October 2023 Newsletter

Friday, October 6, 2023 - 3:00pm

October 2023 Newsletter

Basic Mediation Training

Trainer: Kim Reisch

November 28-30,

December 4-5

Notre Dame Retreat House,

Canandaigua

This 35-hour training introduces participants to the theory, principles, and practice of mediation in the Transformative Mediation framework to prepare them to mediate community disputes as a volunteer with the Center for Dispute Settlement.

Registration Info:

$1,000 - General public

$200 - New approved volunteers of the Center

Scholarships are available for members of underrepresented communities.

Registration deadline is November 17, 2023 Space is limited!

For questions, contact Ronalyn Pollack: rpollack@cdsadr.org

Anti-Bias Trainings for ADR Professionals

The goal of this training is to empower participants to recognize their own biases, become aware of the impact of these biases in their work environment, and take steps to reduce the harmful impact of biases.

This training fulfills the requirement that all NYS ADR professionals must complete every 2 years.

Spaces are still available at the following in-person trainings which will be held at the First Federal Building 19th floor training room, 28 East Main Street, Rochester

Monday, October 16, 9-11am

Monday, October 23, 3-5pm

This event is FREE for court employed mediators and arbitrators, Part 28 arbitrators, court roster mediators, and CDRC staff and volunteers. The cost for other ADR professionals and community members is $45.

To register, contact Ronalyn Pollack: rpollack@cdsadr.org

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day

On June 14, 2022, the City Council of Rochester along with full Mayoral support, voted unanimously to replace Columbus Day with only Indigenous Peoples' Day in the City of Rochester. On October 10, 2022, the city celebrated Rochester's first annual Indigenous Peoples' Day. On October 7, 2022, the resolution to the initial proclamation was read and the Haudenosaunee Flag was raised.

That's right. Rochester, NY has been brought into the 21st Century. Columbus is out! Let's celebrate our Native American peoples.

Rochester sits on Onöndowága:’ land ("People of the Great Hill"), also known as Seneca. The Onöndowága:’ are part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, who were brought together by Dekanawidah, the Peacemaker, and helped by a man with a name that might be familiar to some of you -- Aiionwatha, known to the English as Hiawatha. No, not the same Hiawatha as Longfellow's hero. Longfellow got a little confused while he was writing. The real Hiawatha's story is compelling enough on its own, and we encourage you to read more about him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiawatha#Legend

So what's going on this year? A day long celebration, full of family-friendly events, is being planned. There will be a Sunrise Ceremony at 7:00 AM at Cobbs Hill Reservoir, followed by a cleanup. The Main Celebration will be at Genesee Valley Park, at the Roundhouse, Riverbend, and Canalside Shelters, at 11:00 AM, and includes performances. Food will be available for purchase. The address is 1000 East River Road, Rochester, NY 14623. At 6:15 PM, join the Sunset Ceremony at Riverbend on the canal side.

For more information, please go to https://www.indigenouspeoplesdayrocny.org/events

We hope to see you there!

- The Racial Equity Leadership Committee (RELC) Team

Witness Palestine Film Festival - October 13-29

The Witness Palestine Festival is a project of Rochester Witness for Palestine, which seeks a just peace for the people of Palestine wherever they may be. Now in its 12th year, the Witness Palestine Film Festival aims to raise awareness and encourage advocacy in interfaith and Palestinian solidarity work.

On Friday, October 13, Keynote speaker Ahmad Abuznaid, Executive Director of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, will speak about the 75th year of the Nakba and its implications for the lived experiences of Palestinians around the world.

Following the screening of the film, Israelism, on October 21, CDS President/CEO Shira May will moderate a discussion with the film's director, Erin Axelman, via Zoom.

More information about the film festival can be found at: https://wpff.us/

Scenes from our Board of Directors Retreat

Our Board of Directors held a half-day retreat on Saturday, September 9 at the First Federal Building 19th floor training room.

The retreat began with a community building circle for board members to speak about their shared values and connection to the agency's mission.

Dr. Bernadette Poole-Tracy, Board President of the NYS Dispute Resolution Association (NYSDRA) and a long-time CDS volunteer mediator, presented about the field of dispute resolution and models of mediation.

Donna Durbin, Director of Monroe County, and Jim Waight, Director of Steuben County, presented about their work and local initiatives.

Parris Bryant II, Treasurer and Chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Committee, presented on our DEIB initiatives.

The Board of Directors currently has one vacancy and is seeking individuals who are passionate about the mission of CDS, have leadership experience, and reside within our service area, preferably outside of Monroe County. Board members are asked to commit to a 3 year term. For more information about Board service, contact Dorethea Jackson-Smith: djackson@cdsadr.org.

Pictured: Dr. Bernadette Poole-Tracy, Parris Bryant, II

A Beautiful Day to Appreciate Our Volunteers

Staff and volunteers gathered on Thursday, September 14 at Birdhouse Brewing Company for a Volunteer Appreciation event - an evening of food, drinks, and connection.

Volunteer Coordinator Ingrid Welch spoke about the high level of standards that our volunteers must meet as members of the NYS Community Dispute Resolution Center (CDRC) network. She also provided our mediators with ID cards indicating the status of a certified mediator.

Volunteer of the Month

Mary Mapes

Mary completed Basic Mediation Training in 2019 and went on to complete Custody and Visitation Mediation training this year. She learned about the Center for Dispute Settlement’s mediation program from her brother in law, Stewart, who works for the Legal Aid Society.

Mary views mediation as a way of creating a safe environment for people in conflict to discuss their issues and find solutions. She feels drawn to mediating custody cases and finds that work fulfilling because it involves children. It is deeply satisfying to see parents figure out the best ways to mutually meet their children’s needs.

Much of Mary’s time is spent in Geneseo where she not only volunteers her time mediating but also teaches history part time at SUNY Geneseo specializing in women’s history. When she isn’t teaching and volunteering, Mary enjoys spending time gardening, playing Scrabble, and visiting the Finger Lakes.

As a mediator, her main goal is to grow and learn, and we are so grateful to grow and learn with her and from her in Livingston County!

Staff Updates

Welcome to our new staff!

Martha Chazanoff, Case Manager, Livingston County

My background is in education, and one of my greatest passions in that field has always been social emotional learning. I feel like working at the Center for Dispute Settlement has brought together so many pieces of my personal and professional life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to support others in communication as they navigate conflict.

As case manager in Livingston County, my primary focus is custody and visitation, but one of the things I am most enjoying about my work at CDS is the plethora of professional development and opportunities to learn new genres of mediation. I am excited to see what the future holds!

Julie Burke, Case Manager, Monroe County

Julie Burke comes to CDS with a background in nonprofit management, fund and program development, and restorative practices. She observes meaningful similarities between her experiences with peacebuilding and restorative practices and her approach to fundraising: building authentic relationships, centering the collective community, and prioritizing racial equity and social justice.

Julie' most recent experience has been with Foodlink and Rochester Regional Health Foundations. She is currently working on Community and Kinship cases and looks forward to learning from the CDS community!