Miriam Dashtipour
MIRC Program Coordinator
Contact Miriam
Yoke-Sim
Gunaratne
Executive Director
I
Miriam serves as the Program Coordinator for the Metro Interpreters Resources Center and find qualified translators for businesses, court systems & organizations. She also assists with our Job Development program by creating resumes, helping with job applications and carrying out self-sufficiency referrals.
Miriam recently moved here from Missouri to work with the array of diversity populations in the F-M area. She is focused on ethical leadership, community engagement and cultural competence; which aligns with her global studies degree as a Multicultural Leadership Scholar. The emphasis within her degree is in language and culture so Miriam's background is in accordance with many of the families we offer services to. She has been attending the 4H multi-ethnic afterschool program at Horizon and enjoys working with youth and children.
If you feel your agency is in need of interpreting services, call or email our office. Miriam can explain the process, answer your questions, and match you with local high quality professional multi-lingual speakers to carry out your communcation needs!
Cassie serves as partnership with CDR staff and its community partners to develop and implement Public Relation strategies to increase awareness and understanding of its programs and activities.
She collaborates and coordinates with community partners to develop inclusive and multicultural communication strategies and ways to inform and educate the ethnically diverse groups and the community-at-large about the established vision, mission and goals to reduce racial, social and economic disparities.
Cassie also assist with the planning and marketing of organizational and special events, develops, designs and produces publicity material as needed and provides ongoing website development and social media management.
Yoke Sim has been with Cultural Diversity Resources (CDR) since its inception in 1994. She works with refugees, immigrants and minority individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
She has more than 20 years of experience working and presenting on nonprofit and diversity issues. She had worked with international students at NDSU and as a Refugee Resettlement
Manager in ND. She has a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree and a Master of Arts (Sociology).
She is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and currently serves as the Diversity Director for ND Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Council. She is
trained in “Seeking Educational Equity & Diversity” (SEED) curriculum for teachers and has facilitated SEED seminars for both Moorhead and Fargo School Districts for more than fourteen
years. She provides diversity training and consultation to various businesses, community agencies, governmental entities and professional associations. In addition, she is trained as a
facilitator through West Central Initiative Community Foundation. She has served on numerous nonprofit and governmental boards and committees.
Who we are
In 1993, Fargo - Moorhead metro area leaders held several forums to identify community issues needing urgent attention. The community prioritized on the need to embrace its increasing ethnic diversity and assist diverse populations in overcoming barriers to community participation. Leaders wanted to ameliorate intolerance of all kinds, increase understanding of the value of diversity, and develop a permanent system-wide framework aimed at celebrating the ever increasing cultures of the community.
A project development team was formed to develop the mission and long term goals; to involve key stakeholders in the community; and to seek funding for the project. Consequently, a Cultural Diversity Project was established in 1994 with three year $400,000 grant from Pew Charitable Trust with local matching funds of $100,000 from:
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City of Fargo
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City of West Fargo
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City of Moorhead
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City of Dilworth
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Cass County
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Clay County
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United Way
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Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation
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American Crystal Sugar Company.
The cultural diversity project was incorporated as Cultural Diversity Resources (CDR) in 1998 as a 501 © 3 tax exempt non-profit organization.
Cultural Diversity Resources, Inc. is a proactive regional diversity initiative to address the challenges and opportunities of increased cultural and ethnic diversity in Cass County, North Dakota and Clay County, Minnesota.
Meet the Staff
Board Members
Dianne
Briggs
Fargo Public Library
Lynn
Fundingsland
Fargo Housing Authority -Director
Joe
Parise
Clay County Attorney
Charles
Mukhtar
John Deere Electronics Solution
Lourdes
Hawley
Senior Graphic Designer Bell State Bank
