The Communities
Southampton, New York
During the summer, Southampton, Long Island, becomes a vacation destination for many tourists. This has led to a boom in service-related jobs,and an influx of Latinos who have moved into the area to help fill those jobs.This population shift has resulted in an increased demand for affordable housing and town services, and has created friction between the town’s long-term residents and newcomers. In 2004,more than 100 Southampton residents participated in study circles, which have fostered better understanding of different cultures, along with increased resident involvement in community decision making.
What study circles led to:
- Participants formed a Public Participation and Action Group to work with existing community groups on effective ways to discuss civic issues, communicate with community leaders, attract supporters, and increase overall public participation
in local government.
-
Plans are under way for a community-wide multicultural celebration.
-
A group is monitoring four housing-related bills in Southampton, and planning a housing conference during the fall.
Waterford Union High School, Waterford, Wisconsin
Waterford is a small-town school, southwest of Milwaukee. Eager to expand their vistas, a student group at the school, supported by an adviser, has worked hard to increase diversity awareness in the student body and community. Through a diversity conference, diversity circles, and an outside workshop, students are learning more about people from other races and ethnicities, and they are building a case for more education and interaction. They say it’s especially important to talk about diversity in a school where 98 percent of the students are white.
One key, ongoing project at Waterford is the creation of a diversity class. Two students—one white, one Arab-American—wrote a proposal to create a curriculum for a “diversity class,” and presented it to an audience including the school principal and district superintendent. They’ve also spoken with school staff and a local business about the need for more diversity training. The diversity committee hopes to launch the class in the 2009-2010 school year.
Waterloo, Iowa
In the late 1990s, a predominantly white Waterloo, Iowa, experienced an influx of Hispanics, Bosnians, and other immigrants, creating tensions over housing, jobs, social services and health care.The City of Waterloo Commission on Human Rights, in partnership with the Cedar Valley Diversity Appreciation Team, began engaging the community in study circles. Since 1998,more than 2,000 adults and 600 youth have taken part in study circles on racism and race relations, police-community relations, and prevention of youth violence.
What study circles led to:
- The Annual Cedar Valley Conference on Race celebrates the growing diversity in Waterloo and Cedar Valley.
- Ethnic Bus Excursions and Neighborhood Harmony Festivals help decrease stereotyping of ethnic groups and neighborhoods.
- Cultural competence skills of Waterloo police officers have improved.
- Waterloo public school administrators and teachers are more aware of the impact of race on teaching methods and student achievement.
- More Waterloo businesses value diversity in the workplace.