About Us
Our History
In 2019 Deborah Levine, founder and Editor-in-Chief and Howard Comen, a private investigator, founded American Diversity Report-New Beginnings. The idea was, with Deborah’s influential website and knowledge and Howard’s professional experience they would develop programs to combat racism and other hate-based ideologies.
Their first project was to bring the Councils Against Hate program, first developed in Chattanooga, TN, in 2015, by Mayor Andrew Berk, to a national audience. Since Deborah had worked with Mayor Berk on the project she was able to get his permission to re-develop it for their new organization. Howard then brought Richard Wellington, a retired business executive, into the organization, to manage the business aspect of the program and the organization. Then Covid-19 hit and everything came to a screeching halt.
In 2021 Richard decided to develop a new program, The Collective Experience, and incorporate it with ADR-New Beginnings, that would help bring understanding and acceptance between school children. After this program is progressing well, the next effort will be to update Councils Against Hate and develop Councils for Peace and Prosperity. Peace instead of Hate is a more positive approach, and the addition of the financial aspect is because without monetary considerations Peace will continue to elude us.
Our Mission is to bring about a Diverse Society, where people are accepted without regard to race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, financial status or by our own unique characteristics. Just being together brings connections, which fosters understanding and acceptance, which leads to friendship.
ADR-New Beginnings seeks to build a world where we foster Respect, Equity, Inclusion and Counteract Hate Together. We address “hate” based upon ethnicity, gender, language, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, politics, and other ideologies. We see the results of anger and distrust in our communities every day. Our Education Platform offers passive methods to instill cultural understanding, acceptance and inclusion. You cannot change human instinct by teaching, it must be experienced. Our purpose-built programs are designed to offer students the opportunity to spend time with students of all races, cultures and religions so they may learn understanding and respect through experience.
Our grass roots initiative is a multi-faith, multi-cultural, and non-political group that shares the same concerns and believe that together we can achieve a more equitable, safer, and accepting world, where intolerance and prejudice no longer exist. Our members are personally motivated and passionate about their work. They take responsibility for themselves and each other. Only when we work together can we achieve our goals and create the future we wish for our children. Every person can and will make a difference.
Members and Friends of ADR-New Beginnings:
Founding Member: has joined ADR-New Beginnings or a Branch Location at the start, or near the start, provides leadership, helps set the goals of the organization or Branch Location, and offers guidance to future leaders and members.
Contributing Member – someone who wishes to participate, but not in an ongoing management role. Participates in the Gatherings Activities or Pathways Classroom Activities, on an irregular basis.
Supporting Member – may be active in the funding needs of the organization and introducing new organizations and members to the Vision and Mission of the organization.
Member: a person who wishes to join and participate on a regular basis, provide leadership, and help manage the Mission of the organization.