Volume 2, Number 3 - March/April 1999

In February, representatives from a broad range of ethnic communities and organizations gathered in Miami for the National Diversity Forum: Creating Partnerships to Save Lives, organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). MADD's national president, Karolyn Nunnallee, explained that MADD "has been wondering how to best reach out to different populations. To do that, we have to invite these populations to the table to discuss one another's dif-ferences and similarities." In addition to drinking and driving, the Forum also addressed the low rate of seat belt and child restraint use that is characteristic of many ethnic populations.

Nunnallee believes that MADD learned much during the Forum. She says, "Although we've had diversity training for victim advocates for years, we realized that our educational materials must be changed to target specific communities." For example, it was pointed out that the MADD "Don't Drink and Drive" logo includes a picture of a martini, a drink that is literally foreign to many ethnic groups.

The Forum included a number of recommendations, including supporting research on alcohol marketing practices targeted at minority groups, conducting youth forums on traffic safety issues, and providing cross-cultural trainings in police academies.

Nunnallee says that the Forum was "just our way of getting started. We will continue to bring all the cultures to the table and continue the dialogue."

For more information, contact MADD, 511 E. John Carpenter Freeway, Suite 700, Irving, TX 75062-8187. Telephone: (214) 744-MADD; fax: (972) 869-2206; WWW: www.madd.org.

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