Article: Task force on racism regroups, refocuses

[Phil in Paris]

John-John Williams IV
jjwilliams@argusleader.com

published: 9/23/2004

A task force on diversity and race relations in Sioux Falls had its first fall meeting Wednesday to review accomplishments of the past year and brainstorm for the coming year.

The Race Concerns Task Force started meeting after a well-publicized incident last October in which long-standing tension between groups at Roosevelt High School led to a confrontation at a central Sioux Falls apartment building. Task force members include a mix of private citizens and city officials.

After taking the summer off, the task force gathered Wednesday at the Multi-Cultural Center. The 60 members broke into 10 groups and shared successes from the past year, discussed areas for improvement and set goals for the coming year.

Those goals included more block parties to encourage residents to get to know one another, more parental involvement with children and parent discussion groups.

Valerie Fox, principal of Lincoln High School, said she wants immigrant children to be better acclimated to the city.

She shared an anecdote about three immigrant students who showed up to school on the first day to register, not realizing they had to register in advance.

"They were here all summer," she said. "We've got a long way to go. I felt bad for them."

Irina Goubanova, a liaison for immigrant students in the school district, said the task force has accomplished a lot in the past year, but she said more needs to be done.

Some members said the group needs to share its progress with the public.

"We need to celebrate our successes," said Matthew Mims, a counselor at Washington High School.

In its first year, the task force has launched several initiatives:

• An ad campaign in which messages of tolerance ran for six months. Local media donated the equivalent of $200,000 in air time and space for radio spots, a TV documentary and print and billboard ads.

• An interfaith dialogue among area religious leaders.

• Diversity and hate-crime training given to the Sioux Falls Police Department by the Anti-Defamation League.

J.R. Castillo, chairman of the Sioux Falls Human Relations Committee, was named co-facilitator of the task force Wednesday.

Castillo, who was born in Honduras and raised in new Orleans, said he grew up in a time of segregation.

"I've seen the face of hatred," he said. "It's not a good thing."

Mayor Dave Munson said the task force is a way to make Sioux Falls a better place where all people will want to live.

"It's going to take a community effort," Munson said. "Sioux Falls is richly blessed with the diversity we have right now. Our community is a strong community."

Superintendent Pam Homan also addressed the group.

"I'm grateful for the process which was started last year," she said. "We are looking forward to the continued effort."

Bill Smith, director of instructional services for the school district, is the group's co-facilitator. He said the task force's mission goes beyond the school district.

"It's not just a school issue," Smith said. "It's a community issue."

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