Community Diversity Appreciation Teams

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One America - Community Diversity Appreciation Teams

Program:

Community Diversity Appreciation Teams, Columbia, IA

Contact(s):

Don Grove, Executive Director: (515) 281-8084

Purpose:

To help eliminate discrimination and teach the value of diversity

The Community Diversity Appreciation Teams (CDAT) was founded in 1994 by the Iowa Civil Rights Commission (ICRC) to develop community-wide plans to fight discrimination and teach the value of diversity. CDAT's objectives include conducting anti-discrimination and diversity workshops, and promoting study circles on racism and race relations. Along with ICRC, CDAT serves as an outreach program to organize and engage communities in the fight against discrimination.

Program Operations

CDAT's outreach efforts bring together various groups of people from numerous professional fields. Teams consist of elected, law enforcement, and school officials as well as advocacy group representatives and business leaders. Each community team develops its own mission statement with a direct purpose to teach about the value of diversity and to combat discrimination. Iowa's Civil Rights Commission assists in the process of identifying local community people who can serve as lead organizers in the effort. The ICRC also serves as a clearinghouse for information on other on-going community efforts that address similar diversity issues. Past CDAT programs focused on immigration rights, mediation and how to increase students' awareness of diversity.

Outcomes and Significant Accomplishments

There are currently 17 communities that have formed Community Diversity Appreciation Teams. Also, a bi-monthly newsletter, Team Diversity, is published to share ideas and news with other teams around the state.

Promising Practices - Mid West

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Appreciating Differences Among People and Things Project

Bicultural Training Partnership

Bridges Across Racial Polarization

Bridging Difference, YWCA of Wausau

Building Bridges Conference

Building Just Communities: Reducing Disparities and Racial Segregation

Can't We All Just Get Along?

Citizens Upholding Racial Equality