How basic human needs (safety, identity, and freedom) can be used to bring people together within a community, and increase interest in community engagement.

1. City of Dubuque
Human Rights
Department
Bridging Communities, Building Community

2. What does a HUMAN
RIGHTS Department do?
Historically and generally…
Enforcement of CIVIL
RIGHTS laws

3. Types of Claims – 5 Year
Average

4. Case Dispositions – 5 Year
Average

5. Human Needs
• Subsistence
• Leisure Safety
• Belonging
• Understanding Identity
• Creation
• Participation Freedom

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. Intake & Referral
Investigate
Tell People the
Law
Win/Lose

10. 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

11. 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

12. Intercultural
Workshops
Individual
Skill
Building
Engagement
Workshops
Leadership
Coaching
Modeling &
Pilots

13. Commission
Efforts
Cultural Voices
Police –
Community
Dialogue
Police
Recruitment &
Internships
Comprehensive
Plan & Aquatic
Center
City Life

14. Inclusive Dubuque
Impact Volunteering