Director Tiffany Rea-Fisher welcomes participants to the ADI Symposium at the Paul Smith’s College VIC. (Provided photo — Diane Chase)

I was lucky enough to be able to attend last week’s Adirondack Diversity Initiative Symposium at the Paul Smith College VIC. The schedule consisted of various topics intermingled with breakout sessions, coffee, great food and access to the VIC trails. I signed up as a resident, but other people were there representing organizations and businesses. It was a compelling experience being in a room with a mixture of people and businesses there to encourage compassion, acceptance and kindness.

As the Adirondack Park relies on tourism, each session focused on different aspects of enacting change, whether welcoming diversity and inclusion to LGBTQI-plus and people of color, community building or attracting youth to counteract the aging population. According to the Lake Placid News article, Adirondack Explorer and NCPR Launch Diversity Coverage, the percentage of white/non-Hispanic residents is over 90% in all but one of the Adirondack counties, while 95% of the visitors are white. The ADI Symposium addressed some of the issues facing the Adirondacks, including declining population, diversity in the workplace, the housing crisis, trail inclusivity and how to be welcoming to all.

In addition to the numerous workshops, ADI addressed new initiatives including A School Yard Toolkit and Welcoming and Belonging Micro-credential. ADI staff are currently developing a school tool kit to help administrators and staff have the skills to identify and de-escalate situations as they occur. Through North Country Community College, the Welcoming and Belonging Micro-credential will provide businesses, community groups and local chambers with a foundation to create inclusive and respectful spaces for diverse clients and staff. The Micro-credential was designed with feedback from local businesses, BIPOC, LGBTQI-plus community members, businesses and professionals.

I saw old friends and met new ones throughout the day. I asked questions and listened. There was a lot of listening. I wanted to hear people’s stories and understand how to be more welcoming. The event concluded with a dynamic presentation by the Diversity Education in Nature co-founders and a reflective nature walk along one of the VIC trails.

I’ve always tried to teach my children to never stop learning. I want them to listen, question, learn and grow. I always want to make sure I’m practicing what I preach. Anyone interested in other ADI events and activities can go to DiversityADK.org. Let’s all keep learning.