Do Your Part: Help Us Fight Violence

Violence is a constant presence in the news. Scroll through most Facebook and Twitter feeds, or open up any newspaper and you will see the sheer volume of violent acts that happen across both the country and the world.

Community violence, in particular, is most commonly featured on these news platforms and is defined as an intentional attempt to hurt one or more people. In fact, every day in the U.S. over 85 gun deaths occur - which is around 3 deaths per hour. Last year, over 16,000 homicides were committed, and a U.S. Department of Justice study found that over 60% of children in America have been exposed to violence.

But violence doesn’t only occur on the outside in a physical way. Violence can also affect people both emotionally and psychologically. For simple proof of this, compare the 16,000 homicides last year to the 38,000 suicides that also occurred. Violence comes in many forms and is difficult to understand.

According to the CDC’s Principles of Prevention (POP) curriculum, violence as a whole is a complicated issue and there are multiple influences at various levels. “There’s no single reason why some people behave violently while others do not.”

So what can be done about the issue?

The Dignity & Respect Campaign takes all of these statistics very seriously - and when it comes to violence and destruction, enough is enough. Violence places a huge burden on the health of our country and we want your help in working to fight it.

We believe the first step towards violence prevention is education, which is why we’ve started our “I Will Do My Part” initiative. We also want to promote resources like POP training so that you can better understand violence, as well as programs like STRYVE that address more specific kinds of violence.

But beyond these helpful materials, we encourage you to remember that violence is a large issue that can be tackled a little bit at a time. You might not be capable of foreseeing and preventing a mass shooting, but you can speak out and help to demolish violent bigotry towards other cultures. You can look for ways you can get involved locally and report back to D&R on how you helped.

Small acts matter just as much as the large ones do. How will you play your part to stop violence?

Honoring Native American Heritage Month

November brings with it a kaleidoscope of fall foliage, cooler temperatures, and our national Thanksgiving holiday, which usually calls to mind the image of golden turkeys, simmering casseroles, and loved ones around a table. November is also recognized as Native American Heritage Month. Because one of the goals of the Dignity & Respect Campaign is to model our 7 Pillars of behaviors, we’d like to focus on one of these principles in conjunction with this holiday: building cultural awareness.

The history of this month of remembrance actually began way back in May of 1916, when the governor of New York approved an American Indian Day. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush took this a step further and declared November “National American Indian Heritage Month” which has been ongoing since 1994.

The purpose of this month-long dedication is to recognize the historical contributions that Native Americans have made to the growth of the United States, and also to raise awareness about the tribes that still exist today. According to the 2010 census, there are over 5.2 million citizens who identified as American Indian and/or Alaska Native. Even though this number might seem small (around 9.7% of total American residents), it’s actually very significant because these citizens represent a rich community of culture and history that is woven into the tapestry of the United States.

What can you do?

Cultural awareness is founded in knowledge and education. In order to treat people the way they deserve to be treated, we need to educate ourselves about populations and cultures that are different from ours. So make this month all about learning! Read about the history of the Native Americans that inhabited our country long before it was ever the United States. Learn the differences between the various tribes and how many of them still honor the traditions of their ancestors.     

The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. - as well as the National Archives and the Smithsonian - is hosting a range of events throughout November. If you don’t live close to the D.C. area, you can read up on other ways to participate: trying new recipes, for instance, or watching an educational film. The Smithsonian Education group has also compiled a list of resources for teachers interested in educating their students on the history and heritage of Native Americans.

Dignity & Respect

The Dignity & Respect Campaign as a whole believes in working towards creating a better world for all of us to live in together. Regardless of whether or not you take an active stance in Native American Heritage Month, we hope that you will both appreciate and respect this special holiday. Your awareness will help to create a stronger and more compassionate America.  

To echo the sentiments of the United States Department of the Interior: “Many voices-- one journey-- join us!”

Dignity and Respect Fest brings inclusion and multiculturalism to the multitudes

reposted from PopCity...
http://www.popcitymedia.com/forgood/dignityrespectfest092910.aspx?utm_campaign=Why+I+Moved+to+Pittsburgh.+Twice.&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_term=Dignity+and+Respect+Fest+brings+inclusion+and+multiculturalism+to+the+multitudescampaign

Dignity and Respect Fest brings inclusion and multiculturalism to the multitudes
Wednesday, September 29, 2010

UPMC's workplace inclusion program has now gone from an internal effort to a community-wide, free Dignity and Respect Fall Festival set for Oct. 16 at Schenley Plaza in Oakland."We are planning for it to be an annual event," says Dawnita Wilson, who is program director of inclusion initiatives at UPMC's Center for Inclusion and manager of the Center's Dignity and Respect Campaign.

The Campaign began in 2008 with UPMC employees pledging their support for inclusion in their workplace. Employee groups devised 30 tips to help with the effort, from simple courtesies to being open, flexible and "culturally competent.""Dignity and respect to them meant these small little behaviors that we lose sight of on a day-to-day basis – things we learn when we are young," notes Wilson.

The Campaign then became a wider initiative last year, gaining 60 community partners who spearheaded a literal pledge drive – 5,000 people throughout the area pledged to honor the Campaign's goals of fostering multiculturalism and diversity.

The Campaign also offers a monthly Dignity and Respect Champion Award, most recently to Barbara Murock, a county behavioral-health specialist who works toward better health-care policy for vulnerable groups. This year's festival, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., will celebrate those same principles – and offer some fun, including rock climbing by Venture Outdoors, multicultural entertainment from UMOJA African Arts Company and lion dancers/kung fu artists Steel Dragon, alongside games, health and educational information and other free stuff.

For more information, call 412-864-3582 or click here to e-mail.

Writer: Marty Levine
Source: Dawnita Wilson, UPMC Center for Inclusion

30 Days of Dignity and Respect

Inclusion begins with a core belief that everyone deserves Dignity and Respect. This ideal is critical to building and sustaining an environment in which everyone feels welcomed, valued, and appreciated.

Join us in the pledge to commit to treating others the way they want to be treated. Visit http://www.dignityandrespectcampaign.com/ to learn more about the 30 Tips of Dignity and Respect and to ensure that inclusion is at the core of what you do every day!