Tom has heard the chitter-chatter. But, he thinks, Wallie is behind this. He has my back. If I make this work, it is good for 4- H, and will be good in Wallie’s eye s. The counties will just have to chin up to change.
Tom reconvenes his top leaders withdiversification in Oakville being the prime item on the agenda.
Hola! Tom says, so, how arewe doing?
Awkward silence follows.
Jane leans in. Well, Tom, as we have been reporting to you, we have actedon the plan we all agreed to a few months ago. By the way, thanks for getting that extra $5,000 fromWallie for the test in Oakville. It would have not been possible without it. Carmella has been an enormous help to us in translating for us. She keeps wanting to help develop the program content, but, well, she really is not 4-H. Has never been around 4- H programming, sowe listen to her ideas but, well, we’re not sure they are really 4 -H. Anyway, a whole bunch of good news. The local Hispanic Business Owners Association is on board. They are busy people, sowe have not really figured out how to use them. But the good news is that they are interested in somehow helping. One of the new members, Consuela, andher husband have five kids and they are interested in forming a club. She seems lovely. She runs a cleaning service out of her home. From what we can tell he is a day laborer. Not sure they have the resources to do all of this, and she really did not want us to meet at her house. Not sure why. When we suggested it, she seemednervous. But, anyway, we have a place to start. But, Tom, Jerry continues. You know, this is going to have to go slowly. In six months, we have been able to identify a partner and perhaps a volunteer. But the conversations seemto take forever. We tried to fast-track at the school. They put out forms for kids to take home. But not a single one came back. And the superintendent says that if we really want to recruit these new kids, that we cannot just reachout to the Hispanics. It has tobe for the Koreans and Portuguese kids equally, not to mention the black kids who really are the poorest in Oakville and need 4-H more than anyone. She says that the school system is beginning to be criticizedby a bunch of new activist groups in Oakville that the schools are biasing their minority work toward the Latinokids. And she says that the state’s educationpolicies are to be inclusive of all kids, so trying to do something for just one group in isolation may get us in trouble. So, once we open up this canof worms, we need to be ready for that. We think if you really want to do this, then you and Wallie have to really make a commitment. When we gave you the budget we put in a line item for a new person, at least one new person, someone who could really commit to this and provide leadership for our diversity initiative. That means at least $60,000 for a Latino staffmember and all the trimmings. The effort has to have a home here at 4-H in your office, not just be added on to us. We think this canbe done, but it has to be done by you and a new, really totally dedicated person. We don’t have that money. Maybe Wallie could divide the resource needs up equally from county Extension budgets, and have everyone pitch in. Tom recalls the county Extension agent whispering. Not likely, he thinks, and trying would probably put Wallie squarely against me rather than withme.
11 | P a g e
Powered by FlippingBook