Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities U.S.

Mentors Delegation Visit in Europe January 25 February 15, 2013

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of the Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division
The Great Lakes Consortium through WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc. as Contract Agent and Manager received a grant for a two-way exchange between September 2011 and May 2013 from the U.S. Department of State for the Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities. The overall goal of this exchange is to provide a professional development opportunity for up-and-coming and midlevel professionals to gain knowledge of U.S. practices in engaging citizens and community leaders in collaboration to inform changes in legislation that make a difference in minority communities (including Roma, disabled, homeless, immigrant populations) and strengthen democracy. In 2012 two delegations with a total of 16 fellows in each from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia visited the U.S. from March 26 May 5, 2012 and from October 1-November 10, 2012. They were exposed to diverse community organizing methods how to engage citizens as active participants in solving problems in their own communities. European fellows participated in the U.S. in group seminars, round-table discussions, site visits, and had interactions community organizers and leaders. A 3-week internship with mentoring, multicultural events, and participation in volunteer activities as well as in the Professional Fellows Congress in Washington, D.C. were also included in the 6-week professional fellows program. Participants did prepare a 6-9 month individual and group Action Plan for follow on activities. They had opportunities to experience the American family life and the diversity in the U.S. through staying

January 2013

with American host families during their internship in many states and communities across the U.S. They gained hands-on experience at both public and civil society institutions in the U.S. and a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture and people. The first delegation of nine U.S. Mentors traveled for a reciprocal visit to Europe between July 8-29, 2012, the 2nd U.S. Mentors group travelled to Europe from November 24-December 15, 2012. A third U.S. Mentor group with 8 participants will travel to Europe from January 25-February 15, 2013. The U.S. participants of this exchange will have an opportunity to share professional expertise and gain a deeper understanding of the societies, cultures and people of other countries. They will participate in workshops, seminars organized by the alumni of this program and contribute with presentations, discussions and mentoring. They will also visit public and civil society organizations working with the alumni in implementing projects in minority communities and provide them on-site consultations. We hope that community organizing will start and will have success stories in many communities in 2013. This citizen civic exchange will promote mutual understanding, create long-term professional ties, enhance the collaboration between GLC and its overseas partners: CEGA in Bulgaria, Civil College Foundation in Hungary, CeRe in Romania and Center for Community Organizing in Slovakia as well as many U.S. and European partner organizations. Thank you very much for your assistance and support!

GREAT LAKES CONSORTIUM for International Training and Development (GLC) GLC is a collaborative effort of the Bowling Green State University, Lourdes University, The University of Toledo, and WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc - Contract Agent and Manager. Established in 1999. Dr. Elizabeth Balint Project Manager Barbara Dennis, Viktoriya Maryamova Program Coordinators GLC Toledo Office P.O. Box 352424 Toledo, OH 43635 Phone: 419-725-0440 Cell: 419-973-8007 Email: GLC_teachdemocracy@hotmail.com Website: www.GLC-Teachdemocracy.org www.gl-consortium.org Find us on

Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities

3rd US Mentors Delegation visiting Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, January 25 - February 15, 2013

Michael Tierney Charleston, West Virginia

Ramon Perez Toledo, Ohio

Christine Doby Flint, Michigan

Kayla Mason Detroit, Michigan

Genevieve Lysen Lewiston, Maine

Rachel Ramirez Chicago, Illinois

Hannah Gelder Chicago, Illinois

Jade Souza Portland, Oregon

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of the Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Professional Fellows Division

Michael Tierney
Charleston, West Virginia E-mail: familyworkerfarm@yahoo.com
Michael Tierney founded Step by Step, Inc in 1988. He has helped create community education and development programs for over three decades with a particular emphasis on working with youth, parents and marginalized rural and inner city communities to have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. Previously, in 1980 Mr. Tierney founded the Mosaic community studies program at South Boston High, with which students produced oral history, photography and autobiographical writing anthologies that served as curriculum and community media to cross the racial and community divide of post desegregation Boston Schools. Mr. Tierneys international work includes (1) producing a local history magazine with youth in Aberdeen Scotland in 1981, (2) working with street children to create a documentary photographic portrait of their lives in Cali, Colombia in 1982, (3) working in Nicaragua
Step by Step works with some of West Virginias most economically challenged and geographically, socially and politically isolated communities to create systems to support their children from early childhood through the transition to independent adulthood. A typical West Virginia Dreamers site includes K-8 after school and summer enrichment programs, parent and youth leadership efforts, collaborations with hundred early childhood and jobs training programs, and a Dream Team of local stakeholders committed to sustaining consistent and ongoing support for children and families. Current sites include the Big Ugly Community Center, which Step by Step helped found in 1995, the inner city Charleston housing project, South Park, and the coalfields com-

through Witness for Peace in 1986, and in Habitat for Humanity in 1988, (4) conducting international exchanges with activists in Brazil, South Africa, and Zimbabwe as a Kellogg International Leadership Program (KILP) fellow during 1995 -1998. Also Mr. Tierney has created non-profit management and service learning coursework at several West Virginia colleges and was twice cited for excellence in undergraduate teaching as an Assistant to Dr. Robert Coles at Harvard University. Mr. Tierney volunteered with the Catholic Worker movement in New York and Boston during 19771987, which inspired the creation of the Family Worker Farm community in 1988, through which he and

his family have hosted scores of full year and summer National Service volunteers and college interns and over 700 spring break volunteers at their 125 acre homestead on Big Ugly Creek. Mr. Tierney graduated from Harvard, summa cum laude, with a special concentration that focused in the interplay of family, schools and work in American lives. He has his M.A. degree in History from the Brandeis University at Waltham, Massachusetts (nine miles west of Boston). While in Europe, Mr. Tierney is eager to explore community development topics with community partners, include: (1) Community Center Development; (2) Community Support for Children from Birth to Adulthood; and (3) Community Storytelling Traditions (including photo stories, Community Theater, oral history and community arts.) Mr. Tierney personal interests include faithbased communities, collecting and promoting childrens literature, documentary photography, land trusts and stewardship and songwriting.

munities of Harts, Omar and Man/ Buffalo Creek. In keeping with its youth advocacy roots, the organization has also supported the first statewide anti bullying effort, Bully Free WV since 2008. The WV Dreamers VISTA Collaborative places 20 National Service members with partner nonprofits to support dropout prevention, health care access, and community development efforts, including facilitating the WV Community Center Support Network. Step by Step has also served as the incubator for other nonprofit and community education programs including a county family resource network, an early childhood center, a statewide family leadership initiative, and a regional family literacy program It is currently the fiscal

sponsor for the Banska Bystrica/ Charleston, WV Sister City Alliance. Its numerous arts and culture initiatives include story anthologies on sexual abuse, growing up in foster care, and growing up with a disability, a 200 page anthology of oral histories, songs and quilt blocks published as Patchwork Dreams in 2008, the creative reuse and recycling visual arts program Re Art, and Rock Camp 4 Girls Appalachia. , Its original musical theater production, Bridge of Dreams, grew from Step by Steps designation as the sole WV site for the Artists and Communities: America Creates for the Millennium initiative The organizations youth leadership programs have been recognized by the WV Martin Luther King Holiday Commission and featured on WV Public Radio. Page 3

U.S. Mentors delegation in Europe (January 25 - February 15, 2013)

Christine Doby
Flint, Michigan Email: CDoby@mott.org
Christine Doby is a Program Officer with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in their program entitled Pathways Out of Poverty with a specialty in community organizing. Her experience in this field includes past work as a Community Organizer and subsequent years serving as local director of the Campaign for Human Development, a major funder of community organizing efforts. Ms. Doby joined the Foundation after serving as a Community Builder Fellow with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Previous to her posiThe Charles Stewart Mott Foundation (CSMF) is a charitable foundation founded in 1926 by Charles Stewart Mott of Flint, Michigan. Mott was the leading industrialist in Flint through his association with General Motors. The foundation administers funds through four programs Civil Society, Environment, Flint Area, and Pathways out of Poverty, and it also funds special exploratory projects. It is committed to

tion at HUD, she served as Social Action Director for several Catholic dioceses. In these positions, she developed various partnerships between the church and other sectors of the community, developed educational materials and policy analysis, and provided consultation services to community groups.

Ms. Doby is a graduate of the University of Detroit-Mercy with her B.A. in Political Science and Business Administration and in Adult Education from the Loyola College of Maryland. Cris earned her M.A. in Theology at the Loyola University of New Orleans. While being in Europe, Ms. Doby will present on and discuss following issues: (1) Community organizing as a form of community leadership development; (2) Developing proposals for donors; (3) Developing a personal/public narrative (story). In her free time, Cris enjoys reading, sewing, cooking, hiking, playing golf, and bicycling.

supporting projects that promote a just, equitable, and sustainable society. It supports nonprofit programs throughout the United States and, on a limited basis, internationally. In 2006, the Foundation had yearend total assets of $2.6 billion and made 545 grants totaling $107.3 million. The founder son, Mr. Stewart Rawlings Mott has a separate charity called the Stewart R. Mott Charitable Trust.

Mrs. Ruth Rawlings Mott, the founder widow, established the Ruth Mott Foundation. Some other organizations that the C. S. Mott Foundation has funded are: Kettering University, Public/Private Ventures, The Nature Conservancy, University of Michigan, Jobs for the Future, Afterschool Alliance, European Foundation Centre, Flint Institute of Arts and Focus: HOPE

THANK YOU TO OUR COUNTRY DIRECTORS FOR ORGANIZING THIS PROGRAM FOR US MENTORS VISIT IN EUROPE: Emil Metodiev, CEGA, Bulgaria Mate Varga, Civil College Foundation, Hungary Nicoleta Chirita, CeRe, Romania Veronika Strelcova and Chuck Hirt, Center for Community Organizing, Slovakia

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Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities

Hannah Gelder
Chicago, Illinois E-mail: hgelder@lakeviewaction.org
Hannah Gelder has worked at Lakeview Action Coalition as a Community Organizer since September 2008. Hannah staffs the organizations health care campaigns one at the local/ neighborhood level and another at the state level. The primary objective is to increase access to primary and preventive health care for people who are uninsured and low inLakeview Action Coalition (LAC) Chicago, IL was started in 1994 as a multi-issue, institution based community organization working to sustain racial, economic and other forms of diversity in a rapidly gentrifying Chicago community using community organizing. LACs main power base is in Lakeview, al-

come. In addition, Ms Gelder works with other allied organizations throughout the state and country, to prevent the national government

from passing an austerity budget. She is interested in access to healthcare, a strong social and economic safety net, a strong public sector and coalition work. While in Europe, Ms. Gelder is able to conduct the following trainings: relational meetings, agitation, effective meetings, problem to issue, power, coalition building and institutional organizing. In her free time, Hannah knits, reads about the Civil Rights movement, spends time with her family, attempts to learn the guitar, and occasionally goes for runs.

though membership is expanding throughout Lincoln Park and North Center. The coalitions 48 members groups include diverse religious congregations, nonprofit agencies, business associations, banks, and 2 HUD tenants associations. LACs power and ability to make change is based on the power of the organizations

within our membership. A goal and challenge of LAC is to reach out to all members of the community, particularly those most impacted by the local social justice issues, and bring them together to research issues, develop strategies and work to make positive change and build local organizational power.

Ramon Perez
Toledo, Ohio E-mail: rperez@unitednorth.org
Ramon Perez is a community organizer for One Village Council (OVC) for over 10 years in Toledo, Ohio. Natively, he is MexicanAmerican and was born and raised in Northwest Ohio. Mr. Perez is also involved in Latino and immigrant issues that have been emerging significantly in Toledo and the surrounding communities in the past several years. The right for
One Village Council (OVC) is a direct action organization in an urban neighborhood located directly north of Toledo and is about 5 square miles and 30,000 residents. It is the oldest and most diverse urban neighborhood in the city. The primary groups living in ONE Village consist of Caucasians, AfricanAmericans, and Latinos. The primary

immigrant families and their children to receive a quality education in public schools and the support

for parental involvement has been of particular interest to him. While in Europe, Mr. Perez will present on and discuss several topics such as (1) Breaking down racial and gender barriers, (2) Building our strong and brave new world, (3) Breaking bread and having fun while changing the world. In his free time Ramon likes to hang out in his back patio with family and friends, listen to all types of music, visit different clubs and make lots of new friends!

areas that OVC is currently organizing around are education, economic development, and safety. The OVC has been very effective in engaging residents to work collectively to make advances and improvements in their community through leadership training, holding politicians and other stakeholders responsible for their communities accountable. The OVC

has enacted many forms of directaction to get results including holding public accountability meetings, public demonstrations, candidate forums, and media leveraging. The OVC is currently working on establishing a city-wide alliance of other community organizing groups including faith base and unions to win on bigger issues affecting residents. Page 5

U.S. Mentors delegation in Europe (January 25 - February 15, 2013)

Kayla Mason
Detroit, Michigan Email:
kayla.mason@tubmanorganizing.org

Kayla Mason is Lead Community Organizer - YOUTH VOICE at the Harriet Tubman Center in Detroit. She was born in Los Angeles, CA and began community organizing in high school. Kayla was a youth peer organizer at the Los Angeles Community Coalition and in 2005 helped pass a resolution that brought college opportunities to thousands of South LA students. Ms. Mason received her Bachelors degree in Sociology at California State University-Dominguez Hills. She worked as a student organizer for the California Faculty Association. In 2010, Kayla was a fellow for AmeriCorps Public Allies of Los Angeles and served at Community Development Technologies where she facilitated youth leadership trainings and co-created the
Harriet Tubman Center (HTC) Detroit, MI was started in 2007. The mission of the HTC is to be a recruitment and training center for new organizers. Organized individuals can collectively improve the quality of life in their community. Through their work in faith communities, neighborhoods, on college campuses and in workplaces, intern organizers of the HTC recruit leaders to build the power of communities to

youth group Speak Up. In December 2011 Ms. Mason received her Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor as a Community-Based Initiative scholar. She completed her field placement at the Harriet Tubman Center working with YOUTH VOICE and currently works full-time at Tubman as the lead organizer of YOUTH VOICE. While being in Europe, she will present in Hungary and in Romania during the Black History
create positive change. Harriet Tubman Center offers paid internships to individuals with a desire and capacity to work in diverse communities as prepared and competent organizers. The Center believes in mentorship and a broad range of organizing experiences for young organizers. The Center believes that community organizing can be a fulfilling career, and their goal is to help open doors to this critical profession.

Month Celebration about Harriet Tubman, Underground Railroad and Community Organizing. She is also prepared in other topics: (1) Youth Organizing through ABCD Model and (2) Adultism in the organization. The first topic reflect organizations define youth organizing as addressing issues first, but through the asset based community development (ABCD) model, identifying all the positive attributes in the group will build confidence and help youth envision change by utilizing their skills. The second topic reveal the ways adults can incorporate youth voice in the organization would like to provide helpful strategies and ways to engage young people at their agencies. Ms. Mason enjoys outdoor activities like skydiving, going to the shooting range, and camping. In her free time, she also likes watching TV shows like forensic files, Dexter, and True Blood.
By bringing together young and experienced organizers and leaders for solidarity and continuing education events, they also seek to create a supportive network developing and achieving personal and professional goals. Tubman Center is on a path to become a statewide collective focused on building statewide power to change the rules in Michigan in favor of low and moderate-income people.

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR PARTNERS IN EUROPE AND IN THE U.S.A FOR SUPPORTING US AND WORKING WITH THE GREAT LAKES CONSORTIUM ON THIS INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM

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Citizen Legislative Advocacy in Minority Communities

Rachel Leonor Ramirez

Chicago, Illinois E-mail: rachel@chicagohomeless.org
Rachel Ramirez is a Community Organizer at the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) for the Reentry Project & Survivor Advocacy Group Empowered (SAGE). She organizes on issues related to ending and preventing homelessness with residents of Latino-serving shelters, with individuals with criminal backgrounds, and with survivors of prostitution. She also trains leaders on organizing skills and the history of community organizing at CCH's 2-Day Community Organizing training. Ms. Ramirez is a bilingual, multicultural, multiracial woman who was born and raised in Chicago with a deep passion for justice. She grew up with strong women, in particular her great grandmother Leonor, who showed by example the importance of growing relationships and love in the community, and that everyone and everyone's story is important. Ms. Ramirez also grew up with Euro-American heritage that valued honesty and contributing to the greater good, for example, through
Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) is a non-profit organization that works with people hurt by homelessness in metropolitan Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1980, CCH organizes and advocates to prevent and to end homelessness, based on the belief that housing is a

participating in labor, civil rights and modern anti-war movements. Growing up as a mixed-race person in the U.S. has meant that she could not take community for granted, rather, she has had to create it. Ms. Ramirez is a Posse Scholar and through the scholarship had an opportunity to attend Pomona College, near Los Angeles, where she studied Chicana/o Latina/o Studies. Rachel first learned organizing during this time through the Midwest Academy summer internship program. During the internship Ms. Ramirez organized against the proposed closing of a public hospital on Chicago's far South Side. She took her organizing skills back to her college campus, and organized with dining hall workers, who want to form a union against the wishes of

the college (workersforjustice.org). In 2013 Rachel will continue her schooling at Northwestern University, where she will study for a Master's in Public Policy Administration. Ms. Ramirez loves organizing because it transforms the individual and the world. Instead of ignoring inequality, organizing uses it to fight back. This will be Rachel's first time in Hungary and Eastern Europe. She is very excited to see how organizing is used here and learn more about the issues that Hungarian/European organizers and leaders are working on. Ms. Ramirez trains on the history and principles of community organizing, one-on-ones, and running effective meetings. She enjoys discussing power analysis and leadership development as well. In her free time, Ms. Ramirez sings and plays guitar, mostly in the mariachi style from Mexico. She also enjoys listening to music (electronic, R&B, soul) and going to concerts, keeping current on the news, reading about politics, spending time with family, friends, and her partner, Victor (who previously spent 3 months in Budapest), cooking, and exercising (weighttraining).

human right in a just society. Community organizers, policy specialists and legal aid attorneys staff CCH. They work for and with those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including mothers with children, unaccompanied youth, single adults, and ex-offenders.

Together, they advocate to curb, and one day, end homelessness, pushing for access to a shelter safety net, affordable housing, living wage jobs, and quality public schools. CCH is committed to fighting until every person has a place to call home.

THANK YOU TO David Gustafson, The U.S. State Department Program Officer, and our partners at the U.S. Embassies in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia!
U.S. Mentors delegation in Europe (January 25 - February 15, 2013)

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Genevieve Lysen
Lewiston, Maine E-mail: gen@mainepeoplesalliance.org
Genevieve Lysen is Lead Organizer at the Maine People's Alliance (MPA), the states largest citizen action group. She is worked as a Community Organizer with MPA for 5 years. She began with MPA leading their civic engagement campaign in 2008 registering 4000 new voters. Since then Ms. Lysen has worked on organizing campaigns on the issues of healthcare, affordable housing, worker justice, and fair taxes, at the local, state, and national levels. Most recently, Ms. Lysen played a lead role in MPAs electoral work and in a campaign to defend voting rights. At the same time, she has facilitated the development of MPA members into leaders. With Genevieves work in the region, the Androscoggin Valley Chapter of MPA has grown to be the strongest in the state with dozens of volunteers taking action every month. This leadership development work that
Maine Peoples Alliance (MPA) was founded in 1982 (and officially incorporated in 1983) in the Lewiston/Auburn area with a focus on housing, rent and utility rate reform issues. In 1984, our sister organization, the Maine People's Resource Center, was created. MPA has three main chapters, in Lewiston, Portland

is at the heart of MPAs organizing model and is what Genevieve is both most passionate about and skilled at. Ms. Lysen graduated from Hofstra University in New York with a B.A. in Liberal Arts, where she studied Political Science, English, and Philosophy. Her thesis examined the ethical theories and moral duties that are a foundation of the practice of sustainable agriculture. Ms. Lysen did her graduate work at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies where she researched and wrote a feature-length documentary that was selected for publication, about a group of Iraqi refugees settled in Maine.

Ms. Lysen has traveled, volunteered and studied in more than 20 countries in Europe, and in Haiti and Ghana. Her desire to work for social change has been shaped both by her education and her life experiences. Ms. Lysen traces her commitment to and grounding in community building to her Waldorf education and the guidance of her parents, both long-time social activists. Last spring 2011, Genevieve began volunteer coaching middleschool girls lacrosse, sharing her expertise in the sport that she played for eight years. Ms. Lysen lives in her hometown of Lewiston, Maine. She loves working in her vegetable garden, cooking, writing coaching lacrosse, and spending time with her family and friends. While in Europe, Genevieve will train participants in Hungary and Bulgaria on relational or face-toface meetings, systematic leadership development, meeting facilitation, grassroots lobbying and crafting, and using our personal narrative (or story).

and Bangor, where members meet each month to work together to advance the issues they care about. MPA's purpose is to bring individuals and organizations together to realize shared goals. MPAs focus on leadership development to increase the number of citizen leaders prepared to work for positive social

change. MPA is known for its ability to do grassroots organizing and education that reaches more than 100,000 Mainers each year with direct personal contact and quality leadership development work that has yielded dozens of leaders and staff for MPA and other organizations.

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE EUROPEAN ALUMNI, THE U.S. MENTORS AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS

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Jade Souza
Portland, Oregon E-mail: jadethedoula@gmail.com
Jade Souza is a poverty scholar at Poverty Initiative at Union Theological Seminary, and lives in Portland, Oregon. She is the former Director of the Clark County, Washington chapter of Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights, and is still organizing with former members from POWER, now as Families for Justice. Ms. Souza is from the Pacific Northwest, where she has worked in care-giving and social work for more than 10 years and worked in anti-poverty organizing. She began organizing as a teenager, running a union drive at her fast food job, providing strike support for local steelworkers, and organizing protests at
Poverty Initiative is a program of Union Theological Seminary. The Poverty Initiative's mission is to rise up generations of religious and community leaders committed to building a movement to end poverty, led by the poor. As we enter the 21st Century, we face increasing polariza-

the 1999 WTO conference in Seattle. Ms. Souza has worked for prisoner human rights, particularly those of pregnant and postpartum women in prison with the Birth Attendants Project. She has lived and worked in a Catholic Worker House in Olympia, WA, Bread and Roses. Ms. Souza has also worked as an advocate for sexual assault and domestic violence survivors, and was

the trainer in sexual assault prevention and response for Occupy Portland. Ms. Souza is currently employed as a residential trainer for adults with disabilities, and a blogger. Her organizing background and interests include welfare rights, human rights, Martin Luther King Jr.'s work, reproductive justice frameworks, and faith-based organizing. While in Europe, Jade can present on any of the topics listed under her background and interests above, as well as rural organizing and anti-oppression training. Ms. Souza is the mother of three children. In her free time she likes knitting, writing, gardening, baking, and hanging out with her dog, and her chickens.

tion of the rich and poor. This is the defining social issue of our time. The Poverty Initiative believes that it is possible to end poverty not merely manage it. It is our moral imperative and theological calling to do so. This is a spiritual journey. The cornerstone of the Poverty Initia-

tive is the Scholar-in-Residence Program. Willie Baptist has served as the Scholar-in-Residence since its inception in 2004. In 2006, the Poverty Initiative launched the expanded Poverty Scholars Program.

The U.S. Mentors in SZEGED, Hungary: the 1st delegation in July 2012 on left, and the 2nd delegation with local partners in December 2012 on right.

U.S. Mentors delegation in Europe (January 25 - February 15, 2013)

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SINCERE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE PARTICIPATING IN THIS EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT AND HOSPITALITY

Anda Lupusor Andreea Buzec Balint Vojtonovszki Betti Sebaly Boglarka Janoskuti Bozena Baluchova Chuck Hirt Elizabeth Balint Emil Metodiev Gabor Nagy Henriett Dinok Ilona Vercseg Jolana Natherova Judit Szollar Lavinia Chiburte Kriszta Molnar

Marcela Beresova Marton Gosztonyi Mate Varga Miglena Yordanova Monika Bandurova Nicoleta Chirita Ognyan Isaev Peter Lazarov Rachel Ramirez Radu Raileanu Richard Darmstra Sanja Nikolov Veronika Strelcova Vlad Catuna Vladimir Sendrej Zsolt Peter Fugg and more..

European Professional Fellows in the U.S.A: The 1st delegation in Toledo, Ohio, with Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Peter Ujvagi in March, 2012 on left, and the 2nd delegation in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. in November 2012 on right

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ITINERARY *
Friday, January 25 Arrival in Budapest 7 guests check in to hotel for 2 nights, welcome and program orientation by Elizabeth Balint in the hotel Time to rest 6:00PM: Dinner with Hungarian Alumni and Mate Varga Saturday January 26 Budapest 9:00-11:00AM: Rachel Ramirez has a site visit to homeless shelter with Judit Szollar 7:00PM: Cris Doby - arrival at Budapest airport; meeting with Elizabeth Balint at the hotel for Orientation after arrival. 3:00-6:00PM: Meet with the Students Network and discussion on community organizing 7:30PM: Dinner at Oliva Restaurant January 27-30, 2013 in 4 groups Group 1 in Szeged, Hungary Ramon Perez, Kayla Mason and Hannah Gelder organized and escorted by Zsolt Peter Fugg Sunday, January 27 7:00AM: Pick-up by Zsolt Fugg at the hotel and drive to Szeged (2 hours) 9:00-10:00AM: Check-in to Hotel Novotel for 3 nights 1:00PM: Lunch 2:00PM: Sightseeing; Optional: Mra Ferenc Museum Evening: Dinner, time to rest; Optional: spa or pub Monday, January 28 Morning: Breakfast at the hotel Sightseeing - Paprika Museum, Reok Palace, Szeged Papucs and etc; Visit the Szeged City Hall 1:00PM: Lunch 2:00PM: Meeting at the Agora Foundation office; Professional discussion with the leaders of the mentoring program for the foreign born children and community organizing team Evening: Dinner, cultural event Tuesday, January 29 Morning: Breakfast at the hotel 9:00-11:00AM: Discussion about tletfa project - program for disadvantaged children 11:00AM-1:00PM: Workshop with mentors - community organizing 1:00PM: Lunch 2:00PM: Visiting an event with the mentees Evening: Dinner Wednesday, January 30 Morning: Breakfast at the hotel 10:00AM Ballet Nutcracker Lunch at the Szeged City Hall Afternoon: Departure to Budapest and travel back with Mate Varga by car; check in to hotel in Budapest for 2 nights *** Group 2 in Miskolc, Hungary Genevieve Lysen and Michael Tierney organized and escorted by Krisztina Molnar Sunday, January 27 Morning: Breakfast at the hotel in Budapest; Travel to Miskolc by train from Keleti train station (Kriszta Molnar will pick up the guests at the station and check-in to hotel for 3 nights 1:00PM: Lunch Afternoon: Sightseeing in Miskolc Evening: Dinner Monday, January 28 8:00AM: Breakfast at the hotel 9:00AM: Meeting at the Human Integra Foundation 11:00AM: Visit the Szikra Volunteer Center 12:30PM: Lunch Afternoon: Visit the Roma School and learn about their activities for the Roma children; open discussion about possible parent organizing Evening: Dinner Tuesday, January 29 8:00AM: Breakfast at the hotel 9:00AM: Departure from hotel Travel day within Borsod Abauj Zemplen County and visit small rural communities with Roma programs; Lunch TBA Afternoon visits: - Community center and "Tanoda" including ENCS, MERA, - BOCS, where church organizing has started, participate in the community meeting to assist them in organizing Evening: Return to Miskolc; Dinner Wednesday, January 30 8:00AM: Breakfast at the hotel 900AM: Check-out from hotel; and travel back to Bocs to meet with the core leadership to discuss issues related to community organizing 1:00PM: Lunch 3:00PM: Drive to Budapest with Kriszta Molnar, Evening: drop off at the hotel in Budapest and check-in for 2 nights *** Group 3 in Timisoara, Romania Jade Souza and Rachel Ramirez organized and escorted by Anda Lupusor Sunday, January 27 Travel to Szeged to meet with Anda Lupusor and drive to Timisoara Home stay with the Lupusor family for 3 nights 4:00PM: Visit the Health Expo 5:00PM: Training for social activists in community organizing Monday, January 28 10:00AM: Visit the Revolution Memorial 11:00AM: Visit an NGO to learn
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about the research about Roma stereotypes in Europe 2:00PM: Visit the after school program for Roma children and to meet with the president of this activities 3:00PM Lunch 5:00PM Departure to visit Stanciova, visit the ecological village Tuesday, January 29 10:00AM: Visit Maguri near Lugoj, a Roma school and meeting with the Director /Roma Inspector in Timis County 11:30AM: Meeting with the Social Fare Office and learning about social programs in Roma communities and about their results 1:00PM: Visit another NGO from Lugoj Clementina. 2:00PM: Visit a poor Roma family, a musician 3:30PM: Lunch and travel back to Timisoara 6:30PM: Visit with a Christian Social expert 8:00PM: Time to relax Wednesday, January 30 10:00AM: Participating in the presentation about the final result of a social project for vulnerable groups Lunch 1:00PM: Departure to Budapest, travel back to hotel with Anda and her husband by car. Check-in to hotel for 2 nights *** Group 4 in Budapest, Hungary Cris Doby organized and escorted by Mate Varga Sunday, January 27 10:00AM Attend the TASZ community cooking and fundraiser at Szimpla with Hajnalka Kiss 4:00PM Discussion/ workshop on Alternative Fundraising at the Kaptar Monday, January 28 Site visits in Budapest 2:00PM Visit the Reform Church and discussion on church organizing escorted by Hajnalka Kiss Tuesday, January 29 10:00AM Meeting with Marton Gosztonyi & colleagues at the Autonomia Foundation 1:00PM Meeting with Betti Sebaly 4:00PM Meeting at the TASZ with Anita Vodal and her colleagues 7:00PM Dinner meeting with Peter Giczey and discussion on rural organizing in Northern Hungary Wednesday, January 30 Morning: Breakfast Travel to Szeged with Mate Varga Visit the Szeged City Hall Meetings with Gabor Nagy & Zsolt Fugg and leaders in Szeged Meeting with the leaders of the St. Agota Foundation / Catholic Charities and discussion on organizing Return to Budapest 7:00PM: Joint dinner with the rest of the group and sharing trip experience Thursday, January 31 U.S. Mentors in Budapest 10:00AM Socio-cultural walking tour in the 8th district of Budapest with Csaba Szikra 2:00PM Meeting for Cris Doby with representatives of the U.S. Embassy 4:00-6:00PM: For Genevieve Lysen and Cris Doby: Community Organizing in the U.S. Presentation for university students studying community development organized and escorted by Kriszta Molnar 7:00PM: Joint dinner with the delegation and sharing trip experience February 1-8, 2013 Travel in groups to Romania, Slovakia & Bulgaria, See separate schedule for each country Friday, February 8 3:15PM: Arrival at Budapest for Kayla Mason and Jade Souza from Romania Rachel Ramirez will travel back to Budapest by train Check-in to hotel for 7 nights 7:00PM: (Optional) Dinner with Balint Vojtonovszki Saturday, February 9 Sightseeing or time to rest 2:00PM: (Optional) Public workers picnic a community organizing activity of the Hungarian Antipoverty Network leading by Balint Vojtonovszki (Judit Szollar will escort the guests to the Orczy Park) 6:06PM: Genevieve Lysen and Hannah Gelder arrive back from Sofia to Budapest airport Check in to hotel for 6 nights 7:00PM: (Optional) Dinner with Kriszta Molnar and rest of the delegation Sunday, February 10 2:00PM Interviews with applicants of the Fall 2013 exchange 3:00-7:00PM: Workshop with the Spring 2013 Hungarian fellows and discussion on their field experience in community organizing Monday, February 11 8:00AM For Kayla Mason: travel to Pecs and Black History Month presentation at American Corner in Pecs escorted by Laszlo Vizsy 9:00AM-2:00PM: Advanced community organizing training at the community organizers workshop organized by Mate Varga 2:00PM Travel to Szentendre 8:00PM Return to hotel Tuesday, February 12

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8:00AM-9:00AM: Meeting at the Autonomia Foundation organized and escorted by Marton Gosztonyi 10:00AM-3:00PM: Travel to rural communities outside Budapest to Monor to learn about the Maltai Jelenlet Program and to Bag, Bagazs NGO 7:00PM: Dinner with Ilona Vercseg Wednesday, February 13 For Rachel Ramirez and others if interested 10:00AM-12:00Noon: Meeting with the City for All homeless people network organized and escorted by Balint Vojtonovszki 5:30PM Black History Month presentation by Kayla Mason about Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad & Community Organizing organized by the American Corner of Budapest & U.S. Embassy Alumni organization 8:00PM: (Optional) Dinner with Balint Vojtonovszki Thursday, February 14 10:00AM: Overall program evaluation with Elizabeth Balint and Mate Varga and planning of follow on activities For Michael Tierney 3:00PM: Meeting at the Blue Line Childrens Foundation organized and escorted by Boglarka Janoskuti, childrens lawyer and alumni 7:00PM: Farewell dinner and Valentine Day celebration with Kriszta Molnar, Boglarka Janoskuti and Elizabeth Balint Friday, February 15 3:30AM Early check-out & departure from Budapest and return to the U.S. *************

Schedule for Group A:

ROMANIA
Subgroup I: February 1-8, 2013 For Jade Souza, Ramon Perez, and Kayla Mason Friday, February 1, 2013 6:25AM: Arrival to Otopeni airport in Bucharest; Pick-up from the airport and get to hotel by Andreea Buzec; check-in at hotel 8:30PM: Dinner near the hotel Saturday, February 2 8:00AM: Breakfast at the hotel 10:00AM-12:00Noon: Welcome and get to know each other at CeRe offices; Meeting with: Nicoleta, Lavinia, CeRes community organizing staff 12:00-1:30PM: Lunch nearby CeRe offices (Don Taco restaurant) 2:00-6:00PM: Training/workshops held by the U.S. mentors for the community groups CeRe works with AMP offices 7:30PM: Dinner at Energiea Sunday, February 3 8:00AM: Breakfast at the hotel 12:00-6:00PM: Sightseeing and cultural activities in Bucharest with Vlad Catuna; Peasants Museum, Village Museum 7:00PM: Dinner Monday, February 4 8:00AM: Breakfast at the hotel 10:30-12:00Noon: Visit at the Policy Center for Roma and Minorities 1:00-3:00PM: Lunch in the city center 4:00-5:30PM: For Kayla Mason: Meeting at the Embassy Black History Month Presentation 7:00PM: Dinner Tuesday, February 5 8:00AM: Breakfast at the hotel

2:00-6:00PM: Consulting and mentoring with the Community organizing staff from CeRe and alumni - CeRe offices 8:00PM: Home hospitality & Dinner Wednesday, February 6 8:00AM: Breakfast at the hotel 10:AM-5:00PM: Introductory training in community organizing for the candidates at the exchange programme, AMP offices 7:00PM: Dinner Thursday, February 7 8:00AM: Breakfast at the hotel 10:00AM-12:00PM: Meeting with youngsters inolved in the TINA COLENTINA project; responsible contact Radu Raileanu 1:00-3:00PM: Lunch 4:00-6:00PM: Meeting with youngsters at FPDL to discuss about their projects and introduce them to YouthVoice; Responsible contact Andreea Buzec 7:00PM: Joint dinner with Cris Doby at Hanul lui Manuc Friday, February 8 For Ramon Perez 4:00AM: Ramon Perez leaves for the airport. 6:00AM: Departure to Detroit For Kayla Mason and Jade Souza 8:00AM-12:00Noon: Breakfast at the hotel and then leave for the airport 2:25PM: Departure to Budapest Subgroup II: February 7-9, 2013 For Cris Doby Thursday, February 7 1:00PM: Arrival at the Otopeni airport and pick-up by Flavia and Nicoleta 2:00PM: Check-in at Hotel 3:00-5:00PM: Lunch and discussion about next day schedule 7:00PM: Joint dinner with the

* Itinerary as of February 4, 2013 subject to change without further notice

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other U.S. Mentors at Hanul lui Manuc Friday, February 8 8:00AM: Breakfast at the hotel 10:00AM-3:00PM: Sightseeing and potential visit at the Palace of Parliament 3:00-4:00PM: Preparation meeting with CeRe before the two events 4:00-5:30PM: Meeting with potential corporate donors. ************** Sunday, February 3 Auschwitz-Birkenau (Poland) / Banska Bystrica, Slovakia 8:00AM: Breakfast in the Hotel 9:00-10:30AM: Travel to Auschwitz -Birkenau; sightseeing 12:00Noon: Lunch 2:30PM: Departure from Poland back to Slovakia, Banska Bystrica (time 4.5 hours) For Michael Tierney Travel to Warshaw and Treblinka by train on his own. (See separate schedule Subgroup 4) 7:30PM: Check-in in the Hotel in Banska Bystrica for 2 nights *** Subgroup 2: February 4-6, 2013 Rachel Ramirez and Cris Doby Monday, February 4 Banska Bystrica/ Zvolen 8:00AM: Breakfast in the Hotel 9:30AM: Morning coffee at the Home visit 10:00AM: Meeting in Ekopolis and Community Foundation 12:00Noon: Lunch in Gazdovsk retaurcia Ssov 1:00PM: Meeting with Roma Women Parliament in Community center leading by Jolana Natherova 3:30PM: Departure to Zvolen, (time 30 min) 4:00PM: Walk around the neighborhood of Zvolen-Zapad where the Initiative Zvolen-Zapad operates and organizes with Sanja Nikolov 5:00PM: Dinner at the neighborhood of Zvolen-Zapad 6:00PM: Meeting with the activists from the neighborhood initiative Meeting agenda: - Introduction by Sanja Nikolov - Importance of organizing in Central and Eastern Europe presented by Cris Doby - Millennium dialog role play by Rachel Ramirez 9:00PM: Back to the Hotel Tuesday, February 5 Bratislava 8:00AM: Breakfast in the Hotel then travel to Bratislava with Chuck Hirt and Veronika Strelcova 12:00PM: Arrival to Bratislava and lunch 3:00PM: Round table with Plenipotentiary for Civic Society and Plenipotentiary for Roma issues Topic: Importance of organizing in Central and Eastern Europe and why MAD Foundation is supporting this kind of work by Cris Doby, then open discussion 5:00PM: Dinner with U.S. Ambassador and overnight stay at his residence Wednesday, February 6 Bratislava 9:00-11:00AM: For Cris : Presentation at the Pontis Foundation meeting with all funders from big companies called Engaged Organized escorted by Monika Bandurova 10:00AM: For Rachel: Round table with the organizations that deals with homeless issues Meeting with: Bozena Baluchova, Founder of D.E.P.O, social housing 12:00Noon: Lunch; Sightseeing in Bratislava For Rachel Ramirez: check-in to hotel in Bratislava for one night For Cris Doby: departure to Vienna Airport area to check in to hotel for one night and depart to Bucharest, Romania next morning. *** Subgroup 3: February 7-8, 2013 Rachel Ramirez February 8 Site visits and consultation in Bratislava Friday, February 8 Bratislava 8:30AM: Breakfast in the Hotel 10:00AM: Travel with train to Budapest ***

Schedule for GROUP B: SLOVAKIA

Subgroup 1: February 1-3, 2013 For Rachel Ramirez, Cris Doby and Michael Tierney Friday, February 1 Budapest / Banska Bystrica 1:00PM: Departure from Budapest to Banska Bystrica, Slovakia; pickup in front of the Hotel by Chuck Hirt (time 3.5 hours) 4:30PM: Check-in in the Hotel for 1 night 6:00PM: Welcome dinner in Banska Bystrica, in Community Center Sasova; greetings by Jolana Natherova 8:00PM: Movie: Roma Goes to Vote- by Vladimir Sendrej 8:30PM: Discussion 9:30PM: Back to hotel Saturday, February 2 Krakow, Katowice (Poland) 8:00AM: Breakfast in the Hotel 9:00AM: Departure to Krakow, Poland (time 4.5 hours) 2:00PM: Sightseeing of Krakow 5:00PM: Departure to Katowice (time 1 hour) 6:00PM: Dinner with the Polish activist group from Katowice 8:00PM: Check-in in the Hotel in Katowice for 1 night

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Subgroup 4: February 3-11,2013 Michael Tierney Sunday, February 3 Warsaw / Treblinka / Katowice 3:00PM: Travel to Warsaw and Treblinka by train on his own 3:40PM: Departure from Katowice 6:30 PM: Arrival to Warsaw, checkin hotel in Warsaw Monday, February 4 Warsaw / Treblinka 8:00AM: Train from Warsaw Central to Malkinia, 2.5 kilometers from Treblinka (e.g. 8:40AM) 4:00PM: Get back to Warsaw Tuesday, February 5 6:00AM: Leaving Warsaw and travel to Banska Bystrica 6:25PM: Arrival to Banska Bystrica, Check-in to hotel for 2 nights Wednesday, February 6 Banska Bystrica Site visits and consultations Discussion with the Banska Bystrica Charleston, WV Sister City organization Thursday, February 7 Kosice 8:30AM: Breakfast in the Hotel 10:00AM: Social housing at Internatna and Kompas, history overview with Jolana Natherova 12:00Noon: Lunch 2:37PM: travel to Kosice through Zvolen 6:37PM: Arrival to Kosice Pick up by Marcela Beresova and check-in to hotel for 4 nights Friday, February 8 Kosice 8:30AM: Breakfast at hotel 10:00AM: Workshop about STORYTELLING with Marcela Beresova and her former colleagues in community center in Sverzov established by organization People in Need 12:00Noon: Lunch 1:00PM: Discussion on possible online exchanges (photos, stories, videos...) between kids from West Virginia and Slovakia with social workers from organization People in Need 3:00PM: Sightseeing in Bardejov city (historical center is part of the UNESCO world heritage) 5:30PM: Dinner Saturday, February 9 Kosice 8:30AM: Breakfast in the Hotel 10:00AM: Sightseeing in Eastern Slovakia, visit of countryside. Sunday, February 10, 2013 Kosice 8:30AM: Breakfast in the Hotel 10:00AM: Sightseeing Monday, February 11 Kosice /Banska Bystrica 08:30AM: Breakfast in the Hotel 9:30AM: Visit in community center Roskovce or Petrovany; meeting with social workers 12:00Noon: Lunch 1:00PM: Visit of after school program in one community center; meeting with kids, parents and etc. 4:00PM: Departure from Kosice to Banska Bystrica check in to hotel for 2 nights Tuesday, February 12 Banska Bystrica Meetings and site visits Wednesday, February 13 Budapest, Hungary Travel to Budapest and check-in to hotel for 2 nights

Building Grassroots Democracy in Minority Communities

- an exchange program for Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and the U.S.A. will be organized in 2013 and 2014 with 32 European Fellows and 18 U.S. Mentors Thanks to funding from the U.S. State Department

Check out the project website: glc-teachdemocracy2.org

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Schedule for GROUP C: BULGARIA
Genevieve Lysen and Hannah Gelder Friday, February 1, 2013 Sofia Arrival and Accommodation pick up by Emil Metodiev. Welcome dinner and get to know each other; Meeting with: Emil Metodiev, Peter Lazarov, Ognyan Isaev, Miglena Yordanova and C.E.G.A. team Saturday, February 2 Sofia / Plovdiv 09:00-11:00AM: Driving to Plovdiv (120 km). Away from Sofia) 11:00AM-1:00PM: Get to know the Old Town (check the info bellow) 1:00-2:30PM: Lunch in the Old Town 2:30-4:30PM: Visit Roma organization in the biggest Roma neighborhood Stolipinovo 5:00-7:00PM: Travel back to Sofia 7:30PM: Dinner time Sunday, February 3 Sofia 11:00AM-12:30PM: Social Kitchen in the church Saint Ilia 10 volunteers will cook lunch for about 200 poor people in one of the community in Sofia. 1:30-7:00PM: Discover Sofia art and culture day (maps on arrival). 7:00PM: Dinner together and elaborate the 2 days 9:30PM: Socializing at Salsa Party in the town Monday, February 4 Sofia 10:00AM-2:30PM: Meeting with C.E.G.A.s European Partners and learn about newly approved project Civic Help for Anti-Racist Measures in youth work, financed by the European Commission. Lunch with C.E.G.A. leaders 3:00-4:30PM: Meeting with DNES Peter Lazarov Initiatives 4:30-7:00PM: Open for program 7:00PM: Dinner with united group of Americans and Europeans Tuesday, February 5 Blagoevgrad / Dupnitsa / Sofia 09:00AM-2:00PM: Visit in Blagoevgrad (90 km. away from Sofia) Meet a Roma organization LIDER and their volunteers/activists about 10 people. Get to know each other and US Mentors deliver a session on Community Organizing amongst volunteers. 2:00-5:00PM: Family visit and lunch in the town of Dupnitsa 5:00PM: Travel back to Sofia Wednesday, February 6 Sliven 08:30AM: Travel to Sliven (Nedka Tanevas town) European Youth Alternatives Association (300 km. away from Sofia) Check-in to hotel for 1 night 2:00-5:30PM: Seminar on How Civic Movements and NGOs can participate in decision making process at local level. Participants, representatives from local authorities, including the mayor of the town and local activists and NGOs will be discussing how effectively the community can be involved in decision-making processes. 5:30-6:00PM: Wrap-up /conclusions 7:00PM: Dinner Thursday, February 7 Sofia 8:00AM: Breakfast in hotel 9:00AM: Travel back to Sofia; check-in the hotel for 2 nights 4:00PM: Meeting with Roma youth students. Note: The event is organized by ARETE Youth Foundation where Miglena Yordanova is working. The purpose of the meeting is to encourage young Roma students to continue their education further in Universities. 7:00PM: Dinner Friday, February 8 Sofia 8:00AM: Breakfast in the hotel 10:00AM: Training sessions on Community organizing for applicants and activists who would like to learn more about the U.S. Experience 12:00Noon: Lunch meeting with Richard Darmstra and the U.S. Embassy representatives for discussion on Human Rights and minority issues 3:00PM: Meeting with Jewish Community in Sofia 4:00PM: Feedback and Evaluation of the week 7:00PM: Dinner & Farewell party Saturday, February 9 Sofia / Budapest 8:00-10:30AM: Breakfast in hotel, check-out, get ready to go. 11:00AM: Travel to the airport 1:40PM: Fly back to Budapest

Plovdiv (Bulgarian: ) is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after the capital Sofia and is situated in south-central along the two banks of the Maritsa River. Plovdiv is very, very old. It has historically developed on seven syenite hills (Taxim, Nebet, Jambaz, Sahat, Jendem, Bunarjik and Markovo Tepe), some of which are 820 ft (250 meters) high. Because of these hills, Plovdiv is often referred to in Bulgaria as "The City of the Seven Hills". The town is always unique and fascinating.

* Itinerary as of February 4, 2013 subject to change without further notice