Local Governments Reach Out to Newcomer Communities

摘要

Many cities and counties in California and throughout the nation are taking steps to include the voices of immigrants and their families in civic participation efforts and to develop civic leadership in these communities. Two recent examples of civic participation that bridge cultural divides and address community issues illustrate these efforts. Santa Clara County is hosting a series of "Bold Dialogues" during the spring and summer of 2008, in which participants chose their own topics for a facilitated roundtable discussion. The idea of the Building Opportunities for Lasting Dialogue (BOLD) initiative is to cut through the prejudice and misunderstanding that can divide people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds who live in Santa Clara County. The first in a series of four planned dialogues focused on the experiences of Vietnamese immigrants in the community. A dozen residents, half with roots in Vietnam, gathered for three hours after work in April 2008 to share a meal and learn about each other. In May, a dialogue involving 25 high-school students addressed the needs of Latino and Asian youth in the community.