the expanding circle

My Committment

2007-09-26T23:00:00.001-05:00

Today I stumbled across a new initiative of the Clinton Foundation. It's called My Commitment and helps people figure out how they can make a difference in the world. They have access to social networking tools, links to stories of people making a difference. I love that it makes creating a positive change manageable, achievable, and public.

Camp Stories

2007-09-26T10:04:00.000-05:00

Inviting Bay Area students, families, everyone
a powerful, educational international evening of inspiring
"Camp Stories"

about conflict, about change
told together by Palestinian and Jewish youth and adults of excellence
women and men -- Christians, Muslims, and Jews from 33 towns "back home" in Israel and Palestine, and from America just returned down the mountain from their face-to-face encounters at Oseh Shalom ~ Sanea al-Salam, the Fifth Palestinian -Jewish Peacemakers Camp.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007 -- 7:30 sharp - 9:30 PM
St. Mary's Cathedral -- San Francisco
1111 Gough Street at Geary

Jobs of Interest

2007-08-09T16:29:00.001-05:00

Organization: Tikkun/Network of Spiritual Progressives
Job Title: Organizer
Location: Berkeley, CA or Washington, DC

Organization: Women of Color Resource Center
Job Title: Executive Director

Team in Training

2007-07-24T18:43:00.000-05:00

I signed up for the Nike Women's Half Marathon today. I'm excited and nervous because I haven't run seriously since I was in high school. But the gals at T-in-T assure me that they can get me off the couch and crossing the finish line in 12 weeks. Cross your fingers for me. Keep track of my activity or make a donation to support me and to cure blood cancers at http://www.active.com/donate/tntgsf/tntgsfKHoward.

Policy Analyst - Youth Data Archive

2007-02-08T19:19:00.000-05:00

Policy Analyst - Youth Data Archive @ Stanford
Job ID: 24114
Salary: 3P3
Date Posted: Feb 8, 2007

The John Gardner Center (JGC) in the School of Education seeks a policy analyst to be a major contributor to the Youth Data Archive (YDA) project, working as a member of a small team of JGC and SPHERE staff, reporting to the Director of Research of the JGC. The PA will provide support linking K-12 education data with other data sources, including assisting community partners in data exporting and database development, supporting performance measurement for school sites, conducting statistical analyses at the request of community partners, providing research support to Stanford or outside researchers, and writing policy briefs on community youth development and related topics.

Gaping Reminders of Aging and Crumbling Pipes

2007-02-08T10:42:00.000-05:00

The New York Times
By WILLIAM YARDLEY
Published: February 8, 2007
Though there is no master tally of sinkholes, there is consensus that things are getting worse.

Thank you, Molly Ivins.

2007-02-01T15:24:00.001-05:00

Molly Ivins, funny, smart, Texan, journalist. She died yesterday after a battle with cancer. Thank you for all you did to make us laugh, shake our heads, cry, get angry, and shed light on politics in the US. We will miss you.

Thank you, Molly Ivins.

2007-02-01T15:24:00.000-05:00

Today on Diane Rehm - Katrina Recovery

2007-01-31T10:10:00.000-05:00

Seventeen months after Hurricane Katrina, Diane and her guests talk about the recovery efforts -- why they are moving so slowly, the fate of the city's displaced residents, and how best to move forward. Listen Here.

Guests

Sean Reilly, board member of the Louisiana Recovery Authority and former Louisiana state legislator
Thomas Murphy, senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute and former mayor of Pittsburgh, 1994-2006.
Judith Browne-Dianis, co-director of the Advancement Project
Donald Powell, federal coordinator of the Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding (DHS)

Spin Project Job

2007-01-29T20:13:00.000-05:00

Job Title: Communications Strategist

Organization: The SPIN Project

Location: San Francisco

Salary: $55-65K/year

Western Justice Center Foundation, Job

2007-01-23T19:24:00.000-05:00

Program Director, Community Engagement Programs
January 16, 2007

WJCF works with communities, courts, schools, and governments on a variety of programs. These programs fall into two areas: 1) Community Engagement 2) Conflict Resolution Education. The vision of WJCF is to create a more civil society through a process of engagement and education that will enable individuals and institutions to become partners in peace-building. Our main community engagement program seeks to fulfill our vision by building bridges between police officers and the community which they serve and expanding inter-ethnic –inter-racial dialogues. WJCF other program in this area is aimed at enhancing public participation in environmental issues is in the research stage.

The Program Director, Community Engagement will consolidate the gains made by the organization through its innovative program in community police mediation/dialogue and the development of the fledgling environmental program as well as other programs which will bring together different constituencies.

A. Duties and Responsibilities

1. Work with partner organizations’ staff to continue development and implementation of existing mediation and dialogue programs focused on community police relations. Expansion into interethnic/interracial dialogues is a major focus of this program as well.
2. Work with existing staff to continue the development of programs which are still in the research stage.
3. Coordinate research to identify and develop new program areas.
4. Identify evaluators for WJCF programs in the areas identified and develop system of evaluation with them.
5. Present at conferences and symposia.
6. Create budget for department.
7. Negotiate and monitor contracts with sub-contractors.
8. Develop marketing plans for programs together with Director of Development.
9. Create strategic plan for program.
9. Plan, supervise and evaluate work of support staff.

Required Knowledge and Skills

1. Masters level course work and experience in Conflict Resolution, Sociology, Psychology or related field.
2. Experience in developing trainings and delivering trainings or workshops
3. Ability to supervise volunteer and other staff.
4. At least 3 years experience in the field of conflict resolution.
5. Substantive mediation experience.
6. Ability to handle multiple projects at one time.
Salary: $45,000-$50,000 DOE. Benefits: Major medical, dental, 403-B pension plan, vacation and sick leave, major holidays. WJCF offers a competitive benefits package.

Interested applicants should send their cover letter and resume to Erin Moore, Administrative Assistant, info@westernjustice.org or fax at 626-568-8223. 55 S Grand Ave. Pasadena, CA 91105. Position starts March 1, 2007. Western Justice Center Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. www.westernjustice.org

jobs of interest

2007-01-17T12:27:00.000-05:00

Managing Partner - Director for Youth-Led Social Change, Chicago
It is the mission of the Chicago Freedom School to develop the personal and social capabilities of youth and adults so that they can work together to eradicate oppression. The experience and rewards derived from participating in this experience will result in greater passion, commitment, confidence, focus, self-direction and tools for a life of social activism.

What should you know about the Chicago Freedom School?

The vision of the Chicago Freedom School is to develop and support new generations of critical and independent thinking young people who through revelations of identity and power are compelled to use their unique experiences, energy and talents to counteract the staggering effects of repressive social policies and create a just world.

The First Summer - 2007

CFS inaugural program will run for six weeks starting on July 9th 2007. Forty-five young people ages 14-16 will have an opportunity to learn to ask questions about their lives, to see the connection between the means and the ends of creating change, and to develop as agents of social change. Following the example of the original 1964 freedom schools, the CFS will instill in students the belief that they can ACT TOGETHER for social justice.

CFS participants will choose two out of seven possible substantive areas of inquiry including: 1) Visual Arts, 2) Music, 3) Science/Environment, 4) Performing Arts, 5) Media Arts (writing, journalism, technology), 6) Sports and 7) Healthcare (nutrition/holistic care). Each of these substantive areas of inquiry is called an Institute and will have a social justice focus.

On Fridays, youth will participate in a Civil Rights Institute coordinated and facilitated by a group of college students with support from the CFS program committee. Studying Civil Rights history helps us understand how social movements happen i.e., how individual action and historical forces combine to create change. It also allows us to pay homage to the movement that inspired the name for this project. Finally, one week of the summer (July 30 -August 3, 2007) will be dedicated to a retreat experience outside of Chicago where CFS participants will be able to apply what they have learned.

Beyond the summer, the CFS will become a center for youth-led social change that partners with youth and adults from across the city of Chicago.

The CFS is currently governed by a fifteen member steering group that includes youth and adults. The steering group is supported by a group of advisory members who serve on four committees (program, marketing/publicity/outreach, finance/fundraising, and logistics).

How can we support a youth-led social change movement in Chicago? This is the fundamental question that animates the Chicago Freedom School (CFS). The CFS is seeking two full-time Managing Partners who will work collaboratively with volunteers and staff to address this question. The managing partners will be the two founding staff members for the Chicago Freedom School:

The Director for Youth-Led Social Change is appointed by, and responsible to, the governing body and is charged with providing leadership, overall direction and administration of the operation of the organization; executes the policies of the governing body through planning, organizing, supervising and evaluating the organizations programs and staff; serves as an ex-officio member of the governing body.

The CFS is looking for applicants who:

· Respect young people at all stages of development and are capable of being effective allies

· Are visionary and are not afraid to think outside of the box

· Are curious and interested in learning

· Are motivated by challenges

· Are flexible and comfortable meeting with youth one on one

· Are open to many different ways of thinking about social change and justice

· Has knowledge of or a critical analysis for understanding anti-oppression frameworks

Director for Youth-Led Social Change

Qualifications and Job Responsibilities

The ideal candidate will possess:

· Strong knowledge of and sensitivity to issues of youth-led social change and social justice

· Strong communication and public presentation skills

· A participatory leadership style and ability to work in a leadership role with diverse groups, including board, staff, volunteers, youth, community members and funders

· Demonstrated expertise in working with young people across multiple communities and affiliations

· Demonstrated experience in effective non-profit management, including fiscal management, resource development, staff supervision and program evaluation

· Proven talent in utilizing principles of youth development to create and implement a vision for organizational development and growth

To perform the job successfully a person must:

· Genuinely like and respect young people at all stages of development

· Embrace the spirit of activism

· Demonstrate strong communication skills (speaking, writing, etc
)

· Demonstrate strong computer skills

· Be able to work flexible hours and occasionally weekends

· Have a valid drivers license

· Have previous social justice experience

We anticipate filling this position by April 1st, 2007. The application process will close January 31, 2007.

Compensation

Offers salary between $50,000-$60,000 commensurate with experience.

CFS is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, age, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, HIV serostatus, disability, or marital status.

csfs_youth@yahoo.com

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE!

How to Apply:
To apply, please send a resume, cover letter, and up to 300 words about how you perceive the idea of youth-led social change.

Please mail these materials to:

Chicago Freedom School

230 South Clark Street, #109

Chicago, IL 60604

Or e-mail them to csfs_youth@yahoo.com
Organization Web Site: chicagofreedomschool.com

RESPOND TO: csfs_youth@yahoo.com

Katrina News - Insurance

2007-01-09T11:06:00.000-05:00

State Farm Is Settling Gulf Claims
By JOSEPH B. TREASTER
Published: January 9, 2007
The nation’s biggest home insurer is close to settling hundreds of lawsuits over its payments for homes hit by Hurricane Katrina.

The Ninth Ward

2007-01-08T13:25:00.000-05:00

Ninth Ward Fairly Sound, Study Says

for my friend, ecofreak

2006-12-27T00:50:00.000-05:00

...read Dilbert from Christmas Day.

Delinquency

2006-12-13T10:02:00.000-05:00

Clearly I have been MIA for a little while. Work and school have caught up with me. But, I do have some additional reads that you might like to try out, and some more thoughts about New Orelans. I'll be posting them very soon!

New Orleans

2006-10-21T14:10:00.000-05:00

I've been in New Orleans the past few days participating in the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice's Race Place and the Environment After Katrina Conference. It is remarkable how much good work is being done, and simultaneously how much still remains. Take a look. I'll post more later about the conference.

Flashmobbers

2006-10-13T09:28:00.000-05:00

ok, so maybe this seems weird to you, but i actually got really excited when i saw the news that hundreds of Londoners converged yesterday on the Liverpool tube station to join a mobile, i-pod based rave. everyone showed up at the appointed time (having been notified by their cellphones to go) and started dancing to whatever music was on their own personal mp3 player.

i think the reason this is so powerful to me is, well, there are a couple of reasons:

it is really FUN.
it is a very cool use of mobile technology.
there is an element of community building about it.

you can read all about it in The Daily Mail

On Communication

2006-09-21T08:16:00.000-05:00

I think I know people who have been to this seminar. Click here for Dogbert's Communication Seminar.

PCRC

2006-09-21T08:11:00.000-05:00

PCRC, the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center, is a non-profit community building and conflict resolution center. They are an amazing organization based in San Mateo, CA. Currently, PCRC has several positions open. I encourage you to visit their website and take a look.

Readings from my classes that are worth it (1)

2006-09-19T21:54:00.000-05:00

A monograph about community building, available from the Urban Institute. Published 1997.
Community Building: Coming of Age

Jobs (4)

2006-09-19T08:59:00.000-05:00

Senior Advisor:Citizen Participation- Washington DC
National Democratic Institute (NDI)

Unearthing Segregation in Mississippi

2006-09-18T12:35:00.000-05:00

Unearthing a Town Pool, and Not for Whites Only
By ADAM NOSSITER
Painful recollections of a bygone era's racism have emerged with the excavation of an old Mississippi mill town's pool.

Voting in Alabama

2006-09-11T12:42:00.000-05:00

As a southern-born woman, with all my families ties to the deep south, and as someone who cares deeply about the state of democracy, inequality and race relations, I was pleased to see this editorial in today's New York Times.

Denying the Vote
The Alabama Legislature needs to restore voting rights to
Alabamians who have completed their prison sentences.

Funding Resources - Institute for Justice and Journalism

2006-09-04T09:58:00.000-05:00

Institute for Justice and Journalism at USC Nonmember School for Communication Offers Racial Justice Fellowships
from the foundation center's weekly philanthropy update

Created with Ford Foundation ( http://www.fordfound.org/ ) funding, the Institute for Justice and Journalism ( http://www.justicejournalism.org/ ) was established at the University of Southern California's Nonmember School for Communication ( http://ascweb.usc.edu/home.php ) in 2000 to strengthen journalism about justice and injustice. Through its Justice and Journalism Fellowships, the institute supports journalists committed to covering complex issues with context and depth.

Visit the institute's Web site for complete fellowship guidelines and an application form.

RFP Link:
http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/10004135/justicejournalism