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Overview of past and current anti-racism initiatives <br />Initiatives ranged froxn programs led by a small number of volunteer or paid staff <br />focusing on a very speciiic population (such as a garticular neighborhood or children of a <br />specific age in a particular school district), to multifaceted programs with multiple staff <br />people and a wide geographic range. Program budgets also varied greatly, ranging from <br />just a few thousand dollars a year to nearty $4 million annually. Programs ranged in age <br />from less than a year (10 months) to more than SO years in dtiration. <br />Recurring strategies include: <br />■ Raasing awareness about the existence of racism, racial discrunination, and racial <br />disparities, particularly with regard to communities experiencing recent and rapid <br />demographic changes. <br />■ Inereasing opportunities for inter-raciai/ethnic/cult�ral contact and exchange through <br />such venves as faith communities, schools, neighborhoods, and bttsiness settings. <br />■ Increasing leadership, decision-making power, and civic en�agement within <br />American Indian communities and communities of color. <br />■ Educating American Indian communities and communities of color about their rights <br />and resources available to them, across areas such as education, housing, health care. <br />■ Working with Whzte communities to inerease awareness of White privilege and racism. <br />■ Working with organizations and institutions to identify and eliminate systemic, <br />institutionalized racism. <br />Key themes and issues: <br />■ The perceived lack of outcome measurements and assessments that truly capture the <br />impact of the work Undertaken in diverse communities. <br />■ The importance of follow-through and action. <br />■ The importance of organizational diversity, leadership fronn and empowerment of <br />communities of color. <br />■ The irnpartance of adopting a holistic/flexible approach_ <br />■ The importance of partnerships and relat�ionships. <br />■ Understanding the interrelationships a�nong different forms of prejudice and <br />discriinination_ <br />Suggestions. f `o� addressing racism <br />We gathered suggesfiions for addressing racism in the survey of residents, community <br />conversations, and key informant interviews. <br />.4n assessment of racism in $ January 2004 <br />Dakofa, Ramsey, Qnd Washington courrtie� <br />