The World in Minnesota O Mundo em Minnesota Verdenen i Minnesota
“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects us all. …”
—Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
The heart of society is the home. That essential truth is the cornerstone for the International Year of the Family (IYF), a global initiative established by the United Nations in 1994 and being reaffirmed this year. Leaders from Minnesota were part of the original planning team for the U.S. observance of the initiative, which was established to draw worldwide attention to the well-being of families as a basic matter of policy. As the initiative celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, our faculty, students, and alumni are among those taking special note. That’s not surprising. Family issues have been at the forefront of CHE’s work for nearly a century.
The IYF 10th anniversary is an occasion for taking stock of trends that have a major impact on families today, according to the U.N. These include changes in family structure, the aging of the population, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and the rise of migration. All these trends are evident in Minnesota, but one in particular—the rise of migration and immigration—has had particularly far-reaching consequences in our state.
Immigrants first traveled to Minnesota centuries ago, meeting the Native Americans who had migrated here from across the continent. They created the early tapestry of life in our state. The textures and hues of that tapestry have grown far more dazzling and more complex in recent years. Especially in the past three decades, Minnesota ’s cities and small towns alike have undergone transformation as immigrants from many parts of the world have found their way here, along with many people who’ve migrated here from other parts of the United States.
Our state’s schools, businesses, and communities clearly have become increasingly multicultural and multinational. The revitalization of urban corridors such as St. Paul’s University Avenue and Minneapolis’ Lake Street is only the tip of the iceberg. Many small cities in greater Minnesota now boast ethnic markets, a Buddhist temple has taken up residence in a farmhouse outside Worthington, and in a host of other ways, immigrants have become a highly visible presence throughout the state. Data from the Minnesota State Demographic Center indicate that migration to Minnesota will continue to increase in the future.
The Changing Face of Minnesota
Just how dramatically are immigrants changing the face of Minnesota? The numbers tell the story. Estimates by the Minnesota State Demographic Center suggest that there are 175,000 Latinos in Minnesota, 105,500 Southeast Asians (including 60,000 Hmong, 25,000 Vietnamese, 13,000 Laotians, and 7,500 Cambodians), 25,000 Somalis, 12,500 Russians, and 7,500 Ethiopians.
Those are only the numbers. They do not reflect the wealth of new foods in our grocery stores, the exciting rhythm of new music and the lilt of new voices in many languages as we walk streets and malls, the richness of new skills and perspectives in our schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Nor do the numbers reflect the challenges that accompany our diversifying population, as our systems of health care, education, and community services respond to the needs of diverse populations of new Minnesotans.
The world has indeed come home to Minnesota. That’s the focus of this issue of Kaleidoscope, which highlights CHE people who are helping to illuminate Minnesota’s changing cultural landscape. Minnesota’s growing diversity also is the focus of The World in Minnesota, a yearlong series of events CHE will sponsor starting this fall to coincide with the IYF 10th anniversary. Our kickoff celebration October 6 and 7 will showcase a gift of indigenous costumes from Mexico as well as a conversation with the Consul General of the Mexican Consulate in Chicago, our partner in planning educational exchange programs between Minnesota communities and institutions of higher education in Mexico.
As part of this program, our faculty and staff will join community leaders over the next year for public dialogues about issues facing families today. We invite you to watch for the dates of upcoming conversations (www.che.umn.edu/outreach/ WorldinMN.html). These forums promise to be a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the “world in Minnesota,” both the cultural differences that enrich our state and the similarities and shared dreams that unite us as Minnesota’s own family.
Shirley L. Baugher, dean |
