Morris 'circles' to focus on community diversity

Immigration, jobs, schools, language differences to be discussed in small groups

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October 6, 2006 | Daily Record | Morristown, New Jersey

The Morris County Human Relations Commission and Morris Tomorrow's Building Cross Cultural Communities Committee will start a second season of special meetings Sunday.

The sessions are titled "Morristown Matters -- Discussing Challenges of Diverse Community."

The program, which started last year, uses the nationally renowned "study circles" concept for public dialogue.

The "study circles" concept has been used in 400 communities and 43 states.

The commission's program will focus on issues that Morristown faces: immigration, jobs, schools and language differences.

Susan Rosenthal, president of the commission, said the program will consist of six study circles, each with eight to 12 people.

The circles will meet once a week for five weeks.

The organizers hope to have one circle conducted in Spanish.

At the end of the study circle cycle, participants will meet to discuss the ideas that were generated.

David Swartz, co-chairman of the organizing committee, said there are five goals: reach out to a wide range of people, involve as many residents as possible, hold public conversations that build understanding, explore a range of solutions, and connect deliberative dialogue to social, political and policy change.

Study circles are planned to be offered from 3 to 5 p.m. Sundays; 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

Registration forms are available at www.MorrisHumanRelations.org.

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