Minutes
- Francine Pratt (co-chair)
- Andrew Baird (co-chair)
- Anna Esckelson
- Calvin Allen
- Carl Haworth
- David Shipps
- Dennis Whaley
- Denny Whayne
- Dr. Charles Taylor
- Dr. Hue Ping
- Dr. Leslie Anderson
- Francine Pratt
- Gary Stafford
- Greg Greven
- John C. Everest
- John Hursh
- John Oke-Thomas
- Josey Hedgpeth-McPhail
- Lamarr Jameson
- Lyle Foster
- Lynn Tynes
- Mark Struckhoff
- Robert King
- Sabrina Brinson
- Samuel Knox
- Stephanie Perkins
- Trisha Holbert
- Vicki Holbert
- Wes Pratt
- Yolanda Lorge
- Ann Razer
- Robert Stephens
The Global Perspectives and Diversity chapter of the strategic plan is designed to move our community toward greater acceptance and understanding of people who are different from each other. Our committee was very diverse in race, culture, beliefs, religion, age, gender and professions. We also made a special effort to meet with younger people: students and recent graduates whose decisions about where to live and work are still ahead of them.
Our focus was to ensure that as we move forward in continuing to make this a great place to live, we remain inclusive of people who were born and raised in Springfield. We want to make sure we are creating opportunities for each of us to increase social capital and civility towards each other.
This requires education about diversity — how we define it and why it is important to all of us for economic growth. Historically, there have been challenges in Springfield in addressing these types of issues. However, recent community-wide efforts have created a level of synergy that has inspired many to focus on why diversity is important, and how we can work to increase and accept it.
We have tried to look forward more than backward, and to recognize that the challenges of tomorrow will not necessarily be the challenges of yesterday.
While many of us born and raised here may not see how having a “welcoming” community is a pressing concern, it is indeed a concern: for businesses that could expand anywhere but are considering Springfield; for employers trying to convince people with scarce or specialized skills to relocate here; for students deciding where to go to college; for graduates and young professionals trying to decide where they want to live and work.
We all know this community has many great things to offer. While our chapter does address certain shortcomings, one of our main goals can be summarized simply as “increasing communication.” We want to ensure different groups are informed of activities and opportunities that might be of interest, and ensure that people of all backgrounds considering moving their families or businesses here know that a great welcome and quality of life await them.
Some of our other goals include:
- Determine which current local activities promote diversity and inclusiveness, and see that they are better publicized and supported by the community as a whole.
- Have a public recognition of situations that happened in the past to demonstrate our efforts to move forward. One example is the Mary Jean Price Scholars program, a scholarship named after the first African-American to apply (and who was denied access) to what is now Missouri State University.
- Hold public discussions to better understand the impact of the 1906 lynchings on the square to Springfield in order to help acknowledge, commemorate and move forward.
- Provide personal development opportunities for community and business leaders to learn how to face racism in society.
- Co-sponsor two annual events — a Juneteenth celebration and a weekend of jazz — to celebrate cultural diversity and provide an opportunity for everyone to participate in that celebration.
By: Francine Pratt - Executive Director of Isabell's House and president of the Springfield branch of the NAACP; and Andrew Baird - Conco Companies
4.29.2011
