Letter of Interest_Marco RubinsteinMayor and City Council Members
City of Dubuque
March 5, 2011
Dear Mayor Buol and Members of the City Council,
I am writing today to let you know of my interest in serving as City Council representative of the
Fourth Ward. As a community organizer and someone who has contributed his time and talent to
the City of Dubuque, I have already proven that I want to work for the people of Dubuque, and
further, I offer a unique and valuable perspective that comes out of much experience and a
multicultural background. I have a proven track record of listening to all views and finding
common ground.
Although I believe that all of you know me, and know something of my background, I will give you
a very short synopsis. I was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After
the military coup, I returned to the U.S., and lived in Southern California for many years. I also
lived for a while in Baja California Norte, Mexico, and in Ashland, Oregon. I have worked as a print
and broadcast journalist, as a translator and interpreter, as a community organizer and as a server
system administrator. In Dubuque, until December 2010, I was a member and past Chair of the
Human Rights Commission and a member and a Chair of the Dubuque Community Advisory Panel
(DCAP).
To close this short letter of interest, I want to stress my belief that "small projects" can bring
people together for the common good, and with the help of the City those projects can become an
agent of change towards a more unified and prosperous city. An example of that is the
Multicultural Family Center. I was in the first group that explored the feasibility of the project
(even before we created a Board), and remained as a Board member until I was able to convince a
local stakeholder to replace me. The MFC started with a vision and few resources, and then the
synergy created by empowered neighbors and the vital support of the City Council made a small
project into one that not only is vital in the City, especially in the Fourth Ward, but also one that
empowers city residents and create bridges between the multiple cultures of this city. I also
believe that those of us with more extensive experience in organizations and boards should
promote our "replacement" in those boards by stakeholders with no previous experience, but at
the same time keep volunteering. And that is what I did in the case of the MFC.
In short, I can bring to the Council my experience and vision working towards the empowerment
of the residents and bridging the chasm between cultures that we still have in our great City.
f7 _
Marcos Rubinstein
( 6 ( 63 Fenelon Place, Dubuque, IA 52.11
563.580.5036 / marcos.rubinstein @gmail.com
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