iq magazine - summer 2007

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2 IINNIITTIIAATTIIVVEE QQUUAARRTTEERRLLYY

CONTENTSFEATURES

14Imagine NationA Demographic Glimpse at the Year 2020

18Common GroundIdeals & Ordeals ofMinnesota’s Same-OldNewcomers

22Changing FacesCultural Snapshots

26Minnesota IndianFacing the Truth

30ShatteredFor Targets of Racism,Minnesota Nice is Skin-Deep

DEPARTMENTS

SUMMER 2007

Hamdi Abdi, St. CloudRead her story on page 36.Photography by Jim Altobell

COVER

• Strengthen Children, Youth, and Families

• Promote Economic Stability• Preserve Space, Place, and Natural Resources

• Build Capacity of Nonprofit Organizations

• Embrace Diversity & Reduce Prejudice

• Increase Utilization of Technology

“Our mission is to unlock the potential of the people of central Minnesota to build

and sustain healthy communities.”

INITIATIVE FOUNDATION FOCUS AREASC A S SC A S S

C R O WC R O WW I N GW I N G

M O R R I S O NM O R R I S O NT O D DT O D D

W R I G H TW R I G H T

BENTONBENTON

S H E R B U R N ES H E R B U R N E

I S A N T II S A N T I

C H I S A G OC H I S A G O

S T E A R N SS T E A R N S

WADENAWADENA

P I N EP I N E

K A N A B E CK A N A B E CM I L L EM I L L EL A C SL A C S

ST. CLOUD

BRAINERDBAXTER

CAMBRIDGE

LITTLE FALLS

NORTHBRANCH

SARTELL

BIGLAKE

ELKRIVER

ST. MICHAEL

BUFFALO

MONTICELLO

SAUKRAPIDS

WAITEPARK

Nisswa

Wadena

Menahga

Long Prairie

Melrose

Sauk Centre

Paynesville

Cold SpringZimmerman

Albertville

Rockford

Delano

Montrose

Maple LakeAnnandale

HowardLake

Cokato

Albany

St. Joseph

Foley

Pierz

Crosby

Sandstone

Mora

Milaca

Princeton

Braham

Isanti

Stacy

Wyoming

Chisago City

Lindstrom

Pine City

Rush City

Crosslake

Wilkinson

Leech Lake

Walker

Ah-Gwah-Ching

Onigum

Whipholt

Brevik

Hackensack

Longville

Inguadona

Boy River

Federal Dam

Bena

Schley

Tobique

Remer

Nickerson

Duquette

Kerrick

Bruno

Kingsdale

Cloverton

Duxbury

Cloverdale

Markville

Denham

Ellson Willow River

Rutledge

FinlaysonAskov

Groningen

FrieslandKroschelWarman

Quamba

Ogilvie

Bock

Foreston

Pease

Long Siding

Carmody

Dalbo

Day

Springvale

Walbo

West PointBradford

Bodum

Weber

Blomford

Edgewood

Spring Lake

Stark Harris

Sunrise

Almelund

PalmdaleCenter

CityShafer

Taylors Falls

Franconia

Rush PointGrandy

Stanchfield

Oxlip

Crown

SpencerBrook

Pine BrookWyanett

Estes Brook

Glendorado

OakPark

Ronneby

Duelm

CablePalmer

Clear Lake

Hasty

Enfield

Silver Creek

Waverly

OsterRice Lake

HighlandAlbright

Knapp

Georgeville

Belgrade

Brooten

Elrosa

Padua

Sebeka

Blue Grass

Leaf River

Verndale

West Union

Stockholm

Albion Center

WestAlbion

FrenchLake

Becker

Orrock

Santiago

Coin

Brunswick

Hinckley

Beroun

Henriette

GrasstonWest Rock

GreeleyRock Creek

Brook Park

Sturgeon Lake

Opstead

Isle

WahkonBayview

Cove

Onamia

Hillman

Harding

LastrupFreedham

Genola

Buckman

MorrillRamey Granit

LedgeBrennyville

Novak's Corner

JakevilleGilman

RumRiver

Little RockRoyalton

Gregory

Darling

Randall

Cushing

Lincoln

Browerville

Motley

Philbrook

North Prairie

BowlusElmdale

Burtrum

Round Prairie

Little Sauk

GutchesGrove

Clotho

Clarissa

Eagle Bend

Bertha

Hewitt

Grey Eagle

St. Rosa

St. Francis

St. WendelSt. Anna

AvonCollegeville

St. Anthony

Freeport

NewMunich

Greenwald

Meire Grove

Spring Hill

Lake Henry RoscoeRichmond

FarmingSt. Martin

St. Nicholas

Eden Valley WatkinsKimball

Maine Prairie

Marty

Luxemburg

St. Augusta

Clearwater

Rockville

Jacobs Prairie

Fair Haven

South Haven

St. Stephen

Rice

Watab

Mayhew

SilverCorners

PoppleCreek

OpoleHoldingford

Ward Springs

Swanville

SobieskiFlensburg

Upsala

Vineland

Huntersville

Nimrod

Oylen

Aldrich

Leader

Pillager

Oshawa

Backus

Pontoria

Pine River

Jenkins

Lake Shore Lake Hubert

Legionville

Merrifield

E Gull Lake

Fort Ripley

Camp RipleyJunction

Barrows

Shephard

Pine Center

Garrison

Bay Lake

DeerwoodIronton

Riverton

TrommaldCuyuna

Pequot Lakes

Breezy Point

ChickamawBeach Swanburg

ManhattanBeach

Fifty Lakes

Outing

Emily

Cass Lake

6 Uncertain TermsTalking Honestlyabout Race is NeverOffensive

8 Artificial IntelligenceDon’t Buy theConventional Wisdomabout Immigration

34 Forces at WorkImmigrant WorkersSustain LocalIndustries

36 Assignment: DiversityEducators Cram toServe More Studentsof Color

40 Healing the WorldLocal Health SystemsDiagnose ImmigrantNeeds

44 KeynotesThe FoundationNewsletter

52 Guest EditorialMoments of Truth

01 IQ.Summer07_1-10 6/11/07 12:38 PM Page 2

St. Cloud State University might be right here in Minnesota, but we’re leaving our mark all over the world. St. Cloud State is

home to nearly 1,000 international students from more than 80 countries. Each year, hundreds of St. Cloud State students

study abroad in 20 countries—from England to South Africa—while earning credits they can use to complete their degrees.

We have nationally and internationally known faculty teaching in our highly accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

St. Cloud State—a smart investment in a global education.

www.stcloudstate.edu • 877.654.SCSU

01 IQ.Summer07_1-10 6/11/07 12:40 PM Page 3

4 INITIATIVE QUARTERLY

With each heavy step across the weathered gangplank, Jan Bakker moved farther away fromall he knew. What if America wasn’t as good as the stories?

Jan’s father sold yeast to the Castricum, Holland bakers, but it wasn’t enough. His motherdied of tuberculosis. He collected prescription bottles to resell to apothecaries, but only at apenny per hundred. There must be more to life than this.

With ship-learned English and little money, Jan touched Ellis Island in 1904. Americaafforded boundless opportunity to those who weren’t afraid of hard work, but it also demanded

sacrifice. Immigrants were the lowest of the low. Formuch of his adult life, Jan endured despair and discrim-ination on his way to establishing a foothold thatsecured future generations.

So goes the story of my grandfather as told by mymother, Pat Kasperson. My family’s American ascent isa source of great pride for me and for countless othersin our nation of immigrants. The ethnic diversity ismuch more colorful today, but somehow the stories ofpoverty, prejudice, and perseverance continue.

With this issue of IQ Magazine, we hope to intro-duce you to our newcomers, reintroduce you to ourestablished residents, and replace myth with truth. Wehope to denounce racism and inspire forethought oncentral Minnesota’s demographic changes. Above allelse, we challenge you to remember your own familystory and consider what all of us have in common.

You’ll notice that I have replaced my photo withone of my mother. As she battles terminal illness, Momand I are spending precious time together, reflecting on

her life. I am blessed to have a mother who passes on her history, faith, and values while encour-aging her children to follow her father’s footsteps to a better world. I couldn’t ask for a greatermentor and friend.

Enjoy the magazine.

Kathy Gaalswyk, PresidentInitiative Foundation

P.S. Sincere thanks and recognition are due our magazine sponsors, who have proven their courageand leadership in support of this special issue on cultural diversity and immigration. Please seepages 11-13 for silhouettes of Brainerd Medical Center, St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Leech LakeBand of Ojibwe, and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.

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SUMMER 2007 5

INITIATIVE FOUNDATIONExecutive Editor & Director of Communications / MATT KILIAN

Communications Associate / ANITA HOLLENHORST

PUBLISHERSEvergreen Press / CHIP & JEAN BORKENHAGEN

EDITORIALEditorial Director / JODI SCHWEN

Assistant Editor / TENLEE LUND

ARTArt Director / ANDREA BAUMANN

Graphic Designer / BRAD RAYMOND

Senior Graphic Designer / BOB WALLENIUS

Production Manager / BRYAN PETERSEN

Lead Photographer / JIM ALTOBELL

ADVERTISING / SUBSCRIPTIONSBusiness & Advertising Director / BRIAN LEHMAN

Advertiser Services / MARY SAVAGE

Subscriber Services / MARYANN LINDELL

IQ EDITORIAL BOARDInitiative Foundation President / KATHY GAALSWYK

Centro Legal / GLORIA CONTRERAS EDIN (TRUSTEE)Initiative Foundation / DAN FRANK

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe / CHAIRMAN GEORGE GOGGLEYE

Bush Foundation / JOSE GONZALEZ

Initiative Foundation / CURT HANSON

Initiative Foundation / CATHY HARTLE

Initiative Foundation / DON HICKMAN

Maple Hill Garden/La Voz Libre / TIM KING

Minneapolis Foundation / VALERIE LEE

St. Cloud State University / DEBRA LEIGH

City of St. Cloud / BABA ODUKALE

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe / MARY SAM (TRUSTEE)Melrose Community Liaison / ANA SANTANA

St. Cloud School District / BRUCE WATKINS

Initiative Foundation405 First Street SELittle Falls, MN 56345320.632.9255www.ifound.org

IQ is published by the Initiative Foundation in partnership with

Evergreen Press of Brainerd, Minnesota. www.evergreenpress.net

For advertising opportunities, contact:Lois Head 320.252.7348, [email protected] Lehman 218.828.6424 ext. 25, [email protected] Rothstein 320.251.5875, [email protected]

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BY KAYLEEN LARSON

hen nervous white people asked James Addington’s late wife(an African-American) what she prefered to be called, she

revealed a calm smile and simply said, “You can call me Nadine.”“If you don’t have to refer to someone by their race, color, or reli-

gion, don’t,” advises James Addington, training and organizational con-sultant with the Minnesota Collaborative Anti-Racism Initiative.

Many well-intentioned Minnesotans have become culturallyhyper-sensitive to the point of paralysis. They avoid the subject alto-gether. According to Debra Leigh, a professor at St. Cloud StateUniversity and leader of the university’s Community Anti-RacismEducation Initiative (CARE), this new reluctance to talk openly aboutrace is standing in the way of cross-cultural conversation and discoveryof common ground.

“White people stop dead in their tracks if they think they’re goingto be identified as racist,” says Leigh. “One of the first things we did wasto provide people with the language to talk about our experiences andabout racism, without it being uncomfortable.”

It’s not just white people who feel uncomfortable. “I was at a seminar on multiculturalism,” says John Lewis, the

African-American president of the St. Cloud Chapter of the NationalAssociation for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), “where Ilearned that the term American Indian was preferred over NativeAmerican, which was the term I had been using.”

“Growing up in San Antonio we always referred to ourselves asHispanic,” says Rogelio Munoz, executive director of the MinnesotaChicano Latino Affairs Council. “When I moved to Minnesota, I discov-ered that the preferred term here was Latino.”

As far as Addington is concerned, it’s not about being “politicallycorrect”—it’s really a matter of being willing to live in a place of discom-

fort. “There are no sets ofwords that are alwaysgoing to be appropriate,”says Addington. “Thebest advice is to see theperson and not thecolor. On a personallevel, if you’re not surewhat words to use orwhat to call someone,the best thing is simplyto ask them.”React at IQMAG.ORG

WW

Uncertain TermsTalking Honestly about Race is Never Offensive

HUMANITY

Hispanic, Chicano or Latino?If you answered Latino, give yourself a point. “Hispanic” was cre-ated by the United States government for census purposes.Mexican-Americans coined “Chicano” to describe themselves.Latino refers to any person coming from a country where a Latinlanguage is spoken.

Bottom Line: Latino is the more general term and thus, the safest.In many regions of the country, it’s also the term most often used.

American Indian or Native American? Believe it or not, the point goes to those who said American Indian.In 1970s school questionnaires, many white Minnesota kidschecked “Native American.” Since they were born in America, theyassume the term applied to them. To avoid further mix-ups, theMinnesota Indian Affairs Council voted to officially adopt“American Indian.”

Bottom Line: Neither term is particularly offensive, but AmericanIndian is preferred, especially in formal communications.

African-American or Black? Trick question—they’re both right—sort of. The United StatesCensus Bureau uses both terms to include Americans of Africanancestry as well as black immigrants from African and Europeannations and predominantly black, non-Hispanic Caribbean coun-tries, such as Jamaica.

Bottom Line: Confused? Consider this: If you’re black, you can callyourself black (or whatever else you choose, for that matter). Ifyou’re not, try using African-American as a more formal andrespectful acknowledgment.

Asian-American or Oriental?If you said “Oriental,” subtract all of your points and immediatelydump it from your vocabulary. The U.S. Census Bureau uses thebroad term, “Asian,” to refer to people who hail from no less thanthirty countries. It also encompasses ethnic terms, such as Hmong.

Bottom Line: Unless you’re buying a rug, always use Asian-American. In the past, “Oriental” was often slung as a derogatoryinsult. For many, it’s still offensive.Hispanic or Latino? Even

Rogelio Muñoz wasn’t sure.

What’s in a Name? Take the quiz!

01 IQ.Summer07_1-10 6/13/07 1:45 PM Page 6

01 IQ.Summer07_1-10 6/11/07 12:40 PM Page 7


he recent “immigration debate” is nothing new, eventhough most of us are the descendants of immigrants our-selves. We still honor ethnic traditions. We pass down

family histories of struggle and triumph with a sense of pride.Throughout the 230-year history of the United States, citizenshave often felt threatened when newcomers arrive.

Today, the subject of immigration elicits nearly as strong areaction as abortion or capital punishment. Nearly everyone hasan opinion, but snap-judgments are often influenced by mediasound bites, isolated personal experiences and hearsay. We gath-ered up the blanket-statements that define conventional “wis-dom,” and then we asked Juan Moreno, diversity and inclusionspecialist at the University of Minnesota Extension, to help us setthe record straight.

Are you sure you know what you think you know?

Conventional Wisdom: Most immigrants and refugees are here“illegally.”

Reality-Check: Don’t believe everything you hear. According toMoreno, the United States Immigration Service reports that about800,000 immigrants and refugees legally enter the United Stateseach year. Refugees are granted federal status due to persecution intheir home countries.

Another 300,000 are here “illegally,” or without documents.The majority of these undocumented immigrants—six out of ten—cross our borders legally with student, tourist, or business visas.Their status changes to “illegal” only if they overstay their visas.Why use undocumented vs. illegal? Because immigrants are notcriminals. United States residence without valid documentation is acivil offense.

Conventional Wisdom: Immigrants and refugees don’t pay taxesand they get everything free.

Reality-Check: “An estimated eleven million immigrants areworking and paying—as a family—$2,500 a year more in taxes than

the average native-born family,” says Moreno, citing a study byMinnesota Advocates for Human Rights (MAHR).

According to a separate study by the American ImmigrationLawyers Association, immigrants and refugees pay $70.3 billion eachyear in taxes and receive only $42.9 billion in public services. TheUrban Institute reports that less than 5 percent of immigrants receive“welfare,” such as Supplementary Security Income (SSI). In theMidwest, only 3.3 percent of immigrants receive public assistancecompared to 4.5 percent of the native-born population.

Conventional Wisdom: Immigrants and refugees don’t want tolearn English.

Reality-Check: Although the 2000 United States Census indicatedthat 18 percent of Americans speak a language other than English athome, immigrants and refugees know that learning English is impor-tant for their safety, social network, job advancement, and cultural

BY BRITTA REQUE-DRAGICEVIC

TT

MYTHOLOGY

Don’t Buy the Conventional Wisdom about Immigration

Artificial Intelligence

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS McALLISTER

01 IQ.Summer07_1-10 6/13/07 1:45 PM Page 8

SUMMER 2007 9

survival. More immigrants than ever areenrolled in English Language Learner(ELL) classes, and many are put on wait-ing lists for months.

Conventional Wisdom: Immigrantsand refugees drain the economy andtake good jobs away from United Statescitizens.

Reality-Check: That depends on ifyour career aspirations include entry-level meat-processing or manufacturingassembly. Many of central Minnesota’slarge employers, such as Gold’n PlumpPoultry, Jennie-O Turkey Stores,Electrolux, and Stearns, Inc. depend onimmigrants and refugees to fill unskilledand labor-intensive workforce needs.Without willing workers, would thesecompanies be forced to relocate? Howwould such a scenario impact theregional economy?

According to another MAHR study,immigrants and refugees actually createjobs by adding buying power to the localeconomy. Immigrants are also three timesmore likely than native-born Americansto save earnings and start new business-es, which account for 80 percent of allnew jobs in the United States.

“Immigrant communities are revital-izing dying neighborhoods in cities andolder suburbs, which would otherwise besuffering from middle-class flight and ashrinking tax-base,” adds Moreno. React at IQMAG.ORG

01 IQ.Summer07_1-10 6/11/07 12:40 PM Page 9


01 IQ.Summer07_1-10 6/11/07 12:38 PM Page 10

Special Diversity & Immigration Issue

SUMMER 2007 11

We’re Keeping Pacewith Regional GrowthThe news in the Brainerd Lakes region is good. We’re boom-

ing. In fact, our area is growing at twice the state and nation-al rate. And, in order to offer our growing region the breadthand depth of health care service they deserve right here at home,St. Joseph’s Medical Center and Brainerd Medical Center havejoined forces creating a nonprofit parent organization called theBrainerd Lakes Integrated Health System.

Our shared vision allows us to serve this area as an integrat-ed health system that is highly responsive to your health careneeds, offers an increasing range of services, provides steward-ship to this community’s health resources, and continues toimprove your health care experience, as well as the quality ofour health care delivery.

The formation of Brainerd Lakes Integrated Health System,along with St. Joseph’s Medical Center and Brainerd MedicalCenter’s recent expansion projects, are just a few of the manyways we’re preparing for the future and keeping pace with ourgrowing region.

OUR PARTNERSHIP ALLOWS US TO:• Share services, avoiding duplication and competition• Expand our range of services, including a new interventional

cardiology program• Invest in new technologies• Add up to 40 new physicians over the next 5 years• Introduce new care models, including a hospitalist program

The newly expanded Brainerd Medical Center (top) and St. Joseph’sMedical Center provide our growing region with quality health care.

www.brainerdclinic.com | www.sjmcmn.org

02 IQ.Summer07_11-13 6/13/07 1:47 PM Page 11

THE MILLE LACS BAND:A Proud People and Good NeighborThe Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe is a sover-

eign, self-governing American Indiannation. Our reservation embraces four town-ships along the southern and southwesternshores of Mille Lacs Lake and includes otherdistricts near Hinckley and McGregor. TheMille Lacs Band has more than 3,800 mem-bers, including nearly 2,100 members wholive on the reservation.

The philosophy of sharing is vital to ourculture. We share with other Indian com-munities through many initiatives, includingthe Minnesota Tribal GovernmentFoundation (MTGF), which the Band co-founded. In 2005 and 2006, the MTGFawarded nearly $900,000 in economicdevelopment grants to northern Minnesotatribes and tribal priorities.

Last November, the Band sponsoredthe Northern Minnesota ReservationEconomic Development Summit, modeledafter the Mille Lacs Band’s successfulregional economic development summits.For nearly a year, Band staff assisted theRed Lake Nation and the Leech Lake andWhite Earth bands of Chippewa Indians inplanning this historic summit. More than400 participants strategized how to createmore economic development opportunitiesfor rural, northern Minnesota tribes.

In addition to employing approximate-ly 3,000 employees (of whom about 92percent are non-Indian), the Band shareswith non-Indian communities and neigh-bors in many ways. The Band recently con-structed a $20 million, state-of-the-artwastewater treatment facility, providingclean water to more than 8,800 people inthe region. Not only does the plant ensurethat Band businesses and area residents donot pollute Mille Lacs Lake, but it prevent-ed residents in the small town of Garrison(pop. 300) from receiving substantial finesdue to failing septic tanks that were leakingsewage into the lake.

At thenorthern-mostborder of MilleLacs County, theBand employsthe largest lawe n f o r c e m e n tagency in theregion, with 19full-time, post-certified tribalpolice officers,providing forcooperative lawe n f o r c e m e n t

between the Mille Lacs County and PineCounty Sheriff ’s departments and theTribal Police Department. Previously, arearesidents would often wait nearly 45 min-utes for response times. Today, help forIndians and our non-Indian neighbors isonly minutes away.

The Band’s good neighbor policy isrealized in many ways, including employ-ment, economic development, environmen-tal stewardship, and contributions toimportant causes that serve our area. Weare proud of our home in East CentralMinnesota and look forward to making adifference for generations to come.

www.millelacsojibwe.org

The Mille Lacs Band government is based on a separation of powers. The ChiefExecutive leads the executive branch, the Band Assembly consists of theSecretary/Treasurer and district representatives who make up the legislative branch,and the Chief Justice heads the judicial branch. Shown here left to right: District IIRepresentative Marvin Bruneau, Chief Justice Alvina Aubele, District III RepresentativeHarry Davis, District I Representative Alicia Skinaway, Secretary/Treasurer HerbWeyaus, and Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin.


02 IQ.Summer07_11-13 6/13/07 1:47 PM Page 12

Special Diversity & Immigration Issue

THE LEECH LAKE BAND:A Diverse & Strong CommunityThe Leech Lake tribal government

oversees the financing and operationof over 25 programs and divisions thatserve and assist the Band and communitymembers. There are many examples ofhow the Tribal Council is working toaddress issues surrounding cultural diver-sity within their programs and divisionsas well as in the larger community.

Leech Lake Reservation was recentlyacknowledged when it was the first tribeto have their reservation flag hanging inthe State District Court. “Having theLeech Lake flag in my courtroom will be adaily reminder of the sovereign status ofthe Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe,”remarked the Honorable John P. Smith,Cass County District Court Judge.

Leech Lake operates three gamingoperations: Northern Lights Casino,Hotel & Event Center in Walker, thePalace Casino-Hotel in Cass Lake andWhite Oak Casino in Deer River. Thesebusinesses currently employ people ofNative American, Caucasian, Hispanicand Asian descent. With this diverseworkforce it’s an ongoing process to train,teach, respect and educate staff on theattributes of the various cultures. Thecasino’s training departments have a train-

ing module for managers titled “Dealingwith a Diverse Workforce” while theLeech Lake Tribal College offers an “Introto Anishinaabe Studies” class whichteaches diversity and history.

The casinos are great partners in help-ing further the area’s business climate as aportion of their revenues are invested backinto the communities. All three take pride inthe fact that their sponsorships& donations have assisted in thesuccess of many events andorganizations. White OakCasino has helped to improvethe annual Wild Rice Days bysecuring nationally-recognizedentertainment. This has notonly helped increase the popu-larity of the event, but has hadpositive economic effects onmany area businesses.

In April, Northern LightsCasino was named “Businessof the Year” by the Leech LakeArea Chamber of CommerceCommunity Champions. Thisaward was based on the sub-stantial contributions theyhave made in order to benefitmany community organiza-

tions and increase economic opportuni-ties in the Walker area. In recent years,the casino has been signing “big name”entertainment which has attracted morepeople outside of their primary market.The additional influx of people hashelped to increase awareness that thereare excellent and numerous recreationaland business opportunities in the area.

www.llojibwe.com

Leech Lake Tribal Chairman George Goggleye, Jr. presents the LeechLake Band of Ojibwe flag to Cass County Judge John Smith onFebruary 23rd at the Cass County Courthouse.

SSUUMMMMEERR 22000077 13

02 IQ.Summer07_11-13 6/13/07 1:54 PM Page 13


Illustration byChris McAllister

Photography by Jim Altobell

Downtown St. Cloud in 2020? Mohamoud Mohamed fits the futurescape.

03 IQ.Summer07_14-17 6/11/07 1:20 PM Page 14


Hot summer winds drift through the open door and tickle

bells at Halal Meat and Grocery. Nassir Yusuf smiles from

behind the counter while Ali Badal chatters on the phone in

a Somali dialect. By noon, the store has already sold out of

anjeero, a traditional flatbread. They can hardly keep up with

the demand for goat meat. Toward the back of the store, a

stunning rack of shalwar clothing attracts curious shoppers.

Welcome to central Minnesota.

By Christine Hierlmaier Nelson

Fast-forward to the year 2020—leaders of rural communities forecastincreasing integration of races and cul-tures. Rather than just pass along thedemographic numbers, we asked themto muse about the future. What will ourcommunities look like? How will life bedifferent? The following creative depic-tions of rural Minnesota life are based onreal trends in the communities of St.Cloud and Willmar. Now, close youreyes and brace yourself. It’s 2020.

Life DowntownAlthough minorities comprise just 12

percent of Minnesota’s population, the num-ber of foreign-born immigrants andrefugees increased 130 percent between1990 and 2000—mainly due to familyreunification and jobs. By 2020,

Minnesota’s minority population is project-ed at 16 percent. Behind Christianity, thesecond most predominant religion in thestate will be Muslim.

Around 2:45 P.M., a clear male voicerings out in the downtown streets of St.Cloud. It is the adhan, the Islamic call toprayer. The streets are bustling, cus-tomers ducking in from a light rain tolook over home-listings at Gonzalez RealEstate. Some seek treatment at the TasiWellness Center. A café owner excuseshimself to find his prayer rug.

Posters advertise a stepping contestpromoted by the St. Cloud YouthCommission. It was a huge hit last year,bringing in nearly one thousand teens toshow off their African-inspired dancingtalents and choreographed call-and-response chants. The groups are judged

03 IQ.Summer07_14-17 6/11/07 1:20 PM Page 15


on their positive messages for youth.The local quilting shop has a sale on pais-

leys—the material used for Muslim head-cov-erings. Several women can be seen just insidethe shop windows pulling a large quilt taut ona frame. The smell of cinnamon rolls waftsfrom the open doorway.

A few blocks away, the St. Cloud PublicLibrary is gearing up for a book sale; the elec-tronic display outside advertises in bothEnglish and Spanish.

From the businesses and organizations tothe Hmong reed-pipe performances at theParamount Theatre, downtown St. Cloud hasretained a vibrancy that defies an aging popu-lation. The Downtown Council is especiallyproud of its historic character.

Life at SchoolBy 2020, it is projected that 22 percent of

Minnesota children under age fourteen will be non-white. In 2006, St. Cloud Schools reflected thatdemographic, with 21 percent minority students —over 10 percent African-American.

Between classes at Apollo High School,locker doors slam and students greet each

other as they rush through the morning. Theoverriding language is English, but greetingslike Que pasa and Subah wanaagsan are calledout in the hallway.

Signs on some of the lockers wish Abdi,KaYing Yang and Madison good luck in theupcoming cross-country meet. Most classroomshave more than one student named Mohammedor Diego.

Success in building an integrated and wel-coming school atmosphere can be seen not onlywith students, but also the diversity amongteachers, a student art exhibit of self-portraits,and a bulletin board welcoming guests inEnglish, Spanish, Hmong, and Arabic.

Immigrant parents not only learn how toenroll children in school, but they also receivesuch information as where to get a doctor’sappointment, how to access city services, andthe location of grocery stores near their home.

In 2010, the school district was instru-mental in developing a volunteer network thatguides families through the process of settlingin central Minnesota. Newcomer informationcan now be accessed online, by phone, or atany of fifty organizations around the city.

The superintendent also notes the impor-tance of state funding for new teacher devel-opment among retirees and bilingual citizensthat helped reverse a desperate teacher short-age in 2015.

Life at WorkWith thirty to forty languages spoken in the St.

Cloud area, language is one barrier that has createdgaps in student achievement, home ownership, andemployment, notes Hedy Tripp, staff member forCreate CommUNITY, a research and advocacy groupin St. Cloud.

As eager immigrants graduated fromschools and ESL classes, language isn’t such abarrier anymore.

An early sign of change in the workforcebegan in banking. Bilingual lending agents andtellers have transformed the banking experi-ence for many newcomers. The same hasoccurred in clinics and hospitals. It’s notunusual to see business cards printed in sever-al languages and allowances given for religiouspractice during the workday.

Among the thousands of Somali,Sudanese, and West African refugees and immi-

Waite Park’s Discovery School is already diverse, but in 2020, teachers mayhave to be more specific when calling the names “Diego” and “Mohammed.”

03 IQ.Summer07_14-17 6/11/07 1:20 PM Page 16

grants who now call St. Cloud home, there areprofessors, doctors, pilots, lawyers, engineers,politicians, accountants, and teachers. Theycouldn’t practice in the city when they arriveddue to language barriers and incompatible cer-tifications. Instead, they took jobs in manufac-turing or meat-processing.

Now, they are finally moving back intotheir former professions, says MohamoudMohamed, founder and executive director ofthe St. Cloud Area Somali SalvationOrganization (SASSO). “We are looking forwardto paying this nation back and the best way topay is to serve,” says Mohamoud.

When Nassir Yusuf came to St. Cloud in2000, he didn’t know the language and recallsthe difficulty of finding an apartment. “Peoplewould sleep in their cars outside of work untilthe employers helped to gain the landlords’trust,” he says. He worked full-time and attend-ed St. Cloud Technical College for surgical tech-nology. He now talks proudly about his job at thelocal clinic and the home he just bought for hisfamily in Sartell.

Life in LeadershipMinnesota State Demographer Tom

Gillaspy said that if you want to know whatMinnesota will look like in 2020, look atWillmar. In 1990, the United States censusshowed that Willmar’s minority population was2 to 3 percent. In 2007, the minority populationhad grown to about 25 to 27 percent.

It was a significant shift that led leaders todevelop a new language around immigration,

notes Les Heitke, the retired mayor of Willmar.Today, Mayor Camila Rodriguez leads a diversecity council.

“It took many small steps,” says Heitke.He recalls the year he walked into theHoliday Inn where a Ramadan festival wastaking place. Among almost three thousandpeople he was one of a few whites. “I intro-duced myself and I felt very welcomed. Ilearned a lot from that.”

“There was a common apprehensionthat immigrants and refugees were problem-atic and they used up resources,” says Heitke.“But we chose to talk about opportunitiesand assets. Immigration has stabilized ourschool system, it has provided a needed laborforce, and offers a strong political voice.”

At the Zion LutheranChurch in Willmar, mem-bers have invited localCatholics for a bilingualservice of fellowship andsong. Bienvenidos! Abanner stretches acrossthe chapel to welcomeguests. There are severalchurches in Willmarpopulated by minori-ties, including a Somalimosque opened in2010. A new soccercomplex funded partlyby the Jennie-O turkeyplant opened in thesummer of 2007 to sup-

port an emerging soccer program for youthand adults.

West Central Immigration Collaborativeexecutive director Charly Leuze speaks withenthusiasm about the Willmar AreaMulticultural Market. Instead of depending onlow-wage jobs, minorities, and new immi-grants have evolved into entrepreneurs withina centralized mercado where training and com-merce live in harmony. Early in the century, thecity of 19,000 had thirty-three minority-owned businesses.

As to why the community has led the wayon embracing minorities, Heitke respondswith another question: “What communitydoesn’t want thirty-three new businesses?”React at IQMAG.ORG

“If you want to know what

Minnesota will look like in

2020, look at Willmar.”

—Tom Gillaspy, State Demographer

Liaison Ana Santana: Future white and Latino populations may be 50/50 in Melrose.


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Ideals & Ordeals of Minnesota’s Same-Old Newcomers

BY BRITTA REQUE-DRAGICEVIC AND MATT KILIAN ★ PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM ALTOBELL

Ca. 1925 Minneapolis Council of Americanization (courtesy Minnesota Historical Society).

04 IQ.Summer07_18-21 6/11/07 2:36 PM Page 18


The words of poet, Emma Lazarus, are etched on an antique-bronzeplate at the foundation of America’s most enduring symbol of liberty.They capture the essence of United States citizenship and hope forthose thousands who desire freedom, safety, and opportunity. From itsrich heritage of German and Scandinavian immigrants to the currentinflux of Hmong, Latino, Sudanese, and Somali, the more thingschange, the more things remain the same in Minnesota.

First, there are the definitions. The titles of immigrant andrefugee, while often interchanged, are decidedly different. An immi-grant is a person who is lawfully admitted to a country where he or

she intends to settle permanently. Those who are not lawfully admit-ted or whose permission has lapsed are referred to as undocumented.A refugee is a person who cannot return to his or her native countrybecause of persecution.

From 2000 to 2005, nearly seventy thousand immigrants andrefugees found their way to Minnesota, ranking it twenty-first in thenation. In 2005 alone, more newcomers arrived in the state than inthe previous twenty-five years combined. Minnesota is second onlyto California in receiving those displaced by war, persecution, andnatural disaster.

2007 Festival of Nations Naturalization Ceremony, St. Paul.

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“Minnesota is quite exceptional,” says TomGillaspy, Minnesota’s state demographer. “Thefederal government has determined thatMinnesota has a much higher capacity—goodeconomy, social programs, and organizations—than most states for taking in refugees.”

With the exception of American Indiansand some African-Americans whose ancestorsdisembarked from slave-ships, mostMinnesotans are the descendants of waves ofnineteenth- and twentieth-century immigrants.At its peak in 1900, more than 550,000Minnesota immigrants comprised 29 percent ofthe population, compared to 260,000 immi-grants at about 6 percent today. One hundredyears ago, the top countries of origin wereAustria, Canada, Finland, England, Germany,Ireland, Norway, Poland, Russia, and Sweden.

In 2000, only two countries remain thesame among the top ten: Canada and Germany.Rounding out the most recent list are China,India, Korea, Laos, Mexico, Somalia, Thailand,and Vietnam.

So why do immigrants and refugees wantto live in Minnesota?

“It’s for the same reasons thatMinnesotans want to live in Minnesota,” saysGloria Contreras Edin, Initiative Foundationtrustee and executive director of CentroLegal, a St. Paul-based nonprofit law firm thatassists Latinos. “They come because of thegood job opportunities, good schools, afford-able housing, and families that are alreadyhere. Sound familiar?”

According to The McKnight Foundation,many newcomers have also heard of high crime

rates in larger populated areas of Los Angeles,Chicago, and New York. They don’t want thatfor their families. Despite its landlocked geogra-phy and cold climate, Minnesota also has a tra-dition of helping new communities.

But “Minnesota Nice” only extends so far.Overt acts of racism are too common and manyimmigrants and refugees say they feel like prob-lems to be “solved.” In 2002, vandals spray-painted a Somali market, mosque, and culturalcenter with the message, “Get out of St. Cloud,niggers.” Later, perpetrators set fire to a nearbystorage shed.

“Unfortunately, African refugees neverknew they were black before they came toAmerica,” says Geneva Cole, a former leader ofthe St. Cloud Area Somali SalvationOrganization (SASSO). “In Somalia, they were

Underreported?In the St. Cloud area alone, leaders estimate as many as

10,000 foreign-born residents.

“They come because of the good job opportunities, g

Cass 242

Crow Wing 753

Pine306

Chisago 510

Wadena 129

Morrison322

Stearns4,401

Wright 1,221

Sherburne 1,122

Todd 627

Isanti 481

Kanabec135

Benton 931

Mille Lacs 260

Central Minnesota’s

Melting PotU.S. Census Population Estimates: Immigrants & Refugees

04 IQ.Summer07_18-21 6/11/07 2:36 PM Page 20

one culture, one language, and one religion.They never experienced somebody judgingthem by the color of their skin and some stilldon’t complain because they are so gratefulto get a second chance at life.”

Misinformation also persists that undoc-umented immigrants are a knee-bucklingburden on the state’s economy and taxpayerdollars. In 2005, the Minnesota Departmentof Administration issued a report toGovernor Tim Pawlenty estimating morethan eighty thousand “illegal” immigrantsdrained $176 to $188 million annually dueto public education, health care, and incar-ceration costs.

In 2006, the Minnesota Office of theLegislative Auditor published a rebuttalthat suggested the estimates were incom-plete, partially because they didn’t factor inoffsetting tax revenues. It also cited econo-mists’ conclusions that immigration’s long-term economic benefits outweigh its short-term impacts.

A report by the Hispanic Advocacy andCommunity Empowerment throughResearch (HACER) estimated that undocu-mented labor is worth at least $1.56 billionto the Minnesota economy and if it were sud-denly removed, Minnesota’s economicgrowth would decline by 40 percent.

“To get a foothold here, newer immi-grants are filling labor-intensive workforceneeds, such as in manufacturing and meat-processing, where they can get by whilethey learn the English language,” adds Edin.“This workforce is essential to centralMinnesota’s economy. Immigrant entrepre-neurs are helping revitalize downtowns inLong Prairie and Melrose.”

Immigrants and refugees also possesssurprising economic buying power.According to census-based research byConcordia University’s Dr. Bruce P. Corrie,diverse cultures added more than $99 mil-lion to the economy in the St. Cloud metroarea. In the Todd County cities of LongPrairie and Staples, Latinos presumably con-tributed more than $8 million.

Many immigrants and refugees, howev-er, share monumental challenges to learnEnglish as well as the homesickness anddepression that can set in from being in unfa-

miliar surroundings. They can also experi-ence unrelenting pressure to adapt, findwork, and navigate a new social structure.Many newcomers, who have narrowlyescaped traumatic violence and starvation,have again become targets as divisivedebates rage on.

Mohamoud Mohammed, a Somalirefugee and SASSO’s executive director,spent five years in a Kenyan refugee campcompeting with 100,000 people for humani-tarian rations. He witnessed daily death fromstarvation and diseases such as meningitis.

“The children died quickly,” heremembers. “Nothing is worse than starva-tion. It’s worse than hell, I think. I don’tbelieve that anybody who dies of starvationwill go to hell.”

Mohammed’s only way out was byobtaining a visa to anywhere, filling outdozens of international applications in aprocess that had the logic of a lottery. If onefamily member was fortunate enough to getone, he or she departed immediately andbegan their mission to reunite in a new coun-try. In 1999, when Mohammed finallyacquired a visa to the United States—eventu-ally St. Cloud—he left his wife and five sonsbehind. His wife perished in 2002.

According to Holly Ziemer, communi-cations director for the Center for Victims ofTorture, many refugees suffer from post-trau-matic stress disorder, physical pain, night-mares, anxiety, depression, and thoughts ofsuicide. They might limit their exposure tonews, avoid police or people in positions ofauthority, or isolate themselves from the pub-lic or unpredictable situations.

“The result is that they might have diffi-culty concentrating, making it harder to learna new language or a new job,” says Ziemer.“By definition, refugees are resilient. Theypossess strengths, internal resources, and abil-ities that enable them to survive life-threaten-ing situations we can hardly imagine.”

“We left our country with emptyhands,” says Mohammed. “I felt empty,like I had a good dream that I could not letgo, and I did not know where I was going.Now, I support the course of America, andI will sacrifice everything I have for mysecond homeland.” React at IQMAG.ORG

Culture This includes mass media, microwave ovens,health insurance, credit scores—everything wetake for granted. They often distrust govern-ment or anything that resembles government.Language is an enormous barrier.

Economics American consumerism—our “want-want-want/buy-buy-buy” culture is foreign. Formerprofessionals or skilled workers rarely findemployment that matches their past wages ortraining. Wages are low.

Race Many come from homogeneous cultures.They are not prepared to become part of ahighly integrated, mixed culture where theyare in the minority. Racism can be a surpris-ing reality of life.

Family American individualism is foreign. Many comefrom extended family cultures, living together,pooling resources, and supporting relativesabroad. School children soon know moreabout their new surroundingsthan their parents, so they areless inclined to follow rulesand family customs.

TraumaRefugees are often thevictims of war, torture,starvation, and persecu-tion. They have left every-thing they have everknown behind, includingloved ones. Dealing with theaftermath makes their transi-tion even more difficult.

Source: The McKnight Foundation—Immigrant Gateway: Framing the Issue

Culture ShockChallenges of NewImmigrants and Refugees

, good schools, affordable housing, and families that are already here. Sound familiar?”


04 IQ.Summer07_18-21 6/11/07 2:36 PM Page 21


ORIGINSMexico, Central and SouthAmerican countries includingCuba, Colombia, Ecuador, ElSalvador, Guatemala, and PuertoRico. Primary language is Spanish. Mostare Roman Catholic.

NUMBERSMore than 187,000 Latinos reside in Minnesota. 60 percentare native-born United States citizens. Latinos are the fastestgrowing ethnic group, with a nearly 29 percent increasefrom 2000 to 2005. One in three is under age eighteen.

WHY CENTRAL MINNESOTA?Latino populations are growing in Long Prairie, Melrose, St.Cloud, and Sauk Centre, among other cities. Many seek away out of poverty and crime-infected communities. Likeimmigrant generations before them, they simply wantemployment opportunities and a chance to establish a bet-ter life for their families.

CONTRIBUTIONSIn Minnesota, Latino buying-power rose to $3.1 billion in2003. More than one thousand Mexican-American busi-nesses operate in Minnesota. Many are surfacing in ruralcommunities to serve other immigrants and revitalizedowntown areas. Cornerstone poultry and meat-processingcompanies like Jennie-O and Gold’n Plump rely on Latinosto help fill vital workforce needs.

CHALLENGESIn spite of their economic contributions, 18,000 to 45,000undocumented Latino workers live in Minnesota’s shadows,with many unable to obtain healthcare, basic social servic-es, or licenses. Many must overcome low wages, hard-to-navigate systems, civil-rights abuses, limited affordablehousing, and childcare shortages.

ACCORDING TO ULISES“There are lots of stereotypes. We don’t just eat tortillas andbeans and do manual labor. People think we don’t go to col-lege or believe in God. They’re not used to seeing us, sothey feel uncomfortable. We’re just like you. We want anopportunity to make a better life for ourselves.”

Sources: The Minneapolis Foundation, Minnesota State Demographic Center,

Chicanos Latinos Unidos En Servicio

When he was just twelve, Ulises’ parents and three sisters made aheartrending decision to pursue their dreams north of the Mexican bor-der. They exchanged tight embraces, and then left him behind to finishthe sixth grade. If all went according to plan, the Ayalas would be reunit-ed after the school year. If things went terribly wrong—well, thosethoughts were unbearable.

The school year ended and Ulises had no word. Then it came.Scared and alone, he boarded a bus to another city. His aunt paid a “coy-ote,” a human smuggler who would take him to California. He enduredthe perilous journey for a month—crammed in the concealed floor of acar, swimming a sewer canal, and a week alone in a strange apartment.Ulises found his family, but what he found shocked him. They were liv-ing in one room, barely surviving in the American Paradise.

Ulises toiled through high school classes and collected aluminumcans to help out. Without legal status, he was not eligible for college aid,but still managed to complete two years. He married and moved to joinhis wife’s relatives in St. Cloud, processing chickens for a local poultrycompany. He worked his way up to management, joined the MinnesotaNational Guard, and is pursuing a degree in child psychology. He willfinally become a United States citizen in summer 2007.

“If I fail at something, Americans mightthink that all Mexicans are failures.”

—Ulises Ayala

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23

ORIGINSSomalia, a coastal country on the northeast-ern “horn” of Africa. The primary language isSomali. The vast majority are Sunni Muslims.

NUMBERSAt more than 25,000 and growing, Minnesota has thelargest population of Somali refugees in the United States.More than 3,500 live in the St. Cloud area. About one-thirdcame directly from refugee camps. Somalis are divided intoclose-knit clans such as the Darod, Dir, Isaq, and Digil.

WHY CENTRAL MINNESOTA?Most Somali refugees wish to find new homes and reunitewith their families somewhere in the world. Entry-levelemployment opportunities, welcoming neighbors, and thepresence of other Somalis are all factors in choosing centralMinnesota. Returning to Somalia is impossible due to natu-ral disasters and civil war between sixteen rival factions.

CONTRIBUTIONSMany Somalis feel deep patriotism and appreciation forUnited States generosity and seek ways to give back. Islamicpractices include giving 2.5 percent of one’s annual incomein cash or in-kind to charity. Somali workers fill criticallabor force needs in meat processing and manufacturingthat don’t require English proficiency.

CHALLENGESMany Somalis have found it difficult to practice Islam andstill integrate into American life. This requires praying fivetimes per day and not charging or paying interest on loans.Women must wear the hijab head-covering. Former Somaliprofessionals often accept unskilled positions, which meanstheir training and experience doesn’t benefit Minnesotans.Language barriers and culture-shock has multiplied theneed for translation and liaison services.

ACCORDING TO MOHAMED“In Somalia, the more children you have, the more you arerespected. We had no work or no school in refugee camps.Somalis like to work overtime, we work holidays and wedon’t take vacations. We must be allowed to pray. Somaliswill quit their jobs over that, no matter how much theyneed the money. We ask for more help with language andmore patience.”

Sources: The Minneapolis Foundation, Minnesota State Demographic Center

“Our people are tired of war. We hope Americans will learn to accept us as people.” —Mohamed Yusuf

Mohamed Yusuf was just seventeen when war found his village andshattered his life. Mohamed fled south to a refugee camp in borderingKenya. With no word from his parents or thirteen younger siblings, hespent the next eleven years in a canvas tent, enduring relentless heat,starvation, and boredom. Every two weeks, he welcomed a small packetof flour, oil, sugar, corn, and charcoal—no meat.

In 2000, the United States accepted his refugee application; desti-nation, Minnesota. Reunited with his wife and her parents, Mohamedtried hopelessly to trace his parents through the American Red Cross.Like thousands of others, he was put on a waiting list. His prayers wereanswered when the phone finally rang in 2006. His father, four brothers,and one sister arrived in Minnesota from another Kenyan refugee campthe same year.

Earning United States citizenship in February 2007, Mohamed nowworks as a refugee program manager for Lutheran Social Services in St.Cloud. He supports his wife, five children, and siblings. His mother andremaining brothers and sisters are still waiting.

SSUUMMMMEERR 22000077

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ORIGINSHmong is a general term that refers to people frommountainous regions in southeast Asia—Burma, Laos,Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of China. Hmong belongto one of eighteen clans. Primary languages are Whiteand Green Hmong, dialects similar to British andAmerican English. About 70 percent practice shaman-ism; 30 percent are Christian.

NUMBERSMore than sixty-thousand Hmong residents live inMinnesota, the second largest population in the UnitedStates (California). In central Minnesota, Hmong popula-tions are growing in communities such as Buffalo, ElkRiver, St. Cloud, and Taylors Falls.

WHY CENTRAL MINNESOTA?Probably for the same reasons you live here—great neigh-borhoods and schools, quality job opportunities, pristinenatural resources, and progressive attitudes.

CONTRIBUTIONSThrough networking and formal associations, Hmong peo-ple have been among Minnesota’s most successful entrepre-neurs. More than four hundred Hmong-owned businessesnow exist in the Twin Cities area, which have helped to revi-talize downtown areas of St. Paul.

CHALLENGESSeveral Hmong are second- or third-generation citizens,although they are often treated as new immigrants. Formany, language is no longer a barrier. However, intergener-ational conflicts often occur as children learn English anddevelop fondness for American culture while elders seek topreserve traditional language and customs.

ACCORDING TO DAVID“Large families are the most integral part of our society. Weshare success and help each other. Previous generations dida lot of manufacturing and labor jobs; now many of us aremoving into more prominent positions. Today, mostHmong can speak English just as well as any American, butthere still is a lot of miscommunication between the whitesand Hmong. We want to exchange ideas, culture, andunderstanding of one another.”

Sources: The Minneapolis Foundation, Minnesota State Demographic Center,

Hmong Cultural and Resource Center

David Thao, a Minnesota-born citizen, never experienced thehorrors of America’s “secret war” against communists in Laos. Hismother did, and at times, she reminds him of their family’s terrifyingescape. She recalls a wealthy life in Laos until communist soldiersarrived and forced one of her older sons to join them. The entire vil-lage set off on foot toward the safety and freedom of Thailand. It tookmore than a month.

Families were separated. Children died. Mothers were forced todrug their babies to keep them from alerting enemy soldiers. Gangsof soldiers raped women. Many Hmong refugees drowned whilecrossing the Mekong River into Thailand.

Thai officials ushered them to Camp Nong Khai, a refugee campwhere they earned passage to the United States, a place where David’sfamily felt they could finally regain peace and pursue happiness.David carries this history and feels pressure to honor his family bysucceeding as a student at St. Cloud State University.

“We are all the same. We all want achance to pursue happiness.”

—David Thao

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ORIGINSSudan is Africa’s largest country in its northeastregion, which borders Egypt and Ethiopia. Thelargest number of United States refugees are from south-ern Sudan, representing at least ten different ethnic groups.Several languages are spoken, including Arabic, Englishand tribal dialects. About 70 percent are Sunni Muslims,although many central Minnesota Sudanese are Christian.

NUMBERSAn estimated five thousand Sudanese refugees reside inMinnesota. About 350 live in St. Cloud, according toPuotyual. Mankato and Anoka County are also home toSudanese families. In the late 1990s, Minnesota’s Sudanesepopulation may have peaked at six thousand, but manymoved to Iowa and Nebraska for meat-packing jobs andaffordable housing.

WHY CENTRAL MINNESOTA?Like Somalis, most Sudanese refugees wish to find newhomes and reunite with their families somewhere in theworld. Entry-level employment opportunities, welcomingneighbors, and presence of other Sudanese are all factors inchoosing central Minnesota. Many, like Puotyual, wouldeventually like to return to Sudan.

CONTRIBUTIONSAs a relatively new immigrant group similar to those fromSomalia, workers fill critical labor force needs in meat pro-cessing and manufacturing that don’t require English profi-ciency. As they gain a stronger foothold in the United States,their economic contributions and buying power will increase.

CHALLENGESLanguage and culture-shock are major barriers. Puotyualsays that many Sudanese women don’t speak English orlearn common skills such as driving a car. Like the youngerHmong generations, Sudanese children often preferAmerican culture to Sudanese, which leads to intergenera-tional conflicts over identity and morality.

ACCORDING TO JAMES“I miss my country very much—the celebrations, the run-ning, the river. We are very close to our families. Sometimeseight to ten families are living together. We wish forAmericans to reach out, to make relationships with us.Come to church with us and sing together!”

Sources: James Puotyal, CIA World Factbook, Minnesota State Demographic Center

Gazing down with gentle eyes, James Puotyual is a striking giant.When he arrived in Minnesota as a refugee of Sudan, he weighed onlyninety-five pounds. James knows too well the civil war, famine andmassive human suffering that have marred his nation’s existence since1956, most recently in the western region of Darfur. It was civil warthat forced him and thousands of Sudanese to flee villages to neigh-boring Kenya.

James survived for a year in a refugee camp. Life in the campswas only survival—scarce food, no school, and no work. More thana decade later, he cannot forget the wailing, the hollow pains of star-vation, and the dead bodies on the ground. On those rare days whenthere was no tragedy, there was scorching heat and endless boredom.

When James finally was processed as a refugee in 1994, hearrived in Minnesota with two goals: reestablish his life, and return toSudan to help his people. He serves as a lay-pastor and aspiring mis-sionary at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud. Every month, hesends $500 to support his family in the refugee camps.

“I love America. Here, I don’t worry. Here, I am safe. It is very good life here.”

—James Puotyual

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Melanie Benjamin, Chief Executive,Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.

06 IQ.Summer07_26-29 6/11/07 3:09 PM Page 26


By Britta Reque-DragicevicPhotography by Jim Altobell

As a small boy, George Goggleye,

Jr. climbed high into the oak trees

that lined the shores of Leech

Lake. With a pounding heart, he

watched as the canoes pushed off

and sliced the water toward the

rice harvest. It was a stirring

panorama, an Ojibwe legacy that

someday would be his to hold

and bequeath to others. In our

world of crooked lines drawn

somewhere between race and the

scars of history, native and white

Minnesotans have instead shared

a voyage into shadowy waters.

The truth is the way out.

George Goggleye, Jr., Chairman,Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

06 IQ.Summer07_26-29 6/11/07 3:09 PM Page 27

Some whites no longer remember the actsof their ancestors, nor claim responsibility forthem. Generations of American Indians bearshame and hatred for simply being who theyare. Both no longer know why the racism andfear continue. According to Ojibwe leaders, notknowing could be the deepest problem.

“I wish people weren’t afraid to come andtalk with us,” says Goggleye, Jr., now the chair-man of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. “Thereis a fear out there that exists and that preventsthem from learning who we are. People hidebehind racism and negativity. Not until theymeet us will they know that we are people.”

“We have such a beautiful history,” whis-pers Melanie Benjamin, chief executive of theMille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. “We had what peo-ple wanted—lakes and timber—then it wastaken away. Now, we are at a place where not

even our children know whowe are.”

In the 1800s, as Europeansettlers moved west and northinto Minnesota, they encroachedon five thousand years of Ojibweand Dakota history. A multitudeof factors played into theassumption that the land wasthere to be taken. Ojibwe culturewas foreign. Their language wasstrange. Their ways were “unciv-ilized.” Their skin was dark.They were not Christian.

The fear, hatred, and suspi-cion of today are well-rooted inthe earliest beginnings of theUnited States. Conquering theland was part of being a pioneer.

Most everyone knows something ofthe crimes. The Ojibwe people werekilled, threatened, and forced tomarch hundreds of miles from all

they knew. Children wereabducted, sent to boardingschools, and forbidden toknow their language orculture. Identities were lost

in time. As recently as the

twentieth century—October, 1901—the outspokenS.M. Brosiuspenned thisexcerpt from anIndian RightsAssociation articletitled, “The UrgentCase of the MilleLacs Indians”: “Itis stated that about100 Mille Lacs

Indians were ejected from their homes . . . by thesheriff of Mille Lacs County, and their dwellings andproperty burned or otherwise destroyed, owing towhite settlers having some semblance of title to thelands occupied by the Indians for generations.”

While history must be remembered,Goggleye, Jr. encourages tribe members not todwell on it. “Yes, we have been an oppressedpeople,” he says, “but that is not totally respon-sible for the social problems that exist. I try toteach my children about the challenges of exist-ing in both worlds—honoring our heritage andbeing a part of the community. Today, we havea choice and we can make choices.”

Finally, there are signs of progress for theOjibwe: youth programs, retirement plans, bur-ial insurance, and tribal-owned colleges, toname a few. The Bands have steadily moved for-ward, often with immense resistance, to build abrighter future. “Our spirits are strong,” saysBenjamin. “A lot of people have worked hardand died to help us progress.”

Hunting and FishingIn the early 1970s, United States courts

recognized Ojibwe treaty rights to regulate theirown hunting and fishing. In a state brimmingwith outdoor sports enthusiasts, this decisionfueled a venomous controversy that remains araw source of racial tension today.

“The general fear was that the tribes woulddeplete the natural resources by commercialharvesting. This was especially a concern withnetting,” says Paul Swenson, tribal liaison offi-

“There is this fear out there that exists and that prevents them from learning who we are. Peoplehide behind racism and negativity. Not until they meetus will they know that we are people.”

—Chairman George Goggleye, Jr.

INITIATIVE QUARTERLY28

06 IQ.Summer07_26-29 6/13/07 5:36 PM Page 28

cer for the Minnesota Department of NaturalResources (DNR). “Essentially, the Bands gaveup their netting rights in exchange for manag-ing natural resources on their reservations with-out state regulation.”

Today, tribal conservation codes strictlyenforce the amount of fish and game theirmembers may harvest. Contrary to convention-al wisdom, Ojibwe members cannot fish, hunt,or gather without limit. In fact, both Goggleye,Jr. and Benjamin cite natural resource preserva-tion as among their highest priorities.

“It’s worked out well,” says RichardRobinson, director of the Natural ResourceDepartment of the Leech Lake band. “Our con-servation code is similar to the state’s regulationsand we have a very good working relationshipwith the DNR. Both the tribal and DNR gamewardens have been cross-deputized, so we canenforce each other’s natural resource laws.”

Casino GamingThe 1988 legalization of Indian gaming by

the State of Minnesota provided the Bands withan economic engine that propelled themdecades closer to financial independence. It alsoprovided access to the inner circles of politicaland business leadership. Although gamblingabuse poses ongoing challenges, the economicbenefits have transformed the reservations aswell as neighboring communities.

The Leech Lake and Mille Lacs Bands bothown and operate financially successful casinos,restaurants, hotels, event centers, gift shops, andgas/convenience stores. Mille Lacs also ownsbanks, travel agencies, and cinemas. The gam-ing industry alone brings $100 million to the

Leech Lake area and $429 million to the LakeMille Lacs area, according to Band reports.

“Gaming has allowed us to operate on lessgovernment money,” adds Goggleye, Jr. “Therevenue allows us to be more productive in amore positive manner. During the last threeyears, we’ve even been able to establish aninvestment portfolio for the tribe.”

The 2005 University of Minnesota IndianGaming Study estimated that the tribal gamingindustry has created nearly thirteen thousandjobs, mostly in low-income rural areas. TheLeech Lake Band is the largest employer in CassCounty with 1,455 employees. Goggleye, Jr.estimates that half are non-Indians. The MilleLacs Band employs 2,900 at its Grand Casinosin Mille Lacs and Hinckley, which comprises 12to 13 percent of the workforce in Pine and MilleLacs Counties. Ninety-two percent of theseworkers are non-Indian.

“We tax our gaming facilities and thatmoney is used for funding our government andsocial programs,” says Benjamin.

The stereotype of the wealthy MinnesotaIndian who collects a fat check every monthcouldn’t be farther from the truth. Of the 224United States tribes that operate gaming facili-ties, only seventy-three provide per capitamoney to their members. These do not includethe Mille Lacs nor the Leech Lake Band.

“Most of our profits go right back into ourpayroll and operating capital,” says Leech Lakegaming director Daniel Erickson. “The tribe hasbudgeted $10.5 million annually to go back tothe tribal government; the rest is reinvested intothe casinos.”

Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin: “We love our kids.We are working to make sure they have a strong knowl-edge and identity.”

Challenges PersistDespite the economic success, American

Indian families are working to overcome higherper-capita rates of poverty, drop-outs, substanceabuse, depression, and domestic violence. Incentral Minnesota, the Leech Lake and MilleLacs Bands are taking a longer-term approach toaddressing social challenges, by investing inchildren and youth.

“We love our kids. We are working tomake sure they have a strong knowledge andidentity,” says Benjamin. “Oftentimes, oppres-sion leads to depression, which in turn leads tosocial ills and poverty. We are working to pro-vide education, to assist them in overcominggenerations of oppression.”

Another looming challenge remains a lackof sovereign government recognition.

“We’re working toward more government-to-government relationships with Minnesota,”says Goggleye, Jr. “I’m very optimistic with howthe state is responding. The treaties are startingto be honored now.”

“When I look back and see what we haveaccomplished,” adds Benjamin, “I see successesthat have benefited many communities. I’vealways wondered why some people fight us sohard when success can be shared.”React at IQMAG.ORG


06 IQ.Summer07_26-29 6/11/07 3:10 PM Page 29


Under fire again: (left to right) American Indian veterans,Allen Weyaus, Kenny Weyaus, and float driver, David Sam.

07 IQ.Summer07_30-33.qxp 6/13/07 6:51 PM Page 30

SUMMER 2007 31

“We take our float to Garrison, Brainerd,Aitkin, Onamia, and Isle each summer,” saysWeyaus. “Most communities have treated uswith respect.”

Weyaus, thirty-seven, is a member of theAmerican Veterans Association Post 53, whichis comprised of Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe andnon-Indian members. Weyaus served with theUnited States Navy during Operation DesertStorm in the early 1990s. He is part of a lega-cy of thousands of American Indians whohave served in the United States military.

“We are veterans. We did our job and weare proud of that. With our float we want tohonor all veterans.”

Unfortunately, for a state known for its“Minnesota Nice” attitude, the reality formany Minnesotans of color is far from it.And for military service, which is usually a

For Targets of Racism, Minnesota Nice is Skin-Deep

By Tim King and Britta Reque-DragicevicPhotography by Jim Altobell

Then, BANG! Allen barely had time toduck. A dark object shattered the windshieldof the truck that towed the float. David Samscreeched the brakes. The parade stopped.No suspects. No apologies. No doubt thatracism still breathes in Minnesota.

Weyaus had hoped 2006 might be differ-ent at the Isle Days Parade. Different thantheir first year or their second. He could stillhear the parade announcer laughing as theirfloat had passed the first year.

“You’d think the Indians could afford abetter float with all the money they get fromthe casino,” the announcer had said in theloudspeaker. Despite it, the veterans had comeback the second year only to face the sound ofwar whoops and cackles. Undaunted, theywere not going to let a handful of people dis-honor their military service.

Marching bands blared, kids chased candy on the hot asphalt, and

proud Ojibwe veterans waved from their red, white, and blue float.

The 2006 Isle Days parade was a day to remember. And a day to forget. The

float rolled past a local bar. “Go home!” someone shouted. “We don’t want you

here!” A lump formed in the throat of Allen Weyaus, a Desert Storm veteran.

Was this really happening? He swallowed his fury and humiliation. His Uncle

Kenny, who fought in World War II, stared straight ahead, expressionless. “Get

the (expletive) out of here!” rose another faceless voice.



source of community pride, at the Isle DaysParade it was obliterated by the power ofracial prejudice. It is individual prejudicethat sculpts racism.

What is racism, exactly? James Addingtonof the Minnesota Collaborative Anti-RacismInitiative (MCARI) defines it as race prejudicesupported by systems and institutions thatserve white people advantageously. In otherwords, the misuse of power in relation to race.

“The United States systems and lawswere originally designed to serve one group offolks—at that time, a white population,”explains Addington. “You might liken racismto the default settings in software. It’s what wekeep going back to unless we make a con-scious effort to change the settings in our-selves and our society.”

Addington works as an anti-racismtrainer and consultant for institutions andorganizations across Minnesota. Born to par-ents of Choctaw Indian heritage, he firstbecame aware of racism when he learnedthat in his native state of Arizona it was ille-gal for white people to marry anyone ofChoctaw descent. His parents had marriedanyway. Later, he became impassioned by thecivil rights movement of the 1960s and even-tually married his late wife, Nadine, anAfrican-American woman.

“We soon learned as a couple, that wewould have to help people understand how

racism operates.” Jim and his wife werefounders of MCARI in the early 1990s.

Racism takes its form in many shapesand sizes across America and no communityis immune to it. Central Minnesota continuesto struggle with it. Communities such as Isle,where much of the population is outraged athow a handful of people could overshadowtheir own anti-racist beliefs, must face thereality that racism is a deeply rooted reality. Itpermeates the fabric of our country and, whilerock-throwing may be a shocking wake-upcall to some, it’s the hidden aspects of racismthat are the hardest to overcome.

Martha Noyola-Corralejo has learnedthat lesson well. Of Mexican descent, Noyola-Corralejo first experienced blatant prejudicegrowing up in Mississippi when a whitewoman accused the then seven-year-old ofhaving lice because she was Mexican. Noyola-Corralejo watched as her parents enduredhumiliation by white field-bosses as they ekedout a living to give their daughter a better life.When she was thirteen, her family moved toCalifornia where unions gave her parentsmore protection and helped Martha and herfamily finally win respect for their hard work.

A college graduate, Noyola-Corralejomoved to St. Cloud as an adult and wasshocked to find out that the respect she hadwon simply disappeared. While shopping in amajor discount store, Noyola-Corralejo

walked up to an employee to ask where tofind an item. The woman glanced at her andignored her.

“I was very nice and asked her again verypolitely,” says Noyola-Corralejo. “The womansnapped at me and said, ‘I’m busy!’” Noyola-Corralejo asked to speak to a supervisor, whomade the employee apologize.

“It’s a tough thing to speak out,” saysNoyola-Corralejo. “It makes you very vulner-able. But I’m very sensitive to this issue nowa-days, so I’m aggressive.”

“One of the most glaring problemsMinnesotans have is their tendency to min-imize cultural differences,” says JuanMoreno, who travels Minnesota as thediversity and inclusion specialist for theUniversity of Minnesota Extension depart-ment. He trains university staff on diversityand anti-racism issues.

“Minnesotans like to think that we are allalike, that we’re all pretty much the same,”says Moreno. “And while fundamentally weare all alike as humans, we are also fundamen-tally and profoundly different.”

It’s getting white Minnesotans to recog-nize this and to realize that what they oftentake for granted as how things work inMinnesota, is not what Minnesotans ofcolor experience.

“First of all, it’s important to realize thatall people have prejudices. Whites and people

Allen Weyaus (center): “We are veterans. We did our job and we are proud of that. Racism will be part of our area for a long time.”


33

WWhhiittee Privilege?ili

You might liken RACISM to the default settingsin software. It’s what we keep going back to unlesswe make a conscious effort to change the settingsin ourselves and our society.—James Addington, Minnesota Collaborative Anti-Racism Initiative

‘‘’’

of color,” says Addington. “And because wehave so many different social identities, mostpeople will experience some form of discrim-ination in their lifetime. However, racism hasalways trumped other forms of oppression.And it will not change unless individualsintentionally embark on a learning journey.

“When individuals become aware ofracism, that’s when we can start movingtoward changing it within our systems andinstitutions,” he continues.

MCARI works by going on-site to anorganization and establishing a leadershipteam made up of representatives from everyaspect of the organization. This team thenundergoes two years of training, during whichthe team completes in-depth research on poli-cies and procedures to identify racist tenden-cies. The leadership team then makes recom-mendations for change and continues theprocess long-term.

“There is no quick fix. Institutions haveto create and work out strategies from theinside. It comes down to embedding new corevalues in an organization and only people onthe inside can do that,” says Addington.

According to Addington, history indicatesthat it takes ten years to institutionalize change.

Debra Leigh, professor at St. Cloud StateUniversity and leader of Community Anti-Racism Education Initiative, says CARE work-shops provide a context to talk about racismon the campus and address institutional prac-tices and policies.

“It is the intent of the team to have apowerful, effective, and lasting impact onthe campus,” says Leigh. “Our mission is tobuild a lasting anti-racist community.Employees, students, and community mem-bers have honest discussions about their

perceptions of race. Participants are thengiven some specific tools that can be used intheir everyday decision-making to helptransform our institution’s identity.”

“Even with all the amazing inputs fromthe Minnesota State Colleges and UniversitiesSystem and SCSU administration, organizingchange is not instantaneous,” she adds. “Inthree years, we’ve come a long way but we’restill scratching the surface.”

The costs of racism are high. It results indisparities found in education gaps, income lev-els, incarceration rates, inadequate healthcare,and in various forms across the board. Butwhile it’s easy to look at statistics on disparities,Addington cautions that doing so without hav-ing a larger discussion on racism results in atendency to start asking, “What’swrong with these people?”instead of looking at the institu-tions that are embedded withracist principles.

For David Sam, who wasdriving the truck struck by therock, the pain caused by racistindividuals in Isle is just anotherreminder of how far centralMinnesota has to go.

Sam is not inclined to returnto Isle in 2007. Weyaus will bethere. He is a warrior and a veter-an, he says. Not attending theIsle parade because of cowardlyracist acts is not really an option.

“Racism will be part of ourarea for a long time,” saysWeyaus.

It will be, but how longdepends on each of us. React at IQMAG.ORG

Debra Leigh: “Organizing change is not instantaneous . . . we’ve come a long way, but we’re still just scratching the surface.”

“Not me,” you say. After all, your blue-collar parents treaded barely above thepoverty line. You paid your way throughcollege and worked hard to get whereyou are today. But sociologists assertthat our “invisible systems” offer advan-tages that most white people don’t evenknow they have. Still not convinced?Imagine you’re any color but white.Could you say the following?

• I don’t have to protect my childrenfrom people who might not like thembecause of our race.

• At meetings or in public, I seldom feelisolated, out-of-place, outnumbered,unheard or feared.

• I have no difficulty finding neighbor-hoods where people approve of ourhousehold.

• I can take a job or enroll in a collegewithout my peers assuming I got inbecause of my race.

• I can easily buy books, greetingcards, dolls, and toys featuring people of my race.

• I am never called “a credit to myrace” or asked to speak for all of thepeople of my racial group.

Source: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible

Knapsack, by Peggy McIntosh, Wellesley College

SUMMER 2007


eronica Botello’s father desperatelywanted to bring his family to theUnited States. For ten years, he

worked at a turkey-processing plant inPelican Rapids while his wife raised theirchildren in Mexico.

“The green cards aren’t given that easily,so we had to wait until 1995,” recalls Veronica,now twenty-eight. She was fifteen and had justcompleted the ninth grade in Mexico. “It washard, leaving all my friends and coming here.”But she respected her parents’ wishes, learnedEnglish, and excelled in school.

Central Minnesota’s progressive, worker-starved industries are a magnetizing forcebehind the region’s demographic transforma-tion. Immigrants and refugees have filled crit-ical workforce needs, especially in the manu-facturing and meat-processing industries.

“We had to analyze our hiring process,”says Loretta Trulson, human resources directorof Stearns, Inc., a national manufacturer ofpersonal floatation devices with facilities inSauk Rapids and Grey Eagle. “What did weneed to do differently in order to attract adiverse workforce?”

Language is the primary stumbling blockfor both immigrants and their employers. Tomeet their workforce needs, employers mustidentify which jobs can accommodate non-English-speaking workers, and then tailortheir hiring and training accordingly.

Stearns, Inc. continues to host onsite jobfairs, complete with interview interpreters toaccommodate job candidates from Vietnam,China, Laos, Bosnia, and Somalia. The com-pany also verifies legal work status for everynew hire.

“Historically, immigrants came into agri-culture, manufacturing, food-processing, orcleaning-service kinds of jobs,” says KathyZavala, executive director of the Stearns-Benton Employment and Training Council in

St. Cloud. “What’s changing today are theskill demands. We can’t wait two or threegenerations for people to master English andget formal training.”

Area employers, such as Stearns, Inc.,work with the council to assess issues faced bybusinesses and their immigrant workers. Shesays that some workers have declined healthinsurance coverage because they do notunderstand the programs. Others are notfamiliar with vacation time or retirementplans. Trulson recommends getting transla-tions and employee orientation directly frombenefit-plan vendors.

Trulson, who has been with Stearns, Inc.for seventeen years, says the company is rich-er for its diverse workforce. Immigrant work-ers, “bring different ways of doing things, dif-ferent ways of looking at things,” she says.

Mike Helgeson is chief executive officerof Gold’n Plump Poultry, a family owned,1,500-person-company founded by hisScandinavian grandfather in 1926. Today, itemploys workers from such countries asMexico, Somalia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos,and Sudan.

“Every day, we transform a diversity ofideas, perspectives, experiences, cultures, andethnicities into a cohesive team,” saysHelgeson. “We apply the same creativity andleadership to our employee programs.”

The company offers onsite English class-es and reimbursement for continuing educa-tion. “Communication is crucial,” says PeggyBrown, Gold’n Plump human resources direc-tor. We also work to broaden cultural under-standing because cultural differences can cre-ate obstacles.” Thus, company potluck dinnersbecome opportunities to experience ethnicfoods and activities.

Veronica Botello is a shining example ofimmigrant triumph over cultural and eco-nomic barriers. She now works as a bilin-

gual receptionist at the CentraCare Clinic inSt. Cloud.

“I have worked hard to be where I am,”says Botello, “struggling with the language—trying every day to do better. I feel like every-thing is good, as long as we’re all together.”React at IQMAG.ORG


BUSINESS

VV

Forces at WorkImmigrant Workers Sustain Local Industries

BY TENLEE LUND

Cultures of business: Veronica Botello, CentraCare

Health System’s bilingual receptionist.

Employer Tips• Arrange a “box-lunch forum” on topics

of diverse cultural and social interest.

• Examine diversity at all levels of the workplace. Are there barriers that make it harder for people of color to succeed?

• Fight “just like me” bias, the tendency to favor those who are similar to oneself.

• Avoid singling out employees of a partic-ular race or ethnicity to “handle” diver-sity issues on behalf of everyone else.

• Start a mentoring program that pairs veteran employees with newcomers.

• Establish an internal procedure for employees to report incidents of harass-ment or discrimination. Publicize it.

Source: Southern Poverty Law Center, www.tolerance.org

08 IQ.Summer07_34-43 6/11/07 3:40 PM Page 34

SUMMER 2007 35

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BY KATHYRN BLACK LANCESCHOOLS

like math a lot,” says Hamdi Abdi,her big brown eyes dancing, “andreading.” It was July 2005 when

Hamdi, her mother, three sisters, and twobrothers arrived in the United States. Aftercivil war violence drove them from Somalia,Hamdi and her family survived in a smallrefugee town in Kakuma, Kenya for fifteenyears. After first arriving in New Orleans, thefamily moved to Minnesota to join friends andan established Somali community.

According to Gary Loch, the St. CloudSchool District’s diversity coordinator, theSomali student population has been growingsteadily for the past eight years and makes upthe largest group of diverse students at St.Cloud Technical High School.

After arriving in St. Cloud, Hamdi wasplaced in tenth grade. She participated in theEnglish Language Learners (ELL) program fora year and a half, is now fully integrated intothe classroom, and will complete four years ofhigh school in three years. She even tutorsother students in math and science.

But Hamdi is the exception. In 2006, theMinnesota Minority Education Partnershipissued its State of Students of Color Reportthat documented the upsurges in schooldiversity and drew attention to stark differ-ences in student achievement levels. From2000 to 2005, students of color scored signif-icantly lower in the Third-Grade MinnesotaComprehensive Assessment (math and read-ing) as well as the Minnesota Basic Skills Test,a high-school exit exam. Graduation rates arealso markedly lower.

According to English as a SecondLanguage (ESL) teacher, Mary Walker, unlikeHamdi, many of St. Cloud’s immigrant andrefugee children know very little English.“Some have never been in a formal school,”says Walker.

With thirtyspoken languagesand nearly onethousand ELL stu-dents, the schooldistrict has takenpurposeful strides to educate teachers andstudents on issues of language, racism, andbuilding community. From mixing studentseating in the cafeteria to a fourth-gradebuddy system, the district is finding ways toencourage communication between cultures.

“We knew that in order to help the ELLstudents with their education, we needed helpfrom the community to meet the housing,clothing, food, and medical needs,” says St.Cloud Superintendent Bruce Watkins.

Watkins and Loch convened a series ofcommunity meetings. The goal was to under-stand and connect resources so that teacherscould refer students and their families to thehelp they needed.

“Kids can’t learn if they’re hungry or ifthey don’t know where they’re going to sleepat night,” says Initiative Foundation presidentKathy Gaalswyk, who attended the meetings.“St. Cloud is providing an excellent exampleof how entirecommunities canrally together andconnect the dotsfor the sake of ourchildren.”

Isle HighSchool has alsoexperienced asteady increase ofdiversity, especial-ly AmericanIndian students,as well as theresulting racial

tensions. “The whole area is aware that thereis not a positive attitude about race relations,”says Jeff Searles, Isle High School’s dean ofstudents. “The philosophy is, maybe if we canget our children to play nice together whenthey are young, they will play nice togetherwhen they are older.”

Several recreation centers and outsidefunding have helped to promote cultural dia-logue and understanding of mutual chal-lenges and feelings.

According to education leaders, thegreatest challenge that remains is securingfunds to serve growing populations. Whilethe federal No Child Left Behind Act promis-es funding, both school districts report thatthere are no new funds, just a reallocationfrom their other programs. In the meantime,they are applying for grants and leaning oncommunities for help. React at IQMAG.ORG

II“

School Students of Students of Total District Color in 1990 Color in 2005 IncreaseLong Prairie-Grey Eagle 9 257 2,855% Rocori 5 99 1,980% Melrose 11 197 1,790% St. Michael-Albertville 14 229 1,636% Becker 6 71 1,183% Big Lake 20 233 1,165% Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 10 78 780% Rush City 6 43 717% Watertown-Mayer 13 79 608% St. Cloud 401 1,535 383%Source: 2006 State of Students of Color Report, Minnesota Minority Education Partnership

Surging Growth

Assignment: DiversityEducators Cram to Serve More Students of Color

American Ascent: Somali refugee, Hamdi Abdi, is exceptionally gifted. Most foreign-born

students struggle in the classroom, says St. Cloud guidance counselor Erin Bloch (right).

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Healing the WorldRegional Health Systems Diagnose Immigrant Needs

BY ANITA HOLLENHORST

t’s a common joke. You get a prescription from your doctorand it looks to be written in a different language. Apparentlysome combination of those loops, scribbles, and dots is sup-

posed to be an English word or phrase. You study it for a while,assume it’s correct, and pass it on to the pharmacist.

“Now imagine trying to navigate in a new land, not knowing thelanguage, being handed papers not in your language,” says PaulKnutson, Mission Development Specialist for CentraCare HealthSystem in St. Cloud. “It definitely adds to a lot of the anxiety.”

As more and more immigrants and refugees settle in centralMinnesota, area healthcare providers are faced with ever-changingchallenges. From healthcare coverage and access, to cultural and lin-guistic barriers, the course can be a daunting one for both parties.

The application to apply for public assistance in Minnesota islong and complex—the instructions alone make up eleven pages ofthe thirty-six page document. And whether private or public—justone large hospitalization bill clearly demonstrates the need to havesome sort of coverage.

“If they don’t have individual or employer coverage,” saysKnutson, “we ask everyone to sign up for state care.”

Differing languages and cultural beliefs can also be barriers. “There are basically three languages,” says Knutson. “The

provider’s language, which is usually English, the patient’s native lan-guage, and the medical language. Some concepts are not always trans-ferable so we end up putting a lot of faith and trust in our interpreters.”

The Bridge World Language Center in Waite Park provides trans-lation services for more than seventy languages and to more than sixtyhealthcare facilities in central Minnesota. The Bridge estimates thatalmost 70 percent of every employee’s workload is for the medicalindustry.

According to a recent study by the Minnesota Department ofHealth, Latinos were most likely to be uninsured as compared to otherracial groups. People from Somali or Sudanese populations—womenin particular—may not be comfortable discussing their healthcareissues through a male interpreter or with a male physician. Or theymay not be accustomed to the amount of testing traditionally done,especially for pregnant women (ultrasounds, diabetes screenings, etc.).Consequently, according to the National Fund for Medical Education,Minnesota’s African American infant mortality rates have been two tothree times higher than the white rate for twenty years.

So what are local healthcare facilities doing to help curbthese challenges?

“Internally, we are constantly working on education and aware-ness for our staff,” says Karen DuBord, director of mission and values

at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd.“We recently had an American Indian come in to

talk about their cultural beliefs and how to best com-municate with them,” says Dubord. “It was an in-serv-ice that was open to all staff, but not mandatory. We hadsuch a great turnout that we’re hoping to do it again.”

Education and communication within families iscrucial as well. When refugees join their family mem-bers who’ve already settled in the area, it’s important forthem to relay accurate information. Lutheran SocialServices in St. Cloud has held meetings with eldersfrom the Somali community to discuss the healthcaresystem, Western medicine, and other issues.

“We treat everyone, regardless of pay or legal sta-tus,” says Knutson. React at IQMAG.ORG

IIPaul Knutson: Health insurance and state applications can seem foreign, even for

native-born Americans.

Although offered in eleven different languages, the application toapply for a public healthcare program in Minnesota can be confusing.

Would you be able to answer these questions?

Application Anxiety

• Do you or any household members have a burial contract or money for a burial?

• Do you or your spouse have any interest in an annuity?

• Was an Asset Assessment ever completed in a county or another state?

• In the last sixty days, did you or any household member purchase an annuity,life estate in another person’s home, promissory note, loan, or mortgage?

HEALTHCARE

Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services

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> K E Y S T O R Y

InteractThe website introduces an interactive version of IQ.

This virtual version of the magazine allows users to print,e-mail, and bookmark specific articles. While virtuallyflipping through the magazine’s pages, users can enlargethe pages for easier viewing.

Enter a keyword and the search function will comeback with results from the current and several past issues.These past issues are interactive as well, allowing users tobrowse, print, link, and e-mail past articles.

ReactThe “React” forum is another exciting feature on the

website. The forum allows readers to provide feedback andcomments about specific articles and topics within eachissue. Users can follow this stream of dialogue and anony-mously contribute with their own thoughts and opinions.

“IQ Magazine is no longer a one-way street,” saysMatt Kilian, director of communications. “You canexchange ideas with foundation staff, IQ contributors andreaders to make every topic a personal experience.”

By simply creating a username and password, userscan immediately share their thoughts with others.Feedback is instantly posted to the website so conversationand sharing is uninterrupted.

MoreIQ is provided as a service and tool for central

Minnesota community members and leaders. Throughthe new website, readers can now sign up for compli-mentary subscriptions.

Interested in advertising? The IQ advertising guide,contract, rates, and design specifications can all be down-loaded. Contacting advertising managers and other IQ staffis effortless with fill-in forms.

Take a look, explore, and interact today atWWW.IQMAG.ORG.

WWW.IQMAG.ORGRead, react and interact. That’s what to expect when you visit IQ’s new online publication, with back-issues to Fall 2005 (meth). Want to ask a question? Join or debate other readers? Offer a personal storyor fresh take? Log-on to the React forum, enhance our coverage and keep the issues alive.


09 IQ.Summer07_44-48 6/13/07 6:08 PM Page 44

SUMMER 2007 45

> E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T

If Erik Peterson’s research-basedpredictions prove true, by the

year 2025, world population willswell by 1.4 billion. Advances inbiotechnology could eventuallyprolong human life by one hun-dred years. Rapidly developingcountries like China and Indiawill double demand for food,water, land, and energy. Andmore of the world’s topeconomies will be companies likeWal-Mart.

On April 13, more than fourhundred leaders attended theInitiative Foundation’s economic

development conference featur-ing Peterson’s “SevenRevolutions,” a nationally sought-after presentation that previewslife-changing global trends.Peterson is senior vice presidentat the Center for Strategic andInternational Studies (CSIS), aWashington, D.C. think-tank andresearch firm.

A panel of Minnesotaexperts narrowed the perspectivefrom global to local, with discus-sions on demographic changes,environmental impacts, technol-ogy innovations, and govern-

ment roles. The InitiativeFoundation hopes to fundcooperative planning projectsinspired by the event, especial-ly those that address regionalgrowth issues and preservationof “green space.”

“This isn’t science-fiction,”says Sandy Voigt, event organiz-er and the foundation’s technol-ogy finance officer. “We hope itgot people thinking aboutfuture planning and how cur-rent courses of action will affectcentral Minnesota in the yearsto come.” React at IQMAG.ORG

REWIND: SEVEN REVOLUTIONS CONFERENCE400 Leaders Glimpse Life in 2025

CONFERENCE POLLWhich of the seven revolutions do area leaders feel will have the greatest impact on central Minnesota?

Resource Management 26%Population & Demographics 20%Knowledge & Information 18%Technology 18%Governance 12%Conflict 3%Economic Integration 3%

09 IQ.Summer07_44-48 6/11/07 4:02 PM Page 45

> L E A D E R S H I P

In Brainerd’s Arnie Johnson, theInitiative Foundation added

entrepreneurial leadership, trade-mark tenacity, and legendarybootstraps success to its fourteen-member board of trustees.

Johnson’s blue-collar begin-nings included growing up innear-poverty, graduating in thebottom half of his high-schoolclass, and starting his career ascentfrom the seat of an Iron Rangemining truck.

“A key regional issue is help-ing small businesses that are try-ing to get started or existing ones

that need help,”says Johnson, whowill serve a renew-able three-yearterm. “Havingstarted a smallbusiness andbeing involved in many othersover the years, I am aware of themany challenges they face.”

In 1975, he foundedUniversal Pensions, providingpension and IRA services to finan-cial clients across the U.S. In 2001,he sold the five hundred employeecompany for $85 million. Today,

his business interests includeeverything from commercial realestate to supper clubs to a newventure called Minnesota ThermalSciences, which manufactures life-saving containers that keephuman blood at a constant tem-perature for seventy-two hours.

“Any time we can tap the

leadership and philanthropicspirit of trustees like ArnieJohnson, it makes our founda-tion stronger, and it makes cen-tral Minnesota stronger,” addsKathy Gaalswyk, InitiativeFoundation president. “He’s

proof that the stars are withinreach for all of us, no matterwhere we begin our lives.”

When taking a break frombusiness, Arnie and his wife, JoAnn, enjoy ocean winds andspending time with their twodaughters and nine grandchildren.React at IQMAG.ORG

STAR POWERArnie Johnson Joins Board of Trustees


Paige

09 IQ.Summer07_44-48 6/11/07 4:03 PM Page 46

> L E A D E R S H I P

Question: What do you getwhen you shake-up 27,000

gallons of paint, 650 communityorganizations, thousands of volun-teers, and six Minnesota InitiativeFoundations? Answer: A resourceof a different color.

The Minneapolis-basedValspar Corporation has partneredwith the foundations to provide atidal wave of paint and coatings tovolunteer-led projects in greaterMinnesota. The foundation presi-dents recently honored Valsparwith a Valued Partner Award for adecade of philanthropic service.

“Nonprofits and schools canface a dilemma when a buildingneeds some TLC,” says DanFrank, Initiative Foundation pro-gram manager for planning andpreservation. “They may have anarmy of volunteer painters, butthey can’t afford the paint.Valspar enables volunteers tohelp their communities.”

This summer, the InitiativeFoundation recommended elevenmore central Minnesota organiza-tions to receive paint, coatings,and expert assistance fromValspar. For the past nine years,

Oasis Share-a-Meal inLittle Falls has receivedpaint for homes ownedby low-income seniors,single parents, and peo-ple with disabilities.

“We are thrilled tohave partnered with theInitiative Foundationsfor the past ten years,”says Valspar’s GwenLeifeld. “We feel we area part of small-townMinnesota throughtheir efforts.”React at IQMAG.ORG

SUMMER 2007 47

MINNESOTA MASTERPIECEValspar Spreads Generosity for Ten Years

Every

step

of the

way.

2 1 8 . 5 6 8 . 6 1 6 0 • w e b : w w w . d o t t y b r o t h e r s . c o m

Choose Dotty Brothers for your building project and get a partner who willwork with you every step of the way - from concept to completion. Thatmeans clear communication from one source for greater peace of mind.Andefficiencies you never thought possible.

09 IQ.Summer07_44-48 6/11/07 4:03 PM Page 47


sGUEST EDITORIAL

eople of color face both overt andcovert acts of racism—from whis-

pered insults to crushing discrimination. As aMinnesota educator for thirty years, I havekept a massive file of pain-stricken commentsfrom our students of color. Their words makea personal impact. They cause us to questionour own beliefs and behaviors. Facing racismis like looking into a mirror and seeing evil.Once we see, feel, and understand it, our liveswill never be the same.

The truth is that racism is about powerand money. It always has been, from slavery(free labor) to the American Indian atrocities(land ownership), and most recently, the uglypolitics about our newest immigrants (eco-nomic drain).

It can be measured by stark disparities inhealthcare, education, arrest rates, academicachievement, graduation rates, housingaccess, poverty issues, mortality rates, childabuse, and much more.

Fortunately, there is a way out. It’s asimple, but perilous path. We must talkabout race. Engage in conversations thatmost of us avoid at all costs. Share our angerand fears. Face our prejudice. Ask questions.Tell the truth. Understand each other’s pain.Discover our common ground. Unite andmove forward. These conversations are deli-

cate and difficult, but critically important. The costs of facing racism and address-

ing diversity in rural Minnesota are muchhigher than in urban areas. In close-knithometowns, the fear of talking is alive andwell. When planning our first diversity-racerelations gatherings in the Mille Lacs Lakearea, I witnessed local clergy, business own-ers, and educators decline to offer their sup-port or participation. They feared backlash,isolation, and financial loss. To them, it was-n’t worth the risk.

But if we don’t start talking now, ournext generations will experience a marginallybetter, but still unacceptable existence. Ifpockets of our community do not succeed,we all suffer. Turning away or expecting peo-ple of color to “just get over it” doesn’t solveanything. It assures them that we don’t careenough to listen and that we’re unwilling tomodel change.

We will know that we are makingprogress when we see a reduction in violence,in poverty rates, when discussions and diver-sity programs are integrated into our schoolsand business culture, and when we can standup as a community and have zero-tolerancefor any form of discrimination.

We will know that we are makingprogress when there are no gangs, no white-

supremacists, and no anti-treaty movements,when our kids stop self-harming, committingsuicide, and hurting each other. We will knowwhen our kids finally tell us that things areokay. Right now, they’re not.

But what a risk this will be. Are we readyto stand up in communities that are divided,entrenched, and led by bullies? Are we readyto stand up to the smirking bigots and thosewho conceal their fear and prejudice underthe veil of divisive politics?

It is time to talk, to learn from oneanother, and to find ways to cooperate and toheal. It’s time to hold up the mirror and takea good look at what you see in front of youand around you. Then decide. On which sideof justice do you stand? React at IQMAG.ORG

PP

Initiative Foundation Trustee, Mary Sam, isthe local government and community relationscoordinator for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.Mary holds a mas-ter’s degree in socialwork and humanservices manage-ment. She hasworked in educa-tion and race rela-tions for nearlythirty years.

Moments of TruthTalking about Race Will Set Us Free

BY MARY SAM

Americans seem to hate us. We were hatedin our own countries. They tell us that wedrain the economy. —Liberian Student

I hear treaty jokes and casino put-downsall the time, even from teachers. I getcalled Geronimo or Chief. —American Indian Student

I get asked if I eat dogs all the time.Teachers talk to me like I am hard of hear-ing. I am so lonely. —Hmong Student

I was handcuffed and thrown to the groundby the police, by mistake, in front of mymom and little sister. Adults think blackkids look alike and that we are all in gangs. —African-American Student

My family has worked hard their entire life.Here in Minnesota, we are treated like weare the scum of the earth. —Latino Student

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS MCALLISTER

09 IQ.Summer07_44-48 6/11/07 4:03 PM Page 48

A PARTNERSHIP OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CENTRAL REGION PARTNERSHIP AND THE INITIATIVE FOUNDATION

Visit your local market May through October.

Aitkin Farmers’ MarketHours: Fridays, 9 A.M.–1 P.M.Mid-May through OctoberLocation: Pamida parking lot,Highway 169 SouthPhone: (218) 546-6824

Brainerd/Baxter Lakes AreaGrowers’ MarketHours: Tuesdays and Fridays,9 A.M.–1 P.M.Mid-May through mid-OctoberLocation: Tuesdays -WashingtonStreet NE at the Old Franklin School;Fridays- Highway 371 in the GanderMountain parking lotPhone: (218) 829-3241 (evenings)

Cass Lake Farmers’ MarketHours: Wednesdays, 10 A.M.–4 P.M.June 15-OctoberLocation: Downtown Cass LakePhone: (218) 335-2250

Cold Spring Farmers’ MarketHours: Wednesdays, 3–6:30 P.M.June through mid-OctoberLocation: Quarry Cinema parking lot,Highway 23 and Main StreetPhone: (320) 685-3257

Crosby Farmers’ MarketHours: Mondays, 9 A.M.–1 P.M.Mid-May through mid-OctoberLocation: Highway 6 North, next to C–I CommunicationPhone: (218) 546–6824

Crosslake Farmers’ MarketHours: Wednesdays, 9 A.M.–1 P.M.Mid-May through SeptemberLocation: Crosslake Town SquarePhone: (218) 546-6824

Detroit Lakes Farmers’ MarketHours: Tuesdays and Saturdays,10 A.M.–2 P.M.Late May through OctoberLocation: south on Washington Ave.at the city parkPhone: (218) 847-9202

Hackensack Farmers’ MarketHours: Tuesdays, 9 A.M.–1 P.M.May 22 through SeptemberLocation: Countryside Food Co-opparking lot on Highway 371Phone: (218) 675–6179

Isle Area Farmers’ MarketHours: Saturdays, 9 A.M.–noonMemorial weekend through late fallLocation: Isle Municipal Parking loton Main StreetPhone: (320) 676-1962

Motley Farmers’ MarketHours: Fridays, 2–6 P.M.Late May through OctoberLocation: Highway 10 in front ofCountryside RestaurantPhone (218) 352–9202

Nisswa Farmers’ MarketHours: Thursdays, 9 A.M.–1 P.M.May 26 through SeptemberLocation: Nisswa American Legionparking lot, north Main StreetPhone: (218) 963-2620

Park Rapids Farmers’ MarketHours: Saturdays, 8 A.M.–1 P.M.Late May through OctoberLocation: Pioneer Park,downtown Park RapidsPhone: (218) 732-0978

Pequot Lakes Farmers’ MarketHours: Saturdays, 9 A.M.–1 P.M.June through SeptemberLocation: Oasis Center,Highway 371 SPhone: (218) 232-0848

Pine City Farmers’ MarketHours: Fridays, 11 A.M.–1 P.M.July through OctoberLocation: south side of Robinson Park,downtown Pine CityPhone: (320) 629-2575, ext. 11

Pine River Farmers’ MarketHours: Fridays, 3 P.M.–8 P.M.June through SeptemberLocation: American Legion parking lot,Highway 371Phone: (218) 947-3700

Princeton Farmers’ MarketHours: Saturdays, 8:30 A.M.–11:30 A.M.May through OctoberLocation: Princeton Mall parking lotPhone: (763) 389-2567

Sandstone Farmers’ MarketHours: Saturdays, 9 A.M.–noonJuly 14 – October 27Location: Train Park,downtown SandstonePhone: (320) 233-0284

Sauk Center Farmers’ MarketHours: Thursdays 3–7 P.M.and Saturdays, 8 A.M. – noonJuly through OctoberLocation: American Legion parking lot on Main StreetPhone: (320) 353-6255

Sauk Rapids Farmers’ MarketHours: Thursdays 3–6:30 P.M.July through OctoberLocation: Living Waters LutheranChurch parking lotPhone: (320) 230-3059

Staples Farmers’ MarketHours: Saturdays, 8:30 A.M.–12:30 P.M.June 16 through OctoberLocation: west end of town,3 blocks from the stop lightsat Hwy 10 and 1st StreetPhone: (218) 894-0123

St. Cloud Area Farmers’ Market St. Cloud hours: Saturdays,8 A.M.–noon May through OctoberSt. Cloud Location: Bremer Bankparking lot, 12th Ave. and Division St.Sartell hours: Wednesdays,3 P.M.–6 P.M.May through OctoberLocation: Abbott Northwestern Cliniclot: Highway 15 and County Road 134Phone: (320) 202–0334

St. Joseph Farmers’ MarketHours: Fridays, 3 P.M.–6:30 P.M.Mid-May through mid-OctoberLocation: City water tower/County 75:at Kay’s Kitchen, turn northon County 2Phone: (320) 363-2106

Wadena Farmers’ MarketHours: Thursdays, 7 A.M. until sold outLate June through OctoberLocation: Burlington Northern Park,Highway 71Phone: 1-877–631–7704


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