“Injustice is the Greatest Foundation of Hatred”
– Alice Walker, August 2009
Bill Hackwell and Alicia Jrapko produced an evening event at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley in support of the “Cuban Five”.
The Cuban Five have remained in an United States prison since 1998 for attempting to monitor right-wing, anti-Castro organizations that continue to plot to overthrow and destabilize the Cuban government. Gayle McLaughlin, the Mayor of Richmond, CA, welcomed the audience, and the featured speaker of the evening was Alice Walker, who spoke eloquently about injustice in our society. As the beginning of a national touring exhibit entitled “From My Altitude,” the walls were covered with the art of Antonio Guerrero, one of the Five, revealing the human possibilities of what can be created even in the most difficult of circumstances
Norma Hotaling Honored Posthumously
In October 2008, Norma Hotaling, nationally recognized advocate for the sexually exploited, was selected to receive our annual Danny Keenan Award for contributions to human services. Sadly, in December 2008, Norma died at home after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. In July 2009, C.A.L. Research’s Bill Hackwell presented the award posthumously at the 9th Annual Graduation of clients enrolled in Standing Against Global Exploitation, known as SAGE, the San Francisco non-profit that Norma co-founded in 1992.
C.A.L. Research Launches New IRB Services
In May 2009, C.A.L. Research formally registered a new Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects from Research Risks. Our original IRB, a panel of outside social science researchers and human service practitioners, has been reviewing our own plans to protect research subjects since 1996. The newly-formed IRB is charged with providing similar services to projects conducted outside of C.A.L. Research, by other consultants and evaluators. During the summer, we “beta-tested” these services, and began marketing in September.
Carol Coley Promoted
Carol has been an Administrative Assistant at C.A.L. Research since July 1998. In May 2009, she received a much-deserved promotion to Administrative Associate. (Not at all coincidentally, Carol’s promotion followed shortly on the heels of her return to Contra Costa College as a part-time student.)
Iraj Imam Remembered on Persian New Year
In April, current and former C.A.L. Research
staff members met to honor the memory of our friend and colleague, Iraj Imam, who passed away in May 2007. We met over lunch at Alborz, a Persian restaurant in Berkeley, where we toasted Iraj and shared stories about working with him. Iraj joined our staff as a Research Associate in 1993, later became Sr. Research Manager, and in June 2006 was tapped by the Board of Directors to serve as Interim President following Tom Foster’s retirement earlier that month. His photograph hangs in a prominent position in our office.
Phoenix Jackson Promoted
2009 got off to a great start for Phoenix Jackson, who was promoted from Research Assistant to Research Assistant II, effective New Year’s Day. Phoenix is primarily responsible for managing the endless stream of client-oriented data that we collect and report on behalf of many of the programs we evaluate. On the side, Phoenix continues her studies to become an EMT, a step along the longer path towards a career in nursing.
2008 C.A.L. Research Poster Honors Beneficence
In May 2009, C.A.L. Research formally registered a new Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects from Research Risks.
Our original IRB, a panel of outside social science researchers and human service practitioners, has been reviewing our own plans to protect research subjects since 1996. The newly-formed IRB is charged with providing similar services to projects conducted outside of C.A.L. Research, by other consultants and evaluators. During the summer, we “beta-tested” these services, and began marketing in September.
