Join us for the MultiCultural Dinner and Dialogue on November 15, 2008

In our zeal to promote parent involvement in children's education, we cannot afford to look past the fact that many NH families may be recently arrived from other parts of the world. NH State PIRC is therefore sponsoring the first Multicltural Dinner and Dialogue (sometimes also called a "world cafe") to stimulate conversation about how to best serve the needs of immigrant and ethnic minority familes. Download flyer here (PDF)

In Any Language or Culture: Parents Make the Difference! 

Tony (20) is soft spoken and shy. He sat across from me as I asked him about his family's background. "I'm mixed, mulatto, my father is from DC, and my mother from Nashua. "I never saw them that much; I was raised by my grandparents." I didn't get support at home; I dropped out of school in the 10th grade. I only had 2 credits in the 10th grade. When I was a kid, my attendance in school was horrible. My mom never cared about what we did." At one point, Tony was absent from school for about 90 days. He attended Pemochuck Elementary and Elm Street Junior High. 

What made Tony go back to school and get his GED? "It's my son," he says, "I don't want what happened to me, happen to him. Little Anthony is just 2 years old. "I want to be there for my son and give him a good life." Tony enrolled at the Adult Learning Center, finishing his GED. He plans to pursue a Commercial Driving License.

Tony's story could be the story of any young person or child from Mexico, the Sudan, Turkey, or any place in the world. The message is important. Parental involvement during a child's formative years is fundamental to a child's development: emotionally, physically, cognitively, and educationally. Parental involvement can make the difference!

New Hampshire is experiencing a growth in diversity. People, who dress, speak, eat, worship, and have different perspectives on life, are newcomers to the Live Free or Die state. Diversity in human culture brings interest and beauty. No matter how much diversity is celebrated, misunderstandings, misinformation, stereotypes, and fears can and do create animosity among people. New Hampshire has an opportunity to welcome and engage parents from diverse backgrounds to begin an exchange of ideas and dialogue – a dialogue to address their needs, fears, apprehensions, and dreams as they acclimate to US culture and society.

 The Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC) is presenting this opportunity to welcome parents from diverse cultures by holding a Multicultural Dinner and Dialogue. This Dinner and Dialogue invites parents to share their experiences and hopes for the future of their children. 

 The event is an opportunity to listen to parents as they begin to understand the educational system in New Hampshire. We look forward to parents telling us what is working for them in the school, what the shortcomings are, and the recommendations they have that will strengthen the relationship between themselves and the school. 

The Dinner and Dialogue will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Manchester, NH. on Saturday November 15th from 5:00-8:00 pm. If you are interested and want further information, call Elena Acosta at 603-848-5669 or you may email her at eacosta@nhpirc.org. She would love to hear from you.

Download event flyer here (PDF)