My life in Burlington has been dedicated to creating community and advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives. Since 1999, I have been teaching multidisciplinary studies at the University of Vermont. I’m also a former Howard Center board member, and I currently serve on the boards of several area nonprofits. However, much of my focus has been devoted to my role as founder of the Greater Burlington Multicultural Resource Center. In that capacity, I have promoted the Diversity Speaker Series and Burlington’s Martin Luther King Day program and advocated to have the holiday formally recognized by the state.
Throughout my years in Burlington, I have seen many changes, including an increasingly diverse population. In this ever-changing landscape, Howard Center, like many organizations, has been asked to do more with less. To meet these new challenges, Howard Center hired its first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion director in 2022 and created multicultural liaison positions on its Access and Intake team to ensure full community access to Howard Center services. In addition, the organization has forged partnerships with numerous community groups, including the Greater Burlington Multicultural Resource Center, and was recently honored to receive that organization’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. award for its diversity initiatives.
Howard Center strives to ensure that all segments of the community are represented within their staff and board composition: People feel more comfortable asking for services when they see themselves represented by the staff. As with other local nonprofits, Howard Center’s hiring and service delivery systems are mindful of the array of languages, cultural backgrounds, and countries of origin of the people they serve. Perhaps most important, Howard Center recognizes the benefit of having community members from all backgrounds present at the table when organizations are discussing goals, budgets, staffing, and service delivery options.
Howard Center holds a unique place within the community—it’s almost a household name. Because of the breadth of its services, it is not uncommon for any one of us to know someone who has benefited from the care and support Howard Center staff provide. Today, the organization is recognized as a lifeline for adults, children, youth, and families—a lifeline that cuts across race, culture, and class. Without that support, many folks would struggle to get access to services, or worse, they would suffer in silence.
As a community member, I rely on Howard Center to be there—as it has been for the past 160 years—to provide effective and compassionate care to all. I’m grateful to have Howard Center in our community.
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Patrick Brown: Creating Community and Advancing Diversity
My life in Burlington has been dedicated to creating community and advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives. Since 1999, I have been teaching multidisciplinary studies at the University of Vermont. I’m also a former Howard Center board member, and I currently serve on the boards of several area nonprofits. However, much of my focus has been devoted to my role as founder of the Greater Burlington Multicultural Resource Center. In that capacity, I have promoted the Diversity Speaker Series and Burlington’s Martin Luther King Day program and advocated to have the holiday formally recognized by the state.
Throughout my years in Burlington, I have seen many changes, including an increasingly diverse population. In this ever-changing landscape, Howard Center, like many organizations, has been asked to do more with less. To meet these new challenges, Howard Center hired its first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion director in 2022 and created multicultural liaison positions on its Access and Intake team to ensure full community access to Howard Center services. In addition, the organization has forged partnerships with numerous community groups, including the Greater Burlington Multicultural Resource Center, and was recently honored to receive that organization’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. award for its diversity initiatives.
Howard Center strives to ensure that all segments of the community are represented within their staff and board composition: People feel more comfortable asking for services when they see themselves represented by the staff. As with other local nonprofits, Howard Center’s hiring and service delivery systems are mindful of the array of languages, cultural backgrounds, and countries of origin of the people they serve. Perhaps most important, Howard Center recognizes the benefit of having community members from all backgrounds present at the table when organizations are discussing goals, budgets, staffing, and service delivery options.
Howard Center holds a unique place within the community—it’s almost a household name. Because of the breadth of its services, it is not uncommon for any one of us to know someone who has benefited from the care and support Howard Center staff provide. Today, the organization is recognized as a lifeline for adults, children, youth, and families—a lifeline that cuts across race, culture, and class. Without that support, many folks would struggle to get access to services, or worse, they would suffer in silence.
As a community member, I rely on Howard Center to be there—as it has been for the past 160 years—to provide effective and compassionate care to all. I’m grateful to have Howard Center in our community.