wfn.org | Commission approves 21 minority self-determination grants

[NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG]

March 1, 2001 News media contact: Thomas S.
McAnally·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.     10-30-71B{105}

By United Methodist News Service

A "Rites of Passage" program for African-American students, a summer academy
for Hispanic children, a language-preservation program for Native Americans
and a breast cancer detection effort for Asian Americans are among 21
projects receiving funds from the United Methodist Commission on Religion
and Race.

The Minority Group Self-determination Fund grants, totaling $406,896, were
approved by the governing body of the commission meeting Feb. 22-25 in
Arlington, Va. Grants were given to 13 local churches, five communities and
three caucuses. President of the 41-member commission is Bishop Clifton
Ives, Charleston, W. Va. The Washington-based agency's top staff executive
is the Rev. Chester Jones.

Erin Marie Hawkins, a lifelong United Methodist who has been employed by
U.S. Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Calif.), was elected associate
general secretary of the commission. She will be responsible for the
agency's black concerns committee and the church's Southeastern
Jurisdiction.

Hawkins is a member of Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Los Angeles and
a certified lay speaker. She has been a member of the California-Pacific
Annual Conference, representing the Los Angeles District. 

The commission is responsible for monitoring the church in an effort to
eradicate institutional racism. Members learned of locations for on-site
reviews to be made in annual (regional) conferences, churchwide agencies and
theological schools this year.

Commission members reiterated a concern expressed at the church's General
Conference in May that downsizing churchwide agencies might result in "more
concentrated power in the hands of the white majority in the United States."
No action was taken.

The commission has been criticized for granting $10,000 to the Illinois
Chapter of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media to oust
the University of Illinois sports symbol, Chief Illiniwek. The denomination
officially opposes the use of Native Americans as sports team mascots and
symbols. At their February meeting, commission members agreed to participate
in a dialogue with the church's Illinois Great Rivers Conference before
releasing the funds. Members agreed that the grant was consistent with the
commission's guidelines and the official stance of the General Conference,
the only body that can speak for the denomination.

Among other actions, the commission voted to send top staff executive Jones
to the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa, in August.  

A complete list of Minority Self-determination Fund grants follows:

African American Administrative & Programmatic Support, Dayton, Ohio,
$60,000, African American.

Office of the Executive Director, National Federation of Asian American
United Methodists, Oakland, Calif., $60,000, Asian American.

Empowerment and Self Determination, San Juan, Puerto Rico, $25,000,
Hispanic.

Breast Cancer Early Detection Outreach/Inreach Project, Los Angeles,
$19,500, Asian American.

Hermandad, Keyport, N.J., $19,500, Hispanic.

Preserving Our Indigenous Culture/Language, Muskogee, Okla., $19,500, Native
American.

Rites of Passage, Pine Bluff, Ark., $19,500, African American.

T.R.E.A.T.Y. Total Immersion School, Porcupine, S.D., $19,500, Native
American.

Multicultural Urban Ministry Center, Lincoln, Neb., $18,900, African
America, Asian American and Hispanic.

Family Support & Capacity-building Program, San Juan, Texas, $18,600,
Hispanic.

Safe Haven Latchkey Center, Warrenville Heights, Ohio, $18,000, African
American.

Bethesda Homework Tutorial & Enrichment Program, Lake City, S.C., $17,000,
African American.

L.I.F.E. (Learning is for Everyone) Children's Summer Academy 2001, San
Antonio, $16,000, Hispanic.

Human Integration and Empowerment of People, San Juan, Puerto Rico, $15,000,
Hispanic.

Community Development Pantomime/Music Ministry Program, Pleasantville, N.J.,
$14,000, Hispanic.

Community Developer-Youth Ministry Director, Albuquerque, N.M., $11,000,
Hispanic.

HeArts of the Community, Petersburg, Va., $9,500, African American.

St. Paul After School Educational Program, Jamaica, N.Y., $9,000, African
American.

Empowering Africans/African Community United Methodist Church, Chicago,
$6,198, African American.

Hope in Linda Vista, San Diego, $6,198, Asian American.

Sista' to Sista' Rites of Passage, Severn, Md., $5,000, African American.

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United Methodist News Service
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