Coronado Human Relations Commission

"We must all learn to live together as brothers.  Or we will all perish together as fools."

Martin Luther King Jr.

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TAKE MY HAND, CORONADO
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Deborah Schwartz

Deborah Schwartz
Chairperson








COMMISSION MEMBERS





 

Dianne Story Baldwin

Early Childhood Prevention Specialist

Coronado SAFE

 

Marie Balfour, Student

Coronado Middle School

 

Stacy Berman, Recreation Program Supervisor

Recreation Services, City of Coronado

 

S. Samantha Bowman, Executive Director

Coronado SAFE

 

Bill Cass, Principal

Silver Strand Elementary School

 

Barbara Denny, Councilowman

City of Coronado

 

Dr. Jeffrey Felix, Superintendent

Coronado Unified School District

 

Karen Finch, CEO

Coronado Chamber of Commerce

 

Claudia Gallant, Lead Teacher

Coronado Village Elementary School

 

Peter Harris, Principal

Sacred Heart Parish School

 

Barbara Hill, M.S.W., Director

Coronado Response Group,CHS

 

Captain Yancey Lindsey, Commanding Officer

Naval Base Coronado

 

Kathy MacDonald, Teacher

Coronado Middle School

 

Jay Marquand, Assistant Principal

Coronado Middle School

 

A. Miko Peled, 6th Degree Black Belt

Chief Instructor, Martial Arts America

 

Linda Rahn, Director

Recreation Services

 

Nancy Roberts, Headmistress

Christ Church Day School

 

Floyd Ross

Coronado Council of Churches

 

Gabriel Salvatierra, Student

Coronado High School

 

Louis J. Scanlon, Chief of Police

City of Coronado

 

Deborah Schwartz, L.C.S.W.

School Social Worker

Coronado Unified School District

 

Susan Shirey, Parent

Silver Strand Elementary School

 

Amy Steward, Teacher

Village Elementary School

 

Mark Tafoya, Psychotherapist

H.E.L.P.

 

Casey Tanaka, Mayor

City of Coronado

 

Carole Dupuis Tessicini

Community Leader




































The History of the Coronado Human Relations Commission:

 

A group of Coronado citizens began a dialogue in the spring of 1999 in an effort to comprehend fifteen deaths at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and to consider prevention of such a tragedy in our town.  The central questions emerged:  “What is the community’s role in insuring the safety of our youth in a violent

society?” and “How do we organize to address these issues?”  This work brought about three televised Town Meetings on Violence and Youth, because ultimately it was clear that answers would originate in community dialogue - identifying collective responsibility for violence and youth. 

 

The members of the original 'Violence and Youth Planning Group' included:

  • Charles Howe, then President of the Council of Churches

  • Robert Hutton, then Director of Police Services of the City of Coronado

  • David Ott, then Division Chief of the City of Coronado Fire Department

  • Tom Smisek, Mayor of the City of Coronado

  • Dr. Marilyn Wheeler, then Superintendent of the Coronado Unified School District

On November 21, 2000, I addressed the City Council of Coronado on behalf of the Planning Group.  The formation of the Coronado Human Relations Commission was proposed, to be comprised of adult and youth representatives from every facet of the community, and from every school site, both private and public.  The City Council registered unanimous support of the formation of the Coronado Human Relations Commission, and without exception has continued to provide enthusiastic support.


The Issues:

The
issues are difficult and complex:

  • Violence in the media  - TV, movies, music, video games, etc. - contributes to violence among youth.

  • Intolerance contributes to violence among you.

  • Cliques that exclude and/or bully people contribute to violence among youth.

  • Unfavorable changes in the family and/or parenting contribute to violence among youth.

  • Abuse of children (who are either victims or witnesses) contributes to violence among youth.

  • Access to weapons contribute to violence among youth.

Perhaps Coronado will be spared.  It is unfathomable that a heinous event such as that which occurred in Littleton, Colorado in 1999 might spoil our town.  But as Dr. Ronald D. Stephens, Executive Director of the National School Safety Center said:  “…violent juvenile crimes – even when they invade only 10 percent of our nation’s schools – are symptoms of danger and dysfunction that must not be ignored…Violence is no respecter of persons, geography, class, color or ethnic origin.  And it can happen anywhere.”

 

The Work of the Coronado Human Relations Commission:

 

That said, the Mission Statement of the Coronado Human Relations Commission does not include the words “violence” or “guns”; to the contrary, the work of the Commission addresses peaceful communication and the peaceful resolution of conflict among and between youth and adults.”  That, after all, is the only path to prevention.

 

Gabriel Salvatierra, a tenth grade student at Coronado High School and member of the Coronado Human Relations Commission (CHRC) describes it this way:  “The Human Relations Commission is a dedicated group of people that focus on spreading peace throughout Coronado and helping to promote equality and understanding between its citizens.” 

 

Stacy Berman, also a Commissioner, is the Recreation Programs Supervisor of the Coronado Recreation Department.  She adds to Salvatierra’s description:  CHRC is a city-wide effort to “foster peace in the community” as members “strive daily to live the mission” by modeling tolerance, mutual respect, communal responsibility, forgiveness, and open dialog with youth, adults, business members, etc.  Berman notes that the first step has been to bring the diverse members of CHRC together; in turn these community leaders have the opportunity to carry the message back to their respective schools, churches, service clubs, businesses, organizations, and neighborhoods.  

 

The second step is more concrete.  Take My Hand Coronado: A Weeklong Celebration of Peace in Relationships, the programming that has developed as a result of the effort to promote our Mission, celebrates its seventh anniversary this year.

 

Next Steps:

 

The twenty-four members of the Coronado Human Relations Commission are committed to evaluation and enhancement of the current plan, and to the identification of other meaningful strategies for the future. 

 

In fact, members of CHRC now meet twice annually with a newly formed Regional Human Relations Commission including City of San Diego Human Relations Commission, as well as commissions from Chula Vista, El Cajon, La Mesa, and Santee.  At this table commissioners from across the county have the opportunity to learn from one another, and the San Diego Human Relations Commission has expressed considerable interest in replicating “Take My Hand, Coronado” in some fashion in the City of San Diego.

 

Tom Smisek, the Mayor of Coronado at the time, offered his perspective:  “The Coronado Human Relations Commission is the only forum in our town where people from churches, schools, the City [Government, Police and Recreation departments], the Navy, parents, and kids come together to discuss matters that influence the well-being of adults and youth.  Issues that people are reluctant to discuss in other circumstances are often brought to the table.”  After all, understanding, empathy, and tolerance are essential to peace in human relationships.

 

When all is said and done, I believe one must give away that which one wants.  If one wants respect, understanding and empathy, tolerance of one’s differences, and forgiveness for one’s shortcomings and mistakes, one must give respect, understanding and empathy, tolerance, and forgiveness first.  If one wants a hand of friendship, one must extend it first. 

 

                                                     Warm regards,

                                                     Deborah  Schwartz

  Chairperson

 

 

 

 

From the Chairperson:

Greetings!  And
welcome to the Coronado Human Relations Commission (CHRC).  I’m grateful to have the opportunity to introduce you to both the history and the work of the Commission – with the hope ultimately that you will join in the furtherance of our Mission:

 

The Mission of the CHRC is to promote respect, understanding and the peaceful resolution of conflict among and between youth and adults in the community of Coronado.






Deborah Schwartz




Our Sponsors and Supporters

_______________________

 

Special thanks to the City of Coronado and Coronado SAFE for their special efforts on our behalf.

 

The Commission is grateful to the following individuals and organizations for their generous financial support: 

  • John Messner

  • Christ Church Day School

  • Coronado Chamber of Commerce

  • Rotary Club of Coronado

  • Silver Strand Elementary School Parent Teacher Association

  • Anonymous Donaor - (Sponsor of the James Richard Shirey, Jr. Memorial Peacemaker Award / Youth Category)






































 


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