Winter Energy Fair

What a Wonderful World/A Jane Addams Experience

What a week! First, a phone call that woke a sleeping giant. Then I find myself sitting at the Jane Addams School for Democracy in St. Paul at 8 pm on a Monday night, helping a kind, older Hmong man study for his Citizenship exam.

The experience began two hours before at a BlueCross/BlueShield Foundation Healthy Together Workshop at the Jane Addams School, sitting in a Circle with about 25 Hmong, five of us who were attending the workshop, five students from the U of M who were translating and facilitating, as well as facilitators from the Humphrey Institute.

I was participating in what they call "Cultural Exchange" in the Hmong Circle, an atmosphere of warmth and friendship. We started out introducing ourselves and sharing our previous weekend. Laughter filled the air as I told how my wife and I went to Redwing to see the beautiful yellow and red leaves along the bluffs. We drove an hour to get there and they were all brown and on the ground. :( .

Most had a story, though a few women shied away because they don't feel their life is very interesting. They just work 12 hours, go home, make supper for their family, clean house, and go for 3 hours to the Jane Addams school 2 nights a week for socialization and to learn English, share, and study for their citizenship papers. Yet, they were happy and very accepting of us strangers coming into their group.

We split up into two groups and played a card game "Pictionary" where we had to guess what was being drawn on a blank card by one of our group. There was no language barrier as we all were on our feet guessing if it was a boat, 1/2 moon or a banana. "It was a boat".

After several games we split into pairs. I was paired with a Hmong gentleman. With Limited English, he started reading the questions and answers about the Constitution on the first page of the Sample INS Citizenship Questionaire. He read slow and deliberate through the second page until a Bi-Lingual student helper from the U of M joined us. He then confided in her in Hmong that he didn't understand what the words on the second page meant. Without understanding the meaning, he couldn't remember the answers.

So began the slow process of learning the words.

Question: Name the three rights of freedom guaranteed by the Bill of Rights?

Answer: "The right of freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly" was the start of the answer.

That's where we spent the next 45 minutes. I would give my spin on "Freedom of Speech", then my partner would translate to Hmong and I would repeat in English. Finally he would understand and give a big grin, go over the question and read the answer to that point again and again and say, "I understand".

This went on for each word: press, religion, and peaceable assembly. The time went so fast and we felt a closeness that is hard to describe.

He was so proud to learn that much, and the student and I felt so gratified. I also relearned parts of the Constitution and was reminded of much regarding our Democracy. There are 100 questions and I bet there are very few of us that could answer them all. A survey was taken recently of lifetime American Citizens and most people couldn't answer 1/2 of the questions. They ranged from how many stars and stripes, the colors of the flag, the first and current president, how many branches of government, what is congress, can you name the two senators from your state, and 93 more.

I left the night feeling a new appreciation for the Hmong people and all immigrants, working to learn a new language and working to get their citizenship. The Hmong people are a warm and friendly group of people, trying so hard to fit in and start a new life.

There were other circle groups there also, Spanish speaking circle, East African circle, a children's circle that includes small political group of older teens, and a teens' circle, which is mostly newly arrived Hmong teens.

I highly recommend a site visit to the Jane Addams School to see our work in action.

The Jane Addams School for Democracy is a community based education and action project based in Saint Paul 's West Side neighborhood. The school brings together immigrant families, college students, and other community members for mutual learning about citizenship and democracy. This learning takes the form of dialogue, public work, and education with the goal that people can work together across language, culture, gender and age differences to address issues that impact their everyday lives. The Jane Addams School is loosely based on the tradition of settlement houses from a century ago, and seeks to break down traditional model of social service to those in "need." The school was created as a community effort, where people come to work together as equals, learning from each other.

I believe that all we do-- the BC/BS Foundation, the Humphrey Institute, the Faribault Diversity Coalition and all people that belong to or are a part of these organizations-- and anybody else that tries to make life a little bit better for all people, make for a happier and healthier world. Happy people are healthy people.

Until next time, have a gentle day, Milo

A phone call that woke a sleeping giant.

The other day I was identified in the newspaper as president of the Faribault Diversity Coalition and quoted as mentioning our need for volunteers to offer GED support in Spanish. The project would support Spanish-speaking residents who wish to study further or who would like to document their education in their home country by obtaining their GED. The following day I received a call from a retired school teacher.


Her first words were, " I really think it would be more important to learn English and forget the GED until they can speak English".


I was immediately taken aback and became defensive, saying that we were also going to discuss that aspect too. I then realized that this was too short of an answer and I was avoiding a needed confrontation.


I began to explain how ESL (English as a Second Language} classes are filled and have a waiting list of over a year, and that ESL program funding has been cut by the government. I continued by noting that immigrants are being paid less than the white population, thereby having to work two and three jobs to support their families and send money back to the home country to feed their starving families. If the shorter route to a GED opens up opportunities for living wage jobs sooner, it seems a worthwhile effort to support.


I asked how long it took her and my ancestors to learn English. From what I hear from most people, it took generations. But current immigrants are being expected to telescope that process into a few short years.


I explained that we, as a Diversity Coalition and Welcome Center, are a referral and educational system, a helping hand to ALL people. We don't ask and can't ask anyone of any culture if they are legal or illegal. Our concern is to help build an inclusive community where all can participate and belong, where needs are met and persons are respected. Whatever can further that mission has our support.


We have been a bridge between all cultures since we started. We have been trying to be "Minnesota Nice" and have been proud of that Minnesota characteristic. But since "9/11" we have all come up a little short. It all comes down to what's morally right. Do we turn our backs on people because of their race, color or creed? How can we turn someone away who is sick, has a toothache, needs a drivers license, needs something translated so they can understand or be understood, seeks a place to live or wants to know their rights, or wonders where to learn English? It goes on and on. Most people would be happy just to have someone smile at them. That is a bridge we all can build.


I grew up with wonderful and helpful Norwegian parents who were always helping out family and friends, yes, even those Catholics that differed from our Lutheran ways. I might add that when I turned Catholic after I left home, it did get a little rocky for awhile but they got over it. Diversity has probably meant different things to all of us through life, but the challenge will always be to live with mutual respect.


After I took a breath, the caller saw my point and had understood where I was coming from. The caller agreed we need to get "Minnesota Nice" back again and wondered how she could help. I referred her to the Welcome Center, where we are always in need of volunteers to man the office and phones and to join the dialogue, to learn from one another and especially offer a welcoming smile.


With that, I thanked God for the phone call that interrupted my day and made me see and put into words what I have been so passionately involved with the past 6 years. I guess a little adversity is good for the soul.


Have a gentle day, Milo

Faribault's Own International Market Day: A Success

To see more pictures or watch a slide show of all the pictures not shown below, click on the above title.












I am pleased to announce that International Market Day was an extreme success. Thanks to Gloria Pozuelos, Antonia Navarro, Vitaelvia, Kuresha Dolal, Milo larson, and led by Joel Raaen and Vicky & Eddie Carrillo.


Many different foods, coffee, tea, and jewelry from Mexico, South America and Sudan were offered along with great conversation and happy faces.


Joseph Mbele from Tanzania, a professor at St. Olaf College, showed his books and talked about the African Cultures differing from ours. Conflict and differences in people come about from not knowing each others cultures he explains.


Two musical groups entertained us with American and Spanish music while the scent of food permeated the air.


A special thanks to Dan Zelske who spent several Thursday nights at Central Park Music Concerts this past summer for raising money to help pay for this event.


More information can be found in the Faribault Daily News, Sunday, Oct. 1st addition, online or newspaper.


Thanks to Julie Fox for making a video to be put on FCTV and Julie Lee and company from BlueCross/BlueShield Foundation for making a video of this event and more from the Faribault Diversity Coalition to be put on their Website at a later date.


Thanks to everyone working and attending for getting to know a little more about each other and embracing each others cultures. I believe we are a little healthier and wealthier in being in the presence of so many wonderful people.


Have a gentle day, Milo