Thursday, June 11, 2020

Adirondack Diversity Initiative hosts 1st ‘listen in’ event

The Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI), in partnership with the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), will host a series of virtual “Listen-in” and “Teach-in” sessions focused on mobilizing the community on issues of racial equity and justice.

The first Listen-in session, “Antiracism 101: Checklist for white allies & activists,” will feature Nicky Hylton-Patterson, Director of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative, and a panel of black activist-scholars from across the region for a discussion on the black experience in America. The virtual session will take place via Zoom on Monday, June 15, from 6-7 p.m.


Each session in the Antiracism Campaign will provide language, tools, techniques, as well as strategies to identify, understand and build more racially just and equitable communities in the North Country.

Hylton-Patterson will be joined by Dr. Michelle Cromwell, Vice President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at SUNY Plattsburgh; Dr. M. Nicole Horsley, Assistant Professor at the Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity (CSCRE) at Ithaca College; and Clifton H. Harcum, Diversity Officer in the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at SUNY Potsdam.

After registering for the event, participants will receive Zoom login information, as well as an invitation to submit questions for the panelists. For more information about the Antiracism Campaign and to register for the virtual Listen-in, visit ANCA’s website at https://adirondack.org/Listen-in or the ADI website at www.diversityadk.org.

Photo by Mark Kurtz: Protesters hold signs during a June 2 protest at Riverside Park in Saranac Lake.

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Community news stories come from press releases and other notices from organizations, businesses, state agencies and other groups. Submit your contributions to Almanack Editor Melissa Hart at editor@adirondackalmanack.com.




15 Responses

  1. Robert Gdyk says:

    The purpose of the Soviet style re education process was the indoctrination of the hostile elements with the Marxist–Leninist ideology, that would lead to the crushing of any active or passive resistance movement. Sound familiar?

  2. Bill says:

    What does “a more diverse Adirondacks” mean? I have no idea what they are talking about.

  3. JohnL says:

    If I were a resident of the Adirondacks, which I’m not, I’d probably be offended by this initiative to rid me and my community of our ‘racist tendencies’. Since I don’t live there, I can only guess what the real residents think.

    • Boreas says:

      This resident won’t be offended by a little dialog. Now if they want to raise my taxes, that is another story entirely.

    • Jim S. says:

      I bet you could register for it even though you’re not an Adirondack resident Johnny

      • JohnL says:

        Nah. I’m good Jimmie. You guys have your fun. I’m not into self flagellation.

        • Jim S. says:

          All teasing aside, listening to people discuss improving race relations and tolerance isn’t self flagellation. In my zeal to point out your intolerance I made light of an important subject and for that I apologize.

          • JohnL says:

            That was smooth Jimmie. The ‘all teasing aside’ and ‘in my zeal’ was a slick, folksy lead-in to accusing me of something terrible, i.e. being intolerant in racial matters. You have no way of knowing whether I am or am not intolerant in these things, yet you make it appear as though it’s a given. Seriously, JS, Nicely Done.

            • Jim S. says:

              Dismissing a diversity initiative as insulting a d self flagellation is in my opinion the very definition of intolerance.

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