Signs of Growth in our Community of Faribault

Someone once said of growth that on a hot day in the South you can sit on the porch and hear the cotton pop. The heat accelerates the growth so much that it happens right in front of you in an observable way. But most growth is more subtle than that. (Granted my son is something like the cotton…I swear that some mornings he is taller than he was the night before!) Most often the changes happen incrementally, almost unnoticeably. It is in the moments of learning, of insight, of resolution of conflicts, of risk-taking that we become different. We grow as persons and as communities. It is that growth we need to celebrate.

I would like to share with you some of the signs I see of the growth in our community of Faribault.

o Last week a local employer called to ask a question about understanding the cultural issues that may be related to an employee’s behavior. The company wanted to accommodate religious practices but also had its requirements it had to ask of all employees. The conversation showed a way of operating amidst diversity that had come a long way toward seeking dialogue rather than simply imposing the majority culture. It was good to witness.

o Within the community, many new programs have emerged to help new immigrants learn English. The established community wants to help and the newcomers are hungry to learn. The waiting list is long for Adult Basic Education classes. Volunteers are stepping forward both at the Welcome Center and at a new program run by a Somali liaison at the school. Others are teaching English while teaching sewing or wanting to do so as they teach health and parenting. It is a community that is responding.

o The Welcome Center is partnering with Blue Earth County Employment Services in an Office of Refugee Resettlement program for refugee employment and social services support. It is a potential 5-year partnership helping those most recently arrived. As we went to the training, Hashi was among the majority. Nearly 90% of the participants in the training were immigrants themselves. The assets in the immigrant communities are strong. That strength is evident.

o Yesterday representatives from the Census Bureau came to town to begin the campaign to get a complete count of everyone in the new census April 1. The City, the Chamber, and the Welcome Center were present and came up with a list of 20 more that could have been in the room. We talked of snowbirds and immigrants and churches and seniors…wanting to reach everyone, to ease fears or confusion, to help everyone see how important this is for funding and representation for the town and the State. Inclusion was not an add-on—It was the center of the conversation.

o Last week at a meeting organized by the MN Advocates for Human Rights the concern was how different organization working with immigrants might better work together and work for the people they serve. A main topic of concern was the urgency of movement on comprehensive immigration reform. Advocates say the country has a 6-month window to act on this before the issue goes back into the shadows for another four years, lost in election campaigns where controversial issues are unwelcome. Current laws leave many people vulnerable and trapped. Hope is guarded but hope is there that if enough people choose to get involved with this issue, maybe this time things can change. It is something that needs to be addressed. Can we resolve it this time?

And so it goes, day in and day out. Individual immigrants become more independent and self-sufficient. Mainstream agencies get better at their mission, seeing immigrants as an integral part of who they serve. Immigrant faces show up in striking numbers among those who are serving their communities. The issues that face the community rise to the top politically, even when the economy and so many other issues would suggest waiting for more favorable winds. Life cannot wait.

We are only a small player on this stage which is our community. There are so many more. But as things “grow” around us, we consider ourselves fortunate to be close enough to witness the change…and to celebrate with others. Grow well.

Bob Kell—Director, Welcome Center