Feature: Winning School Board Support for Arts Learning

As education reform moves front and center in the national dialogue, there is no better time to question academic priorities at the local level - especially as school boards plan their 2010-2011 budgets. Are your local education leaders doing enough to ensure arts learning thrives in their district? Do they need you to voice your opinion to support arts learning, so they can? Your local school board members have the power to shape a well-rounded education infused with the arts.

With that in mind, the KeepArtsInSchools.org team offers strategies and tactics to help advocates present a strong case for the arts to the key decision makers -- local school boards.

Winning School Board Support for Arts Learning - A toolkit for action! includes:

• Compelling data, research and proof points about the value of arts learning
• Easy to use tools to harness the power of persuasion by using messages that resonate with
  target audiences
• Tips from experts around the country
• Ideas,activities and inspiration to fuel your advocacy efforts

KeepArtsinSchools.org is a project of the Ford Foundation's Integrating the Arts and Education Reform Initiative. DGC has been working with the Initiative to provide the arts education community with the useable tools they need to help advocates make the case for arts learning as an essential component of a quality education. This is the third is a series of toolkits dedicated to this purpose.

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Notes from the Field: Sexuality & Religion 2020: Goals for the Next Decade

The Religious Institute recently released a milestone report entitled: Sexuality & Religion 2020: Goals for theNext Decade. The 2020 Report outlines the substantial advances made over the last decade -- most specifically regarding inclusion of women and LGBT people in the life of faith communities -- and also outlines 10 vital goals to help facilitate sexually healthy clergy and faith communities over the next 10 years. The report comes on the heels of the 10th anniversary of the Religious Declaration on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing, a landmark challenge to the nation's religious leaders to become better pastors for sexual health, to respond to the suffering caused by sexual abuse and exploitation, and to be bolder advocates of sexual justice.

In the report you will find:

• Survey data indicating the need for stronger seminary training on sexuality issues and the need for better pastoral care on youth and adult sexuality concerns.
• Strategies to forge multi-faith coalitions around sexuality issues (Christian denominations, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, etc.).
• Linkages between sexual justice and social justice issues.
• A vision to establish a national grassroots network of people of faith who support sexuality education, sexual health, and sexual rights.

According to Rev. Debra Haffner, Executive Director of the Religious Institute, "Sexual health and justice is consistent with our deepest, most traditional religious values, and with American religion's longstanding commitment to the social gospel. Our report, Sexuality and Religion 2020, along with the launch of the Faithful Voices Network seeks to energize the dialogue and initiate viable opportunities for change."

Click here for a copy of the report.

DGC partnered with the Religious Institute to produce an audio news conference to announce this report and was responsibility for subsequent media outreach.

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On my Radar: 20 Issues in 20 Years

2010 marks our 20th year in business. It has been a wonderful experience working with some of the world’s best advocates. Here are 20 major issues where progress has been made or spurred on by social movements and campaigns over the last two decades, many of which we had an opportunity to work on. Let us know if you agree, disagree or have other issues to add.

The following were practically unimaginable 20 years ago, but now are reality:

• An African American president
• A national conversation about same sex marriage and allowing military service by openly lesbian and gay people
• Smoking rates decreasing
• People living long productive lives with HIV/AIDS
• Affirmative action and diversity understood as good for business
• Global climate change curbs being enacted
• Increased funding for breast cancer research and treatment
• Insurance companies covering contraceptive services
• Family and medical leave guaranteed by Federal law
• Discrimination against the disabled outlawed
• Policy-makers concerned about educational achievement for minority students
• Medical use of marijuana increasingly accepted (and legal)
• Decrease in reliance on the death penalty (not in Texas, of course)
• Contraceptive advertising routinely on television
• Teen pregnancy and childbearing reduced
• More women than men in higher education and the workforce
• Global population growth rates slowing
• Women seen as key to ending global poverty
• Widespread interest in energy efficiency and independence
• People understand the links between the environment and human health

Drop us a line and let us know what you think.

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Beyond the Click: PolicyLab Launches their Web site

PolicyLab: Center to Bridge Research, Practice, and Policy at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute announces the launch of their new Web site. Following our branding work with PolicyLab, we designed the look for their new site, developed the site architecture and worked with the PolicyLab team to write Web copy highlighting the groups' current projects, recent publications and upcoming events.

PolicyLab aims to improve child health and well-being by engaging in research and intervention projects that are responsive to community needs and relevant to policy priorities. Read the first Evidence to Action brief, a hallmark of their work, titled Securing Child Safety, Well-Being, and Permanency Through Placement Stability in Foster Care.

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Staff News: Congratulations to Megan Freed!

Congratulations to Megan Freed! Megan joined us as an associate in 2007 with a background in public health. During her tenure, Megan has been instrumental working with such clients as Americans for UNFPA, Population Action International, the Center of Excellence for Sexual Health, CT Voices for Children and the Arcus Foundation. We are pleased to report that Megan has been promoted to senior associate and will continue to be a strong and knowledgeable member of our team.

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