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MLAC DIVERSITY COALITION Year in Review

A review of the MLAC Diversity Coalition's accomplishments in 2008, including workshops on diversity, disability, and harassment prevention, as well as initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion.

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MLAC DIVERSITY COALITION Year in Review

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  1. MLAC DIVERSITY COALITION Year in Review Presented by Joyce Allen-Beckford Director Andy Garcia Associated Director November 18, 2008

  2. 2008 Accomplishments • MLAC Board Diversity Retreat • Let’s Get Real about Diversity Disability Workshops • Harassment Prevention and Investigation Workshop • Difficult Conversations Workshop • Presentation to Project Directors in July • Project Directors Diversity Retreat • Attorneys of Color, Bart Gordon, Racial Justice Fellow retreat

  3. 2008 Accomplishments Cont’d… • Support PD committee on hiring and retention • Restructure Diversity Coalition Steering Committee • MLAC Brown Bag Lunches • Track workshop attendance for monitoring purposes • Consulted with CLAE on Spring workshop • Visited several PD’s this summer

  4. MLAC Board Diversity Committee • Diversity Coalition facilitated the Let’s Get Real About Diversity Retreat for MLAC’s Board of Directors in January 2008 • Board formed a Diversity Committee at the February Board meeting. • The Diversity Coalition worked with the Diversity Committee to create a DiversityMission Statement

  5. Schedule of Trainings: Let’s Get Real About Disability Spring 2008 Northeast Lowell Tuesday, April 15 10:00 to 3:00 Southeast Taunton Thursday, April 17 10:00 to 3:00 Eastern Boston Thursday, April 24 10:00 to 3:00 Central/West Springfield Tuesday, April 29 10:00 to 3:00 Eastern Cambridge Thursday, May 1 10:00 to 3:00 Central/West Worcester Tuesday, May 6 10:00 to 3:00 Eastern Framingham Thursday, May 8 10:00 to 3:00 Eastern Boston Tuesday, May 13 10:00 to 3:00

  6. Disability Workshop Objectives • Define disability, including the different categories. • Examine the issues faced by people with disabilities. • Learn to use “people first” language. • Understand how to assist people with various disabilities. • Challenge assumptions and stereotypes. • Identify ways to advocate.

  7. Let’s Get Real About: Disability

  8. How beneficial was the workshop? The workshop was rated as beneficial by the majority of respondents.

  9. How effective was the facilitation? The facilitation was rated as effective by the majority of participants .

  10. Impact on participants • Attitudes were changed: Increased respect, decreased prejudice, more open minded. • Awareness was heightened: Understanding of advantage/disadvantage, range and types of disabilities. • Communication with people with disabilities was improved: Slow down, observe, ask before acting – mindful of intent vs. impact; platinum rule. Increased comfort and confidence in approaching people with disabilities. • Commitment to advocacy was increased:Share information/awareness with staff and incorporate into unit culture.

  11. Favorite workshop activities: Many participants commented on the helpfulness of having interactive group activities.

  12. Choices for next diversity workshop

  13. Difficult conversations workshop • Opportunities to discover similarities & differences among us • Support in noticing misinformation that are held about each other • Provided a skill set to use when a challenging dialogue comes up

  14. Presentation at PDs June meeting • Encouraged PDs to develop mission statements • Presented framework for a Fall Diversity workshop • Debora Bloom presented framework for AAO workshop

  15. Objectives Harassment Prevention and Investigation Workshop • Define sexual harassment • Describe the legal and business impact of harassment • Understand the need for a written policy • Recognize a range of harassing behaviors • Distinguish between illegal harassing behavior and inappropriate workplace behavior • Select strategies to prevent and/or halt multiple types of harassment • Describe a manager’s role in dealing with harassment

  16. Project Director’s Diversity Retreat • Morning Session: How Dominant Culture Mindsets Shape Organizational Culture • Afternoon Session: Effective Interviewing Techniques by Trisha Griffen

  17. Attorneys of Color Retreat & Fellows Luncheon • New Racial Justice and Bart Gordon Fellows were honored • Judge Wendell Griffen was the keynote speaker • Attorneys of Color had a facilitated discussion with the Judge on the intersection of race & poverty

  18. Preview of 2009* • Let’s Get Real About Four Generations in the Workplace • Let’s Get Real About Race • Retreat in support of Paralegals and Intake workers • Continue to support PD’s with hiring & recruitment *The Diversity Coalition is committed to achieving these goals; however, the current funding situation may limit our ability to do so.

  19. Thank You !

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