September 2022 Newsletter

Message From Our President/CEO

Last week, I had the pleasure of spending a day at a Peer Mediation training provided by the Center in partnership with Untrapped Ministries. The participants were enrolled in the Community Vanguards program, funded by the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), which provides 16 weeks of intensive training and mentoring for young adults in Rochester who have been affected by or are at risk of gun violence.

At the training, I heard participants speak about how the Community Vanguards program has changed how they respond to conflict. They spoke not only about the value of their trainings, but also about the close and trusting relationships they have with their dedicated mentors. Through these relationships, these young people are developing the skills, motivation, and confidence to be peacekeepers and leaders in their communities.

This reminds me of the importance of relationships to all our work at the Center. Whether through case management, conflict coaching, consultation, or community partnerships, we have an opportunity to create relationships that foster safety, trust, and understanding - laying a foundation that can enable people to resolve conflicts peacefully. 

How do you appreciate the trusting relationships with in your life? How do you contribute to creating safety, trust, and understanding in your relationships? 

In peace,

Shira May

President/CEO



Staff/Volunteer Appreciation Event

On August 25th, staff and volunteers gathered at Star Cider in Canandaigua for appetizers, cider tastings, conversation, and connection. The double rainbow that appeared across the sky after the rain cleared was an unexpected bonus!

In the Community

The Center's staff members were in the community this summer, hosting vendor tables at community events, meeting new friends, and building relationships. 

Photos from:

• August 20th: Festival at the Falls at Harry Allen Park, Honeoye Falls

• August 27th: Monroe County Family Coalition's Back to School Bash at the North Greece Road Church of Christ, Greece

Continuing Our Work in the Urban League's "Interrupt Racism" Program

This month, our Interrupt Racism cohort looked at organizational tools for setting goals and tracking progress toward becoming an antiracist organization. One such tool is the SMARTIE goal. Many people are familiar with SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound). SMARTIE goals incorporate two additional components - inclusive and equitable - into every goal, ensuring that these principles are "baked in" to any organizational initiative. 

Using SMARTIE goals is one way to counteract the tendency for organizational goals to perpetuate exclusionary and inequitable practices. An example at the Center would be within our strategic goal to "deepen our connection with our communities." One of the actions we've taken toward this goal is to redesign our website and social media posts to increase appeal to our targeted communities. Expanding this to a SMARTIE goal, we must ask: 

• Inclusion: How will we bring traditionally marginalized people—particularly those most impacted—into processes, activities, and decision/policy-making related to our website and social media in a way that shares power?

• Equity: How will we address systemic injustice, inequity, and oppression through our website and social media? 

By using tools such as SMARTIE goals, we can hold ourselves accountable to advancing equity and inclusion in our organization, as well as setting an example to our partners in our communities. 

To learn more about SMARTIE goals, visit: 

https://www.managementcenter.org/resources/smart-to-smartie-embed-inclusion-equity-goals/?mc_cid=ad8c798375&mc_eid=3260e72fc3

For more information, contact Shira May: smay@cdsadr.org