Is Tolerant Good Enough? : Eau Claire and the Practice of Welcomingness

Abstract

Immigrants are a vital part of community success, and many groups, such as Welcoming America, are advocates of inclusive communities. While the concept of sanctuary cities for immigrants was introduced in the 1980s and 1990s, the 2016 presidential campaign reignited the question of how communities receive immigrants. Our research team of seven honors students at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire examined the question of whether Eau Claire, WI is a welcoming city, and what would take it to become one if it is not. In the fall of 2016, we interviewed fourteen community city leaders (school board members, city council members, and various other community officials) about their experiences and perspectives. Their responses were compiled and analyzed for insights into how Eau Claire may or may not be a welcoming city, and what may be needed to be one.