Ray Oatis has been a citizen of Dubuque for the past five years.

“I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana,” says Oatis.

And when the opportunity to moved to Dubuque to get a better education, Oatis took it.

“To better myself as a person really to graduate from high school so I did I graduated from senior,” says Oatis.

And when he’s not working at Culvers, he’s playing guitar, drums, keyboard.

“I make beats.  I play basketball once or twice a week with the guys and I work at Culver’s,” explains Oatis.

Oatis and his roommates are living in downtown Dubuque. While living there they have heard many comments about others living in that same area.

“In the downtown area people get stereotyped a lot. You know if people see a black person they just assume that that person is from Chicago and that might not be true,” explains Oatis.

Oatis’s says his time in Dubuque has been pleasent for the most part and he has not had any negative racial slurs directed towards him, but he does remember a time when he was labeled because of the color of his skin.

“I had a guy come up to me and asked me ‘hey when was the last time you went home?’  I was confused but I said, ‘well uh last sumer’ he said ‘oh well I’m going back to Chicago next week.’ You know he thought that because I was black I was from Chicago.  It’s just crazy that he would think that I’m from Chicago just by looking at me,” says Oatis.

Mayor Roy Boul says as a life-long citizen, he’s seen diveristy grow in Dubuque and has heard racial comments grow too.

“I hear a lot about those statements and I think for the most part I contribute that to ignorance,” says Buol.

Buol says the answer to confronting and end those types of statements is through education.

“I really, truly believe that education is the key to acceptance.  Any advancement in society has been based on education and will continue to do so,” explains Buol.

Oatis agrees with Buol but thinks the answer can be solved in an even simpler way.

“Ask questions.  I would rather you ask me a question first before you assume that I don’t have a job or I don’t do this or that just because I am black.  Ask me if I have a job, I’ll tell you it’s that simple,”  says Oatis.

Wether the answer is education or asking a question, one thing is true, the road to acceptance of racial diversity is progress, but as for the journey, we still have a long way to go.

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Addressing Diversity: Part 1 and Addressing Diversity: Part 2

Dora Serna is currently working at the Multicultural center teaching English to newcomers. Here she is in the center with her children.

Ten years ago during the month of July,  Dora Serna and her husband moved from Bogota, Columbia to Dubuque, Iowa for one reason. ”My husband had a good offer for a new job,” says Serna.

And after the couple settled in America, they soon started their family.  Her son Aljendrao and daughter Daniella were born here in Dubuque, but life as a “Dubuquer” was a bit difficult for Dora to adjust to.

“We had to learn everything again. You don’t know how difficult it is when you don’t have the language to try and communicate.  Sometimes the people weren’t really friendly but now I can go out and talk with the people in both languages,” explain Serna.

With her language experience in mind, Dora is now helping the newcomers in Dubuque who don’t know the English language.

“Ten years ago Dubuque it wasn’t diversified, but now you can find people from 10-12 countries with different cultures, and different languages,” says Serna.

She’s right.  According to the US Census Bureau in 1990 to 2000 Dubuque country saw a tremendous growth of racial diversity.  In fact, during the ten year time from the number of Hispanic or Latino citizens in Dubuque doubled and the number is expected to continue to grow.

“Everyone in the community seemed to be saying was that they needed a community center for people diverse people can get together in a group and it can be a safe place for everyone to talk about their differences and work together,” says Multicultural Center Maddy Cairney.

As the diversity in Dubuque continues to grow, places like the Multicurtal Center are needed to help new residents adapt to their new home and a new way of life.  But regardless of the help available, minority groups feel they are labeled because of their racial differences.

“Many many occasions people call me Mexican, sometimes stupid Mexican,” says Serna.

And Dora isn’t the only one hearing comments like these.  Maddy has seen it both in and out of the center and believes it needs to stop.

“If there is any inappropriate behavior or racial slurs or another stereotypes being thrown around then it needs to be addressed immediately and people need to know it’s not ok to talk like that,” explains Cairney.

“We never ask.  When the people have the opportunity to ask me and I have the opportunity to talk about my country my culture then people feel more comfortable.  We never say could you please tell me about you your country your customs, it’s the best way to learn,” explains Serna.

A way to learn and a way for minorities to be seen as individuals, each with their own uniqueness.

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Addressing Diversity: Part 1 and Addressing Diversity: Part 3

Ermina Soler and her family are currently living on Section 8 housing in downtown Dubuque.

As a former resident in the projects of New York city, Ermina Soler thought raising her three children in Dubuque was a better move.

“I had no family, no social support didn’t know what the community was all about or what it had to offer,” says Soler

Now a 3 year Dubuque resident, Soler is a participate of the section 8 housing, a government assisted living program.  Like many other section 8 participates, Soler lives in downtown Dubuque an area some people believe is where all section 8 participates reside.

“I didn’t have transportation at the time, I needed to get to and from appointments on a regular basis I began school I needed to get to school I needed to get to the day care and I needed to walk to do all of this so living downtown is ideal and that’s why I believe that the majority of poverty stay concentrated in the downtown area,” says Soler

Soler is seeing other section 8 participates break through to mold of becoming self sufficient.

“There is always going to be a population that misuses that help and abuses of the system that’s unavoidable completely unavoidable But I have had the pleasure to meet many women and men just like myself that are looking for further opportunities in their life and that do have plans to get off of section 8,” says Soler.

But she is not the only one who is striving to set the record straight in Dubuque.

“There are many stereotypes for the section 8 families. However the truth is the majority of the section 8 families are very good citizens and do not cause problems,” says Janet Walker from Dubuque Housing.

While attending school, volunteering, and raising her children, Soler is focused on her 5 year plan which includes not living off of the government’s assistance.

“Just having that typical American dream like everyone else does people just want to survive people just wanna live happy. People in poverty want that too,” explains Soler

And while Walker and Soler continue to hear the clichéd comments, they are providing facts and strategies to try and turn around the negative persona attached to the section 8 program.

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Addressing Diversity: Part 2 and Addressing Diversity: Part 3

Rumors of Central Alternative High School closing is also because of the fall in the economy.

Dubuque – The economy is taking a toll on Dubuque schools.

It started with the economic recession.  Then people began loosing their jobs which brought down state property taxes and income taxes.  Now with a lack of money going to the state, the state can provide enough money to pay for Dubuque schools’ expenditures.

” We are looking to cut anywhere from five-and-a-half to ten million dollars our of our budget.  We don’t know exactly how much it’s going to be because of different variables we don’t know yet,” says Dubuque school superintendent, Larie Godinez.

Godinez and the administration have three different plans for the school budget, Plan A, B, and C.

“Plan A being the five-and-a-half million, C being up to ten million and B laying somewhere in between.  One good thing about level A is there are reductions in programs but there’s no elimination of programs.  Actually till level C then we might have to eliminate programs,” says Godinez.

School programs such as band.  Currently students are able to begin band in 4th grade, but rather would start in grades 5th or 6th. But no matter what plan is selected, some staff positions would be cut.

“A little over 80% of our budget is in salaries and benefits and so for the most part, in level A I believe it’s 4.4 million is a reduction in salaries and benefits and the only way you can do that is to reduce the number of positions we have,” explains Godinez.

Godinez also says that public input is important to the board and is valued when people do get involved with financial issues.

“We’ve heard from a lot of people that will say ‘we understand that you have to make these cuts but would you look at some other areas.’ They come to defense of other programs and if I was one of those people in the community I would be doing it too,” says Godinez.

And while some are worried about the removal of programs and staff, others are focused on keep the doors to Dubuque Central Alternative High School open for next year.

“Know a lot of students were kind of mad because some of them got kicked out of other schools or they don’t know where to go now or what is going of for next year,” says Holly Davis, a senior at Central Alternative.

Davis didn’t achieve academic success at other school, but thanks to Central Alternative that turned around.

“I was getting all F’s in my classes there, but now I’m getting all A’s.  I have  grade point above 3.0,” explains Davis.

Although she is graduating, Davis says if the board decides to close the school, her fellow students are going to struggle.

“They are going to be able to succeed as well as they did here.  If you see how people were like at their old school and now…it’s a huge change,” says Davis.

With more school board meetings and rumors still flying around, Davis is predicting after she graduates and leaves the school, her fellow underclassmen will have to do the same.

“They need to push and get as much done this year and hopefully there will be something next year for them.” says Davis.

To find more about the budget cuts for Dubuque schools and to voice your opinion you can contact Dubuque school district office at (563) 552-3000

Beers requiring more than 5% alcohol cannot be produced in Iowa.

Beer brewers across Iowa are uniting and asking  that Iowa breweries be allowed to make and sell beer with more than 5 percent alcohol content.

Home brewers like Jerry Anderson, owner of The Brew Haus, located on Bluff Street in downtown Dubuque. Before Anderson’s business took off, it started as a simple hobby.

Anderson’s business is providing home brewing supplies for customers across the US and into Canada.

“I’m now sharing my hobby with the world,” says Anderson.

But home brewers have the advantage over Iowa’s breweries. They choose the amount of alcohol they want in their beer.

“Fermentation is the process that is legal in the United States, distillation is not. I have products that are fermentable up to 19% – 20% alcohol,” explains Anderson.

On the other side of the Mississippi, Potosi, Wisconsin and other Wisconsin breweries do not have a legal limit to the amount of alcohol placed in their beer.

But Greg Larsen, executive director of the historical Potosi Brewery, understands Iowa’s frustrations with the issue.  He says the process of making older traditional beers needs to have that higher percentage of alcohol in order to re-create the same taste and texture of the beer.

“The 5% ABV actually limits the amount or the style of beer you can get.  Once it gets over that 5% ABV becomes a liquor item which is a whole bunch of problems with that.  Higher taxes I would assume,” explains Larsen. It is also creating higher prices for Iowa’s consumers and brewers, so customers take their money elsewhere and have been doing so for years. “You have an IPA produced or brewed in Iowa and you come just across the river to Wisconsin it’s going to be night and day from a retail perspective,” says Larsen. Larsen also says there are potential problems with home brewed beers too. “Sanitation is key, along with exposing your beer to elements like oxygen and sunlight.  There are really a lot of good home brewers out there, but to really get a good brew there’s a lot things that you have just right,” explains Larsen. A controlled environment, like a brewery, will guarantee better results, but until the 5% alcohol restriction is reconsiderd, Iowans will have to take a chance on brewing their own stronger beers or taking their business across state lines.