Mosaic Receives Grant from the Texas Bar Foundation

Mosaic Family Services recently received a $9,600 grant for the Multicultural Legal Services Program from the Texas Bar Foundation. This generous grant will support the Language Access Program within the legal program by expanding interpretive services in order to improve access to justice for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) victims. As an agency that targets refugees and immigrants, approximately 80% of Mosaic’s clients speak little to no English. Consequently, the Multicultural Legal Services Program depends upon translators and interpreters to effectively serve clients. Professional interpreters are often unaware of crime victim issues and are unprepared for adversarial courtroom settings. Through the Language Access Program, the legal program at Mosaic can better serve its clients by ensuring the provision of professional interpreters and by training those interpreters to be sensitive to issues such as domestic violence and human trafficking, which directly impact the LEP victims.

Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $12 million in grants to law-related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably-funded bar foundation.

Mosaic Family Services Multicultural Legal Services Program employs three full-time attorneys who provide immigration and family law representation for low-income immigrant victims of crimes such as domestic violence and human trafficking.

For more information on the Texas Bar Foundation, please visit their website.

Posted by Laura B

World Day for Cultural Diversity

Today is the World Day for Cultural Diversity: For Dialogue and Development. You may wonder, "how in the world do I celebrate such an occasion?" Well this year's theme is "Do one thing" for cultural diversity and inclusion. Again, this may seem very abstract, but there are some very practical, easy and FUN ways to do this in your everyday life.

Thought Starters for Individuals
(adapted from the "Do One Thing" facebook fanpage)

Show your care for diversity and tell others:
1. “Like” Mosaic, the Do One Thing Campaign or another culturally diverse organization on Facebook and start a discussion on your “wall”
2. Invite your friends to review the pages and learn more
3. Tell your Twitter followers what you are doing in support of the Do One Thing Campaign!
4. Create a 1-2 minute video and post it to our Facebook page about your “ONE thing”
5. Tell others about the Do One Thing Campaign and about Mosaic!
6. Start a conversation with a friend about any cross-cultural experiences that you've had.

Increase your awareness:
1. Take a virtual/on-line tour of a country you’ve never been to
2. Research the history or culture of another country or civilization and talk about it with your family and friends
3. Check out world events through another country’s news channel
4. Set your web browser to the international version
5. Explore art/music of a different culture

Experience another culture:
1. Visit an art exhibit/museum that reflects diverse cultures
2. Rent a movie about a different culture… with subtitles
3. Go out to a culturally diverse lunch/dinner
4. Prepare a dish that is not of your native cuisine
5. Have a potluck with your co-workers/friends that is your native cuisine
6. Learn traditional greetings/thank you’s in another language. Practice them at work and with your family
If you are in the DFW area, check out the cultural calendar for local cultural events.

Make a difference for cultural understanding and give back:
1. Make a donation to a non-profit that is meaningful to you and making a difference around the world or in your community (like MOSAIC!)

After your cultural experience or activity, feel free to share it by commenting on this wall or on our Facebook page. We would love to hear from you!