GLRC Winter Gayla!_
The Winter Gayla 2009 is Dec. 6th at the CR Piano Lounge!
Come down to the Cedar Rapids Piano Lounge Sunday Dec. 6th from 4-7pm!
208 2nd Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 363-0606
Enjoy tasty treats from Zin's, awesome musical entertainment,Free Wii, and lovely wine and drink specials!
There will be a small raffle as well.
This event is a fundraiser for the GLRC and Cedar Rapids Pride 2010!
$20 cover/donation - Drink Specials TBA
November Diversity Events and Programs 2009 at the University of Iowa
To download the calendar of events and programs please click here.
2009 Student Diversity Leadership Conference Pictures!!!
To view pictures from our Student Diversity Leadership Conference on Oct. 14th 2009 please click here!
Expand, Engage, Empower at Cornell College!
One Iowa will be at Cornell College on Sunday, October 25th, hosting a free 3E (Expand, Engage, Empower) Summit to help you maximize the impact of the volunteers and activists in your community. If you've ever had questions about One Iowa or community activism, you need to attend!
At the summit we will provide training in three methods of organizing:
- Driving an effective message,
- Planning successful education and fundraising events,
- Organizing your community to take action.
We will also be presenting the campaign update keynote titled Will Marriage Equality Survive in Iowa — Six Months Later. Summit topics include volunteer recruitment, development and fundraising, and messaging and networking.
If you cannot attend, or know people who'd like to attend in other parts of the state, we're also holding a summit in:
Quad Cities on October 17
If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Jansa at (515) 288-4019 ext. 201 or gro.awoieno|aerdna#gro.awoieno|aerdna
Diversity Related Programs
To download The University of Iowa's Diversity Related Programs and Events pdf. for the month of October 2009 please click here.
Diversity Focus Community Meeting Pictures!!!
To view pictures from our Community Meeting on September 23rd 2009 please click here
Diversity Focus Student Leadership Conference 2009
Sign up today!!!
Diversity Focus Programs
Click here to Download 
1.0 Mb our upcoming program flyer in Cedar Rapids
or
Click here to Download 1.0 Mb our upcoming program flyer in Iowa City
Diversity Focus in the news!
Here are a few links to recent articles about Diversity Focus:
- The issue of race in white Iowa
- Thursday night forum to explore issue of race (Gazette)
- Forum targets race, diversity in Corridor (Gazette)
- Get Comfortable With Diversity (Gazette)
- Diversity Focus Weekly Spanish Conversation Circle in the Gazette
- One Iowa Award Article in the Chicago Tribune
- New Diversity Focus leader enthused about move article in the Corridor Business Journal
- New Diversity Focus executive motivated to start new programs article in the Corridor Business Journal
- Rebooting diversity article in the Corridor Business Journal
Diversity Focus Grand Opening
The Diversity Focus team was pleased to open its doors to their newly completed office during their open house and ribbon cutting ceremony held April 8th, 2009. Many members of the Diversity Focus board were in attendance, adding to the number of over 100 attendees that day.
The new facility is 2,964 square feet containing a large conference room, three free community computer stations, ample lobby space, four offices and a small conference room.
Diversity Focus was displaced after the June flood of 2008 and moved a total of five times before settling into their new home in late January. Many discussions were held about moving elsewhere but all dialogues pointed firmly to relocating back in the downtown area.
“From its inception, the creators thought it was imperative for this organization to have a presence in the downtown area, and we’re determined to not let the flood deter us from having a strong long lasting presence downtown,” said Executive Director Hazel Pegues.
Diversity Focus is here to stay and supports all business in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City corridor.
To view pictures from the event please click here.
Breaking News
Iowa became the third state in the nation to allow same-sex marriage, after Massachusetts and Connecticut on April 3rd, 2009. The lift of the ban on same-sex marriages becomes effective in 21 days.
To read the full ruling please click http://media.kcrg.com/documents/Gay+Marriage+Ruling.pdf
Diversity Focus In The Community
New Diversity Focus Board Member
Diversity Focus is pleased to welcome newly appointed Board Member Benita Wolff to the Diversity Focus family
Associate Dean for Diversity Programs of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.
In this position, she advises the collegiate leadership and develops strategies for the recruitment and retention of a diverse medical faculty, staff, and student body. Among other duties, she also ensures that the college’s diversity programs are aligned with collegiate and University strategic plans; collaborates with the college’s academic departments, centers, and other units to create and evaluate diversity initiatives; develops educational and training sessions for faculty, staff, and students to ensure culturally competent working and learning environments; and participates in local, state, and national efforts to increase diversity in the health care profession.
To read more on Benita Wolff Please click here.
October 2008 Student Diversity Leadership Conference
Conference Conclusions
WHAT STUDENTS WILL IMPLEMENT IN THEIR SCHOOLS:
- Start a club
- Lead by example
- Encourage people to read Dr. Farrah Gray’s book
- Stand up for others
- Country a week
- Ethnic Foods/Music
- Apply Leadership: smiles contagious
- Report back and develop new ideas
- Leadership and Diversity Day
- Get to know someone who doesn’t have many friends
- Club/Stand Up activity
- Different Classes: different activities
DR FARRAH GRAY’S MESSAGE:
- Anything’s possible if you put your mind to it
- Give back
- No ones better than you
- Age is just a number
- ‘Seek to understand to be understood’
- Nothing can stop you from reaching your goals
- Apply knowledge
- ‘If you can’t change the people around you, change the people around you’
NOTES FROM THE STUDENT WORKSHOP – TAKE A STAND
- Stand up for who you and others are
- Don’t be afraid to stand alone
- Go beyond individuals
- Stand up/have beliefs
- No one deserves to be bullied
- Agree to disagree
- Fine line between jokes and ignorance
- Stand up in a positive (not jerk) way
- Have your own ideas, not those of others
NOTES FROM THE STUDENT WORKSHOP – LEADERSHIP SKILLS
- People follow leaders
- Lead by example
- Leaders have a responsibility to self and others
- Every aspect of a leader is as important as another
- Confidence
- Intelligence
- Leaders stand up for what is right
- Don’t be a carbon copy
- Serve/give back
- People will judge you for what you do
- Leadership is about knowing yourself as you do others
- Positive and negative leaders
- Character
DR GRAY/TAKE A STAND/LEADERSHIP SKILLS RUNNING THEMES
- Courage to speak up
- Stand apart
- Leadership and taking a stand = Can’t be stopped
- Collaboration with EVERYONE
- Be willing to be different
- Independence
- Surround yourself with positives
- Listening/Desire
- Acceptance/Tolerance
- Patience
NOTES FROM THE FACULTY WORKSHOP – CULTURAL COMPENTENCY
- Turns negatives to positives
- Communication 2-way street
- Commonalities and differences
- Everyone has something to give
- Don’t let others tear us apart, work together
- ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover'
