Bridging Communities, Building Community

City of Dubuque Human Rights Department

What does a HUMAN RIGHTS Department do?

Historically and generally…

Enforcement of CIVIL RIGHTS laws

Types of Claims – 5 Year Average

Case Dispositions – 5 Year Average

• Subsistence

• Leisure Safety

• Belonging

• Understanding Identity

• Creation

• Participation Freedom

Human Needs

Residents

Staff

Consultants

• Diversity Task Force 2004

• Focus Groups 2006

• Safe Community Task Force 2008

• Perception Survey 2009

• Diversity Task Force 2004

• Focus Groups 2006

• Safe Community Task Force 2008

• One Ummah Consulting 2006

• Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies 2009

• Urban Strategies 2009

Findings Commitment to supporting those whose basic needs not being met

Desire to be welcoming and inclusive

Strong sense of volunteerism and community ownership

Lack of cultural self-awareness

Pressure for conformity

Colorblind/”difference-blind” policies the norm

Deep tendency to downplay the significance of differences in culture and identity and how that impacts communication, conflict, and opportunity

Recommendations Awareness Raising and Communication

Bridge Building and Dialogue

Skill Development

Building capacity around belonging, volunteerism, a deeper understanding of identity and culture, effective social service programs, and creating “learning” organizations/groups.

Intake & Referral

Investigate

Tell People the Law

Win/Lose

Human Rights

Strong civic infrastructure that meets basic needs in

fair and equitable ways

Community Engagement

Training & Development

Intake & Referral

Data

Investigations to

Legal

Department

Diversify the spaces we work within, draw

out differences in perspective, suggest possible alternative

perspectives

Encourage, teach, coach, learn by consistently asking what went well, what went wrong, how

might we do this differently next time

Communicate the factual reality of

change and support people in having hard

conversations

Show me and I will forget. Tell me and I may remember. Involve me and I will learn. Chinese Proverb

Individual Skill

Building

Intercultural Workshops

Engagement Workshops

Leadership Coaching

Modeling & Pilots

Commission Efforts

Cultural Voices

Police – Community

Dialogue

Police Recruitment &

Internships

City Life

Comprehensive Plan & Aquatic

Center

Inclusive Dubuque

Impact Volunteering