Breaking the Silence event focuses on discrimination
The city of Davis Human Relations Commission hosted the third Breaking the Silence event on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Community Chambers at City Hall, 23 Russell Blvd.
The event was designed to create dialogue between members of the Davis community and entities that serve the public, in the hope that causes of and solutions to discriminatory interactions can be discussed and addressed, and a more inclusive community climate established.
The format for this meeting began with a poster session in the lobby and conference room of the Community Chambers building from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Institutions and community organizations showcased their efforts to make a more inclusive community over the course of the past year.
Then, from 1:30 to 3 p.m., a panel of representatives from local institutions briefly explained the work of their organization. The floor was then be opened to the public to allow for questions, comments and concerns.
The commission goals for “Breaking the Silence” events are:
* Allow participants to share their stories;
* Allow participants to discuss whether existing public policies are sufficient to address indifference, discrimination and violence based upon hate;
* Help the public understand the components that sustain bias in our community; and
* Continue and advance community dialogues on discrimination
Questions about the event can be directed to Commissioner Nathan Ellstrand at nathanellstrand@gmail.com or 951-505-4476.