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The Justice Circle is a group of concerned community members who are tranforming this community to affirm and welcome all of its members.
The Justice Circle first formed in response and anticipation to the US Commission on Civil rights study of Moorhead in 1999.
According to the Following abstract, composed by Justice Circle Co-Conveiner Sandy Berlin (http://www.socservices.com/pdf/community.moorhead.pdf):
“A study of Moorhead had been requested by the Commission's Minnesota Advisory Council because of the Council's increasing concern about race relations in the city, a concern stemming in part from the July, 1998 confrontation.
Throughout most of 1999, the Commission conducted its study, holding a public hearing on May 25th and 26th, 1999, (see Appendix B), conducting household surveys with the assistance of college students and community members (see Appendix A, p. iv), and collecting statistical data on local demographics and equal opportunity patterns.
The Commission's report, released on January 30th, 2001, detailed patterns of discrimination and stark differences in perception of equal opportunity between the white and minority communities (see Appendix A, pages 36-40).
Before the release of the Commission's report and in October of 1999, a group of 7 individuals met at a Moorhead Presbyterian church to discuss a social justice initiative of the Minnesota Council of Churches entitled "Renewing the Public Church." Three of the individuals present at this meeting were staff of the Council and were interested in promoting the initiative among Moorhead churches. This group, aware that the Commission was soon planning to release its report on Moorhead, decided to organize a collective effort on the part of Moorhead church members to use the report and its focus on racism and equal opportunity to educate and make changes in the Moorhead community.
Another meeting date was set and word was spread about the initiative to various faith and non-faith-based groups. By February 2000, a group comprised of various individuals and church and other organizational representatives was meeting regularly for the purpose of promoting equal opportunity and racial and ethnic justice in the Moorhead community and the larger metropolitan area. The group came to call itself the Justice Circle and began the process of organizing a community education campaign, drawing on study circle methodology and the resources of the Study Circles Resource
Center in Pomfret, Connecticut www.studycircles.org and see Appendix C) .
To carry out its purpose, the Justice Circle continues to have the following as its primary goals:
*increased equal opportunity for and representation of minority-status groups
in the public life of the community; and renewed commitment to racial/ethnic justice on the part of all community residents and institutions.
The Justice Circle's main objectives for accomplishing its goals are:
*community education for civic awareness to counter "the illusion of inclusion;
*citizen-group advocacy on behalf of equal opportunity and social justice;and
*inclusion, empowerment of, and leadership from people of color in the Justice Circle, its activities, and in the larger community."
To see the collection of prior postings to the list,
visit the JusticeCircle
Archives.
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