Kevin Connor November 22 2016

Dubuque Community
Assessment

Kevin Connor
November 22, 2016
Kevin Connor November 22 2016

In this day in age, cultural competency is more relevant throughout society than ever. In

America especially, the topic of race and culture is a prevalent and reoccurring theme that is seen

on a daily basis. With the recent events in the past years spanning from political and civil rights

actions, the nation is finding itself divided along a social barrier. America is known as a melting

pot due to the wide array of race, religion and culture throughout the country. However, since

America is so large, racial segregation and division among cultures is very likely to be seen.

Racial and ethnic segregation is a fact of life in most areas of the United States, (Rodenborg,

N. A., & Boisen, L. A. 2013). It is harder to see in larger cities throughout the United States due

to the close quarter living arrangements primarily in urban areas, but in no way does that mean

segregation and division doesnt exist in these densely populated American cities. In a culturally

diverse city like Chicago, it is common to see neighborhoods separated by race. Streets serve as

dividing lines among different races, which can be seen in areas where a specific race represents

the majority of citizens. There are also many stereotypes that are known by Chicagoans

regarding different areas of the city. For example, the north side is generally known as the areas

that are primarily white and the south side is generally known for having a larger black

population. In more rural areas, especially throughout the Midwest, division among whites and

people of color is commonly observed. Aside from a select few major cities in the Midwest, the

rest of the towns and cities in the Midwest most likely consist of rural areas with large white

populations. The state of Iowa reinforces the stereotype that the Midwest is majorly populated

by white people. According to infoplease.com, Iowa is 93.9% white. The city of Dubuque

according to dubuque.areaconnect.com is 96.15% white. The extremely high number of whites

populating Dubuque brings up the question: Is Dubuque culturally competent? By simply

looking at the surface and amount of white citizens living Dubuque, one may say that there is no
Kevin Connor November 22 2016

chance that the city of Dubuque is culturally competent. It can be said that Dubuque is making

strides to become more culturally competent. Cultural competence can be described as

understanding and accepting no matter what race, religion, culture, etc. they identify as.

Acknowledging that there are differences among peers from different backgrounds is another

important factor of being culturally competent. The differences among cultures should be

celebrated, as it is a way for an individual to take pride in their culture. In order to successfully

be culturally competent, one should not look down on the differences from other cultures, rather

they should learn more about each individual race to make strides to be better understanding of

different customs and beliefs that span from an individuals race. Further information and

research is provided to determine whether Dubuque is culturally competent or not.

Prior to the 1990s, Dubuque had little to no thoughts regarding different races and

different cultures. This was due to the fact the city had nothing but white residents. In 1991 an

article published in the New York Times highlighted the growth of racial tension in city. It was

said that there were only a handful of black citizens in Dubuque, and a native of the city could go

years without seeing a person of color. After a cross burning took place, the topic of race soon

became a priority throughout the city. The City Council took great measures in constructing a

plan to get more black families to move to Dubuque in order to gain diversity throughout the

city. Like one might expect in an all-white city, there was a negative reaction to the new idea

introduced by the council from a large amount of citizens. More cross burnings occurred during

the months that followed, as well as violent conflicts among white and black high school

students. Many people asked the question of how can Dubuque hold such large prejudices and

hatred towards blacks even though the city is in a northern state with no trace of slavery or large

minority populations.
Kevin Connor November 22 2016

Thoughtful, well-meaning citizens decided they could no longer abide such actions. And

they didn't. Working together, they hammered out a timetable-fixed plan to get the no-

nonsense message across to miscreants for one thing, and for another, to make minority

citizens feel welcome in Dubuque. One effort was to connect local employers with

minority job applicants, and in other ways, convince blacks and other ethnics that they

were needed in Dubuque and could expect a square deal (Dreyer, R. 1993).

There are a wide array of events that take place throughout Dubuque that serve the

interests of all backgrounds and cultures. The problem is, these cultural events can be hard to

find if a citizen is not looking to make strides to become more aware of other races and cultures.

An example of an event that focuses around the topic of cultural diversity in Dubuque was a

panel of speakers at Loras College asking and giving their opinion on the question: Does Race

Matter? Events similar to these can easily fly under the radar, especially at a predominately

white college in a predominantly white city. Though most in attendance were people of a white

background, many viewpoints and ideas regarding celebration of race and people of color were

shared by members of the panel and audience. At a school like Loras College, where the

majority of people enrolled are white, talking about race can be a difficult and uncomfortable

thing to do. However, discussions like these are essential to cities and towns struggling with

diversity. In order to achieve cultural competence, as stated above, one must gain an

understanding and acceptance for others no matter the color of ones skin. If Dubuque wants to

continue moving forward in cultural diversity, more discussions regarding acceptance of others

races need to occur. It is likely that the majority of people in attendance at these events are

already culturally competent and accepting of others races. Citizens who do not hold these

diverse viewpoints should be encouraged to attend events relating to race.

Kevin Connor November 22 2016

An event in Dubuque of a completely different nature that took place was the grand

opening of Chipotle. People have been waiting months for the ever popular chain Mexican

restaurant to open, and when the day finally came, waves of people were in attendance with lines

filing out the door. The enthusiasm that the citizens of Dubuque showed for the grand opening

of a fast food displays the main priorities held by a large amount of citizens. When a cultural

event that encourages intelligent discussions and debate, or a social gathering to bring attention

to social issues take place in Dubuque, few are in attendance. However, when a popular

restaurant opens, people are ecstatic. It could be argued that the grand opening of Chipotle

could bring citizens of all races together, but the main point to be made is that if people in

Dubuque filed out the door to a city hall discussion regarding race and social issues rather than a

fast food restaurant, Dubuques culture and diversity would improve greatly.

Dubuque is on the verge of being a more accepting and diverse city, but still has a lot of

work to do in order to become fully culturally competent. There is no way to estimate how long

it will take for citizens of Dubuque to be more understanding of different backgrounds. It may

take a number of years, or may not even happen, but there is always room for improvement when

discussing diversity. Cultural events play a huge role in the development of a city as an

accepting place. Stepping out of ones comfort zone and discussing diversity is essential if

Dubuque wants to continue taking steps forward.

Kevin Connor November 22 2016

Reference List

Dreyer, R. (1993). Can we get along?. Supervision, 54(11), 22.

Rodenborg, N. A., & Boisen, L. A. (2013). Aversive Racism and Intergroup Contact Theories: Cultural

Competence in a Segregated World. Journal Of Social Work Education, 49(4), 564-579.

doi:10.1080/10437797.2013.812463

Wilkerson, I. (1991). Seeking a Racial Mix, Dubuque Finds Tension. Retrieved November 22, 2016, from

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/03/us/seeking-a-racial-mix-dubuque-finds-tension.html

http://dubuque.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm

http://www.infoplease.com/us/census/data/iowa/demographic.html