| The Dialogue provided a
medium for concerned citizens, city staff and
community leaders to proactively and candidly work
together to address issues that are creating growing
concern for many in Irving.
In attendance were
a group of about a dozen Nimitz High School students
who are involved in Latino Stand-Up; a group that
advocates community involvement and personal
responsibility.
Police Chief Larry Boyd and Director of Library Administration, Patty Landers.
The information and ideas gathered during the
discussion will provide input for discussion leading into the
City’s November Retreat (To be held at First Baptist
Church of Irving. It is free and open to the public.
See the city's web site for more info.) as well as
provide concrete action items for consideration as
the City’s Comprehensive Plan is being updated.
Karen Berlin, Baylor
Healthcare and Roland Medina.
|
Afterward, Mayor Herbert Gears suggested that the
initiative to confront the changing face of Irving
head-on is a very positive reflection on the
character and commitment of Irving residents. Quotes
Mayor Gears, “The
success of this <sic>shows that the city is turning the
corner and people are willing to take it on. We are
ahead of the curve from other cities. It makes me
proud. There is no problem too big or too sensitive
for Irving people to tackle. It is another good sign
of our great future.”
Cathy Whiteman of ICTN, Jim Marshall of Coda and Ray Ebbinghausen.
Comments were collected and will be made part of a
report. A summary report will be provided in a
future issue of The Irving Journal a local city
newspaper.
Elvia Wallace-Martizez
translates everyday speech into Spanish.
The committee members wish to thank the following
individuals, businesses and organizations for their
assistance with the Diversity Dialogue:
-
North Lake College South Irving Center
-
City of Irving
-
Irving Independent School District
-
Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce
-
Wal-Mart
-
iFratelli
-
And a very special thanks to First United Methodist
Church (211 W. Third Street) and Rusty Hedges, Senior Pastor.
This article was
reprinted (with editorial corrections) from the
Irving Journal, November 1, 2005 issue. Previous Page |
