Hear Every Voice Webinar: Demographics, the Customers We Serve

Part I: Culture, Ethnicity, and Race April 14, 2011 Vanessa Levingston, Public Involvement Consultant

Culture

The behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group: the youth culture; the Mn/DOT culture

Ethnicity

Ethnicity connotes shared cultural traits and a shared group history. Some ethnic groups also share linguistic or religious traits, while others share a common group history but not a common language or religion.

Race The term race refers to the concept of dividing people into populations or groups on the basis of various sets of physical characteristics. However, it is usually governments that decide on the racial categories in a given country. Image of top ten countries of origin for immigrants to Minnesota in 2009, including:

 4,173 Somalia

 1,614 Ethiopia

 1,159 Kenya

 1,013 Liberia

 869 Mexico

 724 Burma

 596 India

 532 Thailand

 524 China

 512 Vietnam Graph of immigration to Minnesota by region of origin: Graph of percentage change of Minnesota county minority populations between 2000 to 2010: Graph of Minnesota school minority populations by county in 2010: Mn/DOT Resources For Staff

Mn/DOT’s Office of Affirmative Action

Language Services

• Interpreting

• Accent Modification Hearing and Modifying

Training

• Respectful Workplace

Contact Janet Miller

Mn/DOT Diversity Council

The Diversity Council is an advisory body to the Commissioner of Mn/DOT, the Commissioner's staff, the Director of the Affirmative Action Office and the Director of the Office of Human Resources. Its mission is to "make differences matter" by fostering an environment of inclusion, making Mn/DOT an employer of choice. Diversity Council members consist of agency wide staff, from all levels and specialties, addressing a broad range of issues of importance to Mn/DOT. Council members will actively participate in meetings, workshops and committee assignments. The members are expected to commit a maximum of one day per month to the Council's work.

Mn/DOT's agency-wide diversity council was formed to:

• Provide direction on strategic and policy issues

• Execute educational and training programs

• Organize cultural awareness events

• Oversee the implementation of the agency's Diversity Strategic Plan

• Share information and ideas

Diversity Council Trainings

 Western Religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Monday, May 23, 2011, open to all staff Options for viewing: Live or Adobe Connect. Look for announcements to come. For more information, contact Rosemarie Merrigan

Hear Every Voice, Mn/DOT’s Public and Stakeholder Participation Initiative

 Engaging Underserved and Underrepresented Stakeholders, May 13, 2011, 9:00 a.m. – Noon, June 22, 2011, 1:00-4:00 This session explores effective strategies for involving underserved groups Minnesota Department of Education Language Maps http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Data/Maps/Home_Primary_Languages/index.html

Contact info

Vanessa Levingston, Public Involvement Consultant

[email protected]

(651) 366-3177