Multicultural Advisory report results coming later this year

FERNDALE-
In its final year of work, Affirmations' Multicultural Advisory Committee announced it expects to release a full report by the end of 2011. Throughout June and July, three teams are meeting independently to create a set of best practices for racial diversity and inclusion related to board, personnel and programs at the Ferndale nonprofit organization. Their work is based on data collected throughout 2010 that included a series of surveys targeting staff, board, volunteers and community members and was supplemented by focus groups targeting key LGBT audiences, including youth, African Americans, the Latino/a community, middle eastern Americans and the transgender community. All in all, 462 people participated in surveys and 60 participated in the focus groups.
"We couldn't do our job without the incredible community participation on this project," said Michelle Walters, longtime LGBT community activist and founding member of the MAC. "We expect the results of our work to not only benefit Affirmations and Metro Detroit's LGBT community, but also LGBT community centers across the country."
The Multicultural Advisory Committee is funded by the Arcus Foundation. Affirmations is Metro Detroit's community center for LGBT people and their allies. Open since 1989 and located in the Detroit suburb of Ferndale, Affirmations provides a welcoming space where people of all cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions can find support
and unconditional acceptance. For more information, visit http://www.GoAffirmations.org.