University of Wisconsin - Extension

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FACES OF LEARNING

Diversity Circles work to dismantle racism

By Amy Pikalek

¿A Closer Look at the Faces of Learning¿ is a series of articles complementing UW-Extension¿s annual report, Faces of Learning, www.uwex.edu/AR01.

The neighboring Wisconsin cities of Racine and Kenosha face a common challenge: helping residents of many races understand each other and deal with constant population growth and economic shifts.

Community organizations partner with UW-Parkside

To meet this challenge, two community organizations¿ the Kenosha Coalition for Dismantling Racism and Sustainable Racine Preparing for Diversity Committee¿created a partnership with University of Wisconsin-Parkside Center for Community Partnerships, the continuing education unit on campus, to develop a solution. Their answer is the Diversity Circles on Dismantling Racism project.

¿Diversity Circles allow citizens to work through conflict to positive resolution toward solving a community's social and economic problems,¿ explains Roseann Mason, Diversity Circles director. ¿By bringing groups of community members together to examine racism and race relations, we are building a stronger community by expanding the participation of citizens, diverse by race, ethnicity, gender, age and socioeconomic levels, in dialogue that will foster greater understanding, cooperation and community participation.¿

Residents explore race issues

With the guidance of volunteer facilitators, small, diverse groups of community residents are brought together to address race issues. Circles meet throughout Kenosha, Racine and on the UW-Parkside campus weekly for two hours each week for five weeks. During the 2001-02 year, 303 people participated in Diversity Circles, which were held in a variety of locations, including churches, prisons, day-care centers and high schools.

Rochelle Moore of Kenosha, a participant and facilitator, found the program to be a revelation. ¿So many people are afraid to talk about racism, and racism isn¿t just about color,¿ says Moore. ¿Diversity Circles enabled me to meet many different people in my own community, share my experiences with them, and learn from theirs. We gained a better understanding of each other by learning to think with different perspectives.¿

Continuing Education Extension helps fund liaison

Through the Diversity Program Development Initiative (DPDI), UW-Extension Continuing Education Extension contributed funding for a community liaison in Kenosha and Racine to recruit and organize participants into diverse Diversity Circles and to purchase guides and other materials.

Academic credit available

Diversity Circles on Dismantling Racism are offered as a one-credit class at UW-Parkside. Students can also earn a credit if they participate in the facilitator training and facilitate Diversity Circles.

Diversity Circle impacts

Of the Diversity Circles participants who completed program evaluations:

96.7 percent said the program increased their ability to discuss issues openly with people of other races.

93.4 percent said the program increased their understanding of other's attitudes and beliefs about racism and race relations.

91.8 percent said the program helped them better understand their own attitudes and beliefs about people of other races.

88.5 percent said participation changed their relationships with people of other races.

83.6 percent said participation improved their ability to effectively communicate with people of other races who have different beliefs and styles.

48.3 percent became involved in their community as a direct result of participating in the program.