No Place for Hate® (NPFH) Advisory Committee
Meeting Notes
March 15, 2007
Chairperson Yvette C. began the meeting at 6:15.P.M.
I. Diversify Board Membership: Mary M. mentioned some of the “protected class” categories (race, religion, marital status, disability, gender, etc.) that the committee might want to include in their membership. As a way to increase membership, the committee suggested using the Yellow Pages to develop a list of clubs and organizations to send meeting notices to. Staff will follow up on this and include other organizations on the mailing list. Haywood Hunter suggested asking the North Central Mass. Minority Coalition and other organizations to talk about the NPFH® Program at their regularly scheduled meetings.
Mary said the Neighborhood and You Coalition would like to attend the NPFH® meetings, but can not do it on the third Thursday of the month. The Advisory Committee said they are willing to meet on the fourth Thursday in April, which is April 26th.
II. Select the first of three Fitchburg NPFH® activities: Yvette Cooks suggested that the committee begin with a pot luck dinner. The committee said they would like it to be a community multicultural pot luck dinner. Mike A. said he will talk to his contact at Hotel Raymond to see if a dinner can be held there and Yvette C. said she will speak to her contact at the St. Joseph’s Club for the same reason. Matt D. suggested holding the activity on a Saturday in June, so it would be close to the Civic Days event planned in July. Members thought this was a good idea.
Mike A. said the Montachusett Opportunity Council can donate the necessary paper goods for the dinner. Mark G. said he will call everyone on the membership list and ask if he/she can bring food and a friend. (Mark will call people when a date and location have been selected.) Mark G. will contact the chairperson of the Pot Luck Committee, Vasco G., and fill him in on the plans. Mark will also contact businesses to see if they want to donate food. The committee would like to have the June Advisory Council meeting separate from the pot luck dinner. Matt D. said he will develop a flyer for distribution once the date, location, etc. have been approved by the committee. Mark G., Erica T., Mike A., Haywood H. and Yvette C. said they will help with the distribution of flyers for the pot luck dinner.
III. Subcommittee Membership: (If subcommittees want to meet on their own and report back at the full Advisory Committee meetings, they can do so.)
Erica T. said she would join Glenn F. on the Communications/Media Subcommittee. Glenn is the chairperson of this subcommittee. Erica has developed a NPFH® Web Blog (http://noplaceforhate.blogspot.com). Committee members were asked to review the Web Blog site before the April meeting. The committee needs to approve the format, contents, etc. of the Blog before it can be publicized to the general public. Once approved, it will be made a link to the City’s web page, and meeting notes and agendas will be placed on the Web Blog.
Mike B. said he would help Patrick M. on the Civic Days Subcommittee. Patrick M. is the Chairperson. Glenn F. previously agreed to sit on this subcommittee, also.
David T. previously agreed to sit on the Graffiti Subcommittee. This subcommittee needs a chairperson. This subcommittee will look at ways to eliminate graffiti, create murals and find legal places to do so. Mike B. said he will contact Jennifer J. at the School Department. She is in charge of the Arts Program. Mike will speak to her about possible themes for murals. Glenn F. said he will talk to Chief Cronin about the legalities associated with painting murals.
IV. Fitchburg State College: Jane C. could not make the meeting, so Mary M. reported on the discussion that took place with Fitchburg State College, the ADL, the Worcester Human Rights Commission and Holy Cross College.
(From the Notes):The Worcester NPFH® Committee was established a couple of years ago. Holy Cross College became involved shortly afterwards as a result of student interest. The college selects separate NPFH® activities from the City of Worcester, but works collaboratively with city representatives when it is appropriate to do so. Holy Cross College calls its anti-bias initiative, “Hate: Not Here!”. The college has placed this logo on flyers, posters, pins (in school colors), etc. as a way to get the word out. The “Hate:Not Here!” Program is part of Orientation for incoming freshman students and as part of Employee orientation. The school’s Department of MultiCultural Education spearheads this initiative, but all departments are involved, as well as the College President, upper level Administration, the Student Government Association and the Board of Trustees.
Holy Cross College had a Campus Kick-Off, developed marketing tools to get the word out about the “Hate:Not Here!” Program, promoted the initiative in their campus newsletter and on their website.
The City of Worcester’s NPFH® Campaign included developing a City Manager’s Community Task Force on Bias and Hate Crimes. The task force has worked on a public arts program, sponsored a Bias and Hate Crimes Training for the Worcester Police Department, worked with the public schools in developing a Poster Contest, held the 2nd Annual NPFH® Film Festival and displayed a billboard advertising the city’s NPFH® Program. (A billboard can be donated and run for 3mos.-6mos. )
V. Other Business: Patrick M. can report on the July Civic Days event at the April meeting. Patrick has reserved a booth for the NPFH® Committee. Suzanne B. can report on the Non-Profit Institute at the next meeting. Suzanne attended the Institute’s monthly meeting and spoke about Fitchburg’s NPFH® Program.
Glenn F. said the police department’s new show called, “Our City” airs tonight (3/15/07) at 8:30P.M. Glenn said he could talk about the city’s NPFH® Program on future programs.
Members said they would like Yvette C. to continue as the chairperson of the Advisory Committee. Mike A. has agreed to be the Vice Chair.
The next meeting of the Fitchburg NPFH® Advisory Committee will be held on Thursday, April 26th from 6:00P.M. to 7:30P.M. at Memorial Middle School Library.
Submitted by,
Mary M.HRC Staff Liaison
