Community Development with Emerging Ethic Communities

With the approach of the twenty-first century, community professionals will find minority communities an emerging phenomenon of increasing importance. Professionals need to relate to these communities in new and creative ways. This paper builds on the analysis of Rivera and Erlich (1984), describing a number of recent events and changing conditions significant to minority communities. The importance of ethnic competence is discussed in terms of community practice. Finally, a proposal for a national and local strategy to improve practice and professional education is described.