APADRC Knowledge Shared at Professional Conference

by Carolina Garza

The Southern California Mediation Association(SCMA) held its 21st annual conference at Pepperdine University early November.  Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center's (APADRC) Assistant Program Director, Carolina Garza De Luna, had the opportunity to present a community mediation center perspective to a majority of attorney mediators in a workshop called "A View from the Street:  What is New and Exciting in Community Mediation."

In collaboration with Ventura Center for Dispute Settlement (VCDS), SCMA participants were able to discuss new and innovative ways community mediation centers are promoting, practicing and changing the face of mediation.  APADRC presented two projects - the Day Labor Project and CBO intern placement project.  With an emphasis on these two projects we were able to illustrate how community mediaion centers are a crucial part in the mediation movement aimed to increase awareness and utilization of the process.  APADRC is very grateful for the opportunity and hopes to continue to promote the community mediation perspective as a crucial part of the mediation world.