IN THE COMMUNITY FROM THE ALLIANCE FOR CULTURAL AND ETHNIC HARMONY, March 24, 2014
TONIGHT, Mon, Mar 24, 7 pm: Award-winning Latina author Reyna Grande speaks about her memoir, "The Distance Between Us," which tells about the impact of poverty and immigration on a family and about her childhood moving between Mexico and the U.S. Presentation in English, with Q&A in Spanish and English. Part of GVSU Community Reading Project in partnership with Herrick District Library. (616) 355-3100. At Herrick District Library, 300 S. River, Holland.
Thurs, Mar 27, and Fri, Mar 28, 8 am to 4:30 pm each day: Two-day Racial Equity Institute. Facilitated discussion, exercises. $130 includes materials, morning refreshments and lunch each day. Presented by Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance. Call (616) 846-9074 or register at www.ethnicdiversity.org. At Diversity Alliance offices, 665 136th Ave, Holland.
Fri, Mar 28, 7 pm: West Michigan premiere of film, "Cesar Chavez," and Scholarship Fundraiser. Presented by the Committee to Honor Cesar E. Chavez and Celebration Cinema. Rated PG-13; 98 minutes. Tickets $20 (includes movie ticket, unlimited popcorn, pop, and door prizes). Buy tickets online at https://celebrationcinema.com/location/RiverTown/3-28-2014 A portion of each ticket will be donated to the Cesar E. Chavez Scholarship Fund to assist Hispanic students pursuing a college education. At Celebration Cinema Rivertown, in Rivertown Mall, Grandville.
Sat, Mar 29, 9 am–4:30 pm: Civilian First Responder (CFR) Training: "Seeing the Unseen."
Will give people in the community (bus drivers, hotel managers, gas station operators, maintenance workers, teachers, neighbors, friends, etc.) information on how to recognize and respond to human trafficking; what should be done and not done. $30 includes lunch and materials. Register at www.warinternational.org (click on CFR button) or call (616) 855-0796. Organized by Women at Risk International. At Engedi Church, 710 Chicago Dr, #100, Holland.
Mon, Mar 31, 6 pm: Workshop (rescheduled): "Understanding Unconscious Bias," presented by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and sponsored by Holland Human Relations Commission. Facilitated dialogue re the identification of bias and the impact of thinking styles; explores ways to meet the needs of a more diverse workforce, client base, and community. Free; reservations at (616) 355-1328 or email hrc@cityofholland.com At City Council chambers, 270 South River, Holland.
Mon, Mar 31, 6 pm: "Is China Opening Up or Closing Down?" by James Fallows, national correspondent, The Atlantic magazine. Sponsored by World Affairs Council of Western Michigan.
$10 non-members. At Performing Arts Center, Aquinas College, 1703 Robinson Rd SE, Grand Rapids.
Mon, Mar 31, 7 pm: César Chavez Lecture. Presented by Hope College Office of Multicultural Education and other campus offices. At Maas Auditorium, Columbia Ave at 11th St, Holland.
Tues, April 1, 7 pm: Immigration panel. Holland-area residents share their stories of life before and after immigrating and becoming U.S. citizens; plus attorney Liz Balck of Justice for Our Neighbors-West Michigan presents information about current immigration laws and process. At Herrick District Library, 300 S. River, Holland.
Thurs, Apr 3, 7 pm: "Houses of Worship" tour and discussion at Sikh Gurdwara, the Sikh place of worship. Hosted by Kaufman Interfaith Institute of Grand Rapids as an opportunity to learn about the practices, traditions, and rituals of this global religion. Free; public is welcome. (616) 331-5702. Sikhism (Sikhi in Punjabi) is a monotheistic religion founded in the 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. At 8845 Cascade Rd, SE, Grand Rapids.
Thurs, Apr 10, 7 pm: "Houses of Worship" tour and discussion at Muslim Mosque. Hosted by Kaufman Interfaith Institute of Grand Rapids as an opportunity learn about the practices, traditions, and rituals of this global religion. Free; public is welcome. (616) 331-5702. At 3357 East Paris Ave, Kentwood.
Fri, Apr 11, 7 pm: General meeting of the Alliance for Cultural and Ethnic Harmony (ACEH), with presenter Alan Headbloom, cross-cultural communication consultant and producer of the Grand Rapids TV show, "Feel Like You Belong." Everyone is welcome. 396-2201. At Center for Women in Transition, 411 Butternut, Holland.
COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES
CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) volunteers needed. This program of PathwaysMi in Holland provides trained volunteers who are appointed by the Ottawa County Family Court "to advocate, in a timely manner, for safe, permanent homes for children involved in neglect and abuse court proceedings." Volunteers must be at least 21 years old, attend 30 hours of training, and commit to visiting the child or children twice a month, and write quarterly reports to the court. Applications are being accepted until April 15 for training in June/July. For more information or an application, contact Sheryl Brink, CASA Coordinator, at sbrink@pathwaysmi.org
Summit on Race and Inclusion: "Dismantling Unintentional Bias." Wed, May 21, 8 am – 4:30 pm at Hope College, presented by Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance. $45 includes refreshments and lunch; register at www.ethnicdiversity.org or at eventbrite; no on-site registration.
-- Morning keynote: "Transforming Our Concepts of Self and Others to Form an Inclusive Society" by john a. powell;
--Afternoon keynote: "The Economic Benefits of Inclusion," by Dr. Manual Pastor;
--Morning panel: "The Individual, Community, and Nationwide Impacts of Implicit Bias and Best Practices";
--Afternoon panel: "The Role of White Partners in the Racial Equity Movement";
--Sector-specific breakouts (business, community, education, faith, health, and law enforcement and public policy) on "Root Causes, Disparities, and Solutions to Advance Racial Equity with a Focus on the Role of Implicit Bias."
JOBS
Virtual Career Fair, through Wed, Mar 26: Online at www.hollandsentinel.com
Pepsico Career Day, April 9, 8 am – 3 pm: Part-time merchandisers and warehouse loaders (seasonal); full-time relief drivers. Apply online (if possible) at www.pepsijobs.com and enter "Grand Rapids" for the search city. Must be at least 18, authorized to work in U.S., valid driver's license, pass drug test and background check, be available for flexible hours. At Fifth Third Ballpark, 4500 West River Dr, Comstock Park (Pepsi Stadium Club). Contact Brittany Snyder at (616) 285-8210 or Brittany.Snyder@pepsico.com
City of Holland Firefighter/EMT: Full-time, $46,155 - $59,550, including competitive pension and benefit package; 24-hour shift schedule including weekends and holidays. The city is developing a pool of qualified candidates for vacancies that may occur in the next year. Qualifications: extensive firefighter training, above-average driving skills, physical agility; associates degree in fire science; various certifications and licenses. Will be involved in fire prevention activities, safety education, inspections. www.cityofholland.com Send resume with cover letter only to City of Holland, 270 South River, Holland, 49423, re: Firefighter/EMT. Electronic submissions will be refused. Deadline is Friday, April 25.
