Creating a Welcoming Community in Austin

Twenty years ago, Austin Minnesota was the “typical,” out-state community, according to its former mayor Bonnie Rietz, 1988 BCLP alum and Blandin Foundation Trustee. Cultural differences were the concern of people living in the metropolitan area  ¬ Austin was largely Caucasian and definitely not diverse.  Then, all that changed.

Hormel, which has a meat packing facility in Austin as well as other suppliers for Hormel, such as Quality Pork Processors, were attracting a new kind of worker, a more culturally diverse worker.  Many of Austin’s new residents were Hispanic, Sudanese and Vietnamese.  Many had limited English proficiency.

Bonnie, who was mayor from 1997 through the end of 2006 said:   “In 1999, I realized we were having a major influx.”

That influx prompted Bonnie to gather 35 community leaders from various groups in late 1999 to discuss how best to move forward. From that initial gathering, Apex Austin was born.  Apex was formed with a mission of helping new residents adjust to their new surroundings.  Since its founding, Apex has remained an active community force and has gained momentum as a vehicle to help meet the rising challenges and opportunities that come from  a more diverse community.

“After more than eight years, almost everyone is aware of what Apex is and what it does,” said Bonnie.

An initiative that closely complemented and came out of Apex Austin soon followed ¬the Austin Welcome Center.  The nonprofit welcome center started in June 2000 and now helps new residents in three major areas: community cultural education, economic self-sufficiency and individual client services. (For more see:  Austin Welcome Center)

Austin Welcome Center Executive Director Liliana Silvestry, 2003 BCLP alum, said that last year staff completed more than 3,000 unduplicated services and 7,000 total services. The task they perform is formidable.  There are 14 different languages spoken in Austin.

Assisting newcomers and existing Austin residents with language and cultural barriers is a big part of what they do.  Liliana explained that sometimes just helping newcomers become aware of their new environment and its expectations can greatly improve relations.  For example, a newcomer might not be aware that riding a bike on the highway is a violation of local ordinances.  “We have been very successful in reducing the gaps of communication,” said Liliana.

Austin added a number of other initiatives since the inception of Apex and the welcome center.

In 2000, Catherwood Home Child Care opened its doors.  The 24-hour, seven days per week childcare center grew out of a community-identified need for second and third shift, multilingual childcare.  Catherwood works with major employers in the area, such as Hormel and Quality Pork Processors as well as serving the public.

In 2001, the Hormel Foundation, city of Austin and Mower County partnered with the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund to address local housing needs.  Out of that partnership came Murphy’s Creek, which provided an additional 98 homes, apartments and condominiums in the community.

“Key to accomplishing many of the initiatives,” said Bonnie, “was the contribution of the Hormel Foundation, which provided $5 million in matching funds for community welcoming projects.”

Leadership also played a crucial role.  Austin leaders have twice participated in Partners-in-Leadership, a Blandin Leadership program designed to help alumni work effectively across cultural differences.  And, at the center of its leadership is the umbrella organization, Apex, which has helped Austin meet the challenges it has faced amid the tremendous changes of the last decade.

“It (Apex) really made a difference,” said Bonnie.  “I’m not saying we don’t have challenges, but by far the majority of people would say it’s made a big difference to have Apex.”