Hello friends of Piedmont Appreciating Diversity Committee,

You are cordially invited to our next General Membership Meeting this coming Thursday, October 12, from 7:00-9:00pm, at 250 Estates Drive, Piedmont, CA. This is a great opportunity to check in with each other, and to share updates on the great work you and your fellow PADC members are doing. Hope to see you at the meeting,
Your 2017/18 PADC Team.

PS: You'll automatically be enrolled in our Active Members' discussion forum if you come to a General Meeting. If you can't make it on Thursday, but still want to join the discussion, drop us a line, and we'll take care of it!
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​Members of the Trump administration have raised the specter of a Muslim registry and instituted an immigration ban against people from Muslim majority countries, citing the unconstitutional incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II as precedent for its actions. Social Action Media  As our opening film this fall, ADFS will present the powerful 2017 documentary And Then They Came for Us — a film that demonstrates that the registration and incarceration of Japanese Americans was one of the worst violations of constitutional rights in American history, and features survivors of that experience who are speaking out today.

You are cordially invited to PADC's September General Membership Meeting this Thursday the 14th, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.

Shoot us an RSVP, and we'll save you a spot. Hope to see you Thursday.

We are at a crucial juncture in  our city’s history. Piedmont has seen an increase in in hate speech and bigotry over the last year, including the harmful posts and comments made by our now former mayor. The community was outraged by this, and clearly expressed their expectations that our leaders promote inclusiveness and diversity, and that they be accountable for their actions and speech. 

While it might be a relief to see one issue addressed, the reality is that there have been persistent problems with diversity and inclusion in Piedmont that will not go away without further action. This is the time to capture our public swell of support for tolerance and diversity and direct it toward lasting change, rather than only responding to individual issues that arise.

The good news is that community leaders have already begun taking steps to promote anti-bias and inclusiveness. City Council members approved a resolution reaffirming Piedmont’s Commitment to Inclusivity and Opposing Actions of Hate Groups.  The Piedmont Unified School District offered anti-bias training and classroom curriculum to the administration, faculty and staff; and opened the training up to city staff and community leaders as well. However, if we want lasting change to occur, we all need to take action at the community level. Our leaders speak for us at times, but we must also speak for ourselves, and to each other. Here are  a few steps you can take, which we at the PADC believe can help our community directly:

1. Join PADC, and donate to our campaign #PiedmontStandsUp to provide community programming, including anti-bias, diversity and conflict resolution training for school leadership and staff; as well as general diversity and inclusion programs for civic staff, parent leaders, and the general community.  Our General Meetings are usually on the 2nd Thursdays of the month; drop us a line to RSVP.
2. Talk to your kids openly and often about issues of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, and how those issues are addressed in our community and schools. Help them understand the importance of speaking up when someone says something hurtful or ignorant.
3. Continue to be involved civically; the City Council is listening, and they want your input. The City Council meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 120 Vista Avenue. Attend those meetings, bring your kids, and voice your opinions.  
4. Get involved in a parent group -- and speak up as these issues come up in our community -- especially in our schools. In what ways are we welcoming (or not) people to our city and our schools? 
5. Engage in conversations and actions in social, faith or community groups you already participate in -- civic engagement is a continuum that extends beyond our public spaces.  
6. Attend & support the Appreciating Diversity Film Series (which screens films in both Piedmont and Oakland), and join in post-film conversations.  
7. Join and donate to other parent groups that promote diversity and inclusion, including the Piedmont Asian American Club (PAAC), Piedmonters for Resources, Advocacy & Information in Special Education (PRAISE), and others. 
8. Look for upcoming opportunities to participate in community programming that supports and promotes diversity, inclusion and anti-bias. 

The good news is that we have a lot to build on, and we are moving in the right direction.  Over the years, the institutions in our community – the city, schools and faith leaders have stood up and collaborated with PADC to build an inclusive Piedmont.

For example, at a city council meeting in 2010, after several wrenching testimonials from residents about mistreatment by the police, then-City Administrator Geoff Grote admonished the council to instruct the City to act. That pivotal moment, inspired and stimulated a multi-year process of introspection, action and the transformation of policing in Piedmont.  
Last fall, November 2016, in a letter sent jointly by the Board of Education and City Council, you as Council members committed to:

• Stand united to promote acceptance and kindness.
• Stand up to bigotry, hatred, intolerance, and violence.
• Stand up for each individual in our diverse community.

The school district began acting on this commitment with steps that included two-day trainings  for teachers, admin and staff on the Social Justice Standards developed by Teaching Tolerance. In addition, there was a community workshop where  parent leaders including PADC members  joined city council and board of education members, the chief of police, city and school district staff,  PUSD students, teachers,  and parents.  
We encourage City Council members to also continue acting and speaking on their stated commitments from the November letter, and to work in ways that reflects the norms and values of a welcoming and inclusive Piedmont:

• A Piedmont where we speak up against every biased remark.  
• A Piedmont where we continue to educate ourselves on why a phrase or action is offensive.  
• A Piedmont where we appreciate and reiterate anti-bias messages to build on the powerful start of one person’s voice to create change.

We hope that as our elected leaders you will lead this work with your constituents. And we as PADC invite you to engage with us as a resource and a community partner as we plan for community wide workshops and other community capacity building work this year. PADC is in conversations with PUSD to plan similar community-wide workshops so please stay tuned for details on that.