Why We Love What We Do
Someone once said that “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” This could not be truer for our President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Frank Liberti. See what he has to say when asked a few questions on what the Center for Dispute Settlement (CDS) does, their values, how they’ve changed, what makes him so passionate about what he does, and who he works with. Take a look!
Q: How has CDS changed in the last 45 years?
A: “CDS started 45 years ago this month - June 1973 - as an outgrowth of the Civil Rights movement. Our agency was started to address the polarization we were experiencing in Rochester, as in communities across the country, in response to school busing desegregation. CDS was formed to provide community residents with appropriate, non-violent, ways to resolve their disputes. We were the first Community Dispute Resolution Center (CDRC) in NY State and the third in the country – and we are the longest continuously operating CDRC today! Our work locally was so successful that by the late 1970’s NY State legislated that every county have a CDRC, and today you will find CDRC’s in cities across the country. Over the years we’ve trained hundreds of volunteers to apprentice and become certified mediators under the auspices of the NYS Unified Court System, and CDS now serves the entire 8-county NYS 7th Judicial District.”
Q: What makes you passionate about working for CDS?
A: “We believe that conflict offers an opportunity for personal growth. In this sense, working through conflict offers individuals, organizations, and communities a transformational opportunity. It might be characterized as the phoenix rising out of the potentially destructive ashes becoming more empowered and resilient from the experience. For me, this work of assisting individuals, organizations and groups as they transition through conflict provides its own reward. When I serve as a mediator, restorative practitioner or facilitator as people work through, often seemingly intractable disputes, it’s a privilege to be present to their growth and empowerment.”
Q: What are the core values of CDS, and how has CDS portrayed these values throughout the years?
A: “The core values of our agency’s mission are unchanged: “using and promoting dispute resolution processes throughout our communities.” The types of dispute resolution processes have changed over time but the core values of, “doing what we know, trusting the process & maintaining our belief that people will change if they so choose” remain steadfast. We have seen changes in the processes such as mediation being practiced from a facilitative model to a transformative model that has over the past 20 years morphed into what is now referred to as restorative practices.”
Q: What do you love most about CDS and the people that you work with?
A: “I love the heart and commitment of the volunteers and staff; people drawn to this community building work. I’m particularly thrilled to be privileged to work on social justice issues with a diverse group reflective of our each of the communities we serve.”
Whether you have a dispute that needs to be resolved or wish to see how you can get involved with the Center for Dispute Settlement, our doors are always open with a caring staff that wants to help you reach your goals!
