The I.D.E.A. Coalition held the meetings as opportunities to engage directly with members of marginalized populations to understand the barriers that keep them from feeling fully part of our community.

Tonight’s meeting is considered a continuation to the first town hall meetings to discuss the concerns expressed and help to guide the ongoing work of the I.D.E.A. Coalition.

Tonight’s meeting will take place at 6:00 p.m. at Love Elementary School.

The meeting is specifically for the Black/African American & Latino communities. The intent is to only have those communities at this meeting.

All IDEA coalition members that were at the first set of meetings will have the opportunity to meet at the Full Coalition Meeting on May 18th for ongoing discussion.

For more information about the IDEA Coalition, visit https://www.uwayscc.org/ideacoalition 

EDITOR’S NOTE: As a point of transparency and disclosure to our audience, the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County is a corporate underwriter for WRFA and has provided a financial contribution for the general operations of the station within the past year. Funding we receive for General Operations is not used to fund our coverage of local news in the community. That is only made possible through a Community Service Grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 

Bishop Leecroft Clarke

The formation of the Chautauqua County I.D.E.A. Coalition was announced at this weekend’s Juneteenth celebrations.

The coalition is made up of 17 organizations and businesses and is aimed at pursuing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (I.D.E.A.) strategies in the community. The I.D.E.A. Coalition’s goal is to make Chautauqua County a place where everyone belongs and has opportunities to thrive, especially those who have been historically marginalized. They are committed to addressing, prioritizing, and giving voice to those directly impacted by racism and social injustice in the community.

United Way of Southern Chautauqua County Executive Director Amy Rohler said in a press release, “After the George Floyd murder in 2020, we knew there was a need to proactively address racism in our community”

Rohler added that the incident prompted several informal conversations with individuals from educational institutions, law enforcement, local businesses, and nonprofits across the county.

The United Way is serving as the backbone agency for the I.D.E.A. Coalition. In May 2022, the United Way hired Bishop Leecroft Clarke to be the Project Director for the I.D.E.A. Coalition. He is currently the lead pastor of Healing Word Ministries. His extensive community service includes his roles as the chairperson of the Addiction Response Ministry of Chautauqua County, co-chairperson of the Racial Reconciliation Taskforce of Chautauqua County, past board member for the HOPE Chautauqua Coalition, and a past member of the ESPRI Taskforce.

The Coalition’s initial efforts would start with engaging the African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino communities, expanding efforts and conversations to other historically marginalized populations in the county.

Membership in the I.D.E.A. Coalition is open to any organization interested in supporting its initiatives and signing the membership agreement.

In addition to United Way of Southern Chautauqua County’s investment, the I.D.E.A. Coalition has received grants to fund its work through Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, and the Cummins Foundation.

More information about the Coalition can be found at www.uwayscc.org/ideacoalition. Organizations and businesses interested in becoming a member can contact Leecroft Clarke at IDEA-Director@uwayscc.org.