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Mayor James Perkins, Jr., established a community outreach program to educate residents about the city’s policies and services.  Trust Build sends community outreach workers into the neighborhoods to identify issues and deliver information.  The city was divided into separate zones and each area was assigned to a team of city staff and police officers.  These teams conduct door-to-door visits to interview residents about their needs, give out information about city programs, and tell residents about related policies.   This effort is intended to improve responsiveness and enhance the community’s trust in government agencies.

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Since 2001, the city of Anchorage has focused its efforts and energies on addressing issues of racial and ethnic relations.  Upon taking office, Mayor Mark Begich elevated the city's Office of Equal Opportunity to the Mayor's Office to give it greater stature and authority.  The three major goals of the office have been to increase the appreciation and celebration of the diversity in Anchorage, to broaden the diversity of the municipal workforce, and to encourage the continuation of partnerships with local agencies and business including disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned businesses.

Various city efforts to promote diversity include:

• Anchorage Neighborhood Police and Fire Applicant School :  Believing that local police and fire departments are best served by a diverse workforce, the Mayor's office has formed partnerships with the Anchorage police and fire departments as well as a variety of local ethnic organizations.  These groups have worked together to develop and coordinate applicant schools whose mission is to increase the diversity within the Police and Fire Departments in Anchorage.  The aim of these applicant schools is to increase minority applications for police and fire positions and to increase communication and cooperation between minority citizens and the police and fire departments. 
• Anchorage Equal Rights Commission's Standing Committee on the Promotion of Tolerance and Diversity's Hate Crimes Task Force:  This committee has been studying hate crimes in Anchorage and other communities' successful responses to hate crimes.  They have developed a community education and awareness program to respond to and prevent hate crimes and present their education program throughout Anchorage over the next nine months.  After a series of hate crimes against Alaska natives in the city, Anchorage is also working toward amending Anchorage Municipal Code to add a new section providing for hate crimes as an aggravating factor in sentencing.   
• Municipal Employee's Diversity Council:  The city's Diversity Council provides training to municipal employees and recommends procedures to promote diversity in the city government.
• Diversity Town Hall Gatherings:  These gatherings are an opportunity for community members to obtain information and discuss and assist in resolving common problems.
• Mayor's Diversity Week:  This initiative, launched in 2004, is an annual campaign to bring leaders and representatives from cultural, community, business, civic, religious and school-based organizations together to host events that combat bias and promote a respect for diversity.  In addition to music, storytelling and dancing from various ethnic groups in the city, 2006 events included: 
  • Training:  Cultural Communications Training; Training on Increasing Communication and Understanding between Minority Citizens and Police
  • Discussion Forums:  Immigration and Anchorage; Confronting the Stigma of HIV/AIDS; Veterans Affairs; Reducing Minority Over-Representation in the Juvenile Justice System
  • Seminars and Clinics:  Fair Housing; Increasing Workplace Diversity

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To honor their Hispanic founders, the City of Chandler celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month through events like folklorico dance workshops (traditional Mexican folk dance), an educational forum and college night, a Hispanic book and author signing workshop, Miss Mariachi Pageant and other activities.  Since 2001, the city has continually funded the Special Events Sponsorship Program, which supports events that provide cultural and educational enrichment, highlight the community’s diversity, heritage, and community pride, or enhance economic vitality.  This program funded 10 groups in 2005, including the Chandler Lions Club for a 4th of July celebration, the South Chandler Self Help Foundation for a Black History celebration and the Tribal Council of Arizona for the Miss Indian Arizona Pageant.

The City of Tempe believes that with diversity comes strength. In 2001, the city created its first Diversity Department which works closely with the City Council but is independent of the normal chain of command. This provides a safe haven for employees to voice concerns about any hostile work environments. This Department also oversees all diversity issues in municipal government, enacting policies and rules to ensure diversity is welcomed and encouraged in the workplace. Through brown bag lunches and the Diversity Dialogues program, Tempe citizens have a place to address race tensions and eliminate biases through dialogue. Tempe has hired the first ADA Specialist in the state of Arizona, specializing in reaching out to citizens with disabilities and ensuring their inclusion in community activities and areas. Tempe continues to celebrate their cultural and ethnic diversity through popular events while at the same time offering wide-ranging services to all residents.

Currently, the City of Yuma builds inclusiveness through such programs and events as the Yuma Coalition to End Homelessness; interaction with Sister Cities San Luis Rio, (Colo.) and Mexicali (Mexico); the Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Day; the Neighborhood Leadership Academy and numerous cultural activities and performances.
In February 2007, Yuma will open the Stewart Vincent Wolfe Memorial Creative Playground, which will be built through a collaboration of municipal and private resources and volunteers, and is based on design input from more than 5,000 Yuma-area school children.

"We are very proud of Yuma's already diverse population and our current work to celebrate it," said Yuma City Administrator Mark Watson, following action by the Yuma City Council in late September to join NLC's effort.  "The Inclusive Communities Partnership will help our city make sure we continue to reach out to all our citizens, increase involvement by a wider representation of citizens and find new ways to embrace our unique diversities."

Launched in March 2006, the Partnership for Working Toward Inclusive Communities has grown to include 100 cities in less than nine months, signifying municipal leaders' recognition that ensuring all citizens feel they are valued is vital for the health and well-being of a community. Most of these cities have posted large-scale street signs stating, "Welcome. We are building an inclusive community", as a public symbol of their pledge to continually address issues of inclusiveness. The current list of partnership members represents the diversity and inclusiveness the program aims to foster, with members cities of varied sizes, demographics, geographic locations and economic situations.

The National League of Cities is the nation's oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 U.S. cities, towns and villages, which collectively serve 218 million people.

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The City of Brea has incorporated the Inclusive Communities philosophy into its long-range planning processes, community assistance programs, affordable housing, citizen education and involvement, and financial assistance for children's programs.  This comprehensive approach for building an inclusive community includes the following programs:

• The Family Resource Center, a city entity, works with over 40 private and not-for-profit organizations to bring families helpful assistance such as counseling, ESL classes, adult education, parent education, financial education, health screenings, and other services, mostly free.  The Family Resource Center runs on a $ 220,000 budget (2006-2007) and is overseen by a broad-based Advisory Council, charged with making decisions on services.
• Housing Breans, a broad-based board of community residents, provides input regarding the City's housing efforts, reviews affordable housing projects and policies and promotes new opportunities for increasing the affordable housing stock available in the City.
• Shaping Downtown, a community event established in 1989, was designed to update residents and businesses on the status of the City's revitalization project of the historic downtown core.
• Brea 101 is a citizen education program designed to provide Brea residents and businesses with an in-depth look at their city government.  The free series features speakers from every department, covering key city functions like police, fire and emergency preparedness, community services, development, maintenance, finance, public information and economic development.
• The Helping Hands Scholarship enables youth from low income families to participate in City recreational and cultural activities.  Children who might otherwise be left out may be subsidized for swim lessons, dance classes, tutoring, sports and many other healthy activities.
• City Culture refers to the City's active commitment to design future programs and services to include a broad-base representation of the residents they are serving.

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Since 1985, the city of Aurora has promoted cultural diversity through community events, accessible governmental services, and workshops for community employees. City staff is trained on how to communicate with immigrants and other diverse clientele whose first language is not English; the workshops often addressing issues of racial stereotypes and prejudice. Information is disseminated through multi-lingual newsletters and government documents are made readily available in a diverse number of languages. The citizens of Aurora are empowered with accessible government services with many opportunities to impact local government and weigh in on neighborhood issues. The Neighborhood Services Department has concentrated their efforts on consultations in home purchasing, community redevelopment, and property maintenance to ensure a high quality of life for all citizens. The open dialogue created by continued citizen participation secures inclusion and equality for each person in Aurora.

http://www.auroragov.org/AuroraGov/Departments/Neighborhood_Services/index.htm?ssSourceNodeId=963&ssSourceSiteId=621

Mayor Steve Burkholder has charged a 21-member commission with assessing the city’s ability to meet the needs of all of its residents.  This year, the Commission on Cultural Diversity and Human Relations is conducting an audit to identify new community needs and ways to address them.  Mayor Burkholder says when the commission started, it was initially charged with facilitating a dialogue about diversity to promote greater cultural understanding.  That effort ultimately led to the current project, which aims at improving governance by looking at inclusiveness and diversity.  Mayor Burkholder says “we have asked our commission to take a look at the benchmarks set by NLC’s Partnership for Working Toward Inclusive Communities to see how we are doing in meeting those goals.  Once we get that report we will come back and re-assess how we can meet those needs.”  The commission’s work has already demonstrated fruitful results.  By seeking advice from key leaders not normally involved in the city government, the entire community benefits from valuable advice and a greater quality of democracy.  Ultimately, the report will provide guidance for the Council to continue meeting the needs of the entire community.   

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Town Manager Matthew W. Coppler has prioritized families and service accessibility in the Town of Enfield. The Strengthening Families Program is designed to help families with children between the ages of 10-14 to develop appropriate strategies to strengthen their family through weekly dinner, concurrent group sessions for parents and youth, babysitting for younger siblings, and family sessions. The Rotary Garden Project brings together community members and school age volunteers to cultivate the plants as well as community spirit, while providing fresh produce to the Enfield Food Shelf. The Enfield Police Explorers Program offers the opportunity for male and female students age 14 to 18 to learn about the law enforcement profession while performing volunteer services to the community. By joining the Partnership for Working Toward Inclusive Communities, the town of Enfield has pledged to make the community open and accessible to all. 

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Dunedin’s City Commission established the “Inclusion Task Force” on March 6, 2003.  This Task Force was charged to review and investigate the inclusion of all different elements of the community.  As part of the process, a community public forum was held on July 30, 2003.  The Task Force discussions and Public Forum input led to a final report and recommendation for the “Diversity in Dunedin Week”. The week begins annually with the “Martin Luther King Jr. Day” event.  In 2007, performances kicked off the event in which the “Inclusive Communities” sign was unveiled by Commissioner Bujalski with Mayor Hackworth, Vice Mayor Eggers, Commissioner Kynes and Commissioner Scales looking on.The rest of the week included the “Unity Breakfast” on Wednesday, a “Chinese New Year” celebration on Friday and a “Diversity Festival” on Saturday with performers from diverse cultures.  The Library participated in the festivities with a didgeridoo performance and discussion of the Australian aborigine culture. Hundreds of people attended events throughout the week based on the theme, “A Community United—Many Paths, One Destination”.

The City of Greenacres supports a number of community programs and social events to support the needs of its diverse population.  The Paint Your Heart Out program provides assistance to low-income homeowners, especially those who are elderly or disabled, including free paint, materials and volunteer labor, for homes in need of exterior painting and minor repair work.  Additionally, the city participates in the Great American Clean-up Day, which involves thousands of volunteers of all ages across America, in an effort to remove litter and illegal dumping from neighborhoods, roadways, waterways, parks,  schools and other urban areas. 

Other programs and events include:

• Arbor Day Celebration: a nationally celebrated observance to encourage tree planting and care.
• Neighborhood Improvement Program (NIP): provides assistance to City residents from designated neighborhoods to fund projects or activities that improve the quality of life in the city.
• Senior Meal Program: a service delivered by the Palm Beach County Division of Senior Services, Senior Congregate Meal Program. 
• CARES Program -- Grades K-5: year-round childcare program for elementary age youth provides organized recreational and cultural activities and academic support.
  Cool Zone Program -- Grades 6-8: this after school program for middle school youths provides evening programs including field trips and academic assistance.
• Hot Spot Program -- Grades 9-12: this program is designed for high school students ages 14-17 and includes sports, video games, tournaments, college campus tours, guest speakers and other activities.

• Added a regular column to the City's newsletter "The Palm Coaster," titled "Diversity is Our Strength," pointing out the history of different cultural groups in the City of Palm Coast.
• In June/July 2006 this column described how the African American community has built institutions such as the Palm Coast's African American Caribbean Heritage Organization and Palm Coast's African American Cultural Society.

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To advance its dialogue on race relations, Atlanta GA took back a piece missing history this September by solemnly commemorating the centennial anniversary of Atlanta's 1906 Race Riot. This violent episode started on the evening of September 22, 1906, when a mob of over 5,000 young white men marched into the city, assaulting blacks at random. 

Throughout the following four days, the City of Atlanta spiraled down into one of its darkest moments, leaving between 25 and 40 African Americans and two whites dead and many more injured. The Centennial Remembrance, planned by the Coalition to Remember the 1906 Atlanta Race Riot, included exhibits and discussions at the M.L. King, Jr., National Historic Site, a candlelight vigil, march, speakers, walking tours and other events. 

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To recognize their participation in the NLC?s Partnership for Working Toward Inclusive Communities, the City of Moscow launched an inaugural celebration of Race Equality and Inclusive Communities Week in September 2006.

The celebration began with Human Rights Day and included a very popular soul food pot luck dinner.  During the week, all city staff participated in diversity training.

Other events taking place during the week included two panel discussions which served as open forums for community members to learn more and have candid discussions about diversity issues.  Francisco Salinas, the Director of Multicultural Affairs at the University of Idaho, presented and moderated a discussion on the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) which addresses the accessibility of education for non-citizens.  Andreen Neukranz-Butler, the University of Idaho's Human Rights Compliance Officer, moderated a discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

The work of the city government's Human Rights Commission is central to Moscow's efforts to build an inclusive community.  This active commission aims to eliminate discrimination, improve human relations, and to recommend policies to the Mayor and City Council regarding the civic and human rights of Moscow's citizens.  The City of Moscow's Human Rights Commission also works closely with the City of Pullman, the Center for Health, Education and Economic Resources (CHEER), the University of Idaho, Washington State University and the YWCA of Washington State University to host an annual conference called "Finding the Center."  This action-oriented human rights conference offers workshops on such topics as "Challenging Hate and Stereotypes in a Time of Crisis," "Building Bridges: Reducing the Harmful Effects of Prejudice and Discrimination," and "Higher Bridges, Lower Walls: Using Social Justice Activities to Overcome Barriers" for community leaders and citizens.  The third annual conference will be held in 2007.

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Mayor Peterson is committed to the inclusion of all citizens of Indianapolis through municipal programs that ensure racial diversity and equality. Created in October 1992, the Commission on African American Males (ICAMM) addresses the conditions disproportionately affecting African-American males. ICAMM convenes services and networks in the areas of health, family, education, employment, and criminal justice. ICAMM has established stakeholder taskforces to research and develop recommendations for implementation and has developed action groups to work towards success in education, law, and community.

The Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) program provides opportunities for certified minority and women-owned businesses to receive a share of city contracts and subcontracts and introduces M/WBE firms to private business opportunities. More recently, Mayor Peterson established the Mayor's Commission on Latino Affairs that addresses accessibility issues of the Latino/Hispanic community, to create more welcoming and available social services.

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Once the Fort Riley Army Base was expanded 20 miles from their town, the City of Abilene joined the Partnership for Working Toward Inclusive Communities to increase efforts in meeting the needs of the new residents moving into their community. The Fort Riley Task Force was established to involve citizens and business owners in decisions concerning housing, growth management, regional presence and cooperation, and quality of life. Specifically, the Task Force called for funding several capital improvement projects, creating a local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and establishing greater regional collaboration.  Additionally, the Task Force developed marketing to attract new residents, businesses and strategic investment into the community. The City of Abilene is committed to community involvement and will continue to welcome and accommodate new community members.

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Cambridge, Massachusetts, was recently honored as the most disability-friendly town in America, the top honor given by the National Organization on Disability (NOD). The panel of top disability advocates and experts was impressed with Cambridge’s considerate attitude and design. This is one of the many aspects that makes Cambridge an inclusive community. In addition, the Office of Affirmative Action is charged with ensuring equality throughout the city. They accomplish this goal by mediating conflicts and swiftly processing discrimination complaints and by guaranteeing that at least 10 percent of contract or sub-contract business is awarded to minority owned businesses. There is an advisory committee appointed by the City Manager to oversee Cambridge’s affirmative action plan. The committee, made up of residents, employees, and business partners, meets monthly to address issues of diversity and inclusiveness throughout the community. 

Thanks to the unwavering support of Mayor Michael McGlynn, the City of Medford has incorporated tolerance into their everyday way of life. The City of Medford, a ‘No Place for Hate’ Community, has a very diverse and active Human Rights Commission that has created multiple programs and partnerships like the workshops within public schools that discuss ‘isms’ and working with the Medford Family Network in the School Department on their annual Ethnic Fairs which highlights countries around the world; food, clothing, language, etc.. Having recently completed a Diversity Training for city staff, the city will continue their strategic city-wide plan around tolerance and diversity.

• The state of Massachusetts has adopted a selective certification process known as "Par 10" to help cities attain a workforce representative of the communities they serve.
• At the request of current Mayor Michael McGlynn, the City of Medford was the first city in the state to invoke Par 10 to fill vacant positions or make promotions in the Fire, Police and Public Works Departments.
• Par 10 is managed by the Massachusetts Human Resource Division's Civil Service Unit.

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• Implemented Kalamazoo's Equity Agenda to address issues such as re-development and social equality throughout the city.
• Created the Partners Building Community (PBC) initiative, a broad-based collaborative to focus on improving the quality of life in low-income neighborhoods.
• Organized the Summit on Racism to bring attention to institutionalized forms of racism and to highlight ways to improve race relations in the community.
• Community residents have formed the Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship, which funds 100% of post-secondary tuition for all Kalamazoo public school graduates who live within the city's jurisdiction.

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The City of Kirkwood established an essay contest for high school juniors to help generate discussion among young people about issues of race.  Students entering the 11th grade during the 2006-2007 school were asked to submit a 2-3 page essay proposing ideas on "how to improve race relations in your community."  Awards included a $75 prize for first place, $50 for second and $35 for third.  The contest is sponsored by the City's Human Rights Awareness and Advisory Commission in collaboration with the National League of Cities which celebrated Race Equality and Inclusive Communities Week on September 25-29. 

The City of Kirkwood was the first city in the State of Missouri to join the Inclusive Communities Partnership.  The City's Human Rights Awareness and Advisory Commission was established to promote awareness, recreation, employment, legislation, education accessibility and participation of and for minority groups, including persons with disabilities.  Their members, who serve as volunteers appointed by the City Council, judged the essay contest. 

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The city of Reno recognizes the importance of including all citizens in every aspect of city life. In 1999, The Reno Citizens Institute (RCI) was created to engage the citizens of Reno in the legislative processes of their local government.  An intensive 10-week course introduces each municipal department to the participants with onsite tours and meetings with city officials.

More recently, Reno’s Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department adopted an initiative to promote the inclusion of all persons in recreational activities. Partnering with agencies like AmeriCorps, Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, and the Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living, the Inclusion and Adaptive Recreation Initiative has modified area facilities and provided access to better include people of differing abilities. Thanks to generous donations of equipment and adaptations of public space, people with disabilities are no longer excluded from outdoor activities in Reno. These inclusive municipal initiatives secure the participation of each citizen in the city of Reno.

http://www.cityofreno.com/res/com_service/inclusion/docs/Inclusion_Brochure_05_bar_web.pdf

RCI Contact:  Terri Hendry
Public Information Program Manager
775-326-6309
hendryt@cityofreno.com

The City of Sparks has a Multicultural Awareness Council which was established approximately 5 years ago. They have been a very successful internal team, and have started branching out into the community. Focusing on minority and disability issues, the council has invited other public entities to a ‘special’ job fair, targeting minority groups to raise awareness of the opportunities available to them in not just the City of Sparks, but the City of Reno, Washoe County, the School District, the State of Nevada (and just about any other public agency that would like to participate).  Recently, in addition to adopting the Inclusive Community Program, the City Council has authorized the creation of a Diversity Commission that will incorporate members of the Multicultural Awareness Council as well as community members.  The first goal is to establish the make up of the commission, then to develop a formal diversity plan for the City. The City of Sparks also celebrates diversity through multi-cultural events and displays commemorating Black History Month.

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Albany’s Office of Equal Opportunity oversees the city’s Affirmative Action Plan, which prohibits discrimination based on a broad range of characteristics including race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, disability, political orientation or affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, ex-offender status and status as a Vietnam Era Veteran. The office also enforces the city’s Human Rights Ordinance, monitors fair housing laws and policies, administers the city's minority and women-owned business enterprise certification program, and monitors city contracts for compliance under the Minority Business Enterprise Ordinance.

In addition to these anti-discrimination policies, Albany celebrates its diversity through a number of cultural and educational programs.  The city holds an annual African-American History Month Celebration, runs a Fair Housing Education and Outreach program, and hosts a Fair Housing Month Celebration.  This year the city also celebrated Race Equality and Inclusive Communities Week.

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The City of Raleigh joined the partnership because they believe that it is vital to support inclusiveness and the Partnership is a fantastic networking opportunity. To continue programming celebrating diversity, the Human Relations Commission invites the different ethnic groups to their meetings to share their experiences and subsequently make recommendations to the City Council. There are many events each year, including the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. and the International Festival, which is a three day event celebrating different ethnic groups. In December 2006 Raleigh held its first Mayor’s Unity Breakfast which had 250 participants of various ethnic groups. They are proposing changes and program additions to the City Council based on the information provided.

Mayor Allen Joines and James C. Hunt, the president of the National League of Cities and a member of the City Council of Clarksburg, W.Va., gathered at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, in front of City Hall to formally mark the city's participation in the Partnership for Working toward Inclusive Communities, a program of the National League of Cities.

During the ceremony a sign was unveiled proclaiming the city's goal of including all segments of the community in its civic life and decision-making.

The City Council passed a resolution endorsing the city's participation in the program on Sept. 18. The league started the Inclusive Communities partnership to unite city leaders who support such issues as racial justice and inclusionary zoning, as well as those who celebrate the diversity of race, religions and cultures in order to build communities that are accepting and representative of the differences among its citizens.

Joines said that the city's participation is an affirmation of its long-standing policy. "Our efforts to make Winston-Salem an inclusive community go back to 1975, when the Board of Aldermen established the Human Relations Commission, and then backed it up with creation of the Human Relations Department in 1978," he said.

"More recently, we have tried to be inclusive through the Racial Healing Task Force, and by supporting community programs such as the Winston-Salem Institute for Dismantling Racism, the Crossing 52 initiative, the Winston-Salem chapter of Links Inc. and C.H.A.N.G.E."

Links worked with the Racial Healing Task Force and local schools to sponsor "Creative Expressions Linking to Racial Harmony," an exhibit of student art. The Crossing 52 initiative recently sponsored the "Blurring Racial Barriers" program.

The Mayor's office also sponsored a forum in April on the future of Winston-Salem, which discussed the changing ethnic make-up of the city, and it initiated the annual Civil Rights Movement Resolution to honor a local citizen who played a leading role in the Civil Rights movement.

The Human Relations Commission was founded, in part, to study problems of discrimination and encourage fair treatment and mutual understanding among all ethnic groups in the city; to promote equality of opportunity for all citizens; and to provide channels of communication among all ethnic groups.

As the city has diversified, the commission has added programs for the city's Hispanic residents, such as the "Beyond Soul & Salsa" series of public forum to discuss issues between African-Americans and Hispanics.

Eventually the city hopes to place signs at the city limits affirming the city's commitment to be an inclusive community, Joines said.

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Following September 11, 2001, community members in Springfield gathered in Study Circles, a project of the City of Springfield Human Relations Board, to discuss their reactions to the attacks.  Since that time, Study Circles have become a central part of the city's efforts to build an inclusive community.  Over 100 Study Circles have formed in Springfield since 2001, most of them dedicated to issues of race and ethnic relations.  One of these groups evolved into the Global Education and Peace Network which sponsors an annual speaker series to build awareness in Springfield of the diverse ethnic and national groups in the community.   The local library produces a complementary bibliography of teaching materials for teachers to use in the public schools.

Since 1997, Springfield, OH has also hosted "CultureFest," a multicultural festival aimed at promoting intercultural understanding.  The festival features music, food, dance, and storytelling from different cultures.  For the 2006 celebration, local participants included residents, performers, and business from Asia, Africa, and Central America.

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• The City of Hermiston has addressed its goal of building an inclusive community by empowering residents to participate in their communities.  The City boasts an active network of Neighborhood Watch groups, a police force committed to diversity, an active Neighborhood Revitalization program and a project to train current residents on how to engage and better communicate with new incoming immigrant families. 
• Recognizing that Oregon's demographics are changing, the City of Hermiston recently invited residents to attend a training session to learn how to communicate with immigrant families.  The goal is to help participants become familiar with issues involved in learning a new language, acculturation and assimilation.  This will help current residents assist newly arrived families get involved in community activities, including their children's education. 
• During November 2003, the City of Hermiston invited residents to participate in a Neighborhood Revitalization project to improve their properties.  While the temperature was well bellow zero, almost 50 volunteers showed up to clear their properties of debris.  While volunteers "Mario" and "David" were credited for their roles in organizing the effort, the general consensus was that it characterized Hermiston's spirit of community cohesiveness.
• The City's Police Department has similarly adopted policies to meet the needs of monolingual residents.  The department recently issued a laminated card to every officer, with bilingual instructions describing the most common interactions between the public and law enforcement.  Additionally, the city has created a Spanish "Hotline" to answer frequent non-emergency questions from Spanish speakers.  A strong recruitment effort has helped the department build a robust Police Reserve program, whose members are 42% Hispanic and fluent Spanish speakers.  Also, the department recently hired two Hispanic and completely bilingual officers, to enhance its ability to communicate with the Hispanic population. 
• The Police Department formed a network of 47 Neighborhood Watch Groups, in which neighbors work together to improve the safety of their communities.  These groups develop relationships and open communication between neighbors, increasing community ownership and implementing processes for recognizing and reporting suspicious activities to law enforcement officers. 

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When visitors arrive in Rock Hill, SC they are greeted by signs that say "Rock Hill, South Carolina, No Room for Racism."  These signs reflect a commitment that the city made in 1997 to addressing race relations.  That year, the city initiated a No Room for Racism Committee as part of the city's Human Relations Commission.  Appointed by the mayor, the committee fosters relationships among persons of diverse social, cultural and racial backgrounds and celebrates commonalities in order to overcome racism.  The nine-member committee participates in bi-monthly forums and also coordinates study circles and social circle support groups.

In the last two years, the committee has sponsored public forums on such issues as the dimensions of diversity, Vietnamese immigrants in the city, and world religions.  A 2005 forum fostered dialogue among local teens about issues such as interracial dating, stereotyping, the rise of gangs, and the separation of different racial groups in churches and schools.

Rock Hill further demonstrated its commitment to racial equality during the 2006 Race Equality and Inclusive Communities Week, when the city held "The Building Blocks of Diversity Celebration and Forum" to discuss the city's growing diversity.  The event was inspired by diversity workshops held at Rosewood Elementary International School in 2005.  During the workshop teachers learned that 22 different languages were spoken in the district.  Despite this diversity, however, the city "found there is very little diversity training in our community," said Diane Wells, projects specialist for the city. Rosewood Elementary aimed to expand their diversity training to educational institutions, churches, and businesses.

"The Building Blocks of Diversity Celebration and Forum" brought together key community members who, with the direction of a consultant from the Anti-Defamation League, developed an Action Plan for the Rock Hill schools.  The Action Plan focuses on embracing diversity in the community and in the world and preparing future generations for work in a global society.  At the forum, community members discussed the need for diversity training for public school teachers.  Although the public schools in South Carolina have become increasingly diverse, the state offers no diversity training for public school teachers.  The Rock Hill initiative aims to develop a training program for Rock Hill?s teachers, one which will serve as a model for the state of South Carolina.

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Plano, Texas, showcases its standing as an international community with its annual Plano International Festival, this year held on Saturday, Oct. 21.

With more than 80 languages spoken, restaurants representing more than 100 different cultures and home of multinational firms such as JCPenney and Frito-Lay, Plano's melting pot of cultures inspired the city to establish the festival to increase awareness of its cultural diversity and multicultural contributions to the city and to promote communication between its diverse groups.

When the festival debuted in 2005, it featured 70 cultural booths, an international fashion show, a Parade of Nations, ethnic music, dance performances, a food court, children's activities and a naturalization ceremony for new citizens.

This year, the city expects to build on its previous experiences with events such as an enhanced Parade of Nations, where children from the Plano Independent School District will wear traditional costumes and carry flags from their native countries.

The festival is planned by the Plano International Festival Corporation, a not-for-profit organization, and is underwritten by the City of Plano.

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• Blue Ridge Independent Living Center, a private, non-profit community agency with non-residential programs, assists the city in ensuring local businesses and city facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. They also help by looking at agencies receiving federal dollars to ensure they are in compliance with the laws for accessibility to people with disabilities. The Center receives CBDG funds from the city for use in home modifications for people with disabilities to make their houses more accessible, and works with the city on fair housing issues as they relate to people with disabilities.
• The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), a national civil rights organization working to improve race relations, helped put together a special committee partnered with the city to rename the First Street Bridge as a memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
• The NAACP Roanoke Branch co-sponsors annual job fairs and other events with the city to promote inclusiveness in our community.
• The Roanoke Sister Cities Program promotes and invites an exploration of cultures with Roanoke's seven sister cities: Wonju, Korea; Kisumu, Kenya; Pskov, Russia; Florianopolis, Brazil; Opole, Poland; Lijiang, China; and St. Lo, France. The committee works cooperatively with the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County governments; with schools, colleges, and universities; with churches, civic/service clubs, and with community festivals (i.e. Local Colors), to make a difference.
• The Mayor's Committee for Multicultural Affairs was established to facilitate the city's Multicultural Initiative, and assists the city by disseminating information to newly arrived persons from a variety of cultures, to let them know about the services and programs provided by their local government.. Committee members have an active role in relaying this information to people in their cultural community and helping to create an awareness of the city's diversity.
• The Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities is a group that helps the city educate our community about the needs of people with disabilities.
• On Aug. 3, 2006, the city launched its VOYCE (Valuing Our Youth through Community Engagement) Initiative at a kickoff event held in the Roanoke Civic Center Exhibition Hall. The VOYCE Initiative Committee meets with city staff to gather feedback and assess issues regarding the city?s plan for youth initiatives. They work with the city and other local groups to develop plans and find ways to show our youth that we care.
• The Youth Commission is a group of local public and private school youth who partner with the Youth Services Division of Roanoke Parks and Recreation to develop programming activities for youth in our community. Other activities include the Summer Internship Program, Nutritional Program, Writing is Fun Program (this is a new program that will allow youth the opportunity to share their writing views and skills) and special events such as "Rock the Park," Youth Retreat Leadership Development Weekend, National Youth Services Day (April) and Student Government Career Day (mid-May).
• The Leadership College is sponsored by the city as an introduction to a variety of resources and information available to citizens as they work within the community and with city staff to improve the quality of life and to promote a stronger sense of community. The college is free to citizens and is offered twice a year.
• The Mortgage Assistance Program makes funds available to help low- to moderate-income homebuyers with a down payment and closing costs to purchase a home within the City of Roanoke.  Applicants must be first-time homebuyers to participate in this program (have not owned a home in three years), but are not required to be a current city resident.
• The city's Tax Abatement Program is an incentive program that allows property owners to receive a reduction in their property taxes over a number of year