The Lawrence Alliance Report (June 2005 to January 2008)

Submitted by Deb Taylor, Lawrence Alliance Chair

January 29, 2008


The Lawrence Alliance meets the second Wednesday of every Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sept, and Nov. Since June 2005, we have held 15 meetings. Our Web site is regularly updated:
http://www.lawrencealliance.org. It includes meeting locations/times as well as Minutes. Since 2005, the Alliance has worked hard to increase awareness for diversity issues in Lawrence.

Events/Programs

Cultural Awareness Training for the Lawrence Police Dept

This is a one-hour session presented by a Lawrence group (Native American, African American, elderly, gay and lesbian, Jewish, Muslim) that shares its culture with the Lawrence Police Officers as part of their required yearly training. Its purpose is to help Lawrence police officers become more familiar with and sensitive to customs and cultures of various groups. Concurrently, groups get the opportunity to meet and chat with their town's police officers. These sessions have opened a much-needed dialogue and have increased understanding between law enforcement and Lawrence’s diverse community.

Sessions so far: Islamic Community (Dec 06); Native American Community (Jun 07); Hispanic Community (scheduled for Feb 08).

Hispanic Community Educational Awareness, St Johns Church, Nov 2007

The Lawrence Alliance and Centro Hispano (of Lawrence) co-sponsored an educational meeting for the Hispanic community to meet members of the Lawrence Police Department in order to discuss issues important to the Hispanic community. The goal was to help Hispanic community members better understand law enforcement in Lawrence as well as feel more comfortable, knowledgeable, and safe while living in Lawrence.

Guest speakers

The Lawrence Alliance has been honored to hear from a variety of representatives who have shared with us their experiences and/or jobs:

  • Craig Butler, Lawrence School Equity Council, Nov 2007
  • Diane Ash, Prevention Specialist/Team Leader, Lawrence High School, May 2007
  • Annette Dabney, Speech Language Pathologist/esl, Hillcrest Elementary, May 2007
  • Lydia Leon, Lawrence Citizen Advisory Board; Centro Hispano, Sept, 05, Nov 06, Nov 07
  • Lawrence Human Relations Department, May 2006
  • Ann Weick, original director of the Lawrence Alliance; former Dean of KU School of Social Welfare, May 2006
  • Sharon Chino, EEO Office, Haskell Nov 05
  • Sonya Johnson, President, NAACP, Sept 05
  • Moussa Elbayoumy, Islamic Center, Aug 05, Sept 05
  • Vinya Sankaran Vasu, President, KU Cultural India Club, Sept 05
  • Channette Kirby and David Smith, Lawrence Living Wage Alliance, Sept 05
  • Father Joseph Dang, Director, Asian Community Center, Sept 05
  • Gayle Sigurdson, Kaw Valley OWL (Older Women's League) Sept 05

Intern

Alexander Tsatsoulis, a student who is working on his Masters of Public Policy at the Harris School for Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago, researched the possibility of the Alliance creating "spots" on Lawrence's Public Access station. Summer 2006

Community Support

  • Two Board members walked in the St John's Mexican Fiesta Parade, June 06
  • The Board wrote a letter to the City Commission in support of the Lawrence Domestic Partner Registry, June 07

Meetings/Dialogues

The Lawrence Alliance continues to maintain a dialogue with the City and the Lawrence Police Department. The Alliance Board Chair has met with the following:

  • David Corliss Feb 2007
  • David Cobb, Mike Pattrick, LPD, Several conversations since Jun 2006
  • Our Staff Liaisons have been: Debbie Van Saun, Rehelio Samuel, and Toni Wheeler.

Events/Goals for 2008 

  • Continue LPD Cultural Awareness Training sessions and expand it to other law enforcement agencies.
  • Continue Community Educational Awareness sessions such as the one we held with the Hispanic community, and expand it to include other groups as opportunities arise.
  • Invite representatives from various communities in Lawrence (e.g. Muslim, Hispanic, Elderly, etc.) to the Sept 10, 2009 Board meeting to discuss their perceptions of diversity and tolerance in Lawrence. This will be similar in style to the Board meeting we had on Sept 28, 2005. We hope to meet in the City Commission Meeting Room at City Hall so that we can broadcast/tape the session. We want to invite City leaders as well as health care professionals, school administrators and others to be a part of the audience. We plan to invite the Lawrence community to attend as well; we will generate public interest through flyers, Channel 6 banner announcements, and possibly PSAs through Hank Booth at 1320 AM radio.
  • Begin plans and sponsorship for a Cultural Celebration (Festival of Cultures) that could possibly take place in South Park in the summer of 2009. Our hope is that we can generate ideas through networking with the community members who attend the Sept 10 meeting.
  • Continue to maintain Board diversity. Currently, the Lawrence Alliance includes members who represent the following groups/diversity: USD 497, Islamic Community, Hispanic Community, Lawrence Police Department, African American Community, Gay and Lesbian Community, KU, Homeless Community, Women’s Issues, NAACP, Spiritual Community. We would like to continue adding members to the Board who represent and celebrate Lawrence’s diversity.

Lawrence Alliance Mission Statement

That we may continually eliminate discrimination in our city, and that we may move with purpose toward the day when tolerance and justice flourish unhindered within and beyond our city limits.

The Lawrence Alliance will provide a listening ear in our community, making its presence known, gathering information, and providing information to the city's government and its citizens, advocating for the changes that must come.

Current Lawrence Alliance Board Members

Sarah Terwelp, Mike Monroe, Carlos Otero, Robbie Derritt, Chris Keary, Baha Safadi, Bruce Ney, Deb Taylor, Lori Tapahonso, Peter Luckey, Bob Hubert.