HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-04-07 Human Relations Advisory Committee MinutesW
HUMAN RELATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
April 7, 2005 7:30PM at Police Station First Floor Community Room
Present: Margaret Soli, Chair, Chief R. Silva, Nancy Namji, Newly appointed Chief J. Cormier
and P. Kelley members.
Retiring Chief Bob Silva introduced the newly appointed chief Jim Cormier to the
committee. Congratulations and thanks were extended to Bob on his retirement and to Jim on his
appointment which is expected to be effectuated about May10.
Elizabeth Dickinson, Assistant Director of the Library addressed the committee
and explained the community language grant made to the library to support the
acquisition of material in languages other than English and the library's work in carrying
out the grant. The library in the past had no,such material. They surveyed the census
figures and found that,while there was not a large foreign speaking population, there has
been a relative large increase increase in the population particularly in Chinese (Mandarin
speaking), Indian (Hindi/Bengali) and Spanish populations. The Asian population
increased by 122.5% and the Hispanic by 29.9% from 1990 to 2000 while the Caucasian
population decresed by 3%.The increase in the Hispanic population was not captured.The
library is intended to serve all so that it is acquiring material in these languages. It has
additionally acquired some French and Russian magazines and newspapers. She recited
some of the adventures involved such as how to find publishers of such material which
can meet lirary standards to meet the wear and tear of use at a library and also some of
the requests from non-English speakers such as for a Chinese novel for one's elderly
parents, films in Bengali, videos for a person's grandchildren to learn about their
Hispanic heritage and for a picture book in Arabic.. There has been a lot of interest in
Chinese material. The library has an advisory committee to assist it and experienced
members of the staff. The Library also intends to offer some new programs in the area
such as a foreign language film series, conversation circles, a bilingual story hour
program for children and multicultural programs for adults. It also is planning a summer
reading program of adventures around the world. She distributed a handout entitled
"Responding To Our Diversity".
Margaret Soli called to the attention of the committee a program in Winchester
concerning bullying in which a video was shown to the middle school nad then to adults
accompanied by handouts concerning available books on bullying.
There was further discussion about Anytown and the Rotary clubs offer to pay for
sending two applicants. Nancy will work with Margaret to obtain applications. There has
been a Reading student who attended the program in the past, Ashley Jefferson, who
speaks highly of it. Margaret also reported on an issue raised by the high school
Republucan Club on "political correctness". Ashley arrainged for a panel to to discuss it.
I's ail
Margaret reported on METCO lobby day and the effort to obtain more funding,
particularly for buses. She will telk further with Wila about the status.
It was voted to defer the next meeting to the second Thursday of May because the
townmeeting was expected to extend through the regular meeting day.
The committee next viewed two film clips from material from Religion and Ethics
weekly program on Islam and Democracy for consideration whether they might be
usefukl for a program. Nancy agreed to show them to her husband for his comments and
ideas.
The meeting adjourned at about 9:OOPM.
Rsepectfully submitted,
Paul A. Kelley, Secretary
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