Murdock Named Multicultural Family Center Director

City of Dubuque Office of Community Impact Director Antonio Mouzon has named LaMetra Murdock as the new director of the Dubuque Multicultural Family Center. She is currently the family self-sufficiency coordinator in the City of Dubuque Housing and Community Development Department and will assume her new role on Monday, Oct. 14. Murdock replaces Mouzon as MFC director following his acceptance of the new community impact director role in July.

"With over 20 years of experience serving and empowering families and individuals from diverse backgrounds, LaMetra is a true asset to the Multicultural Family Center," said Mouzon. "She brings a wealth of established community partnerships along with an unwavering dedication to helping all people reach their full potential, which aligns perfectly with the mission of the MFC. LaMetra's passion, leadership, and deep commitment to fostering equitable and inclusive opportunities will undoubtedly contribute to the mission of the MFC."

The Multicultural Family Center, located in the Ruby Sutton Building at 1157 Central Ave., empowers all families and community members of Dubuque to reach their potential and build unity through diversity, equity, and inclusion. As the Multicultural Family Center director, Murdock will be responsible for the strategic leadership of the activities and staff of the MFC and to identify and work to the betterment of the cultural and circumstantial needs of the diverse population of Dubuque. She will also lead intercultural community engagement program development and educational work and collaborate with MFC non-profit board to fulfill its mission that supports current and new MFC program. As the MFC director, Murdock will operate within a collective impact model to address root causes of inequity within the community and provide service to communities of varied cultures and traditionally marginalized communities.

"I am thrilled to accept the position of Multicultural Family Center director," said Murdock. "My love for people, diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and RESILIENCY are just a few of the things that attracted me to this position. My vision is taking the MFC and the community we serve to the NEXT LEVEL through community connections and impact!"

"I've made it my life's mission to be a positive role model in my community, never shying away from showing empathy, relatability, and compassion for families in need," added Murdock. "I teach my three daughters and granddaughter to be the same. I call it 'planting the seeds for our future communities.'"

Murdock has served as the family self-sufficiency coordinator in the City's Housing and Community Development Department since 2021. In that role, she was responsible for the overall activities of the City's HUD grant-funded Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program, a five-year voluntary program available to families and individuals who currently receive a Housing Choice Voucher. The program is designed to assist participants in setting and reaching personal, financial, educational, and employment goals. Murdock also worked to connect multicultural families and youth to youth-focused/serving community resources, provide parental/guardian support to families, and collaborated with community partners for parenting classes/workshops and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) programming.

Prior to her role as family self-sufficiency coordinator, Murdock was a housing financial specialist in the City of Dubuque Housing and Community Development Department's Lead and Healthy Homes Grant Program. She was responsible for educating multicultural families in the community on the dangers of lead poisoning in children and recruited families into the program to reduce lead and other hazards in their homes.

Before joining the City of Dubuque, Murdock's experience includes positions with Prudential Financial, Hillcrest Family Services, the City of Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, the City of Chicago Department of Human Services, and Thresholds Bridge North. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in music therapy from Illinois State University.

Murdock's volunteer work and community service experience includes: United Way Community Impact Committee , Great Dubuque Development Corporation, Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Equitable Recruitment and Retention Team City of Dubuque, Let's Connect for Dubuque County Children, Community Partnerships for Protecting Children (CPPC), Habitat for Humanity, Days of Caring, Community Connectors NICC, Opening Doors Board Member (Theresa Shelter), Success Team Partnerships (NICC), Wellness Committee (City of Dubuque), Wellness Policy/Culture Committee (City of Dubuque), Radius Church, Dubuque Dream Center, Tabernacle of Faith, Dubuque County Cultural Equity Team, Intercultural Competency Facilitator (City of Dubuque),Dubuque Community Police Relations Committee, High Performing Government (City of Dubuque), Community Impact Award, Dale Carnegie Leadership Graduate, Leadership Dubuque Class of 2024-2025, Family Self-Sufficiency Specialist, Trauma Informed Care/Adverse Childhood Experiences, Connections Matter Facilitator, Understanding Explicit Racial Bias, Understanding Racial Equity in Child Welfare, Equity and Inclusion Training, Fair Housing Training, Mental Health First Aid, CPS (Collaborative Problem Solving),Mandatory Reporter, Human Trafficking and Safety, and Understanding Diversity.