Palouse Room

A model for strengthening your organization and building a diverse workforce through the use of tools such as a multicultural advisory board will be presented.

Pat Wright is the Multicultural Affairs Director and Enrollment Coordinator for Washington State University Tri-Cities.

Columbia Basin Room A

Ben Cabildo and James Troutt will discuss the problems faced by minority business owners in Spokane. They will discuss what needs to be done and what individuals and organizations can do to ally with minority business owners.

Ben Cabildo is a personal financial advisor at American Express Financial Advisors, Inc. James Troutt owns Maid to Perfection.

Columbia Basin Room B

The focus of this session is to define hate crimes. Wally Cusick, a Spokane Police Sergeant, will discuss how police respond and investigate.

The workshop will explore and examine stereotypes through a group exercise. Participants will have a greater understanding and sensitivity to the impact that stereotypes have on us. Karen Boone is the Project Safe Coordinator, a program of the Spokane Sexual Assault Center.

Susan Fabrikant is the Director of Training and Education for the Spokane Sexual Assault Center. Karen and Susan both work for Lutheran Social Services of Washington and Idaho.

Columbia Basin Room D

Debunking five recurrent myths and stereotypes about Jewish people. Anti-Semitism, the longest hate.

Bruce Kort is the Director of the Anti-Defamation League based in Seattle.

Bay #1

Next Steps is the place to go to be connected to community resources that seek to enhance diversity. Come in and get connected to other community members and become an advocate.

Melissa Martin works in public relations at Gonzaga University.

"Wilma ManKiller, former Principle Chief of the Cherokee Nation, once said, "now is the time to stop agonizing and start organizing, organizing a community vision quest for change." In this session, you will have an opportunity to participate in a grassroots effort to develop a vision for race relations in 21st century Spokane. You are invited to have your voice heard and get involved with a focus group session designed to lay the groundwork for a community plan of action which challenges us to move beyond rhetoric to responsible action for community change and improvement in race relations.

Raymond Reyes, , is the Associate Academic Vice President for Diversity at Gonzaga University.

Yakima Valley Room A

Students of mixed ethnic and racial backgrounds share insights and encouragement.

The presenters are students from Central Valley High School and from Lewis and Clark High School.

Teens will lead a discussion and explore solutions about race relations in the high school setting. The presenters are from Rogers High School, Lewis and, and East Valley.

Conference Theater

Victor Lewis, a nationally known diversity consultant and participant in the documentary diversity video "The Color of Fear" will share his insights into the dynamics of racism. He will help participants explore the impacts of racism on all of us and offer ways to overcome it while moving towards a community with racial equality, equity and unity.

Yakima Valley Room B

The Planet MEAD team from Mead High School will lead a series of interactive activities which demonstrate issues of equity and diversity.

Yakima Valley Room B

Yakima Valley Room C

Attendees will participate in a study circle on race relations and receive information on how to start a study circle in their own community or organization. The goal is to have productive conversations on race relations and other difficult issues.

Angela Wizner is an instructor at Spokane Community College.

Sunny Burns is the Dean of Student Services at Spokane Community College.

Okanogan Valley Room A

Spokane's news media does a good job of covering the Aryan Nation's rallies and spray-painted swastikas. But the bigot next door may be just as big a problem. Let's compare media images of racists to the racists

you must deal with, and together come up with strategies to fight hate near home.

Ginny Whitehouse is an assistant professor of journalism at Whitworth College. She researches media coverage of hate crimes in Washington State and throughout the nation.

Okanogan Valley Room B

This program is about finding unique ways to release the power of race unity. Format will include a video and discussion.

Gerri Graber-Wilson is with the Bahai's of Spokane Valley.

This workshop presents the historical trauma to a Native American culture, to a family within that culture, and to self. This is the story of how a healing process has worked for a family.

Robbie Paul is the Native American Coordinator at the Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education at WSU College of Nursing.

Executive Conference

Prominent leaders from all sectors of our community will engage in a round table discussion of the state of diversity in Spokane. They will acknowledge challenges, highlight plans and share effective strategies. Attendees are welcome to observe their discussion and engage via an "open chair".

Bay #1

Next Steps is the place to go to be connected to community resources which seek to enhance diversity. Come in and get connected and become an advocate.

Melissa Martin works in public relations at Gonzaga University.

Victor Lewis, a nationally known diversity consultant and participant in the documentary diversity video "The Color of Fear" will share his insights into the dynamics of racism. He will help participants explore the impacts of racism and offer ways to overcome it while moving towards a community with racial equality, equity and unity.

YakimaValley A

Students share the "How To’s" of the formation, operation and activities of activities of a multicultural school club, committee or team.

Yakima Valley Room B

By becoming aware of common values and attitudes, we have the seed for intentional community to begin. This interactive work will explore how diverse cultural identities are anchored in a common relatedness to nature's rhythms and cycles.

Alex Kaprian will discuss the Slavic experience in seeking refuge in Spokane, the reasons for leaving their countries, and how they adjust to the new environment.

Alex Kaprian is a refugee social worker at the Department of Social and Health Services (D.S.H.S.). He also works as a pastor at the Pilgrim Slavic Baptist Church.

Okanogan Valley Room A

This workshop will involve a handout questionnaire on being a diversity change agent. The group will then develop ideas for taking action handouts.

Palouse Room

To be effective "white allies" requires an awareness of what it means to be "white" and to have "white privilege". It also requires knowledge of supportive behavior.

Dan Distelhorst is a Diversity Consultant. Bob Bartlett is the Director of Cultural Affairs, Gonzaga University.