The following list of Diversity Caucuses and thier priorities for the current year represents Caucuses already intitiated by NCIL Members. This list of caucuses does not represent a comprehensive view of all minorities NCIL is interested in advancing our commitment toward diversity to. If you are a NCIL Member and would like to start another Caucus, or if you would like to join any of the existing Caucuses, contact Stan Holbrook, Diversity Chair.

• African American Caucus
• Aging and Older Adults Caucus
• Deaf Caucus
• GLBT Caucus
• Youth Caucus
• Native American Caucus
• Latino Caucus
• Asian/ Pacific Islander Caucus

African American Caucus Issues 2007

The African American Caucus has created a Yahoo group to communicate and share ideas throughout the coming year. They will also hold quarterly conference calls. The AA caucus has decided to tackle the following issues before the next NCIL conference;

1. Increase membership of people of color

• We need to look at the importance of our vote
• Start nominating people of color
• Look into NCIL providing scholarships for people to participate
• Educate/Outreach to SILCs/CILs

1. Connect with Legislators (African American)

• Continuous contact with our legislators
• Contact African American legislators
• Network with the black caucus of politicians
• Educate about SILCs and CILs

2. Community outreach within our communities

• Reach out to the African Americans in our areas
• Develop activities that will increase participation
• Network with different organizations and agencies
• Educate about SILCs and CILs
  
  

Aging and Older Adults Caucus Issues 2007

1. Personal Care Assistance/Institutionalization

2. Health Care/ Mental Health

3. Elder Abuse

The committee will commit to working on the issue of access to quality health care this year.

 

Deaf Caucus Issues 2007

1. Greater inclusion of the deaf individuals in NCIL to improve communication, and provision of complete access by involving the deaf caucus in the contracting of services.

2. Include communication issues in the Hill visits and marketed materials.

3. Share information about barriers in communication, historical perspective, and create a liaison with information exchange responsibility.

 

GLBT Caucus Issues 2007

1. To identify “safe spaces” within ILC, provide active outreach to GLBT community within the centers, and help educate center staff serving consumers.

2. Compile Access Info/Pride guide with info on assisting GLBT events and businesses in becoming accessible to all.
   
   
3. Submit entries to the Wham! and other publications to increase awareness.

 

Youth Caucus Issues 2007

1. Education

2. Identity

3. Employment: The Youth caucus will commit to work on Education during the coming year.

 

Native American Caucus Issues 2007

1. Alcoholism/Drugs
• Education
• Treatment/Counseling

2. Housing
• Affordable
• Accessible
• Integrated (No gimp ghettos even on reservation)

3. Health Care
• Adequate Funding
• Accessible to disability
• Diabetes (Education and Exercise)

4. Employment
• Ticket to Work
• Placement

5. IL Awareness
• Community Involvement
• Language Barrier
• Transportation

Latino Caucus Issues 2007

1. Exploitation by corporate culture of Latino workers especially in border areas (Latinos have become a high risk community for disability). Wal-Mart is one of the corporations we are concerned with. We are very concerned with message NCIL is sending to it’s constituents by having Wal-Mart as a major sponsor of the conference.
   
   
2. We are concerned with Centers asking for documents from Latinos to provide services to a community that is already underserved.
   
   
3. NCIL documents in Spanish?? How many Latinos have a seat on the board? Is it proportional to our population? Does NCIL have a diversity statement? What about the importance of having cultural competence, inclusion, a culture that that welcomes (EX. Business-like is turn off to some groups)
   
   
4. A lot of undocumented individuals are getting hurt due to manual labor and after emergency care they are unable to get any other services.
   
   
5. Latino caucus with only 3 participants…Problem!
   
   
6. Expand caucus meeting time from one hour to two hours and hold them on multiple nights (to take in consideration  that some folks can actually belong to more than one of the groups).

Asian/ Pacific Islander Caucus Issues 2007

1. NCIL should have a seat on the board that will represent Pacific Islanders/Asians
   
   
2. CILS should be reflective of the community it is composed of.
   
   
3. NCIL by its fund-raising, the insensitivity to the needs of the group it represents (i.e. why raffle a corvette and not an accessible van?)

The committee will work on issue number one. The facilitator of the group will write a letter to the Board of Directors concerning this issue.