What Do Unity Groups Do?
Unity groups are community- based volunteer organizations composed of both individuals and organizations that work to create a climate that promotes opposition to hate and promotes respect for diversity among all people.
      Unity groups are usually formed in response to a hate activity Or the threat of such activity in their community and remain active to address the underlying issues of racism and bigotry.
      Each local unity group is different. Based upon their history, resources available and local situation, the following list includes some of the most common activities of unity groups.
Community education:
      Speakers bureau
      Workshops
      Forums
      Panel discussions
      Newsletters and brochures
      Media series
      Monitoring and reporting hate group activity
Community-building activities:
      Community unity picnics
      Prayer vigils
      Inter-faith prayer breakfasts
      Street fairs and festivals
      Any public activity that promotes a climate of tolerance and respect
Problem solving:
      Conflict resolution
      Immediate and positive response to hate activity
      Work within school districts
      Collaborative initiatives to solve underlying community problems, such as housing discrimination
      Promoting responsible media responses
Advocacy:
      Victim assistance
      Identifying resources for victims of hate crimes
      Public policy
provided by PA Human Relations Commission

Ten Ways to Sustain Your Unity Group
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."- Margaret Mead
  Just because a hate group has left town doesn't mean that your group should dissolve. It just means that the group needs to change gears. The pace of your work will become less frantic.
  Keep in mind that once the crisis is over, you will loose some people. It is normal.
  Use the opportunity to think about why your community was targeted and your coalition can do.

  1.Don't overextend yourself. Keep your purpose in mind and Stay focused.
  2.Stay focused. Don't get off track. Unity groups don't build youth centers.
  3.Work in conjunction with other unity groups on regional issues and projects.
  4.Think about ways to work with other groups in your community to co-sponsor unity events. For example, some groups have joined with others to sponsor Martin Luther King Day Events, Holocaust Memorial Services, YWCA Stop the Violence Weeks, etc.
  5.Some groups have annual Unity celebrations or picnics.
  6. Keep the word out with newsletters and/or speakers bureau. Don't forget to publicize what you do.
  7. Hold educational events. Use the Human Relations Commission "The State of Hate...and the Good News" - it is excellent and free.
  8. Do seasonal activities. Some groups show the "Not In Our Town I'' during Christmas and Chanukah season.
  9. Have fun.
 10. Contact the PNUC office for help with strategic planning for your group.
provided by PA Human Relations Commission

Recommended Response and Prevention of Racial/Ethnic/Religious Tension in Schools and Communities
1)      Review the school discipline code. Be sure that it addresses verbal assault as well as physical assault and that it is both constitutional and as strong as possible. These agencies are available to assist you:

• Civil Rights Enforcement Section, Office of Attorney General, 717/787-0822, (Trent Hargrove, Esq., Director)
• PA School Boards Association, Inc., 717/774-2331

2)      Institute conflict resolution training for students and faculty/staff. These organizations are available to help you:

• Lancaster Mediation Center, 717/293-7231 225 W. King Street, Lancaster, PA 17603, E-mail: lawcmed@prolog.net (They can provide you with a model school mediation program.)
• National Association for Dispute Resolution, 202/466-4764 1726 M Street N.W ., Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036 (They provide many resources for school conflict resolution programs.)
• Fellowship Farm, 215-248.3343 2488 Sanatoga.Road, Pottstown, PA 19464
• Educational Mediation Services, 717/656-9498 37 North Hershey Avenue, Leola, PA 17540
• PA Peer Helpers Association, 800/807-7337 Carl Graver, 1 150 Holtwood Road, Holtwood, PA 17532
• The Pittsburgh Mediation Center, 412/381-4443 2205 E. Carson Street, Southside Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh, PA 15203~2107
• Communities That Care Program, 412/981-4880 Sharon School District, West Hill Elementary School, 301 Ellsworth Street. Sharon, PA 16146
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence, Inc., 215/751 -9300 1809 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130-3916
• Lancaster Area Victim Offender Reconciliation Program, 717/397-2404 4 E. Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17602
• National Victims Center, 703/276-2880 211 1 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201 For resource list, 703/276-2889, E-mail NVC@mail.nvc.org

3)      Make use of the multi-cultural programming assistance you can get from:

• Mid-Atlantic EQuity Center, 301/657-7741 5454 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 655, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815
• Project Reach--A curriculum enhancing program, validated by the U.S. Department of Education, designed to increase multicultural knowledge and to increase attitudinal acceptance of others. The REACH Center for Multicultural Education, 4464 Fremont Avenue North, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98103, voice: (206) 545-4977, fax: (206) 545-6550, Email: reach@nwlink.com Website: www.reachctr.org
• A World of Difference--An educational and media project that celebrates intergroup understanding from the Anti-Defamation league. Also, the Anti-Defamation League Material Resource Catalog for the Classroom and Communitv Anti-Defamation League, 215/735-4267 230 S. Broad Street, 20th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102
• Restoring the Peaceable Kingdom: Pennsylvania Conflict Reduction Activities The Pennsylvania Council for Social Studies, 412/357-2285 John Larner, History Department, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA 15705
• Teaching Tolerance - A project of Southern Poverty Law Center 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104
• The Green Circle Program, Inc. - A human relations program for Kindergarten through 6th 21 5/89388400 1300 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
• Multicultural Training and Research Institute, 215/204-1208 Temple University, Room 593, Ritter Annex 004-00, 13th and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19122 Provides on-site multi-cultural consultation and training on a contract basis in business, education, health and human services, and community.
• The Holocaust Education Task Force, 717/238-5558 Michael A. Sand Coordinator, P.O. Box 499, Harrisburg, PA 17108
• Institute for Cultural Partnerships, 717 1238-1770 321 1 North Front Street, Suite 104, Harrisburg, PA 171 1 0 Fax: 717/238-3336; E-mail: staub.icp@paonline.com

4)      Develop student unity activities such as a Student Unity Pledge and a Peer Support Program.

• Pocono Mountain School District has been very inventive in this area. The contact person is Ms. Lettie Lladoc, 717/839-7121.
• Project Harmony is a York County project initiated by students to increase harmony and sensitivity among students. Contact an adult advisor, Sally Soika at 717/741-0820.

5)      Organize a human relations committee composed of administration, guidance, teachers, school board, students and parents. Designate an administrator to be responsible for the development and implementation of human relations programming.

7)      Get copies of the booklet Multicultural Sensitivitv: A Principal's Reference Guide from the PA Associations of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (717/233-3001) for all principals, vice-principals and counselors. Cost $3.00. PAESSP, 801 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg, PA 17102

8)      Make use of the resource catalog, Human Relations Materials for the School from the Anti- Defamation League (215/735-4267). It is a gold mine of multi-cultural teaching and training resources.

9)      Educate all staff and students about the Ethnic Intimidation and Institutional Vandalism Laws and how they apply to schools. Cooperate with the local police department in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes committed on school property or during school activities.
    Contact the Heritage Affairs Officer of the PA State Police, Captain Robert P. Hague for more information and training on these laws (717/772-5112).

10)      Report hate group activity such as the distribution of hate literature and racial/ethnic tension situations that occur in the school or community to your local police and to the PHRC. PHRC can provide in-service training on organized hate group activity, its impact on schools, and positive school response (717/783-8886).

11)      Contact the Center for Safe Schools, PA Department of Education, at 717 /763-1661 for their manual entitled, Safe Schools/Safe Communities; Partnerships to Prevent Violence and for their consulting services on school safety issues.

12)      Be a student of bigotry and angent for positive change. Educate yourself about hate groups and about what you can do to set a moral tone that rejects bigotry in your community.

• The Center for Democratic Renewal, 404/221 -0025, "When Hate Groups Come to Town" - $18.95, P.O. Box 548, Atlanta, GA 30302-0468
• Southern Poverty Law Project - Klanwatch, 205/264-0286; 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104
• The Anti-Defamation League, 21 5/735-4267; 230 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 10017
• Center for the Applied Study of Ethno-Violence- The Prejudice Institute 410/366-9654, 2743 Maryland Avenue, Baltimore MD 21218-4329
• National Conference for Christians and Jews, 215/536-3377; 1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 1206, Philadelphia, PA 19107
• National Coalition Building Institute, 202/785-9400; 1835 K Street, N.W., Suite 715, Washington, D.C. 20006; Lehigh Valley Chapter, 610/882-4004; P.O. Box 8834, Allentown, PA 18105
• Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, 215/925-8090; 18 S. 7th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

13)      Make use of.

• How Can Schools and Communities Work Together to Meet the Challenge? - A Guide for involving Community Members in Public Dialogue
• The Busy Citizen’s Discussion Guide: Racism and Race Relations
• Can't We All Just Get Along? A Manual for Discussin Programs on Racism and Race Relations
  Order from Study Circles Resource Center, P.O. Box 203, Pomfret, CT 06258; 860/928-2616, (fax) 860/928-3713.
  
• Ten Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Response Guide to Hate Groups and Hate Crimes,
  Order from Klanwatch in Montgomery, Al, @$1.25, 334/264-0286

14)      Learn from the experience of people who once belonged to hate groups and are now willing to talk about why they joined and why they left:

• Floyd Cochran (former Aryan Nations recruiter), Education and Vigilance Network, 717-436-5394, PO Box 351, Mifflin, PA 17058
• Frank {former Skinhead recruiter), Contact through ADL, Philadelphia Regional Office, 215/735-4267
• Mary (former Skinhead), Contact through Ann Van Dyke, PHRC, 717/783-8438
• Emily Heinrich (former of Aryan Nations), Contact through ADL, Philadelphia Regional Office, 215/735-4267

15)      Organize a local unity coalition that works to build and affirm equality, non-violence and diversity. For organizing and program ideas contact:

• Pennsylvania Network of Unity Coalitions, 414 S. Craig Street, Suite 21 0, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, 1-800/865-8586, 412/521-1954
• Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, Education/Community Services Division, 717/783-8438

16)      Do not tell or tolerate one more bigoted joke.

Note: Search your local community for multi-ethnic and conflict resolution resources such as local chapters of NAACP, NOW, the Womens’ International League for Peace and Freedom, United Nations Association U.S.A., Jewish Community Centers, Native American Tribal Councils, and Latino and Asian-American organizations.
    Remember to make use of your local library, on-line computer services, the YWCA who have traveled, and religious organizations that have international programs.
    Remember to check the yellow pages for resources that will help you build and affirm equality, non-violence and diversity.
(2/98) Ann M. Van Dyke, PA Human Relations Commission, 717/783-8438, E-mail: phrc@paonline.com