SALT LAKE CITY
Utah's Office of Ethnic Affairs has drafted a two-year strategy to publicize, develop and support services to the state's ethnic communities and businesses.
Among the 30 specific goals laid out in the 35-page plan are an internship program for minority students interested in human services careers, recruiting minority teachers, seminars for minority and women business owners and a Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce.
Introduced last week, the plan was created from ideas by people from community organizations and various state department leaders, including the state offices of Hispanic, Asian, Black and Pacific Islander affairs, said Yvette Donosso Diaz, executive director of the new state office.
``It's important to have the direction and leadership,'' Diaz said. ``Now, we know exactly what we need to do.''
Four directors and two staffers at the ethnic office will be accountable for implementing the plan, Diaz adds. She thinks the plan will help the new office, created by Gov. Jon Huntsman when he took office in January, build credibility with the Legislature.
Diaz hopes to work in concert with other state agencies to execute the plan and will solicit private donations to fund some of the programs.
Although not everyone has reviewed the plan, some ethnic community leaders say they hope it will move beyond past efforts at similar idea and to real accountability
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