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health care services also emerged as a common theme. Many participants in the <br />community conversations expressed the opinion that race relations have worsened <br />since September I 1, 2001. <br />■ Racist language and stereotypes interfere with people's ability to go about their nonnal <br />daily activities, incIuding affecting their health. <br />Attitudes about racial others <br />Ail racial groups report some level of discomfort around peopie of other races. Flsians <br />report the highest level of discomfort araund people from other races, followed by <br />Latinos and American Indians. Blacks/African-Americans and Whites report the towest <br />levels of discomfort around peopte from other races. <br />■ In our survey, 37 percent say that they get nervous walking into a room of people from <br />other races, if tiiey are the only one of their own race present; and over 40 percent <br />"strongly" or "somewhat" agree that people of other races don't want to get to know <br />them, because of their race. Almost one-third "strongly" or "somewhat" agree that they <br />would like to get to know people of other races better, but often feel as if they cnight be <br />ridiculed or shamed if they say ihe wrong thing. <br />■ Several of the community conversation participants alluded to tensions with other <br />racial groups, primarily commenting on intense competition among communities of <br />color for jobs and other scarce resources. All racial groups expressed animosity <br />towards new immigrants. <br />Attitudes toward immigrants and immigrants' own attitudes <br />toward racial others <br />According the Census, more than 78,000 residents in Dakota, Ramsey and Washington <br />Counties were not born in the U.S. This is about 30 percent of all immigrants in Minnesota. <br />Of these, 41,138 live in St. Paul, 1$,049 live in Dakota County, 13,125 in suburban <br />Ramsey County, and 6,860 in Washington County, In general, we found more animosity <br />than compassion towards immigrants. <br />■ On average, two of every three people (67%) surveyed say that immigrants should <br />overcome prejudice and work their way up withaut special favors. <br />■ Community conversations with Blacks/African-Americans, Whites, and Latinos <br />included n�unerous negative attitudes toward iimnigrants, some compassion for <br />ixnrnigrants, and a sense that American-born oppressed �oups �nd themselves pitted <br />against new immigrant groups to "fight over crumbs." Latinos in particular described <br />being stereotyped and resented as iIlegal aliens. <br />An assessment of racism in 2 January 2004 <br />Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties <br />