The Multi-Cultural Center of Sioux Falls, South Dakota: Providing Opportunities for All People to Learn, Celebrate, and Share Through Cultural Experiences

Introduction

Over the past few years, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has experienced an influx of immigrant and refugee families. Though there are some limited resources available to these individuals upon arrival, social services and assistance are limited in quantity and duration. Like many Native Americans and even members of mainstream society, new arrivals must meet the challenges of daily survival in a culture for which they are not prepared. For refugees and immigrants, the added factor of having to assimilate a new language may present the biggest hurdle. They need to learn about opportunities and services to develop or enhance skills that will help them cope effectively with their "new" cultural environment. In this way, they can make positive contributions to the community and lead more productive and satisfying lives.

A task force was established in December 1995 to address some of these concerns. Out of this grew the concept of the Multi-Cultural Center. It is the mission of the Multi-Cultural Center of Sioux Falls to provide educational opportunities for all people to learn, celebrate, and share through cultural experience. As part of the National Children, Youth and Families At Risk (CYFAR) Initiative, which was funded by USDA CSREES, the South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Service (SDSU CES) partnered with the Multi-Cultural Center to address these community needs.

Original goals of the South Dakota Extension Service and the Multi-Cultural Center of Sioux Falls included:

• offering newcomers orientation services to the Sioux Falls community and the American culture,
• providing resources for English language proficiency and life skills education, and
• serving as a resource center for the culturally diverse community through assistance with advocacy, education, housing, health, and crime prevention and safety issues.

The South Dakota Extension Service and the Multi-Cultural Center have sponsored and continue to sponsor many programs and services. Some of these programs/events include:

• the Cultural Appreciation, Respect, and Education (C.A.R.E.) Summer Program,
• an after-school sports programs,
• a self-defense class,
• Character Counts!,
• free immunization clinics,
• foods and nutrition orientation programs,
• a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) mentoring program,
• crime prevention and safety programs, and
• adult computer education training programs.

Following are brief descriptions and evaluation impacts of just a few of the programs occurring at the Multi-Cultural Center of Sioux Falls.

Descriptions and Impacts

Activities include periodic welcoming orientations from public safety personnel (e.g., police and sheriff's departments, State's Attorney's Office, Mayor's Office, Department of Commerce, Driver's License Bureau) for community newcomers. Participants were asked how their attitudes have changed as a result of the orientations. One participant said, "Each refugee comes here with a story and fear from police or whomever....taking the time to be empathetic to their situation in a foreign land may be the best."

An "All Nation Youth Pow-Wow" was held for youth up to 18-years-old at which participants experienced Native American cultural activities. The event, hosting more than 300 people, was open to the public and included all Native American tribes within the continental United States. A week later, a Native American wacipi (non-competitive social dance) was held and was attended by more than 1,000 people.

Approximately 60 Sudanese men, women, and children met with the mayor, police chief, assistant sheriff, and the state's attorney in a "Law Enforcement Orientation Session" developed to teach other cultures about the laws, regulations, and norms of Sioux Falls and Minnehaha County.

A conversational English program utilized Dakota State University (DSU) students to serve as mentors. Very positive comments were expressed by DSU students as well as the Limited English Proficiency students. One DSU student commented, "I'm not sure who learned more during my time there, the (LEP) students or me. It was an incredible experience to sit across the table from people who had been driven out of their country."

Many newcomer groups have participated in 4-hour tours of Sioux Falls. These tours highlight the driver's license bureau, ethnic grocery stores, the Social Security Office, etc. Participants were surprised to discover the geographic size of the city and the expanding diversity of its population. The tour helped participants recognize that other ethnic groups are present in the city, and it also encouraged the beginning of dialogue with other cultural representatives.

Students representing various ethnic groups (e.g., Sudanese, Ethiopian, Native American, Asian) meet 3 days a week to participate in the "After-School High School Sports Program." As a result of participation, 92% of the students surveyed indicated that they are using the information learned in the program to improve their relationships with others. Over 77% learned that different cultures express their needs differently, both verbally and non-verbally. Students also report an increase in self-esteem as a result of learning new sport skills necessary for interacting with American youth.

Second-year students within an Occupational Therapy (OT) Program participated in a cultural-awareness orientation session at the Multi-Cultural Center. Native American, Bosnian, Kurdish, and Ethiopian ethnic groups provided specific suggestions for OT students to use in their inter-cultural interactions.

Area health clinics and the Multi-Cultural Center partnered to deliver free immunization clinics at the center. A total of 529 children were immunized in 1997, and 671 children were immunized in 1998. The preventative health care resulting through this program improves newcomer health, identifies potential health risks, and introduces newcomers to health professionals within the community.

Program evaluations continue to reveal the strong impact of programs and services offered through the Multi-Cultural Center in addressing the identified needs of the Sioux Falls community and the immigrant/refugee population.