Background on Baton Rouge Council on Human Relations   July  2004

 

Mission Statement

 

The purpose of the Baton Rouge Council on Human Relations are: To foster mutual understanding and acceptance among all persons in the area; to discourage discrimination based on race, age gender, religion, or national or ethnic group membership;  to counteract prejudice and discrimination directed toward any person or group; to seek to remove impediments to equality of opportunity, especially for those in poverty; and to cooperate with appropriate local, state, regional, national and international agencies in the attainment of these purposes.

 

Recent  BRCHR Sponsored Forums ,  Speakers, and Membership meetings (last five years).

 

10/19/99            School Vouchers – A step for Better Education?

            Rick Omdal -- PAR

            Noel Hammatt -- EBR School Bd.

            John Devlin  -- LSU Law Center

            Rev. Donald Avery – St. John’s United Methodist,  Moderator

Univ. Presbyterian Church, 60 persons attended

 

2/15/00             Children in Poverty

            Randy Ewing -- Past President Louisiana Senate

            Sandra Adams -- Maternal & Child Health Coalition

            Gwen Hamilton -- Governor’s Children’s Cabinet

            Jay Dardenne -- State Senator

            Sharon Weston Broome --State Representative

            Beth Courtney -- President LA Public Broadcasting,  Moderator

Co-sponsored with Council for a Better Louisiana  (CABL) and the Greater Baton Rouge Federation of Churches and Synagogues.   Over 300 persons attended

 

9/14/200            Open Board & Membership meeting to discuss priorities

            University United Methodist Church

 

10/10/00            Tax Reform

            Jim Richardson --Director, LSU Public Administration

            Jim Brandt --  President,  Public Affairs Research Council  (PAR)

            Karen Anderson  -- News Director, WRKF, Moderator

Univ. Presbyterian church

 

3/15/01             Is there life after LEAP test

            Mary Louise Jones – Louisiana State Dept. of Education

            Margaret Pereboom --  Child Psychologist and Children’s Advocate

            Arnold Brown --  Principal Prescott Middle School

            Patricia Smith, -- EBR Parish School Board

            Dr. Clyde Johnson – Southern University,  Moderator

           

10/30/01            Does Criminal Justice System Serve All?

            Dr. Cecile Guin – LSU School of Social Work,  Presenter

            Roberta Madden – Community Policing, |Community Policing Respondent

            Lt. Co. H.  Whitehorn – La State Police, Race and Law Enforcement Respondent

            Linda Grayson – Dixon Correctional Institute, Restorative Justice Respondent

Rev. Jennifer Jones  -- Working Interfaith Network,  What can we do Respondent

            Richard Haymaker –  LSU Dept of Physics and Astronomy,   Moderator

Catholic Life Center

 

 

3/20/02             Working from Poverty to Promise – TANF

            Rev. Mark Barwick – Organizer,  Bread for the World Renewal and Reform

            Ann Williamson -- Asst. Sec, La Dept. of Human Serv. How it is Working in La.

            Becky Rainer and Ms. James – Friends for Families   Improving Grass Roots

            Susan Hymel – Consultant, MEDAL, One project that is working

            Rep. Wm Daniel & Sen. Kip Holden

            Dena Morrison – Family Road  Moderator

Co-sponsored with Bread for the World, BR chapter Catholic Community Services, Bienville House, YWCA, AFL/CIO,  Human Relations Consortium,  Greater BR Fed. Of Churches and Synagogues.  Turnout 100,  noted importance of involving other groups in planning.

University United Methodist Church

 

 

4/8/02    “The Act To Leave No Child Behind”

            Marian Wright Edelman, Founder and President, Children’s Defense Fund

Co-Sponsored with the Greater Baton Rouge Children’s Coalition

Hundreds of people turned out.

Large Auditorium at the Catholic Life Center

 

11/14/02            School Vouchers

Speaking in favor: 

Danny Shelton, Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge

Fanny Godwin, Citizen Activist;  

Speaking against:

            Carol Davis,  Louisiana Association of Educators

            Fred Skelton, American Federation of Teachers

Moderator: Patrice Niquille, East Baton Rouge Parish School Board

University United Methodist Church

 

05/08/03            Issues Facing the Next Governor

            Economic Development:  Skip Smart, Asst. Sec. Dept. of  Economic Development

            State Finances:  John Rombach, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Fiscal office

Healthcare:  James Brexler,  CEO, LSU Health Sciences Center, Health Care Service Division

Poverty and Race: Doug Leyda, Bd. Member The Greater Baton Rouge Federation of Churches and Synagogues

Education:  Dr. Sally Clausen, President, The University of Louisiana System

Moderator:   Karen Henderson,  News Director, WRKF

Co-sponsored by The Greater Baton Rouge Federation of Churches and Synagogues, The YWCA of Greater Baton Rouge, and the Louisiana Health Care Campaign

First  United Methodist Church

 

2/19/04             Open Board & Membership Meeting

                        Speaker:   Dr. Annette Bookter,  Human Resources Director, East Baton Rouge  City-Parish Government

           

4/20/04             “Stand up for Children” Rally on Capitol Steps, Governor Blanco speaker

            Co-sponsored with the Greater Baton Rouge Children’s Coalition.   Hundreds of people attended.  About 70 more organizations joined as partners.

 

Our Web site:  www.brchr.org.   This has many links to other relevant sites, including the Louisiana Council on Human Relations, www.lachr.com

 

BRCHR Papers: Preserved in a special collection at the LSU Library, created by Paul Burns in 1998.   (There is a link on our web site. 

 

Bylaws:   last revised in 1992 .