplewood School District to host this open house with a focus on our community's Columbia High School.  About 50 realtors attended this information session featuring a panel of the superintendent, high school administrators and students. One of the many accomplishments showcased by the high school was the Robotics Club winning national honors. Click here for more.

In Memoriam:  Chip Madsen's Legacy Lives On

 

Chip Madsen

 

Former Chair and Board of Trustee member of the Community Coalition on Race William "Chip" Madsen passed away on Saturday, January 19, 2013 after fighting metastasized melanoma cancer.  The trustees and staff are saddened by his loss. He was dedicated to the mission of intentional integration and a dogged, hard-working, hands-on trustee. Chip supported a number of social justice causes and believed in the power of service to transform the world.  He will be greatly missed.

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!