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Henry Veleker and Pat Lallemont,
learning to walk in another person’s shoes. |
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L-R:
Peter Herman, Sarah Halstead, Bill Hoffman, Valerie
Hebbe displaying their story quilt, created after
visiting with a local Hmong family. |
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Group X (2002 - 2004)
Appreciating Diversity: Finding Common Ground Seminar, January
20-23, 2004
A new seminar was added to the WRLP curriculum with Group X focusing
on Diversity. It was held in Eau Claire and was co-chaired by David
Berard, UW Cooperative Extension, Sawyer County and John Preissing,
UW Cooperative Extension, Northern District Director.
Some say that learning to lead across differences is the major leadership
issue facing us in the 21 st century. The goal of this seminar was
to prepare participants for leadership in diverse organizations and
communities today and in the future through an emphasis on the positive
aspects of difference that we experience. We used a broad, overall
definition for diversity that included – age, language, physical
characteristics, disability, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation,
economic status, parental status, education, geographic origin, profession,
lifestyle, religion, and any other difference.
Through a variety of activities, participants explored concepts
of diversity and what is needed to change communities and community
organizations to be more inclusive for the variety of people who
live there. By visiting several community organizations, businesses,
and community leaders, participants were exposed to diverse groups
in an effort to deepen their understanding of some cultural norms,
i.e., attitudes, values, beliefs, principles, and behaviors which
might be different from their own. Groups visited a senior center,
an Amish family and their business endeavor, the Chippewa Valley
Free Clinic, a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered Community Center,
the Association of Retarded Citizens and Community Table.
Some of the topics covered by presenters included exploring economic
diversity and poverty, communicating across generations, and the
results from Census 2000. WRLP Group VIII Alumnus, Fariba Pendleton, shared
her perspective as a Middle Eastern/Muslim woman.
On Thursday evening, WRLP alumni and board members in the area were
invited to join participants for dinner. Then together they went
to the Chippewa Valley Museum for the production of Living Paj
Ntaub, a play informing us about Hmong culture and experiences.
Later that evening participants were treated to an early view of
the new Farm Life exhibit that will be opening in the fall of 2004.
Here are a couple of thoughts shared by participants…
- I hope that I learned more about perspective, paying attention,
and how to be more effective of a leader through these means.
- I understand much more the many levels of what diversity means.
I will use these resources. Enlightenment- wow! What a surprise.
Big self-learning.
 Top | Return to Group X
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