Multicultural Leadership Program

Latson, Jani To Be Honored at Leadership Graduation

April 11, 2017

McLean County's Multicultural Leadership Program will honor Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal leader and McLean County YWCA Director Dontae Latson at MCLP's April 22 Class of 2017 Graduation Celebration.

The Graduation Celebration is an event that recognizes the hard work of service-oriented local citizens. Latson will be awarded the MCLP's Community Service Award for a Local Community Leader, while Tejas Jani will receive the Community Service Alumni Award. Jani is State Farm android test lead and a 2014 MCLP grad.

Speaker for the graduation is Kira Hudson Banks, Associate Professor of Psychology at Saint Louis University and racial equity consultant for the “Forward through Ferguson” Ferguson Commission. The Edwardsville native will address diversity and inclusion; her work has been published in journals such as Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology and American Psychologist.

Banks argues inclusivity "requires the vulnerability to have an acknowledgement and a humility to realize that we all have biases.”

Reservations for the celebration are available through Thursday. Visit http://public.bn-mclp.org/even…/graduation-celebration-2017/ for information.

Simulation Offers Chance to 'Walk In Their Shoes'

September 12, 2016

McLean County's Multicultural Leadership Program and Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church are sponsoring "Walk In Their Shoes," a poverty simulation, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22.

The simulation is designed to provide Twin Citians a glimpse into the life of a family in poverty. Participants who arrive at 4:25 p.m. will be assigned to a family and attempt to tackle the challenges of being low income in the U.S.

The event is free, and participants are encouraged to bring a donation to the Mt. Pisgah Food Pantry if possible. Recommend for ages 16 and up.

Coalition Working to ID Local LGBT Needs

December 25, 2015

The Prairie Pride Coalition is working with the results of a Multicultural Leadership Program survey to address the needs and priorities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people in McLean County.

The survey was completed about a year ago and since then the PPC, using the results of the survey, has been working to develop programming and increase communication with the LGBT community.

David Bentlin is the PPC Board president. Neil Alcorn worked on the MCLP team conducting the needs assessment survey. Bentlin says while perceptions are changing, many view the gay community as a homogenous block.

The Prairie Pride Coalition dedicated to the implementation of full civil rights protections for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people. See the survey results at ppc-IL.org.

MCLP Names 2016 Class Members

July 21, 2015

A program designed to develop leaders who value diversity in decisionmaking at home, work and in the community has selected its seventh class.

Twenty-four McLean County residents have been chosen for the 2016 class of the Multicultural Leadership Program (MCLP).

From fall through April, they will meet twice a month to polish their community leadership skills and tackle five community service projects selected from among 21 projects proposed by community organizations and non-profit agencies.

Each year, participants are divided into five groups, with each working on a project with a non-profit. The 2014-2015 class worked with the Challenger Learning Center, Community Health Care Clinic, Immanuel Health Center, Meadows at Mercy Creek and Prairie Pride Coalition.

The 2015-2016 class is Nikita Burns, Georgene Chissel, Leslie Clay, Callie Cummings, Hetal Dhirawani, Vanita Giripraskash, Cindy Hauk, Alex Johnson, Vasudeva Kalla, Phillip King, Angela Kuppersmith, Carolyn LaVere, Richard Lozada, Alicia McKeighan, Allegra Menken, Sunish Menon, Poshlyn Nicholson, Appana Pediredla, Julie Phillips, Justin Prather, Katherine Pratt, Darrell Richards, Jeffrey Vargo, and Lohit Kumar Reddy Venati.

"Much is expected of the participants," said MCLP Executive Director Linda Bollivar. "But, at the same time, so many community leaders and organizations gather to support the process and help them develop not only themselves personally but nurture their community commitment and involvement."

To date, the program has been involved in these community partnerships:

2015 Community Projects

2014 Community Projects

2013 Community Projects

2012 Community Projects

2011 Community Projects

2010 Community Projects

NIOT's Schmidt MCLP Award Recipent

April 23, 2015

You can often find this year’s MCLP Community Service Award recipient pedaling a bicycle around low-income neighborhoods, laden with an overflowing book box.

That determined and personal effort exemplifies Karen Schmidt, who has helped initiate and maintain numerous community projects — including the Book Bike Program that brings free books into the homes of local residents. Karen gives her voice, time, leadership, and financial support to a myriad of causes — locally and on a state and national level.

Karen serves as alderman and Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Bloomington. Professionally, as Illinois Wesleyan University Librarian, Karen is active in state and national library associations, strengthening campus ties between technology and library services. She also connects IWU students to service learning opportunities that benefit the local community, especially the older Bloomington west side and downtown.

Karen is a board member of the Downtown Bloomington Association and a founding member of the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation’s Women to Women Giving Circle. She coordinated a series of grassroot workshops on “Making Neighborhoods Work” in the City of Bloomington, and helped found the West Bloomington Revitalization Project (WBRP). She was instrumental in bringing together the police department and city churches to form the Moving Forward initiative, helping young people improve their chances for success, and is a board member of the Not In Our Town B/N initiative. Karen and her husband, John Elterich, established the Elterich Family Scholarship within the Pratt Music Foundation, giving music opportunities to lower-income youth.

In her family, her neighborhood, and her ward, Karen has personally experienced the challenges and opportunities that confront diverse populations, and spoken out for social justice across all sections of our community. Karen has been a long time supporter of MCLP—as a mentor, speaker, and financial contributor. Her life’s work exemplifies the very definition of a servant leader.

McLean County YWCA President D. Dontae Larson, who also serves on NIOT: B/N's steering committee with Schmidt, is keynote speaker for April 25's Class of 2015 Graduation Celebration, where Karen Schmidt will receive the MCLP Community Service Award.

Fund Helps Invest in Tomorrow's Leaders

March 14, 2015

Want to invest in tomorrow's more diverse, more finely tuned Twin Cities leaders? The Multicultural Leadership Program is seeking help in funding their education.

MCLP's goal is to "develop diverse leaders with the passion to serve their communities." MCLP classes include composed of 26 individuals who meet for biweekly sessions over eight months, August through March each year. Graduation for the current class is 7 p.m. April 25 at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center Brown Ballroom, following a 6 p.m. social hour.

The MCLP Endowment Fund is a general endowment fund supported by charitable gifts. The fund is invested and managed over time to provide a sustainable income stream for MCLP, while maintaining the gift’s purchasing power in perpetuity. Why is this endowment being established?

The fund will ensure a financially stable base to fund future MCLP classes and participant scholarships. It will allow MCLP to continue developing leaders for our community’s long-term needs.

MCLP achieved last year's initial goal of $100,000 by the end of April, 2014, but the group reports "we still have far to go." All MCLP endowment gifts are tax-deductible. All amounts are welcomed and tax deductible. We thank you for your support.

Endowment gifts can be mailed to:
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation—Attn: MCLP Endowment Fund,
2401 E. Washington, Suite 300B, Bloomington, IL 61704

Make checks payable to IPCF-MCLP or to “Illinois Prairie Community Foundation” and cite “MCLP Endowment Fund” as the beneficiary.

You may also endow online at www.bn-mclp.org. Visit the website to download a copy of MCLP's 2014 annual report and investigate what the program offers,

The fund will ensure a financially stable base to fund future MCLP classes and participant scholarships. It will allow MCLP to continue developing leaders for our community’s long-term needs.

Endowment gifts can be mailed to:
Illinois Prairie Community Foundation—Attn: MCLP Endowment Fund,
2401 E. Washington, Suite 300B, Bloomington, IL 61704

Make checks payable to IPCF-MCLP or to “Illinois Prairie Community Foundation” and cite “MCLP Endowment Fund” as the beneficiary.

You may also endow online at www.bn-mclp.org. Visit the website to download a copy of MCLP's 2014 annual report and investigate what the program offers.

MCLP Class of '15 graduates March 7

February 18, 2015

Five local organizations will get a boost towards their goals as the Multicultural Leadership Program (MCLP) Class of 2015 concludes its community service projects on Saturday, March 7 at Heartland Community College's Astroth Community Education Center Building (the second floor auditorium).

Beginning with a 7:30 a.m. continental breakfast, this public presentation is offered 8 to 10:45 a.m. Five MCLP teams will share how they put servant leadership into action, dedicating six months’ time and effort to help five local non-profit organizations achieve the following:

Community Health Care Clinic — study the feasibility of a dental clinic and a five-year budget program

Immanuel Health Care — develop strategies to increase name recognition

Meadows at Mercy Creek — support staff development to enhance skills and better serve residents

Prairie Pride Coalition — assess LGBT community needs to help redefine goals and outreach

Challenger Learning Center — enhance fundraising efforts

Immediately following the project presentations, MCLP will offer an information session 11:00 AM to noon to share about future MCLP opportunities, including how to apply for the MCLP Class of 2016 program year. Local nonprofits interested to submit proposals for next year’s MCLP class projects may apply online at www.bn-mclp.org.

Radio Interviews Offer Previews of Team Experiences: Tune in to Susan Saunder’s show on WJBC AM 1230 every Friday at 10:05 a.m. through March 6th to hear interviews with the MCLP project teams; and to WXRJ’s Ursula Crooks’ “What’s Going On” show 12-2 p.m. on Saturdays through March on FM 94.9.

For more information, see www.bn-mclp.org or contact MCLP Executive Director, Sonya Mau at contactus@bn-mclp.org or call 309-556-3589.

MCLP Fosters 'Diverse Leaders'; Fair Feb. 14

January 12, 2015

McLean County's Multicultural Leadership Program (MCLP) next month will showcase its Class of 2015 and its members' community aspirations as part of a program devoted to grooming "diverse leaders."

MCLP is inviting community organizations to apply to participate in its Networking Fair on Saturday, Feb. 14. The fair is an opportunity for groups to meet this year’s 26 MCLP class participants developing leaders are nearing completion of their eight-month leadership program.

"We believe your organization will appreciate the leadership qualities of these participants," MCLP suggests. "During the fair, you will speak one-on-one with up to 15 of the program participants. This creates an opportunity for you to consider extending board and committee openings to members of the MCLP class. Please note that this is not a volunteer recruitment event, but rather an opportunity for you to meet potential board members and committee leaders."

MCLP is "an intense professional development curriculum" that provides a framework to the "innumerable leaders amongst us of all ages, cultures, and walks of life" with an interest and potential to step into leadership roles within their communities." Each MCLP class is composed of 26 individuals who meet for bi-weekly sessions spread over eight months, August through March each year.

What is the impact of MCLP? Hear what community leaders are saying!

Class participants are chosen on the basis of their demonstrated commitment to community issues, desire to learn and intent to contribute to the community at large.

The program's mission is to prepare skilled, informed individuals for leadership positions in public, private, educational, political and non-profit sectors; to foster leadership diversity through community welfare and civic participation; and to promote inter-community unity. See the accompanying video on MCLP's impact, featuring Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal leader and MCLP board member Phani Aytam.

To apply for the program, visit http://bit.ly/1D4Kll9. If your organization is interested in attending the Networking Fair, please download and complete a profile form from the MCLP website and submit it by email to Pollyanna Spears at PollyannaS@bn-mclp.org, no later than Feb. 1, 2015. The MCLP Community Involvement Committee will review each group's profile sheet and inform applicants if a space is available at the fair.

If you have any questions, please contact Linda Bollivar or Pollyanna Spears at the MCLP offices, at 309-556-3589 or 309-556-3589. State Farm is a "visionary sponsor" for the program.

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