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Ten Minutes With Tom: Somali Community at the University Park Community Center
Monday, May 26, 2008
Portland, Oregon - Leaders of Portland's Somali community hosted Mayor Potter and his wife Karin at the University Park Community Center on May 17. The participants discussed their concerns with Mayor Potter as a group rather than the usual one-on-one format. The meeting was convened by the Coalition of Oregon Somali Community Organizations (COSCO), a new alliance of seven Somali nonprofit agencies. A summary of the issues discussed at the meeting:
There is a need in the Somali community for greater access to culturally competent healthcare. Many in the Somali community do not know where to find healthcare, and preventative healthcare education - particularly for women - has not reached Portland's Somalis.
Somali immigrants want more opportunities to learn English. There is also a need for reliable translation services.
The school dropout rate among Somali students is rising, and they are requesting intervention to keep more youth in school. There is not enough stable programming in neighborhoods to keep youth engaged during summer months. Day care is also needed for the younger children.
Participants would like to see greater economic development in their community; particularly, resources for Somali business development, job training, and outreach to address unemployment.
Somali women talked about job discrimination they have been subjected to because of their traditional dress.
Finally, the community discussed opportunities for affordable housing in the metro area.
Several community members offered anecdotes of their journey from Somalia to Portland. Somalia, particularly southern Somalia, has been in a state of near perpetual warfare since 1991. Many immigrants from Somalia are refugees escaping the war in their country. Noor, a refugee, described his life in refugee camps for almost ten years. He finally immigrated to Dallas, Texas, in 2000. He began working but because he did not know English, Dallas was confusing for him. His job was many miles away from his home, and getting to it required a two hour bus ride. When he got his first paycheck, he was almost immediately robbed on the street and his cash earnings were taken from him. Finally, friends in Portland helped him move from Dallas and he immigrated to our City. He talked about how appreciative he felt for the community in Portland and that he feels much safer living here.
Mayor Potter thanked the participants for meeting with him. The Mayor talked with the group about the Human Relations Commission and the refugee coordinator that will be a part of that office. The Mayor concluded by looking forward to a greater presence of the Somali community in the Portland area (about 6,300 strong) and more opportunities for them to be heard through their community organizations. The Somali leaders present invited Mayor Potter to consider himself an honorary member of their community, and the session ended with a setting of traditional Somali food.
For more information about these discussions, please contact Jeremy Van Keuren, Public Advocate, at 503-823-4125 or [email protected].
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Executive Director | Center for Intercultural Organizing
2808 NE MLK Jr. Blvd., Suite 13 Portland, Ore 97212
(503) 287 4117 | (503) 499 3523 (cell) | www.interculturalorganizing.org