| PLEASE
NOTE: Community
Language and Culture Bank officially
changed its name to Center
for Intercultural Organizing
in August, 2005 to better reflect our mission, work and values.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Community Language and Culture Bank
Media Contact: Kayse Jama
kayse@interculturalorganizing.org
http://www.interculturalorganizing.org
More Information: (503) 287-4117
BRIDGETOWN VOICES:
Immigrants and Refugees in Portland
A Neighborhood Forum inside City Hall
VIEW
A SLIDESHOW FROM THE EVENT!
Download
a Flyer
Saturday, December 3, 2005
Noon to 5:00 PM
Portland City Hall
Council Chambers
1221 SW 4th Avenue
One out of every eight residents in the greater Portland
Tri-County area is foreign-born. In some East Portland neighborhoods,
immigrants represent one out of every three residents.
Isolated linguistically and culturally, many recent immigrants
are unable to find sustainable employment, the bulk of their
time and energy put toward basic needs rather than civic involvement.
How can we integrate new immigrants into our City and ensure
that they have equal access to both process and services?
We invite you to participate in a public discussion in the
Council Chambers of City Hall on Saturday, December 3rd between
Noon and 5:00 PM examining these and other critical issues
facing immigrants and refugees in Portland.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
12:00 PM – Reception and African Dance by
Loveness Wesa, Kgotso African Dance Theatre (First Floor)
12:30 PM – Conference Begins in Council
Chambers (Second Floor)
Welcome and Introductions: Sarah Cody, Student
Organizer, Portland State University
Tom Potter, Mayor, City of Portland
Erik Sten, Commissioner, City of Portland
Jimmy Brown, Director, Office of Neighborhood Involvement
1:00 PM – Bridgetown Voices: Immigrants
and Refugees in Portland
A panel presentation followed by Q&A, immigrant and
refugee testimonials, and public dialogue
Panelists
Maria Lisa Johnson, Latino Network
Anya Valsamakis, Slavic Coalition
Evelyne Ello-Hart, African Women's Coaltion
Pam Phan, American Friends Service Committee
David Ayala, SEIU Local 49 and Board President, Center for
Intercultural Organizing
Thank you to the following community leaders
for their input into the panelists’ presentations: Bashir
Warsame, Basko Kante, Benjamin Allotey, Farhia Omar, Francoise
Tambo, Karifa D. Koroma, Leo Bondarduk, Loveness Wesa, Marina
Grozina, Moe Uema Laguardia, Pavel Yuzko, Rolia Manyongai-Jones,
Romeo Sosa, Siovhan Sheridan-Ayala, Vadim Riskin
2:30 to 3:00 PM – Break
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
3:00 to 4:30 PM – (Council Chambers)
Proposals for Comprehensive Immigration Reform hosted by:
Siovhan Sheridan-Ayala, Director of Immigration Services,
Catholic Charities; Stephen Marx, District Representative
Office of Congressman David Wu; and Romeo Sosa, VOZ
3:00 to 4:30 PM – (Rose Room)
Immigrant and Refugee Inclusion in Portland: Next Steps, a
facilitated roundtable dialogue for immigrant and refugee
leaders and city staff
4:30 PM – Conference Ends
5:00 PM – City Hall Closes
Event Organizers:
PSU “Politics of Immigration” Capstone Students: Claire
Dennis, Jacob Hirsh, John Heaton, Joseph Migliore, Mariah
Dylla, Mike Farley, Sam Montegna, Sarah Cody, Sheena Gygax,
Traicy Bernal, Woo Kim, Yoko Van Lieu
Center for Intercultural Organizing
Event Co-Sponsors:
African Community Center of Oregon
African Community Coalition of Oregon
African Women's Coalition
American Friends Service Committee
Arab Persian Student Organization, Portland State University
Association of African Students, Portland State University
Black Cultural Affairs Board
Catholic Charities
Center for Intercultural Organizing
Center for New Community
Central Northeast Neighbors
Heritage Language Initiative, Portland State University
Islamic Social Services of Oregon State
Korean American Citizen's League
Las Mujeres, Portland State University
Latino Network
Lutheran Community Services
MEChA, Portland State University
Muslim Community Center
NE Coaltion of Neighborhoods
Office of Commissioner Erik Sten
Office of Mayor Tom Potter
Office of Neighborhood Involvement
Portland Community Media
SEIU Local 49
Slavic Coalition
Somali Community Services Coalition of Oregon
Somali Women's Association
Southeast Uplift
Voz, Workers' Rights Education Project
Special Thanks to:
All the Panelists and Community Leaders, Boyd’s Coffee, Brian
Hoop, Carmen Rubio, Center for Intercultural Organizing Board
of Directors, Cira Endsley, Costco, Ed Sale, El Hispanic News,
Eric Ward, Erik Sten, Ismail Haidar, Jamaal Folsom, James
Van Lieu, Jane Lee, Jimmy Brown, Juan Carlos Ocana, KBOO Radio,
Kayse Jama, Laura Heiser, Leanne Osbonne, Liesl Wendt, Loveness
Wesa and Kgotso African Dance Theatre, Maria Damaris Silva,
Marianne Fry (Africa on Fire), Mary Prottsman, McKenzie River
Gathering Foundation, Meghan Duff, Michelle Warren, Mike Donahue
(KOIN-6 News), Nancy McCarthy (Skanner Newspaper), Old Wives
Tales Restaurant, Sam Gioia, Stephanie Stephens, Stephen Marx
(Office of Congressman David Wu), The Oregonian Newspaper,
Tim Bernal, Tom Potter, Victoria Bernal
Language interpreting provided by community volunteers.
Call (503) 287-4117 for info.
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