Wayland Area Diversity Coalition

Essential to the core mission of the Wayland Area Diversity Coalition is helping to prepare our students to work and live in a diverse and global community. 

To accomplish this the Wayland Area Diversity Coalition conducts public forums to increase understanding of diversity  through a series of outstanding community forums. 

Community members and parents are key as they serve as role models who interact with young people on a daily basis. Diversity education and training can  help students, faculty and staff along with parents and community members create a diverse and inclusive community.

Thursday September 24 - 7 p.m.

Daily Brews Gourmet Coffee Cafe, 128 S Main St, Wayland, MI. Tel: 269-792-2739

Keith Vandenbergh

Keith is a resident of Wayland Township and works for Erhardt Construction in Ada as their Vice President in charge of estimating. As part of these efforts, Keith has long maintained active involvement in minority and women-owned contractor associations to encourage equal access to Erhardt’s projects. He has also served as a mentor for two different MBE firms to help them build their businesses. Erhardt Construction has recently been named the Minority Business Advocate of the Year for 2009.

Keith has recently taken a more active involvement in the improvement of the “inclusiveness” within Erhardt Construction and has added the title of “Director of Diversity”. He is now working with a diverse group of employees to explore ways to improve the work environment. Part of his training for these added responsibilities has been the completion of the Institute for Healing Racism program. He has spoken on the programs impact on him personally to the Partners for a Racism-Free Community and at his church.  

Keith will share his Institute for Healing Racism experience with a focus on those parts that impacted him the most and helped him to understand the history and inequities of racism. The conversation will be held in a “round table” format to encourage the free exchange of ideas. Please bring your questions and thoughts to share with the group.

Wednesday November 18, 2009 - 6:30 p.m. (note earlier time)

@Luella Collins Community Center - 419 126th Avenue, Wayland (Shelbyville)

Phyllis Davis 

"SKINS" (2002) - NOVEMBER 11 - This movie is rate R.

Starring Eric Schweig and Graham Greene

Rudy Yellow Lodge is an investigator with the police department and witnesses firsthand the painful legacy of Indian existence. Although rampant unemployment, alcoholism and domestic violence are the norm for many reservation inhabitants, Rudy has largely escaped this cycle of despair. His brother Mogie, however, has not. Now faced with the discovery of a bloodied body, a flaming liquor store just off native land that sells millions of cans of beer a year to the native population, and his brother's ongoing self-destruction, Rudy goes on a quest to avenge himself, his family, and his culture and to seek justice. Summary written by Sujit R. Varma @ IMDB.com

Movie Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2357723417/

Thursday January 21 - 7 p.m.

Henika Library, 149 S Main St, Wayland, MI. Tel: 269-792-2891

Rick Steves’ “Iran: Yesterday and Today”

Wednesday March 24, 2010 - 7 p.m.

@ Daily Brews Gourmet Coffee Cafe, 128 S Main St, Wayland, MI. Tel: 269-792-2739

TEACHING HOPE: Stories from the Freedom Writer Teachers

"Think of that teacher, that one teacher—the one who made the difference, who saw you and pushed you to find out who you wanted to become. This book is written by 150 people who attempt to be that teacher in the lives of their students, every day.”  Thus begins TEACHING HOPE: Stories from the Freedom Writer Teachers and Erin Gruwell; Foreword by Anna Quindlen. 

Cathy Capy Cantu

@ Daily Brews Gourmet Coffee Cafe, 128 S Main St, Wayland, MI. Tel: 269-792-2739

7 p.m. - Special presentation by the Wayland area diversity (youth) groups

7: 30 p.m.

"Feeling Welcome in the U.S."

By Alan Headbloom

Presentation summary:

This presentation will introduce attendees to notions of Self and Other, Alternative Behaviors, and Being "Not From Here."   Through interactive exercises and discussions, U.S. natives will come to a clearer understanding of how to welcome the outsider into their midst.

With over 30 years of experience in cross-cultural communication, Alan Headbloom works with foreign-born employees from a wide variety of professions, helping them adapt to the American workplace. On the flip side of the equation, he provides training for American employers to become more savvy in working with their international counterparts.  The motto of his company, Headbloom Cross-Cultural Communication, is "Feel like you belong." 

Alan has lived on four continents, visiting three dozen countries, and studying a dozen languages in the process.  He holds master's degrees in Applied Linguistics and English and a bachelor's degree in German. He has presented to numerous public and professional organizations, for-profit businesses, and non-profit groups and has co-authored a book on the difficulties of English grammar and pronunciation for Japanese learners.  In his free time, he enjoys long-distance running, community volunteering, and getting to know his newborn grandson.

http://www.headbloom.com/