Putting on my public involvement consultant hat for a minute, there's actually quite a lot more than passive advertising or talking to your neighbors that can be done to recruit much more diverse participants to decision-making positions. Without writing a novel here, much of case material, literature, and experience indicates that effective strategies include building long-term relationships and trust, as well as expanding the means, modes, and structures of decision making. Please remember, too, not to demean these concepts by thinking it's about white people bringing people of color to the table...since it's not our table to bring them to.
Research and practice that I've seen from N America, Eur, Australia/NZ, southern Africa, and some from SE Asia suggest that the highest quality and most durable decisions are made by groups diverse enough in their thinking to have rich and deep dialogues about important issues -- but not so diverse in their thinking as to be paralyzed in conflict. Decision making in any community takes many forms. Here in St. Paul some people know most of the public forms of them, and many are or are becoming more diverse by ethnicity, communications or learning style, race, first language, gender, age, education, sexual orientation, interest, political affiliation, socio-economic status, etc. There are also thousands more nonpublic decision-making entities, forums, and opportunities in St. Paul, dominated primarily by like-minded people who find such structures accessible, interesting, and often personally beneficial in some way. Many spend no time or effort at all thinking about (or acting on) how to broaden and deepen their work by bringing other voices to the table, either periodically or permanently. When you're trying to get something very specific and focused done, that probably makes a great deal of sense. For decision-making where diverse perspectives are essential, I urge you to make the time and effort to think seriously about why you want to do this, why it's important and valuable, and what/who you don't have at the table that you need to make better, more respectful, and more durable decisions. Concurrently, think about who's NOT there, whose voices aren't being heard, whose perspectives are truly unrepresented, but should't be. Then think about what might make "your" needs of any value at all to those who aren't there. Work that through, build a plan around it (that could include individual trust- and relationship-building, major structural changes in group process/ composition/ logistics, and/or innovative strategies such as joint meetings, shared seats with other entities, etc.), work the plan, routinely evaluate the impact, and make changes as necessary. As with all things worthwhile, this takes time, energy, and loads of commitment, but of course the rewards are tremendous. -- Anne Carroll _______________________________ Anne R. Carroll Carroll, Franck & Associates Strategic Planning, Communications, and Public Involvement 1357 Highland Parkway St. Paul, MN 55116 USA <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 651-690-9162 School Board: 651-690-9156 "A politician worries about the next election. A true states[wo]man worries about the next generation, and children yet unborn." - e.e. cummings "...leadership is about how you bring out the best in people. Leadership is what you give to the community you live in. Leadership is what you give to the world. Leadership is how you live an honest life... You will be more credible and you will be more powerful if you do not separate the lives you live from the words you speak." -- Paul Wellstone _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
