News-Record.com

Private funding, fine. The program, as I recall, was very expensive, and having suffered through more than one race training session, I think they're generally counterproductive. They make what ought to be a normal social encounter into a matter of expertise, PowerPoint presentations, and fraught exercises (OK, let's all pretend to switch races now and talk to each other). When white people talking to black people requires consultants, we're all in trouble.

It's not rocket science. I play golf at Gillespie all the time and pick up black partners as often as not. By the end of nine holes, almost always we've struck up a conversation and sometimes more than that. (I ended up buying a book and a CD from a guy last year who was incredibly proud of his daughter, who authored both.) If a consultant met us on the tee and told us to use the next nine holes to explore our racial identities, I'd want my back to go out on the first tee.

Private support may be the best prescription, Brian, so politics stays removed from the process. But it would make sense for the city's Human Relations Department to have some type of involvement.

Allen, what is it about Mosaic that costs so much? The idea is to team up folks across racial lines, right? And then they go and hang out. Don't they pay their own way? Exactly what costs so much? Is it the group meetings? And what about that costs so much? The room? Can they meet for free somewhere? At a church? The snacks? Can they all chip in a dollar each time? I fail to see how such a simple idea as bringing folks together in relationship should have to cost so much. Can you please enlighten me? Thanks! CM

Cara Michelle,
I've been told the major cost is staffing and support. There are a lot of logistics, ccordination and planning involved. Also, the first class included a consultant's fee. Don't know if that would be the case the second and third times around.

again...a bunch of bullshit...perfect for the N&R.

Allen Johnson wrote:
"I've been told the major cost is staffing and support."

Huh? What did they do, contract with Skip Alston and his extended relatives/friends/entourage/Money-Pit-On-Elm-Street staff to handle this??

There are some legitimate logistics involved: Recruiting participants; matching participants; recruiting, training and coordinating cluster facilitators; reserving meeting places.