The Multicultural Center and its partner organizations are launching this new opportunity, an open community process called “Diversity Circles”. People from all over the community are invited to participate in diverse discussion circles over the same period of time. All the circles work on the same issue and seek insight and solutions for the whole community.  At the end of the round of circles, people from all of the groups gather in one place to work together on the action ideas that come out of the circles.

Diversity circles are about dialogue with different people and learning from their various perspectives and experiences. But Diversity Circles don’t stop with talk; circles are also about insight, action and change on a grassroots level.

The Fox Cities Diversity Circles being launched this month will focus on the topic of diversity.  People are realizing the increase in racial/ethnic diversity in the area; there is also a growing awareness of other existing facets of diversity such as religion, ideology, gender, socio-economic levels and sexual orientation. How do we bring people together, across these differences, to work through issues? The Diversity Circles process is grounded in the conviction that, in a democracy, the only successful resolution of these questions and tensions is one that every person actively takes part in. So people are invited to sit down with others from different parts of the community to consider what we hold in common, what keeps us apart, and how we can work together to build a stronger, better place for all of us.

Each Diversity Circle will consist of 10-12 participants, supported by two volunteer facilitators. (Experienced Circles practitioner Rose Ann Mason of UW-Parkside trained our initial facilitator corps of 16 local volunteers in February.) Each circle will meet four times, for two hours each session, working through a provided discussion guide. Circles will meet at several different public sites throughout the Fox Valley. Diversity Circles participation in is free of charge and open to any resident of the Fox Cities. The launch of the Circles effort is supported by a grant from the Opportunity Fund of the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region.

Interested in registering to participate in a Diversity Circle?  Call the Multicultural Center at 882-4056 or email contact@foxcitiesmulticultural.org.

Diversity Circles Brochure (pdf)
Sign up for Diversity Circles (new sessions beginning October 2007)

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