On April 13, 2013, the Multicultural Leadership Program (MCLP) will honor two outstanding leaders in the local community:

• Michael Matejka – MCLP Community Service Award
• Margarita Alvarez – MCLP Alumni Award

The MCLP Community Service Award and Alumni Award were established to honor, recognize and celebrate the achievements of a local community leader and an MCLP graduate who

• exemplify servant leadership,
• foster diversity and cooperation, and
• challenge the status quo to bring about constructive, positive social change.

These MCLP Awards will be presented to Matejka and Alvarez during the April 13th MCLP Class of 2013 Graduation Celebration. Tickets are available at www.bn-mclp.org

Please join us Saturday, April 13, 2013 as we recognize these two outstanding servant leaders!

Michael Matejka—

MCLP Community Service Award Recipient

Michael Matejka has served the Bloomington-Normal community for almost forty years as a community volunteer, multicultural advocate and servant leader. Matejka is the Legislative Affairs Director for the Great Plains Laborers District Council, supporting 13,000 union members in central Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. He has edited the Grand Prairie Union News for the past 32 years. Matejka served 18 years on Bloomington’s City Council, representing the city’s west side neighborhoods. An avid local historian, he is past-president of the McLean County Historical Society and a Vice President of the Illinois Labor History Society, and well known for his local history research and presentations, and as a WJBC forum commentator. Matejka has served on numerous local and state boards, mentored newcomers into leadership, and initiated many community-based efforts, such as the “Not In Our Town” forums on race relations and “Operation Porchlight” for veterans’ families. Matejka’s mentorship, advocacy, and quest for common ground bring diverse groups together for the good of the community.

Margarita Alvarez—

MCLP Alumni Award Recipient

Margarita Alvarez was an MCLP Class of 2011 graduate. Besides working full-time, Margarita takes time to volunteer for the Bloomington Police Department as a minority advocate. Alvarez also has helped increased cancer awareness and prevention among Hispanic women. In addition, she is a member of the Promise Council at Cedar Ridge Elementary School where she helps the school provide a safe and caring environment for children and families in need. Alvarez is not only passionate about justice and defending people in need, but has publicly voiced her concerns and challenged authorities ensure fair and humane treatment of all citizens. Alvarez is an advocate for basic human rights and has always been the voice of those who, at many times, cannot speak for themselves.

This year’s five MCLP teams will present the results of their eight-month efforts at a public presentation on Saturday, March 9, 8:00-10:45 am at Heartland Community College, Astroth Auditorium in Normal.

The five non-profits and their projects developed by MCLP teams are:

• Autism Society of McLean County – Design and pilot an employment mentoring program
• Center for Youth and Family Solutions – Create a strategic marketing and development plan
• David Davis Mansion – Develop an endowment fund campaign
• Illinois Heart & Lung Foundation – Analyze and review the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) program
• Labyrinth Outreach Services to Women – Increase community awareness and partners

This event will be followed by a non-profit community projects meeting for local organizations interested in applying for a project with the Class of 2014 will be held 11:00 to Noon in Room 2102 of the same  building. For an RFP and additional information regarding project efforts, see Community Projects.

These March 9^th events provide non-profit organizations, program sponsors, employers, and the general public the chance to learn about the opportunities MCLP offers through its annual program.

MCLP promotes community service as a fundamental responsibility and competency for leaders. Serving a local non-profit is one of the core activities for MCLP program participants.

Organizations interested in partnering with MCLP for a future community project should contact MCLP Executive Director, Sonya Mau at 309-438-3417 or contactus@bn-mclp.org. 

A few hours later, Azim Khamisa did not believe the police who called and told him his son had been murdered. He called Jennifer, Tariq’s then fiancée, only to receive confirmation through her sobbing that Tariq had been killed. Experiencing excruciating pain, Azim Khamisa felt life being drained from his body. But what happened next is a powerful example of spiritual healing: Khamisa felt himself embraced in the arms of God.  In this moment, Khamisa resolved to forgive Tony.

Finding the courage to forgive the young man that killed his son was a spiritual decision. Azim Khamisa resolved to view Tony and his son both as victims. “There were victims at both ends of the gun” he stated. He credits his ability to forgive to a higher power; he believes there is not a problem that the spirit and soul cannot solve—“people who are spiritually resilient can survive and go on.” Forgiveness involves the mind, heart, and soul. “Intellectually you cannot make the decision to forgive, but through courage and faith you can,” Khamisa declares that when making a decision an individual should first decide whether or not it is logical, then look into the heart and ask if this is a good decision or a bad one. Through evaluation of his mind, heart, and soul Khamisa found forgiveness and ultimately found peace.

Through the practice of meditation Khamisa also discovered healing power. Meditating helped prepare his heart to forgive Tony. Khamisa began meditating many years before the death of his son, discovering the practice after a business transaction took advantage of him in a very unethical way. Through meditation, Khamisa discovered peace and freedom. After four months of deep meditation Khamisa concluded that “sustained goodwill creates friendship, sustained friendship creates trust, sustained trust creates empathy, sustained empathy creates compassion, and sustained compassion creates peace.” Ultimately, this conclusion led Khamisa on a journey of developing a relationship with Tony and his grandfather Ples Felix. Coincidentally, Ples Felix also meditates. Felix learned to meditate from a Buddhist monk in Southeast Asia.

Khamisa endured a long journey of self-discovery which led to the founding of the Tariq Khamisa Foundation. The mission of TKF is to warn young adults about the dangers of gangs and to express the importance of nonviolence. Great leadership begins with courage. Khamisa, like graduates of the Multicultural Leadership Program, want to make a difference in the world. But to make a difference, leaders must have the courage to build genuine relationships. Developing strong connections with a variety of individuals enables a leader to create a larger impact on society. For example, Khamisa developed a relationship with Felix, who joined him on his mission to decrease violence in youths. Together they have talked to over a million youth. When talking to youth they bring the perspectives of two men, both who lost a child to gang violence. Azim’s son died and Felix’s grandson is spending his life in prison. Through their active leadership both have found peace.

Azim Khamisa is the keynote speaker at the 4^th annual MCLP graduation celebration on Saturday evening, April 13, 2013 at the Brown Ballroom in the ISU Student Center. 

Azim Khamisa is currently working on “From Fulfillment to Peace” which will complete his trilogy of books including the award winning “From Murder to Forgiveness” and “From Forgiveness to Fulfillment”. He’s also written “Azim’s Bardo—A Father’s Journey from Murder to Forgiveness.” and co-written “The Secrets of the Bulletproof Spirit: How to Bounce Back from Life’s Hardest Hits” with Jillian Quinn.

- Paula Mitchell

Paula Mitchell, one of the leading designers of the MCLP curriculum, says she’s noticed development among the participants and with the program as a whole. She emphasizes the importance of on-going curriculum development.

“When we first came together as a project team to define the MCLP curriculum, we had identified and researched the need. The next step was to determine what we could offer in response. Then each year, MCLP actively solicits feedback from participants, sponsors, advisors, board members, and surrounding area businesses to tweak and fine-tune those offerings. The curriculum evolves and is getting better each year.“

To Mitchell, the heart of the MCLP curriculum lies in the opportunity for leaders to develop self-awareness. Since the components of the curriculum are based upon a model of emotional intelligence, each participant discovers personal strengths and weaknesses. “Discovering strengths is powerful and enables participants to leverage these in their workplace and community at large. Leadership is all about relating to people, and that requires becoming self-aware, in order to self-manage within diverse social settings.”

Past success isn’t enough to continue to drive the MCLP program forward. “We need to continually improve the curriculum by paying attention to what participants respond to, what they find interesting, applicable and genuinely helpful“, said Mitchell.

Keeping an ongoing relationship with corporate sponsors is also key. “It’s important for us to learn what their needs are in terms of their workforce, and then incorporate those needs into the curriculum. That way, we’re providing a good return on investment to MCLP corporate sponsors,” said Mitchell.

Members of MCLP have a unique opportunity. They’re immersed into an environment that allows them to work with leaders from all walks of life. According to Mitchell, “It adds an interesting twist as MCLP class participants become self-aware and are able to share their observations and test their insights in a multi-culturally diverse setting.“

However, the Multicultural Leadership Program (MCLP) taught her how she could serve the community.  Before MCLP, Harding had no experience with not-for-profit organizations, but through MCLP she learned the practical steps to starting an organization and to establishing strong relationships with our community’s not-for-profit groups. Understanding how to be an effective member of the community is a significant benefit to Leslie.

Looking back at herself before and after MCLP, Harding feels that she has gained more confidence and courage to follow her passions and to stand up for her values.  Much of that confidence comes from knowing her personal values. While enrolled in MCLP Leslie completed an activity in which she listed her values. Over the course of a few weeks she reduced this list to the few most significant value to her. Through MCLP Harding gained the confidence to not only articulate her values but live by them as well.

According to Harding, the Multicultural Leadership Program also provided her with endless connections to pursue her passions. Through MCLP Harding met people she would have never known.  She learned the power of networking through the program. People are willing to help and offer many different resources, but most importantly people offer knowledge and advice that’s been invaluable.

Since graduating from the Multicultural Leadership Program she joined her first board, the Multicultural Leadership Board. Harding truly believes in the program and its approach to developing leaders. She was eager to join and become a board member. She is now responsible for organizing the graduation.

Furthermore Harding found the confidence and courage to start her own small business, Virtuous Women’s Designs. She helps not-for-profit organizations through buying and selling products, in which a portion of the profits go to the organization. Harding has specific designs for specific organizations. On each organization’s website she plans on creating a web link for people who are interested in buying shirts and designs. She wants to use Virtuous Women’s Designs as a way to raise funds for organizations.  An example of one of Harding’s potential designs would require her to collaborate with graphic artists to create red, white, and blue designs for women involved in voting, these shirts could be sold for organizations involved in politics. To begin the process of finding organizations that can benefit from her designs, Harding emailed individuals from MCLP inquiring about establishments that would be interesting in raising funds through her unique designs.  The community leaders and friends she’s met during MCLP were quite helpful.

Leslie Harding has advice for future graduates “cherish what you have learned, the best way to cherish it is to get involved and stay involved in something that you are passionate about.” MCLP taught Leslie that it takes a group of ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

Harding believes that prospective individuals looking to enroll in MCLP should take the time to learn about the program and how to apply. She thinks it is an outstanding program. MCLP prepares people to be leaders in the community and helps each recognize his/her unique ability to make a difference in the community.

Azim Khamisa – author, activist and inspirational speaker – was born in Kenya, Africa. Trained in mathematics, economics and international finance, he became a successful international investment banker with over 35 years experience in the United States, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

Then the unthinkable happened. In January 1995, near their home in San Diego, California,Azim’s 20-year-old son, Tariq, was senselessly murdered while delivering pizzas. His assailant was Tony Hicks, a 14-year-old gang member. Out of unspeakable grief and despair, Khamisa was inspired to transform his loss through the miraculous power of forgiveness. Believing that there were “victims at both ends of the gun,” Azim forgave Tony.

Azim then founded the Tariq Khamisa Foundation to break the cycle of youth violence by saving lives, teaching peace and planting seeds of hope in their future. A month after establishing the foundation, Azim invited Ples Felix, Tony’s grandfather and guardian, to join him. Together, since November 1995, the two have brought their story and message through TKF’s Violence Impact Forums. The duo has reached a half a million elementary and middle school children live and over 20 million via video programs, guiding the youth to choose a peacemaker’s life of non-violence. A man always on the go, taking action for societal transformation, he is presently the Chairman, CEO and Founder of the Tariq Khamisa Foundation (TKF) and the Founder and National Director of the Constant And Never Ending Improvement (CANEI) program.

“We are literally able to manifest a miracle and produce transformation in ourselves and others.”

This quote from Azim Khamisa summarizes the power of forgiveness and explains his quest for peace. Azim Khamisa personifies the vision of the Multicultural Leadership Program – that one person with vision, focus, and passion can make a transformative difference in self and the world. Because of his powerful story and message, Azim is a highly regarded and respected leader and a sought-after international speaker. Having given 400 keynote speeches all over the world – including an audience of 300,000 at the 1996 “Stand for Children” rally in Washington D.C. – Azim has received more than 60 regional, national and international awards.

Those awards include:

• 1997 – National Crime Victims Special Community Service Award, presented by President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno
• 2002 – “Search for Common Ground” international award for “Building Peaceful Communities,” a prestigious  award also given to Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Ted Koppel
• 2006 – “Freedom Heroes Award”
• 2008 – “Death Penalty Focus Award” and “The Spirit of Crazy Horse Award,” the latter received alongside Muhammad Ali
• 2011 – “Ron Kovic Peace Prize” awarded to the film, Azim Khamisa: the Tool of Forgiveness. Presented at the MY HERO International Film Festival.

In June 2004, Azim participated in the Synthesis Dialogues with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, held at the Pope’s summer residence in Castelgandolfo, Italy. Azim’s profound work has been featured in The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, People Magazine, Parade Magazine, Washington Post, and U.S.A. Today, as well as on NBC’s Today Show, Nightly News, CBS’s Early Morning Show, and KPBS’ Fresh Air.

Tickets for the April 13, 2013 MCLP Graduation Dinner and Celebration can be purchased here.

Bloomington/Normal, Ill. – The public is invited to learn about progress-to-date for five community projects underway in McLean County with help from the Multicultural Leadership Program (MCLP).

Mid-Term project presentations will be showcased by MCLP project teams from 9 to 11 a.m. on December 8 at COUNTRY Financial, IAA Auditorium, 1701 N. Towanda Ave., Bloomington. The presentation will be followed by a recruitment reception 11:00 to noon in the same location.

The five non-profit organizations and projects are:

• • Autism Society of McLean County – develop and pilot an employment mentoring program for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder,
• • Center for Youth and Family Solutions – create a strategic marketing and development plan,
• • David Davis Mansion – develop an endowment fund campaign,
• • Illinois Heart & Lung Foundation – analyze and review the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) program,
• • Labyrinth Outreach for Women – increase community awareness and partners

Since 2009, each class of MCLP participants has explored the core concepts of servant leadership by partnering with four or five non-profit organizations on a community project addressing specific local needs. MCLP participants will continue their work on these non-profit initiatives until the end of their class term in March 2013.

Both events provide non-profit organizations, program sponsors, mentors, employers, and members of the community the chance to learn about opportunities MCLP offers through its annual program, including how to apply for the 2014 MCLP program year. Individuals interested in attending the mid-term presentations and recruitment reception on December 8 must RSVP (for security purposes) by noon Wednesday, December 5 via email to contactus@bn-mclp.org.

“Life is short. Don’t hold back.” This was just a small sampling of the words of wisdom that kicked off the “Public-Private Partnerships” panel, as each panelist was asked to share their “six word memoir.” Many of their responses foreshadowed the discussion that followed.

The MCLP Class of 2013 has been graced by the support and presence by many local community leaders, and their November 3rd session was no exception.

The “Public-Private Partnerships” panel, moderated by Jay Verner of COUNTRY Financial, consisted of: Lonnie Smith – Public Affairs Manager at State Farm, Vicki Tilton – Chairperson of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce and owner of Fox and Hound Day Spa, Steve Denault – Executive Vice President of Corporate Services at COUNTRY Financial, David Hales – Bloomington City Manager, and Mark Peterson – Town of Normal City Manager.

Discussions explored questions such as why we need public-private partnerships and examples of public-private partnerships in the community around us. Participant, Missy Thomas, commented that she like how candid the panelists were — “they didn’t sugar coat anything.” Affordable housing needs, pension reform, cuts in disability services, and generational poverty were but a few of the issues examined by participants and panelists. In the face of these needs and economic challenges, the conversation reinforced that public-private partnerships are more important than ever.

But what does it take to create a successful public-private partnership?

First and foremost, panelists agreed that relationship-building, trust, and communication are key components. Mark Peterson commented, “In public-private partnerships, you have to trust your partner. This is acutely important in local government.” A business may ask “how stable is this government?” Likewise, a government body may ask “how trust-worthy is this business?” Lonnie Smith stressed the need for open communication among partners. “You have to know them well. A partnership can impact the reputation of the organizations involved,” so the obligations of leadership and partnership require a high level of integrity and a strong code of ethics. “The key is finding the ‘sweet spot’ where business and public interests overlap,” said Smith. Vicki Tilton and Steve Denault both commented on the need for an organization to stick with its principles. Denault advised, “Align your corporate strategies to protect the greater good of the organization. Be careful of conflicts of interest.”

Steve Denault cited a local public-private partnership example that resulted in “something good coming out of something bad.” Several local entities got together to solve a shared problem involving a health insurance need. The partnerships that formed to resolve that initial issue took the opportunity to leverage their partnerships in tackling another health-related problem — diabetes. Now in its fourth year, the program has seen a decrease in diabetes related emergency room visits. Verner summarized, “this effort was not something you could do by yourself. That’s the essence of public-private partnerships — the sum is greater than the individual parts.”

Mark Peterson reminded the group not to take these partnerships for granted. McLean County is unique in its propensity towards collaboration in this manner. For instance, “each year the One Voice task force goes to Washington, DC to advocate for local community needs.” Lawmakers in DC often remark that few other communities take such initiative. “We are not typical of most communities in this regard.”

Yet we have a long way to go as a community. David Hale called for more citizen engagement, for people to get involved not only when there is a crisis. He urges the community to be more creative with how every citizen gets more education and helps develop solutions to our problems. Participants echoed the sentiment: “We need everybody to be involved.” “Don’t just raise an issue, be part of the solution.”

Lonnie Smith reminded the group that anyone who has encountered a good leader, knows the power of one: “MCLP is a program for you to become the solution to these problems. See the power of the individual working together with others to solve problems.”

At the end of the day, MCLP Class of 2013 was asked to reflect on John F. Kennedy’s famous words (from Kennedy’s 1961 inaugural address): “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”