The Greater Mankato Diversity Council (GMDC) exists to enhance the Mankato area’s commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming community through diversity education. Our mission is to provide diversity education as a catalyst for social and economic success. GMDC strives to give people an understanding of diversity and build their cultural competence through Promoting Respect Workshops, multi-cultural activities, diversity events and more.

GMDC's mission is providing diversity education as a catalyst for social and economic success. Three supporting statements focus our mission work within our community. Those three supporting statements are: Global - Preparing our communities for increased global presence and awareness.; Inclusive - Creating an open and safe learning environment in our schools for all students.; Vibrant - Partnering with businesses and industry to create workforce that ensures a healthy economy.

GMDC is a non-profit organization that actively affirms and promotes the full participation of all. GMDC is not an advocate for any particular group or individual. It serves as a resource to all and emphasizes respecting differences.

"One Thousand Peace Cranes"

:Promoting Peace and Unity  

 In the Japanese culture, the crane is a symbol of longevity which can only be achieved through peace. Therefore it has become a tradition in Japan to fold one thousand origami cranes and hang them together (as one sculptural unit/mobile  called 千羽鶴 Senbazuru  in Japanese) to symbolize peace, unity, health and happiness. People from all over the world have folded millions of paper cranes which are currently displayed in the Hiroshima Peace Park at the location where the first atomic bomb was dropped. This park is dedicated to promoting everlasting peace. 

We want to promote respect, tolerance and everlasting peace by inviting everyone in the Mankato area to fold paper cranes in order to create many "one thousand peace cranes sculptures" (Senbazuru) to spread throughout our community thus declaring the Greater Mankato area is united for peace.

 This project was featured in the Mankato Free Press.

WRITE on RACE Community Celebration

Monday, August 6, 2018

Verizon Center

5:30p-8:30p

 Join us as we celebrate the conclusion of the innovative, first-of-its-kind two-year intensive, “WRITE on RACE to be RIGHT on RACE” community journaling initiative! The WRITE on RACE effot ignited community awareness and education about the causes and effects of racial divisiveness on our community. This innovative approach harnessed the power of individual and collective community reflection, reaction, contemplation, and dialogue on RACE to establish a baseline of the racial experience, racial sentiment, and racial consciousness of our community. The WRITE on RACE inititative served as a catalyst to inform and direct future organizational and community efforts at combating and eliminating racism. 

The WRITE on RACE Community Celebration will recognize the extraordinary commitment made by the individual journalers that participated in the two-year effort, recap the depth and breadth of the areas engaged in during this initative as well as unveil the WRITE on RACE community's statements and recommendations for making our community more racially just and inclusive! 

The Minnesota State Demographer, Susan Brower, will present some demographic data on racial disparities in Minnesota and Mankato and the importance on concentrating on these disparities now as we try to build a more inclusive community.

Join us on Monday, August 6 at the Verizon Center from 5:30p to 8:30p to celebrate the conclusion of this critical community endeavor!