Intergenerational Leadership Development

The Center develops new leaders throughout our various internal and external programs, giving special attention to youth. CIO has also established a structured, year-long leadership development program, Pan-Immigrant Leadership and Organizing Training (PILOT) that serves emerging first generation immigrant and refugee leaders.

Pan-Immigrant Leadership and Organizing Training (PILOT) Program

By enhancing the skills, analysis and organizing ability of emerging immigrant and refugee leaders across cultural groups, the Pan-Immigrant Leadership and Organizing Training (PILOT) Program builds long-term relationships between diverse immigrant and refugee communities in Portland and builds the capacity and voice of new communities to affect change.

PILOT Program Approach:

The PILOT Program addresses the challenges faced by emerging immigrant and refugee leaders and groups through leadership and skill building convenings. Over a period of 12 months,the program:

  • Supports individual leaders from various immigrant and refugee communities to build a shared analysis for organizing;
  • Strengthens the capacity of immigrants and refugees to build power for their communities through in-depth skill building, leadership development and mentoring;
  • Develops a long-term multi-ethnic coalition of immigrant and refugee leaders, who can work together on issue campaigns in Oregon.

PROGRAM ELEMENTS

Training and workshops: Over the course of 12 months, participants convene quarterly (four times per year) for two and a half day weekend retreats, where they participate in workshops such as: basics of city government; introduction to community organizing; politics of oppression; power analysis; cross-cultural community movement building; conflict resolution; base-building; media strategy and many more aspects that are relevant to the experiences of immigrants, refugees and people of color in general. The trainers of these workshops have extensive expertise and come from local, regional and national institutions, are among the best in their field. Additional gatherings are held throughout the year at the Center for Intercultural Organizing.

Field Training for Participants: During this program, participants put their training into practice by learning how to testify at City Council, hold press conferences, attend public meetings and implement short term community projects, which they will then evaluate.