Introduction
The Diversity Awareness and Leadership Training (DALT) program is a unique year-round program designed to create authentic change within schools and communities. Throughout the year, young people come together to participate in large-group experiential activities and small group discussions. Through sharing personal experiences and analyzing their assumptions, the students become the teachers. The DALT program provides support for participating students all year-round.

"This really opened people up and made them more comfortable with who they are and what they believe in." - Portage Northern senior

The principal objective of the DALT program is to build a world where all people are safe to be who they really are and empowered to create a culture of acceptance through action.

"I used to be a real mean person. I would have to be tough all the time. It's just real nice to have a safe place where I don't have to be tough all the time."

"When I think about DALT I just close my eyes and smile and think about the way the world could be." - Phoenix Alternative High School sophomore

How do we do this?

We love unconditionally.
We listen.
We have fun.
We discover our own strengths.
We imagine what we want the world to look like.
We respect each other.
We learn from other students.
We step out of our comfort zones.
We are open-minded.
We learn and practice new skills.
We ask questions.
We appreciate our diversity.
We get to know new people.
We change our world.
We trust young people.
We become powerful together.
We include everyone.
We talk about race, gender identity, heterosexism and class issues.
We learn how to dialogue with each other.
We meet in small groups.
We create Action Plans to take back to our schools.
We work all year long to make our schools and communities better places.
We learn new ways to interrupt prejudice and bullying.
We challenge our own stereotypes.
We educate each other based on our own experiences, not experts.