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November 13, 2007

NEW DETROIT AWARDED $15,000 GRANT FROM COMCAST FOUNDATION TO
SUPPORT RACE RELATIONS PROGRAM
Multicultural Leadership Series marks its 11th year

DETROIT—New Detroit, Inc. announced Thursday the coalition has been awarded a $15,000 grant from Comcast Foundation this year. This is the first installation of a three-year
commitment, granting a total of $45,000 to the Multicultural Leadership Series, marking its 11th year of facilitating communication among the races in the Detroit region.

“New Detroit launched the Multicultural Leadership Series in 1996 as an innovative approach to bridge communication gaps and open the dialogue between many diverse cultures in the Detroit region,” said Shirley Stancato, President and CEO of New Detroit. "This grant from Comcast Foundation will support a strong program that educates participants about the significance of multicultural diversity among the races in the local community."

The Multicultural Leadership Series is an innovative approach to building cultural understanding and appreciation not only among participants, but between participants and the diverse society. The program is designed to build strong, ongoing leaders in corporations and organizations, giving them the opportunity to share with colleagues their gained understanding of race relations and Detroit’s ethnic communities. Participants attend a daylong orientation plus five eight-hour sessions. The series highlights the history, socioeconomics of the following communities of color:

  • African American
  • Arab American
  • Asian American
  • Chaldean American
  • Latino American
  • Native American

Participants are individuals of all races from a cross-section of business, educational, faith-based, health care institutions and government backgrounds. These individuals have made a commitment to act against racial discrimination and engage in cross-cultural activities. They are nominated by New Detroit’s board of directors, agency partners, former participants or apply for the program on their own behalf.

More than 600 individuals holding a position of leadership with the ability to influence change in their workplaces have completed the program over the past decade. This year’s program kicked off in March and will continue through November. Past participants have included:

  • Instructors and administrators from colleges and public schools
  • State of Michigan
  • Daimler Chrysler
  • Ford Motor Company
  • General Motors
  • DTE Energy
  • Big Brothers and Big Sisters
  • American Cancer Society
  • Major local hospitals
  • Other corporate, civic and social institutions

This grant from the Comcast Foundation is in recognition of Comcast’s commitment to the
communities where its customers and employees live and work. Since its founding in 1999, the Comcast Foundation has distributed over $43 million in support of programs implemented locally in Comcast communities.

New Detroit, Inc. is a coalition of leaders from civil rights and advocacy organizations, human services, health and community organizations, business, labor, foundations, education, media and clergy. It is a private, non-profit, taxexempt organization. The mission of New Detroit is to work as the coalition of Detroit area leadership addressing the issue of race relations by positively impacting issues and policies that ensure economic and social equity.

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