Multicultural Resource Center

The Multicultural Resource Center (MRC) is a small, independent, grassroots non-profit organization that is housed at the CCE-Tompkins Education Center.   MRC creates dialogue around diversity issues in Tompkins County, and facilitates community leadership on these issues by helping to empower people to embrace our community's ethnic and cultural diversity.

MRC started in 1987 and now offers a number of programs and cultural celebrations throughout the year, diversity workshops and trainings, and a lending library with resources on undoing racism, diversity education, and DVDs.  MRC's goals are to:

•   Advocate for social justice and systems change
•   Provide educational outreach to increase inclusion in our community
•   Build multicultural alliances across cultural differences

MRC offers:

•    Diversity Training & Workshops for schools,  businesses and nonprofits. Consider including diversity training in your next staff retreat or professional development day.

•    Talking Circles on Race & Racism for individuals. The Talking Circle is a facilitated dialog that provides people with an opportunity to reflect, share personal experiences, and influence each other's perspectives and attitudes. MRC brings together a diverse group of people who meet  once a week for 5 weeks to deepen the level of our community-wide conversation on race, and to provide a safe space to consider taking our next steps.  To participate in a Talking Circle, contact Chibo Shinagawa, Diversity and Inclusion Special Projects Coordinator, 272-2292 ext. 191, or email lcs42@cornell.edu

•    Movie Nights.  MRC occasionally hosts film/discussion series on movies that focus on  race,  class and other diversity issues.

•    Annual Sister-Friends Luncheon This yearly event in March celebrates women of all ages, sizes, religions, sexual orientations, ethnicities and cultures. The event features a Women's Market with representatives of women entrepreneurs from our communities, performances by women and girls, and a noted guest speaker.

•    First Peoples' Festival.  Traditionally having taken place in late September at Tutelo Park in the Town of Ithaca, the First Peoples' Festival will partner in 2010 with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance to be part of the annual Apple Harvest Festival. The First Peoples' Festival is held in Dewitt Park and showcases Native American performers, food and craft vendors, as well as educational displays and interactive activities for adults and children.

For more information on MRC's services or offerings, visit MRC's website at
http://www.multicultural-resource.org