Rise:

Rochester In Support of Everyone

The RISE project was designed to solicit personal opinions and perceptions from Rochester's minority ethnic groups to determine what issues they are facing.

Nine Olmsted County ethnic groups were contacted and seven participated in the project: African-Americans, Bosnians, Cambodians, Hmong, Somalis, Sudanese, and Vietnamese. In most cases, participant selection was aided by a volunteer within each community - an elder, church leader, or community advocate.

The participants were asked questions about their first impressions of Rochester, what information or help was most useful in getting settled in Rochester, what makes members of their community stay in Rochester or leave, what skills and assets do their people bring to Rochester and the benefits, what would they like others to know about their traditions and culture and what is misunderstood, what are the biggest challenges to living in Rochester, and what could be improved.

First Impressions:

For the most part, paritcipants shared very favorable first impressions of Rochester. Although many of the refugees fleeing civil war were simply assigned to Rochester, their satisfaction with a city that is safe, clean, and quiet comes as no surprise. Many groups cited education opportunities and a safe environment for children as major benefits of coming to the city.

Family and freinds assisted most in helping people relocate and adjust to life in Rochester. Many participants cited strong bonds with their families and others in their local ethnic communities as important reasons to remain in Rochester. Also credited for providing assistance to their relocation efforts were local churches and the Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association (IMAA), which offers emplyment assistance, cultural admustment, immigration assistance, and information and referral.

Common Assets:

When participants were asked to outline the assets they bring to the Rochester community, shared themes emerged among the groups. They included a strong work ethic, caring families, and strong religious values.

All seven focus groups cited a strong work ethic in their communities and all emphasized their ability to learn on the job. Where language acquisition poses a barrier, individuals are able to learn by demonstration and imitation. Many newcomers had substantial education or professional degrees in their country or city of origin and they also bring different ideas and a global perspective to Rochester.

Although the groups bring different religious traditions to Rochester, the core values inherent in their religious beliefs make the newcomers good neighbors and responsible citizens. Participants recognized that Americans often do not grasp the importance of religion to their cultures and acknowledge that they need to educate their employers and the community about their religious practices so that they do not become a hindrance to their success.

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Rochester's Primary Minorities

African American

Bosnian

Cambodian

Hmong

Mexican

Native American

Somali

Sudanese

Vietnamese

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