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.

The Portland Observer (Portland, OR) 
December 8, 2004 

BREAKING CULTURAL BARRIERS 
Jaymee R. Cuti

Racial profiling hit too close to home for some Portlanders when a well-known local Muslim cleric, Sheik Mohamed Abdirahman Kariye, was arrested at the airport on Sept. 8, 2002, claiming his brother's luggage contained traces of explosives.

Charges against the spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of Portland were dropped but secret surveillance of Muslims continued in a backlash of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

In June of that same year, an FBI informant infiltrated Kariye's mosque, to secretly record conversations for evidence against the "Portland Seven" defendants. Many practicing Muslims found this very unsetting after fleeing from countries that had little respect for freedom and human rights. 

In a response to what they called a "witch hunt" against immigrants and Muslims, Community Language and Culture Bank was formed. 

The facilitating group in northeast Portland aims to connect immigrants and anyone affected by cultural barriers with peace activists and the progressive community. 

In Kayse Jama's experience, the group founder, peace advocacy agencies have much in common with culturally-driven civil rights groups, without a bridge to connect them. 

Jama himself has experienced inequities in freedom as a refugee from Somalia, a Muslim and an African American. He realized the struggles of minorities and immigrants greatly overlap.

"In both cases, there's oppression," said Andy Wheeler, the development and outreach officer for Community Language and Culture Bank. "Where white people act with privilege in their daily lives, for immigrants and people of color, everyday is a struggle."

Stephanie Stephens, communications director for the group, identified some of the barriers affecting communities of color, Muslims and immigrants as difficulty in securing housing, jobs, childcare, welfare and safety from police brutality, hate crimes and racial profiling.

Group members say Portland is a living paradox for people of color. While the reputation is welcoming and Portland is hailed as a model city from an urban planning perspective, the city if heavily segregated, with minorities concentrated mostly in north and northeast Portland. 

"It's really remarkable that no matter how much people talk about diversity, no one knows how to do it," Wheeler said. 

Community Language and Culture Bank brings people together through educational forums and celebratory events. 

A recent event that brought more than 100 volunteers together was the Sept. 12 Cultural Festival, themed "Hope Begins When Fear Ends" at Portland State University.

Group volunteers also teach a class titled "Politics of Immigration" through PSU's Capstone program.

On Thursday, Dec. 9, the group has organized a hearing with Multnomah County Commissioners and citizens who feel their civil rights have been violated. After testimony, officials will vote on a "Resolution Expressing Commitment to Protect Civil Rights," which addresses matters of discrimination and harassment in the county. The event is from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at 501 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.

"We are dealing with a system set up to keep the status quo. Systematic injustice happens on a daily basis," Jama said. He hopes his group will empower immigrants to have a presence at civic meetings such as neighborhood coalitions, school board and City Council meetings, to change the institutions from the inside. 

"Immigrants know what their issues are and they know what the solution is also. The problem is the system is not listening. We are trying to empower them by saying, 'it will be better if we work together,'" said Jama.