Document Actions
Toolkit
Building Relationships Across Lines of Difference
Crossing Borders has 4 main modules. Each module can be used as a stand-alone 90 to 120 minute workshop session. Or can be stitched together as part of a day-long series. Each can also be used within one organization or among the leaders and staff of multiple organizations.
The country has changed and is changing because of shifting demographics. Monolithic communities have become mixed-race and mixed-ethnic and the question is: Will diverse communities compete or cooperate? This section is meant to open dialogue about how our communities are changing and how we respond.
Historically, you find that all people two things in common: domination and pursuit of work and opportunity. This module is meant to guide discussion about contemporary forms of domination and opportunity that we share, and to explore and deepen understanding regarding different types of power.
These tensions have nothing to do with immigration per se; you don't hear most African Americans debating the nuance of work permits and visa allocation quotas. When you peel back the layers, there's a subtext that has to do with race, power, language, economics and bias and stereotypes; we aim to get at the root of real and imagined tensions between African Americans and immigrants.
- Module 4: Jobs, Race, and Immigration
The workplace is often a place of tension but can be a place of opportunity. Using the concept of the job ladder and job niches, this module explains what's happening in the labor market with respect to African Americans and immigrants. It is meant to open conversation about ways both constituencies can build power in order to climb the job ladder toward better jobs.
Additional Resources
Five Step Process for Moving from Dialogue to Action
How to Run a Good Meeting: Tips for New Leaders
