ADL's involvement in Houston CVE Programs (University Of Houston)

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Background: reports by the Brennan Center and RAND Corporation both list the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as an official partner* in two Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programs developed and implemented in Houston, TX, also known as "Community Collaborative to Counter Violent Extremism" and "Countering Violent Extremism Training and Engagement Initiative." Also listed as partners in these programs are numerous public entities beholden to state and national public records laws, including FEMA, the Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff, Houston Independent School District, the Mayor's Office of Houston, the University of Houston, and the Houston Regional Intelligence Center. I request records detailing the nature, extent, and results of ADL's involvement in regards to these programs and any and all other similar ones, as follows:

*[Links: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/countering-violent-extremism-trump-era
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR2600/RR2647/RAND_RR2647.pdf]

1) Any and all records or documents created with/by, mentioning, provided by/to, or otherwise involving the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) including but not limited to grants, scholarships, fellowships, contracts, MOUs, reports, emails (to, from, cc’ing, or bcc’ing email addresses with the domain “@adl.org” including but not limited to “ejarvis@adl.org” and “osegal@adl.org”), presentations, slides, transactions, training materials, consultations, curricula, etc., for the sake of preventing:
-“violent extremism”
-“terrorism”
-“radicalization”
-“incitement”
-“hate speech”
-“hate crimes” etc.
[from January 1st, 2016 to August 5th, 2020 (or most current date of record fulfillment)]

2) Any and all records or documents created with/by, mentioning, provided by/to, or otherwise involving the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) including but not limited to grants, scholarships, fellowships, contracts, MOUs, reports, emails (to, from, cc’ing, or bcc’ing email addresses with the domain “@adl.org” including but not limited to “ejarvis@adl.org” and “osegal@adl.org”), presentations, slides, transactions, training materials, consultations, curricula, etc., regarding any and all of the following programs:
-“Countering Violent Extremism” (CVE)
-“Preventing Violent Extremism” (PVE)
-“Black Identity Extremism” (BIE)
-“CVE Training and Engagement Initiative”
-“Urban Area Security Initiative” (UASI)
-“Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention” (TVTP)
-“Community Collaborative to Counter Violent Extremism”
-“ACT: NOW Hotline” (or “ACTNOW”)
-“Three Cities”
-“Empowered Parents”
[from January 1st, 2016 to August 5th, 2020 (or most current date of record fulfillment)]

3) Any and all records or documents created with/by, mentioning, provided by/to, or otherwise involving the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) including but not limited to grants, scholarships, fellowships, contracts, MOUs, reports, emails (to, from, cc’ing, or bcc’ing email addresses with the domain “@adl.org” including but not limited to “ejarvis@adl.org” and “osegal@adl.org”), presentations, slides, transactions, training materials, consultations, curricula, etc., regarding the PLANNING FOR and/or DEVELOPMENT of any and all of the following programs:
-“Countering Violent Extremism” (CVE)
-“Preventing Violent Extremism” (PVE)
-“Black Identity Extremism” (BIE)
-“CVE Training and Engagement Initiative”
-“Urban Area Security Initiative” (UASI)
-“Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention” (TVTP)
-“Community Collaborative to Counter Violent Extremism”
-“ACT: NOW Hotline” (or “ACTNOW”)
-“Three Cities”
-“Empowered Parents”
[from January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2017]

4) Any and all correspondences with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) (email addresses with the domain “@adl.org” including but not limited to “ejarvis@adl.org” and “osegal@adl.org”) also addressed to, or mentioning, cc’ing, or bcc’ing any and all of the following INDIVIDUALS or ORGANIZATIONS:
“Alliance for Compassion and Tolerance”; “Crisis Intervention of Houston, Inc.”; “Islamic Society of Greater Houston”; “Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston”; “Outreach Strategists”; “Thrive Productions”; “American Civil Liberties Union” (ACLU); “Rice University”; “United Way”; “Houston Regional CVE Steering Committee”; “Shifa Clinic”; “Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs”; “River Oaks Islamic Center”; “EMERGE USA Houston”; “Salaam Reentry Program”; “WISE”; “Muslim Professional Association”; “Amaanah Refugee Services”; ‘World Affairs Council of Houston”; “A.T. Still University”; “Indus Arts Council”; “Islamic Arts Society & Muslim Artists of Houston”; “Intersections International”; Mustafa Tameez; Wardah Khalid; Naomi Madrid; Baber Mohammed; Julie Doyle (or “Julie Doyle-Madrid”) Kimberly House; Melanie Bartis; Dennis Storemski
[from January 1st, 2016 to August 5th, 2020 (or most current date of record fulfillment)]

5) Any and all records or documents created with/by, mentioning, provided by/to, or otherwise involving the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) including but not limited to grants, scholarships, fellowships, contracts, MOUs, reports, emails (to, from, cc’ing, or bcc’ing email addresses with the domain “@adl.org” including but not limited to “ejarvis@adl.org” and “osegal@adl.org”), presentations, slides, transactions, training materials, consultations, curricula, etc., regarding DATA or INFORMATION SHARING, including but not limited to data or information about:
-“hate”
-“hate speech”
-“hate crimes”
-“terrorism”
-“extremism”
-“violent extremism”
-“radicalization”
-“incitement”, etc.
[from January 1st, 2016 to August 5th, 2020 (or most current date of record fulfillment)]

6) Any and all correspondences with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) (email addresses with the domain “@adl.org” including but not limited to “ejarvis@adl.org” and “osegal@adl.org”) with any and all of the following KEYWORDS/SEARCH TERMS:
“violent extremism”; “Israel”; “Israel/Palestine”; “Palestine”; "Palestinian"; “radicalization”; “deradicalization”; “Preventing Violent Extremism”; “PVE”; “Countering Violent Extremism”; “CVE”; “BDS"; ; “lone wolf”; “hate speech”; “hate crime”; “parental engagement”; “risk factor”; “indicator”; “interfaith”; "curriculum"; “incitement”; "curricula"; “Three Cities”; “Empowered Parents”; “threat analysis”; "threat assessment"; “risk assessment”; “intervention”; "prevention; “Islam”; “Muslim”; “gang”; “anti-gang”; “scenario-based”; “community resilience”; “CVE Training and Engagement Initiative”; “refugee”; “violence prevention”; “convert”; “trusted community partners”; “mental health”; “substance abuse”; "trafficking"; "sex trafficking"; “suicide”; “bullying”; “radical views”; “extremist”; “extremism”; “violent extremist”; “safe spaces”; “dialog promotion”; “aggression”; “new Muslim”; “prison”; “reentry”; “re-entry”; “counseling”; “counselor”; "counsel”; “clinic”; “mentor”; “mentorship”; “terrorism”; “terrorist”; “crisis intervention”; “counter-narrative”; “jihad”; “jihadi”; “jihadist”; “anti-Semitism”; “antisemitism”; “Zionism”; “Zionist”; “anti-Zionism”; "anti-Zionist”; “anti-Israel”; “Incidence Response”; “Incident Response”; “prison dawah”; “terrorism ideologies”; “warning signs”; “Salaam Shalom Institute”; “civil rights”; “civil liberties”; “community education”; “train-the-trainer”; “ISIS”; “Islamic State”; “al-Qaeda”; “Islamist”; “steering committee”; “Crisis Intervention of Houston”; “cartel”; “migrant”; “community expert”; “material support”; “recruitment”; “harassment”; “hotline”; “anti-bullying”; “online safety”; “early prevention”
[from January 1st, 2016 to August 5th, 2020 (or most current date of record fulfillment)]

For the purposes of this request, “records” includes but is not limited to any paper or electronic information, reports, evaluations, memoranda, correspondence, letters, emails, charts, graphs, flyers, meeting agendas and minutes, training materials, diagrams, forms, DVDs, tapes, CDs, notes or other similar materials. If the requested records are stored in electronic format, we ask that they be produced in electronic format.

For the purposes of this request, “correspondences” includes but is not limited to any and all letters, emails, call transcriptions, meeting notes, and any and all other forms of paper and electronic communications sent to, received from, cc’ing and bcc’ing the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and any member of the Anti-Defamation League. If the requested records are stored in electronic format, we ask that they be produced in electronic format.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Brown

Dear Cecilia Alvarez,

Glad to help clarify. That is the correct set of keywords, and here is the list of UH employees. Please provide all emails (including attachments) with those keywords to, from, cc'ing, and bcc'ing the following employees:

Renu Khator
Ioannis A. Kakadiaris
Ioannis Konstantinidis
Kevin Clement
Beverly A. Rymer
Mary Ann Ottinger
Tiffany Roosa
Rachel Brownlie
Barbara Dwyer
Lan Ni
Anthony Ambler
Kurt Berens
Lea Hellmueller

Thank you very much.

Dear Cecilia Alvarez,

I'm writing to appeal the decision based on the fact that public articles indicate a relationship between the faculty/staff mentioned and the Anti-Defamation League and programs related to "extremism" and "violent extremism".

Both of Houston's CVE programs, ("Countering Violent Extremism Training and Engagement Initiative" and "Community Collaborative to Counter Violent Extremism") list the University of Houston and the Anti-Defamation League as partners, and one specifially lists UH's Borders, Trade, and Immigration (BTI) Institute as a partner. (https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/countering-violent-extremism-trump-era).

1) University of Houston's chancellor Renu Khator what appointed to the Department of Homeland Security's advisory council shortly after the CVE programs in Houston began, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security. (https://uh.edu/news-events/stories/2016/October/KhatorDHSAdvisory.php and https://www.dhs.gov/news/2016/10/19/secretary-johnson-appoints-new-members-academic-advisory-council-commits-new). She was also previously honored by the ADL in 2014 (https://uh.edu/president/about/cv/ and https://southwest.adl.org/adl-and-houston-theatre-companies-announce-houston-in-concert-against-hate/).

As University of Houston participated in an official capacity alongside the ADL on the two CVE programs sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security, "Countering Violent Extremism Training and Engagement Initiative" and "Community Collaborative to Counter Violent Extremism", during Renu Khator's administration as chancellor and while Khator is also officially on the DHS Academic Advisory Council, it is reasonable to expect there are public documents on the matter.

2) Dr. Lan Ni was the campaign advisor for University of Houston's participation in the Peer to Peer: Challenging Extremism program, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security: https://www.uh.edu/class/communication/news/archive/2016/valenti-students-get-public-to-speak-up-about-attitudes-towards-muslim-immigration/Valenti%20Students%20Get%20Public%20to%20Speak%20Up%20About%20Attitudes%20towards%20Muslim%20Immigration-2.php

UH professor Lea Hellmueller participated in the Peer to Peer "Big Talk" on extremism.
(https://uh.edu/news-events/stories/2017/April/04102017.php and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rptbLAZ1K3k)

3) The remaining employees are past and present employees of the University of Houston Borders, Trade, and Immigration (BTI) Institute, a Department of Homeland Security "center of excellence" that is listed by the Brennan Center as an official partner of the "Community Collaborative" CVE program, where the Anti-Defamation League is also listed as a partner.
Ioannis A. Kakadiaris
Ioannis Konstantinidis
Kevin Clement
Beverly A. Rymer
Mary Ann Ottinger
Tiffany Roosa
Rachel Brownlie
Barbara Dwyer
Lan Ni
Anthony Ambler
Kurt Berens