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Topics : Diversity Dialogues

 

Host your own Diversity Dialogues!
The Arlington Committee of 100 and Macedonia Baptist Church co-sponsored joint Diversity Dialogues on May 13th, 2009 in which 120 community members from north and south Arlington came together to engage in café-style conversations and explored how organizations and individuals can implement the Diversity Dialogue Task Force recommendations. Gracious greeters and a delicious meal catered by Bear Rock Cafe made for a very successful follow-up event to the County's Diversity Dialogue initiative!

Gunston Middle School hosted Diversity Dialogues on the Elimination of the Achievement Gap on February 5th.  The school’s Activities Director, who served as a Table Host at the County’s Diversity Dialogues last fall, brought the entire faculty and administrative staff together for café conversations on how to eliminate the achievement gap among our students.  It was so well received that participants asked if it could become a regular event.

Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church hosted diversity dialogues on April 27th both as a follow-up to their Stone Soup Dialogue Series and the Diversity Dialogue initiative.  Engaging conversations took place among parishioners and others to explore how to make the church a more diverse and inclusive place to worship. This was a closed group discussion on diversity within the parish.  They have taken the Diversity Dialogue idea and are using it internally on a regular basis and encourage other groups (especially faith communities) to do the same. They are proud to help cultivate an openness to dialogue that could expand in the future to neighborhood or inter-faith dialogues.

Find out how you or your organization can do its part to help implement our community's diversity recommendations!  dcarrillo@arlingtonva.us, (703) 228-0751.

View the action in the first Diversity Dialogue!

Hear Kojo Nnamdi at the third Diversity Dialogue!

Read the Diversity Dialogue Task Force Report!

Background on Arlington County’s Diversity Dialogues

On January 1, 2008, the Chairman of the County Board, Walter Tejada, outlined a three-pronged Agenda for Progress: Health; Affordable Housing and Inclusion. As part of the agenda for Inclusion, he proposed the County host a series of Diversity Dialogues based on the World Café approach. The County Board appointed a Task Force comprised of 12 active, knowledgeable and diverse community members to plan and execute the Diversity Dialogues.

This past September and October, hundreds of Arlingtonians gathered on three occasions at three different locations around the County to participate in these community dialogues on diversity-related issues. The atmosphere at the three events was invigorating. The experience, as expressed by the participants, was inspiring and added incredible value to the feeling of a larger, caring community.


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Feedback from one participant captures the experience of many: “I want to express how meaningful this dialogue was to me. I learned so much about very complex and heart-felt issues in a very short period. The quality of exchange was remarkably high as well as intimate. Please continue the conversation and let me know if there is any way I can help.”

The Task Force presented the Diversity Dialogue Report on January 24, 2009. However, words cannot accurately express the experience of conversing with people different than you, listening with intent, learning from each another’s stories, and feeling empowered to create an even better community.


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The Dialogues uncovered that Arlingtonians want actions, such as:

  • Mindful leadership to strategically support Arlington’s diverse heritage and community
  • More dialogue opportunities
  • More opportunities to learn English and other languages
  • Strategic programming by County and community groups to connect residents and better inform people about events and resources that enhance dialogue and connections

Other concerns expressed include the need to educate Arlingtonians about our rich history; the need for more affordable housing in the County; and a persistent North/South divide.


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The County Board voted unanimously to refer the Diversity Dialogue Task Force report to the County Manager to recommend policy changes and other implementing actions that may be appropriate for consideration by the County, community groups and individuals.

Already numerous organizations and community groups have expressed keen interest in continuing dialogue, such as Arlington Committee of 100, Arlington Public Schools, Gunston Middle School, Leadership Arlington, Macedonia Baptist Church, and the Universal Unitarian Church of Arlington.

Print the Diversity Dialogues Poster  | View PSA Video

 

More Information

 

About Diversity Dialogues

The 2008 Diversity Dialogue Initiative was created by Arlington County Board Chairman J. Walter Tejada with the aim to build bridges across different cultures, ethnicities, age groups, economic backgrounds etc., to take positive steps to better meet the needs of all Arlingtonians.

In April, the County Board announced members of the Diversity Dialogue Task Force, which will spearhead Chairman Tejada’s Diversity Dialogue Initiative. The task force will play a key role in structuring three dialogues to take place this fall. The task force will participate in the sessions and make observations and recommendations to the County Board at the end of the process.

The Diversity Dialogues are part of a three-pronged Agenda for Progress announced by Chairman Tejada in January 2008 that focuses on inclusion, health and affordable housing.

World Café Approach

The Diversity Dialogues were modeled after the ‘world café’ approach we have used to reach out to the community on other issues. It offered an opportunity to get a wide range of input and to hear the distinct voices of our community.

The World Café model is an innovative process for hosting conversations about questions that matter. The conversations link and build on each other as people move between groups, cross-pollinate ideas and discover new insights into the questions or issues that are most important in their life, work, or community. More about the World Café!

 


Last Modified: November 19, 2009
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