This presentation was delivered at NADO's Annual Training Conference, held in Anchorage, Alaska on September 9-12, 2017.
Public, private, and nonprofit partners work together in Anchorage to promote policies, plans, and programs that support social and economic integration of new and long-time residents. Learn how these various efforts dovetail to ensure economic vitality, common ground, and shared leadership. Lessons learned from this session will apply at the regional, county, or community levels.
Moira Gallagher, Live. Work. Play. Director, AEDC, Anchorage, AK
Mara Kimmel, First Lady of Anchorage, City of Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Lourdes Linato-Crawford, President, Bridge Builders of Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Wanetta Ayers, Interim Executive Director, Prince William Sound, EDD, Anchorage, AK, Moderator
2. Bridge Builders
of
Anchorage
• Established in 1996 by Mayor Rick Mystrom
• Mystrom invited African-American and Caucasian
ministers to dinner
• Topic focus on black and white relations
• Expanded to a conversation about Anchorage citizens who
represent a multitude of cultures and ethnic background
• Decided to start a new initiative “Bridge Builders”
3. Mission
– To promote harmony and respect among all cultures and
create the first city without prejudice
5. February – Meet the World
– Visit “destination tables” throughout the venue that display traditional cultures of
Anchorage’s diverse population and community organizations.
6. July – 4th of July Parade
– Think Bridge Builders on July 4th and join the Parade! Help us celebrate
America’s birthday!
8. November – Potluck/General Meeting
– We come together as a community of friends to share favorite traditional foods,
to make new friends and to renew relationships. We welcome all cultures,
races, ethnic backgrounds and faith traditions
9.
10. Pledge of Mutual Respect
We the people of Anchorage, Alaska
pledge to respect one another;
Celebrating the differences that make us
unique;
our customs, spiritual beliefs, cultures,
colors, dreams
and ancestral traditions.
Standing together, hand in hand,
young and old,
We affirm that through mutual respect
We can build a stronger,
more harmonious community,
A more unified nation
And
a better, safer world
11. The following are some suggestions for how to get
started in your town or city.
1. Enlist your Mayor. Normally immigrants respect the leader of
the community, whether king, chief, president or mayor.
2. Identify the ethnic groups in your community. Your school
district may have the statistics readily available.
3. Encourage the Mayor to invite the leaders of these groups to
City Hall to learn about Bridge Builders.
4. Explain that you will hold an “International Potluck” at a park,
high school gym or other venue and ask the leaders of each group
to bring their spouses and one or two other couples.
5. At the potluck, explain the mission of Bridge Builders which is
“to create a community of friends” among all races and cultures.
6. Place the names of the couples or individuals who want to be
involved in a basket and ask them to draw out the names of
another couple or individual. If they draw the name of someone
from their culture, invite them to draw again.
12. 7. Ask each couple to host a dinner at their home or favorite
restaurant
8. During this time, share the traditions and values of the
cultures of both the hosts and the guests. Provide
“discussion points” to help spark fun and memorable
conversations.
9. A year after the first potluck, hold a follow-up and invite
each couple or individual to bring other friends who want to
participate.
Editor's Notes
Established in 1996, and inspired by a meeting of faith based leaders and members of the Mayors office to discuss ways to prevent racial tension, Bridge Builder’s mission is to make Anchorage the first city without prejudice as the first step to eliminate racism in Alaska. Bridge Builders believes in promoting cultural awareness as a key to building a community of friends.
Five signature events that occur annually. Shown here are Bridge Builders reciting our pledge (more of which I will share later in the presentation).This is a means of formalizing for all of Anchorage’s citizens a relationship of respect, tolerance, and mutual support. We continue to have the hope that at least in Anchorage, Alaska, it is possible for people of different cultures to “live, work, play” and grow together in respect and peace.
In remarks I made last January I shared Dr. King’s words in a speech given in the District of Columbia in 1959 to “make a career of humanity, commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country and finer world to live in”. We as BB accept his charge and we encourage all citizens of Anchorage, of Alaska, to consider this pledge and to take on the challenge of creating a “Welcoming City” free of prejudice and upholding inclusion.
BB has created unique opportunities for the sharing of cultures such as this event .
The Anchorage Economic Development Corporation wrote on Anchorage winning the 2002 All- America City Award. This honor recognized “our community in which its citizens, government, businesses and voluntary organizations work together to address critical social issues. All-America Cities are a cut above the rest and have demonstrated innovative and unique problem solving techniques to address today’s tough issues. Another important aspect of this designation is the potential for attracting new businesses.” Our community works together for the betterment of its people and continues to display a strong sense of community and continues to be proactive in addressing community problems.
Initially members and guests gathered twice a year for a summer potluck in July and winter festival in February. At these events, couples and individuals were randomly paired with an individual or a family from a different culture. Paired couples and individuals invite each other to dinners or “get togethers” that illustrate their cultures. They also invited four additional guests who were interested in becoming involved. Friendships among people of all backgrounds, the citizens of our community draw closer together, celebrated each other’s cultures and helped each other when problems arose.
Former Gov Wally Hickel wrote in 2009:
“I believe that Alaska can be a model for America. We have much to offer, but we will fail if we don’t deal with prejudice, not only against newly arrived immigrants but against anyone. When we represent Alaska to the rest of the country, let’s go beyond our stereotypes. Let’s make Alaska known for respect for all people and reject those who use racial and class division for person or political reasons.”
We have worked with the Mayor’s office, the Anchorage Police Department, the Alaska Court System, the Anchorage School District, and nearly every organization representing individual ethnic groups in Anchorage. We have 21 years of experience combating prejudice and racism, mobilizing against hate crimes and youth violence, supporting communities to become more involved as citizens, raising awareness of ethnic tensions and ways to alleviate them, and facilitating workshops on various topics among which but not limited to immigration rights, citizen rights, emergency preparedness, labor issues, scams, and education. All of the activities focus on connection and inclusion.
Given the richness of diversity in Anchorage and the need to bring understanding and respect to every corner of our city, Bridge Builders developed this pledge. On March 7, 2000, the Anchorage Municipal Assembly resolved to encourage all Anchorage citizens to sign this pledge of mutual respect – a pledge to honor people of all colors, cultures, customs and faith.
The purpose is to promote harmony among all cultures, to increase awareness of similarities and differences, to enhance positive attitudes, to encourage participation in community activities, and to grow in the appreciation and celebration of your own city’s unique, diverse population.
Good Luck in your endeavors.
