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March/April 2014 Newsletter
Message from the Executive Director
Civic Engagement Institute
Children's Theater Encourages Inclusion
Cultural Competency Workshops
600 Strong at MLK Observance
Luminaria Project
SOCO Honors Coalition Trustees
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Contact Us
516 Prospect St.
Maplewood, NJ 07040
973-761-6116

E-mail:  [email protected] 
 
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Message from the Executive Director, Nancy Gagnier

NG 2012 Headshot

In February we attended the Center on Law in Metropolitan Equity's First Annual Scholarship Conference featuring David Rusk and David D. Troutt. Nationally recognized metropolitan scholar and former Albuquerque Mayor David Rusk presented his article, Measuring Regional Equity, in which he looks at "measureable outcome goals for achieving greater regional equity with a focus on reducing inequalities between economically isolated and racially segregated people...."  Rutgers Law Professor, scholar, and author David Troutt followed with a talk on the structure of place-based inequality, including a reading from his new book, The Price of Paradise: The Costs of Inequality and a Vision for a More Equitable America.  Both authors put a premium on advancing efforts that increase access to opportunity-in jobs, education, transportation, housing, and more.  Their work highlights the benefits for everyone of reducing residential segregation by race and income. It's encouraging to us that the importance of inclusiveness is being given both practical and scholarly attention.  We shared our local racial integration and inclusion strategies in the discussion and we look forward to future collaborations to move this mission forward.

 

The Civic Engagement Institute Begins March 15th

Trainers:
Barbara Velazquez
Diane Thomson
Leila Gonzalez-Sullivan

 

Interested in building your time management and group interaction skills, in learning about what it takes to be a productive volunteer and about what's available? Then sign up for this free series of 4 classes designed to prepare you for involvement in worthy causes with local service and government organizations.  Seats are limited. but there is still time to register! Click here for more information.

Children's Theater at SOPAC, Saturday, March 22nd

 

The 2014 Integration through the Arts theater production for young families is a musical production of two familiar children's stories told with a twist: The Zax, Dr. Seuss' lesson on the consequences of not compromising and Dvorak's Rusalka -a Czech version of The Little Mermaid.  SOPAC Theater will be filled with singing, dancing and colorful costumes as professional performers bring these stories to life. There will be two morning performances at 10 am and 11 am.   Click here to purchase tickets.

 


Cultural Competency
Diverse children
 
The Schools Committee is hosting its 2nd Cultural Competency Workshop on April 10th.There will be a special workshop dedicated to teachers in the afternoon and an evening, community-wide workshop, open to all. Cultural competency is, broadly speaking, the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. The workshops will be aimed at learning better how to "read" one another's behaviors without infusing interactions with our own cultural biases. 
   
 

Over 600 People at the MLK Observance and Volunteer Fair 

CHS Special Dance Performs I Have A Dream

 

Rev. Dr. William Howard gave a moving address and offered a call to action at the 13th Annual Martin Luther King Observance & Volunteer Fair held at Oheb Shalom in South Orange.  Performances by the Greg Bufford Jazz Trio, Voices in Harmony, and CHS Special Dance made the afternoon extra-special. The observance was attended by Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. as well as many local leaders.

 

 


Peace Luminarias Honor Dr. King's Legacy

 

Peace luminarias were lit in honor of Dr. King's legacy on the Monday evening of the holiday by over 150 families throughout Maplewood and South Orange.  Help us grow this project in 2015!  For more information, click here.


Coalition Trustees Presented With Beloved Community Awards

       
SOCO's Carol Barry-Austin, Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, Honorees Shelley Slafkes & Celia King, SOCO Chair Phylis Peterman  

 

The South Orange Civic Organization held its 44th Annual Martin Luther King Celebration in early January.  Keynote speaker Rev. Terry Richardson of First Baptist Church in South Orange talked about the need to build strong community relationships between the broad variety of local groups and among faith communities.  Coalition trustees Celia King and Shelley Slafkes were honored with the Beloved Community Awards.


Interested in supporting or working with us?

Just drop us a line at [email protected], call us at 973-761-6116 or click here to learn more about the organization or  DONATE NOW.