SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
PROMOTING EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
AND IMPROVING COMMUNITY RELATIONS
FROM THE COMMUNITY STUDY CIRCLE PROCESS
Number of study circles: 30
Locations of study circles: Public library, churches,
homes, schools, public agencies, private non-profit organizations
Number of participants: approximately 305
Goal: Public and private sectors will ensure fair
business practices and safe and welcoming environments.
Objective: Public officials will ensure that 6% of
workforce staff at all organizational levels of the public school system and
the city & county will be hired from communities of color.
Objective: Private sector will increase workforce
representation from diverse communities.
Objective: Public and private sectors
will provide more workforce training in anti-racism/cultural competence, anger
management, and conflict mediation.
Goal
1: All learners in educational systems
will feel safe, comfortable, connected, and successful.
Objective: Moorhead public school system
and all educational institutions will make extraordinary efforts to hire teachers,
counselors, staff and administrators to reflect minority proportions in the
community.
Objective: All educational institutions will evaluate
hiring policies and procedures in keeping with the philosophy of affirmative
action.
Objective: All educational institutions
will seek out and implement the best practices for recruitment and retention.
Objective:
Moorhead public school system will publish its affirmative action plan and the
school district's Human Rights Committee will review the plan annually and
report findings to the School Board.
Objective: All educational systems will support, expand, and encourage
participation in trainings in cultural competence, diversity, anti-racism, and
harassment for all school personnel and students.
Objective: Educational systems will recruit mentors and role models of color
to work with students one-on-one.
Objective: Educational systems will increase the number of minority students
completing graduation requirements and pursuing further education.
Objective: The Moorhead public school system will
strengthen ESL programming for children and adults.
Objective: The School Board will examine the effects of school closings on
children of color and their families.
Objective:
School and public libraries will further develop a full range of
resources pertaining to anti-racism, multiculturalism, and contributions of
diverse peoples.
Goal
2: Moorhead school district will
evaluate the alternative education program (RRALC).
Objective:
Moorhead school district will establish a focus group inclusive of
parents, professionals, and communities of color to examine and make
recommendations regarding all aspects of the alternative education program.
Objective: Moorhead school district will
clarify the process for placing students in the RRALC and ensure that parents
and students understand and agree with the reasons for placement in the
program.
Goal: Public safety officials will ensure a safe
and welcoming environment for all community residents.
Objective: Within 2-3 years, the police, sheriff, and
fire departments will recruit, train, and hire people of color to reflect the
proportion of minorities in the Moorhead/Clay County population.
Objective: Public safety staff and
communities of color will increase and sustain communication and interactions
that are positive, open and respectful.
Objective: Minority groups (churches, organizations,
etc.) will sponsor events for community leaders to listen to participants
express their views and needs.
Objective: Public safety departments will increase use
of interpreters when engaging limited/non-English speaking individuals.
Objective: Police, sheriff and fire departments will
recruit and train individuals who are fluent in various languages and multicultural
perspectives.
Goal
1: City of Moorhead will increase the
range of affordable housing options
Objective: City of Moorhead will increase
affordable rental housing stock by 80 units within 2 years, including some 4
bedroom units for larger families.
Objective: City of Moorhead will sponsor 20 sweat-equity homes within 5
years.
Goal
2: Public and private sectors will
reduce barriers to purchasing and renting housing
Objective:
City of Moorhead will increase the supply of transitional housing.
Objective: Lenders and realtors will hire more people of color and more
bilingual and culturally competent individuals.
Objective: Lenders and realtors will ensure fair business practices.
Objective: City of Moorhead and other organizations
will hold ongoing educational seminars on fair housing & tenant/landlord
rights and responsibilities.
Objective: Background information given to landlords by
the police department on potential renters will contain only criminal conviction
information.
Objective:
City of Moorhead will increase
the number of accessible homes for people with disabilities.
Goal 3: City of Moorhead will improve availability of
public transportation
Objective: City of Moorhead will ensure public transportation
is available on weekends and will extend routes to the industrial park.
Other Goals:
Human Rights Advocacy
Goal 1: The City of Moorhead will develop effective
human rights advocacy and enforcement mechanisms
Objective: Moorhead Human Rights Commission
will be vested with the power to require mandatory mediation to settle disputes
as it deems necessary.
Objective: City of Moorhead and city and
county agencies will publish their affirmative action plans. The Moorhead Human
Rights Commission will review these plans and their implementation annually and
report findings to the Moorhead City Council.
Objective: City of
Moorhead will create an Ombudsperson's or legal advocate's office to receive
filed complaints, complete investigations, and coordinate actions.
Objective: Coalition of citizens will form a citizen's
review board to be funded by grant dollars to plan and monitor implementation
of community study circle recommendations.
Objective: The Moorhead/Fargo communities will create a
community planning and advocacy council, with diverse membership and possibly
funded by grant dollars, to identify and make known emerging social needs,
articulate strategies for change, hold community workshops and seminars, and
promote democratic processes.
Goal 2: Public and private sectors will ensure the
public's knowledge of and access to information about civil rights, community
resources and opportunities.
Objective: Mass media will provide information and announcements of
community importance in languages spoken in the community.
Objective: CDBG public hearings will be held early in the CDBG process so
public testimony has a fair opportunity to be heard and used.
Goal: The community will promote community
education and inter-cultural dialogue for increased cultural understanding and
cultural competence.
Objective: The community will create and participate in
opportunities for listening and dialogue between majority and minority
communities.
Objective: Community organizations providing services
to the Native American population will utilize the resources of the Fargo/Moorhead
Indian Advisory Council (currently under formation).
Objective: The civil rights report on "The Status
of Equal Opportunity for Minorities in Moorhead" will be
read/shared/discussed in every congregation/civic group/work place in Moorhead.
Objective: The arts community and Moorhead Parks and Recreation will help develop public displays of arts
that express cultural pride.
Objective: The Clay County Historical Society will develop, display, and
publicize to the entire community an exhibit of the multicultural history and contributions
of people of color in this region.
Objective: Public and/or private organizations will develop
action teams comprised of majority individuals and people of color to develop and
implement training plans to promote cultural competence and anti-racism in all
social systems ( law enforcement, education, housing, government and public
service agencies, and business).
Objective: Public and/or private organizations will
develop and publicize more ethnic festivals promoting diverse ethnic groups
from the community.
Objective: Public and/or private organizations will
sponsor a cultural diversity week each year.
Goal
1: Local newspapers, magazines, and
radio stations will work with diverse communities to increase the number of
positive images and reports of people of color.
Objective: The Fargo Forum, school and university
papers, and local magazines will each regularly offer a cultural page featuring
people of color.
Objective: Each TV station, radio station, magazine, and newspaper will
routinely present positive stories about contributions of members of the
minority communities.
Goal
2: Local media will work with diverse
communities to develop culturally diverse programming.
Goal: The community will tap already existing
leadership resources from diverse communities and support the development of
new leadership from those communities.
Objective: Public and private sectors will develop
mentorship and support programs to nurture new youth and adult leaders from
diverse communities.
Objective:
Public committees and boards will ensure that at least 6% of their
membership is comprised of people of color.
Objective: Public
committees and boards will widely publicize membership openings and will recruit
volunteers from communities of color.
Objective: Local political parties will encourage and
enable people of color to run for public office.
Objective: The community will support increasing the visibility
and role of diversity resource organizations in adequately networking and
coordinating services and enhancing leadership opportunities.
Goal: Faith-based groups will increase interfaith cooperation
and cultural understanding.
Objective: Faith-based groups will promote ongoing opportunities for self
examination relating to racism, cultural sensitivity, and social justice.
Objective: Faith-based groups will create
opportunities for inter-faith education and dialogue
Objective: Congregations will be open and welcoming to
diverse populations.
Goal: The Moorhead community will acknowledge that
racism is a public health issue for the entire community and will work to eliminate
discrimination and unequal opportunity.