South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race
Building Inclusive Communities
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our mission is to build and sustain racially integrated and truly inclusive communities where there is equity and equality for all. Maplewood and South Orange are racially inclusive towns in a region of racially isolated communities, in a state and a nation that have seen growing racial segregation in both schools and residential patterns in the last forty years. While our towns have enjoyed a higher measure of diversity than most regional suburban communities, the sustainability of our racial integration needs our continued intentional work.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Integration through the Arts
By hosting participatory arts experiences, our Integration through the Arts program uses the arts to bring together people of different races and cultural backgrounds to build authentic relationships across racial boundaries and move towards true social integration.
Academic Achievement Gap
The Community Coalition on Race through its Schools Committee is at the forefront of efforts to address and eliminate the academic achievement gap as an essential element of our effort to create true integration among and within our schools. We work to encourage alliances between the public and private sectors to foster the development of successful educational partnerships among teachers, administrators, parents, students, researchers, business and community organizations. We promote parental involvement and empowerment and work to ensure that students of all races are expected and encouraged to excel in a community that is proud and supportive of our schools
Affirmative Community Marketing
The mission of the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race is to benefit the residents of our two-town community by developing and implementing strategies to:
-Promote strong and sustained demand by all racial groups for housing in every area of our community;
-Replace racially separate and unequal markets for community living with balanced and robust markets within our area of influence and beyond the community
The objectives of the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition’s Marketing Program is to affirmatively market the two towns.
Civic Engagement Institute
Participation in school, civic, governmental and business organizations by people of all races and persuasions is a necessary condition for a truly inclusive, racially integrated community. Our quality of life is improved by the innovative solutions, shared responsibility, expanded talent pool and increased sense of a united community that results from full engagement of all groups. The graduates of the CEI commit to a minimum of 6 months of volunteer service in a local organization. We ran our first CEI in the fall of 2013 with great success. The 14 participants gave high praise for the level of training they received; two have already started new neighborhood associations. We have received inquiries about participation in 2014 from new students.
Project Goal: to provide training and education in order to increase interest, participation, comfort level, and probability for success among underrepresented groups in our community in volunteer and leadership roles in civic, government, and community organizations.
CEI Objectives:
• Provide a series of training and educational workshops for prospective volunteers that incorporate presentations by local professionals and government leaders, case studies, group discussions, skills assessment tools, and interactive techniques.
• Engage 15-20 participants from Maplewood and South Orange
• Offer six two-hour workshops that include:
1. Introduction to Volunteerism and Time Management Tips
2. Understanding Volunteer Styles
3. The Volunteer as Advocate and Participant in the Change Process
4. Situational Case Studies
5. Government & Organization Structures
6. Service Organization Leaders Presentations & Closing Ceremony
Neighborhood Stabilization Loan Prgram
Project Goal: provide low-cost loans for home maintenance to support and sustain stable, integrated neighborhoods in both towns.
Objectives:
• Design and distribute brochures
• Advertise loan availability
• Make from 6 up to 15 loans within the identified census tracts
Description: The Community Coalition on Race from its very inception has included a strong focus on residential integration: people of different races living in every neighborhood throughout the towns. In 2013, we developed a new loan program for home maintenance and improvement costs. A stable neighborhood is one where residents and potential homebuyers feel confident that their investment is secure. Improved property maintenance contributes to neighborhood stabilization.
Conversations on Race
Conversations on Race
Project Goal: Host two community conversations on the topic ‘Understanding Our Collective Biases,’ beginning with one led by an outside expert or a panel in the area of race relations, community healing, and implicit bias
Conversations Objectives:
• Engage at least 80 residents in conversation about race-related topic relevant to our community
• Bridge racial barriers
• Provide safe space to examine the concept of implicit bias
• Address the following questions:
What is implicit bias
What can we as a community do to combat implicit bias
How can people address their own racial biases
Whether all people in our community feel safe in light of recent racial incidents
Description: After George Zimmerman was found not guilty of manslaughter charges in the killing of Trayvon Martin, President Obama asked Americans to have thoughtful conversations about race and its impact on our lives. For over 10 years the Coalition on Race has engaged the community in discussions about how we face race, how we build relationships across racial and cultural barriers, and how our perceptions of race affect our day-to-day experience in our towns. Conversations on Race is an annual event that serves part of the Community Coalition on Race’s mission to provide residents with opportunities to engage in honest dialogue between racial groups.
Talking to Children About Race
Kids notice race from an early age but many parents are afraid to discuss race openly with their children. How can we talk about race productively? How do these talks differ for families of different races, for adoptive families, for mixed-race families? These workshops strive to help parents, teachers gain an understanding of the stages of racial knowledge, how to talk with children about race, and understand the challenges faced by multiracial children and children whose families are of a different racial background, and more.
Where we work
Awards
Regional Equity Achievement Award 2010
PlansmartNJ
Exemplary Partnership Program Award 2007
NJ Association of Partners in Education
Leadership Award 2003
Leadership New Jersey
Promising Strategies for Valuing Diversity Award 2002
American Psychological Association
Statewide and National Pro-integrative Policies 1998
President Clinton's Initiative on Race/HUD Study
External reviews

Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total dollars received in contributions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of Facebook followers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of grants received
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups
Related Program
Integration through the Arts
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of people on the organization's email list
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of overall donors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of briefings or presentations held
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of individuals attending community events or trainings
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of donations made by board members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
We have 100% Board giving every year.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We aspire to be a community that is a model for the nation in which people of different races, ethnic groups and backgrounds can interact, form friendships and participate fully in the community’s economic, political, civic, educational and cultural life. We have been working on integration for 20 years. Demographic research is conducted to assess progress and the results from motivated the board of trustees to establish two initiatives that all programs, research, and community action will focus on: 1) to strengthen the community’s commitment to racial and cultural inclusion of all people of color by challenging the community power structures (government, school system, realtors, businesses, media, key leaders) to rectify disparities; and 2) to ensure the sustainability of racial integration by supporting the current population of Black people and by developing strategies to increase the rate of Black in-movers. In addition, our community raised concerns that need the Coalition’s attention and focus: lack of equity and integration in the schools; classroom segregation at the high school; not enough social integration opportunities for people of all ages; the need to include people of color on municipal boards and PTAs; ongoing biases reflected in community interactions—among neighbors and people in critical roles like police officers—and so much more.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The Community Coalition on Race is committed to building a unique, suburban community that is free of racial segregation in housing patterns and community involvement, in a community that 42% People of Color. We work throughout our community—with the school district, neighborhood associations, government entities, realtors, faith institutions, and our arts and cultural resources—to leverage change toward racial inclusion.
We know that persistence and a well-defined plan and focus on the mission is critical to creating long-lasting change. Through our programming and advocacy over the last 10 years we fostered the growth of authentic relationships among people of different racial and cultural backgrounds in our towns, and helped residents advance in their commitment to diversity by raising consciousness on issues like implicit bias, white privilege, and profiling. The Coalition on Race advocates for equity and excellence in the schools and the elimination of the achievement gap and makes connections with groups around the state and across the country who are looking to engage their own communities and organizations in intentional integration. Within our towns and in other communities, the Coalition on Race develops and provides anti-bias training for businesses, schools, and organizations.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We use education events, in depth trainings, and facilitated conversation to build a network of informed, active, and engaged residents committed to the goals of racial integration and inclusion. We work to enable an active citizenry who can bring that message into multiple places of power: elected offices, boards of civic organizations, businesses, schools, and houses of worship. Each year we host at least 5 well-attended community conversations and 35 educational events (from 80-250 attendees each) around race at which we ensure racially-integrated, table discussions. We challenge the school district to to adopt policies and practices that promote an equitable and excellent education for all students, and that support a diverse teaching and administrative staff. We conduct demographic research and assessments to gauge levels of racial diversity, engagement, and empowerment, and to monitor residential integration patterns. We do all of this work with a small trained staff and many talented volunteers.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Racial integration and diverse participation is rare in suburban towns due to longstanding segregationist policies throughout the nation. We strive every day to reverse those patterns. We are guided by the principle of intentional integration in all areas of community life. We focus on those areas that need our attention most and we base that on research and community outreach.
Our current research shows that housing affordability is a critical issue for retaining residents and attracting in-movers in a range of socio-economic groups. Research also shows that we have an increase in Asian and Hispanic populations who need to be included in integration strategies. We continue to strive to create: 1. consistent, realizable, and successful pathways to engagement, volunteerism, and shared leadership in the civic life of our community; 2. Integrated and equitable schools and classrooms led by teachers and administrators who focus on the needs of all children.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Robert A. Marchman
FINRA
Term: 2016 - 2019
Abigail Cotler
Private Philanthropy
Fred Profeta
Profeta & Associates
Carol Barry-Austin
Bell Labs, retired
Deborah Davis-Ford
South Orange Village Trustee
Leila Gonzalez Sullivan
Training Consultant
Meredith Sue Willis
Author
Barbara Velazquez
Clinical Psychologist
Walter Clarke
South Orange Village Township Committee
Deborah Davis Ford
South Orange Village Township Committee
Lee Boswell-May
Dean Dafis
Attorney
Nina Essel
Social Worker
Kelly Quirk
Social Work Director
Colleen Breslin
Attorney
Catherine Cronin
Editor
Tegan Culler
Public Health
David Harris
Attorney
Kristin Mahoney
Author
John Kerner
CMO, Yellowbrick
Ed Stuart
Wealth Manager (retired)
Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad
Consultant
Reynaldo Tapia
Professor, Global Affairs
Rhea Mokund-Beck
Media & Communications
Erin Scherzer
Attorney
Robert Marchman
FINRA
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data