6th Annual Leveraging Diversity for Business Success Conference

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (Eastern Time)

MGM Grand Casino
1777 Third St
Detroit, MI 48226

Presented by
MI Alliance Against Hate Crimes & MI Department of Civil Rights

Sponsored as part of a grant from the
Crime Victim Services Commission

Bias incidents motivated by race, religion, national origin/ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability are on the rise across the country. In Michigan, hate groups are proliferating while we currently rank third nationally in the number of reported bias-motivated criminal offenses. This conference will provide a structured opportunity for Michigan to develop community-based response systems to hate and bias incidents and address the needs of our communities.

IS YOUR COMMUNITY PREPARED?

CONFERENCE AGENDA:

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM -  Registration

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM -  Opening Plenary

Opening Plenary Speaker: Dr. Randy Blazak is Director of the Hate Crimes Research Network based at Portland State University and author of Renegade Kids, Suburban Outlaws: From Youth Culture to Delinquency. Dr. Blazak operates Oregon Spotlight with Steven Stroud, a former Skinhead, to help youth extricate themselves from white supremacist and extremist movements in the Pacific Northwest.

9:45 AM - 11:30 AM -  Session I: Collective Communities Workshops

- The Media's Role: A panel of experts will discuss the importance of reporting accuracy, establishing credible communication links, the responsibility for protecting the victim from additional victimization, and the media's role within a community response system.

- Community Based Organizations and Advocacy Agencies: Participants will identify resources, discuss strategies for responding cohesively to bias incidents, and examine strategies on how to build a community network that supports victims of bias incidents.

- Government and Human Relations Commissions: Following a brief discussion of events in several communities, participants will examine the roles and objectives of municipal government including human relations commissions, and the response strategies necessary for community development, growth and healing.

- Educational Communities: As a backdrop for hate crimes and bias incidents and starting point for prevention, a panel will examine the integral role educational institutions play in community response systems.

- Law Enforcement, Emergency Responders and Victim Advocates: From community policing to crisis response, the roles and objectives of law enforcement are defined with a review of necessary short and long-term response strategies and legal limitations.

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM -  Lunch

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM -  Session II: Incidents/Best Practices Workshops

- Leafleting and Hate Group Organizing: How to effectively respond to leafleting and hate group organizing activities, including the impact of new technologies and media outlets on organized activity.

- Demonstrations: How to organize and prepare for scheduled and spontaneous demonstrations involving hate and bias incidents, organized hate groups, and counter protestors.

- Crimes Against Persons, Property and Society: With an overview of Michigan's current data collection efforts, an expert panel will define ways of responding to crimes against persons, vandalism and targeting of institutions, hate speech, cross burnings, and incidents beyond the crime.

- Available Services for Prevention and Response: A critical look at the information and services available to Michigan communities by local, state and federal agencies, including topics on juvenile justice, gang activity, and restorative justice programs.

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM -  Session III: Community Response Systems

- During this closing plenary, attendees will be separated into regional groups as a moderated "model" community response panel demonstrates effective local responses to hate.

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM -  Recognition Program and Closing Remarks

REGISTRATION DETAILS:

Space is limited, so please register early! This event is at no cost to registrants and registration will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Registration includes conference materials, continental breakfast and luncheon.  The registration deadline is August 24, 2007.

To register by MAIL or FAX, please download and print the registration brochure, and mail or fax the completed form to:

Florine Davis
Michigan Department of Civil Rights
110 W. Michigan Ave
Suite 800
Lansing, MI 48913
Fax: (517) 241-7520

To register by EMAIL, please download, complete and save the online registration brochure, and email the completed form to:
mdcr-registration@michigan.gov

For questions or more information please contact
Alberto Flores, (517) 373-1189
John Golaszewski, (517) 241-5636