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Message from our
President/CEO and Board Chair
Dear friends,
This month we are sharing both hard and heartening news.
We are deeply saddened to let you know that on April 28th, we learned that the statewide New York State Dispute Resolution Association's (NYSDRA) AmeriCorps Community Mediation Service Corps (CMSC) program was terminated effective immediately. This applies to our full time member and Communications Specialist CaTyra Polland, and our volunteer members Marissa Engel and Hailee Catalano.
We are so disappointed that this has happened. We are deeply grateful to our AmeriCorps members for all their efforts this year, and so devastated that this important program has been cut.
In good news, this was the only federal funding that CDS receives, so at this time, we have no indication of further cuts. We fully intend to continue our programs and services without interruption.
We are heartened by the fact that CDS ended our 2024-2025 fiscal year in a strong financial position with a significant revenue surplus that will help keep us resilient as we navigate the uncertain times ahead.
In other good news, our Board of Directors added two new members with a wealth of leadership experience and a passion for promoting our success and growth. We welcome Beth Kinne and Kevin Beckford and thank them for their dedication to our mission.
Finally, on April 22, the CDS Board of Directors elected our new Board officers:
- Board Chair: Parris Bryant II
- Board Vice Chair: Milo Obourn
- Board Secretary: Mary Williamson
- Board Treasurer: Joe Brown, Esq.
- Executive Committee Member-at-Large: Amy Stornello
We are confident that our Board of Directors and staff leadership are fully committed to maintaining the direction of our agency - in particular in the area of Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Belonging (DEIB) - in fulfillment of our mission to use and promote peaceful dispute resolution processes throughout our communities.
Please continue to stay connected to our network of peacemakers. Your vital efforts are needed now more than ever. Thank you for all that you do to create a more peaceful, conflict-resilient world.
In solidarity,
Shira May, Ph.D.
President/CEO
Parris Bryant II
Board Chair
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Film Screening of Dawnland
May 5, 2025
Gathering at 5:30pm; Film screening at 6:30pm
The Little Theater, 240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY
Tickets can be purchased for $10 at the door or at: https://thelittle.org/dawnland-may-5/
This film will be captioned.
The Center for Dispute Settlement is proud to host an upcoming screening of the film, Dawnland, in honor of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG2S) and 2SLGBTQI+ people, also known as "Red Dress Day," a day to raise awareness and remember those lost to violence.
Dawnland is a documentary that explores the history of child welfare authorities removing Native American children from their homes in Maine, focusing on the nation's first government-endorsed truth and reconciliation commission investigating the devastating impact on the Wabanaki people.
The Indigenous Peoples’ Day Committee has organized a walk to honor the Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirits who were stolen from us. We will read some of their names in the garden of Christ Church (141 East Avenue, on the RoCo side).
At 5:30pm we will gather in front of The Little Theater on East Avenue and make the (3-5 minute) walk up the street to the church garden. Please consider joining us, all are welcome. ASL Interpretation will be provided.
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Anti-Bias Training
May 9, 2025
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Virtual Training via Zoom
Fee: $60 (free for CDS staff/volunteers)
Register
The primary goal of this training is to empower participants to recognize their own biases, become aware of the impact of these biases in their work environment, and take steps to reduce the harmful impact of biases.
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Increasing Capacity for Landlord-Tenant Mediation in Rochester
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Coordinated Care Services, Inc. (CCSI) sent a group of service providers to participate in CDS's Basic Mediation Training to assist resolving landlord-tenant disputes. This initiative aims to address the ongoing housing crisis by providing effective conflict resolution strategies.
CDS is collaborating with CCSI on this project to provide mediator training, mediator apprenticeship, and case management support.
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CDS Presents at National Conference
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CDS’s President/CEO Dr. Shira May presented on a panel at the American Bar Association’s Annual Dispute Resolution Spring Conference in Chicago on April 25th. The panel focused on the topic of “Meeting the Crest of Campus Conflict: Diverse, Collaborative Approaches.”
The annual event is the largest ADR conference in the world and is hosted by the ABA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Section.
Dr. May spoke about CDS's collaboration with SUNY Brockport to implement Restorative Practices on campus, a project coordinated by the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Pictured below, left to right:
William Froehlich, Director, Divided Community Project at The Ohio State University
Katie Stygles, Chief Inclusion Officer, Bowling Green State University
Ayanna Behin, Director of Training & Conflict Consulting, New York Peace Institute
Shira May, President/CEO, Center for Dispute Settlement
Lisa-Marie Napoli, Director, Political and Civic Engagement (PACE) Program
Justin Lock, Former head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service (CRS)
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CDS Staff Leadership Retreat
CDS leadership staff gathered on April 29th for a day-long Leadership Retreat at the Finger Lakes Welcome Center in Geneva, NY.
The day began and ended with a Community-Building Circle including a mindfulness practice, check-in, and identifying best hopes for our time together.
The remainder of the gathering was focused on streamlining internal processes, supporting staff development, exploring new revenue sources, discussing business continuity plans, and identifying priorities for the 2025-2026 fiscal year which began April 1.
Pictured below:
Top row - Stace Pierce, Director, Livingston/Steuben Counties
Kelly Porter, Director, Cayuga/Seneca/Wayne Counties
Amanda Andera, Director, Monroe County
Jose Cruzado, Director of Operations
Bottom row - Shira May, President/CEO
Kim Reisch, Director, Ontario/Yates Counties
Dorethea Jackson-Smith, Executive/Program Assistant
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Passover: Words to Know
By Maia Taub, Program Manager, Monroe County
Every year, around the same time that Christians celebrate Easter, Jewish people celebrate Passover. Here is a short version of what Passover is, from chabad.org:
On Passover, we celebrate how G‑d took the Jewish People (Israelites) out of Egypt, where they had been enslaved by Pharaoh. With Moses as His representative, G‑d brought 10 plagues upon the Egyptians until they agreed to send the Jews from their land. When we read the Haggadah at the Seder meal, we retell this story to our children, who will one day retell it to their children. Also known as the story of Exodus, it is recorded in the Bible and is important to the Jewish people because it tells us how G‑d chose us to be His special people, which helps us understand our purpose and meaning in life.
You might be asking a few questions at this point.
Who's G-d? G-d is one way for Jewish people to avoid taking God's name in vain: by not spelling out the entirety of it. Another way is to say "Hashem", which literally means "the name".
What is a Haggadah? A Haggadah is a book that is used to tell the story of the Exodus at the seder. Yes, I think I know what your next question is.
What is a seder? A seder is the ritual of celebrating Passover. Family and friends gather on the first one or two nights of Passover to retell the story of the Exodus. The story is told in a particular order, with specific rituals. One of my favorite parts of Passover is the story/song "Chad Gadya", here sung by Jack Black:
Chad Gadya (Passover Bonus)
Okay, so how do I wish my friends a Happy Passover? You could simply say "Chag sameach" or, if you're feeling fancy, "Chag Pesach sameach". These words mean "Have a happy holiday" and "Have a happy Passover".
What's Pesach? We were doing Passover, I thought? The word "pesach", small "p", is the Hebrew for "pass over". The Christian "Pascha" has similar roots! It refers to the meat that the Israelites ate just before they left Egypt. But "Pesach", with a big "P", is the Hebrew name for the holiday of Passover.
Is there a good Haggadah for someone who wants to learn more about the seder? You can download a very good Haggadah right here: https://www.chabad.org/generic_cdo/aid/5075231/jewish/The-Chabadorg-Haggadah.htm
With eleven months to go until next Pesach, you should be all caught up in plenty of time. Have fun!
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