Champions of Diversity
The 2012 Champion of Diversity Awards were presented at our annual celebration in January. We were thrilled to announce Frederick Douglas and Rabbi Michelle Werner as this year's deserving winners! (Photos courtesy Joe Kane)
MLK Poetry & Poster Contest Winners
We are pleased, along with the Rochester Art Center, to present the ever so talented winners of our 2012 Martin Luther King, Jr. Poetry and Poster Contests!
Poetry Contest
Elementary: 1st place - Matt Steinmetz (pictured, photo courtesy Joe Kane), 2nd place - Adam Khan, 3rd place - Isaac Cheruiyot
Middle School: 1st place - Harmanpreet Kaur, 2nd place - Skylar Drefcinski, 3rd place - Rachel Guyer
High School:1st place - Bhavya Avula, 2nd place - Hannah Conroy, 3rd place - Ishtpreet Singh
Poster Contest
Elementary: 1st place - Shanae-Nicole Austin, 2nd place - William Rooke, 3rd place - Anjali Goradia
Middle School: 1st place - Max Breuer, 2nd place - Sienne Schreiber, 3rd place - Katelyn Wright
High School: 1st place - Katie Aney, 2nd place - Sarah Arndt
The poetry and poster contests are funded, in part, by the Minnesota State Arts Board through the arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.
Do You Want to Help Support Victims of Hate Crimes?
The Diversity Council with Victim Services & Restorative Justice, a department of DFO Community Corrections, is recruiting and training community members to serve in the role of Volunteer Community Bias/Hate Incident Responder.
Responders will provide support to victims and help connect them with additional resources.
Applications are due by February 7. Return them by mail to the address on the application, or by email to kayh@diversitycouncil.org
Training is on February 28 and 29 from 5:00 pm – 9:30 pm, March 3 from 9:00 am – 1:30 pm, and March 6 and 7 from 5:00 pm – 9:30pm. There will be no alternative or make-up training sessions scheduled. Attendance at all training sessions is mandatory.
February is Black History Month
How did it all get started? This 3-minute video from History.com tells the story of the crusader who worked to write African Americans back into the history books.
Thanks Again to our 2011 Donors!
Meet Our New Board Members
Originally from the Virgin Islands, Dr. Hertica Martin began her career as an elementary teacher, later moving to the West Coast of the U.S. for higher education where she eventually received her doctorate from the Fielding Graduate Institute in California.
Hertica currently works as the Executive Director for Elementary and Secondary Education in Rochester Public Schools. She brings depth of experience to her job, having previously worked as an elementary teacher, special education teacher, and principal, and in a variety of school district administration positions. Under her leadership, her previous school received recognition for school restructuring, multicultural integration, and its inclusion service model for special needs students.
She believes that “our children are the Diamonds of the World: they are precious; they are durable; they are invaluable; they possess high character and outstanding qualities; they are the bonds that bind us to the next generation.”
Stephanie Podulke grew up on the north side of Minneapolis and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BS in Education. After a few years of teaching, she and her husband Mike spent four years in Holland and Italy learning to make stained glass. A visit to Rochester led them to settle here, where they raised their two daughters.
Stephanie worked at a nursing home, at group homes for high-risk youth, and as an In-Home Family Therapist until retiring in 2010. Meanwhile her husband Mike spent 25 years on the Olmsted County Board, and through his service, Stephanie also learned about county government.
After the death of Mike, who was mourned by many in the community last spring, Stephanie was inspired to carry on his work with the county and keep a voice alive for people who cannot always advocate for themselves. She is now an elected County Commissioner and keeps the stained glass studio running as well.
Mike was one of the founders of the Diversity Council, and Stephanie is pleased to continue his legacy of working to create a welcoming and safe community for everyone. It's all about RESPECT.
Coming Soon: Rochester Reads Book Discussion
Wednesday, March 21, 6 - 7 p.m.
Rochester Public Library Auditorium
The Diversity Council will be hosting a discussion group in partnership with Rochester Public Library and the Rochester Reads program. This year's books are Confederates in the Attic and Midnight Rising, focusing on the Underground Railroad and the Civil War. Both titles are by best-selling author Tony Horwitz. More events and info about Rochester Reads
