Press Release:
Human Relations Council April 13, 2002 Community Convocation
Since we are not a "town meeting" community, we miss many opportunities to come together. The Human Relations Council of Montgomery County (HRC) realizes this and strives to offer opportunities to meet and join in small or large community forums.
We are now accepting reservations for our second community-wide convocation. The first successful gathering of at least 125 community leaders and members was held in April of 1997. It was an amazing event that led to a Community Action Network initiative and solid community building between many sectors of people in the County. We are shooting for 165 participants this year and a larger cross-section of community representation. Join us on this important day!
The intent of the April 13, 2002 Community Convocation is to bring community leaders AND community citizens together to share, express, and decide what human relations concerns, issues, and needs exist in Montgomery County and to begin the work of teaching our community how to sustain on-going dialogue and action around these issues. The HRC has three common goals for the Community Convocation that will allow community members to develop personal contacts to build support and create strategies for stronger human relations: 1) Gauge current human relations progress within the County and define remaining human relations issues. 2) Plan how to build understanding of difference and facilitate the education of how to manage difference in our community. This plan will include specific follow up steps geared to the most pressing human relations issues identified by convocation participants. 3) Ask the community to learn how to dialogue about tough issues and view understanding multiple perspectives as our greatest strength and the best gift we can offer our children.
What do we mean by "human relations?" Well, since no community is entirely related by kinship or family ties, how do we find relevance in one another and in what spirit do we associate and connect with one another? The HRC, a volunteer organization set up by the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors in the early 1990's, has at its core, a desire to help the community build intentional relations between different groups of people that strengthen with time. Whether the difference is in religion, race, culture, gender, geography, ability, politics, education, sexual orientation, how we view the environment or desire to use land does not matter: we all live "here" and here matters. This County is home to so many important and varied people. The HRC is a resource and serves to facilitate the skill learning and space it takes to come together around the challenges ofliving in community and understanding one another.
Free event! Saturday, April 13, 2002; 8:30am-3:00pm; Breakfast and lunch provided!
Reserve your space BY April 8, 2002: on line OR by contacting HRC Co-Chairs Penny Franklin (382-2310) and Bob Stuart (552-2258), respectively, or Project Coordinator Irene Lamb (961-7554). See you there!
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