Our Impact
Mentor Reflection
Portland Meet Portland brings together dominant culture and immigrant/refugee individuals for deeper and sustained learning and growth. These are 2-way relationships where both people are considered mentors to the other. We know that creating cross-cultural community is just as much (or more) about engaging, opening up, and changing dominant culture Portland as it is about engaging immigrants and refugees. Mentorship matches are one way we do this. We have many such 1 -to-1 mentor matches. Here is Lora Gordon telling about her experience as a mentor.
The Common Ground Exhibition
In March 2018, PMP partnered with Portland Art Museum to co-create much of the educational and interpretive media programming around the Common Ground exhibition by Fazal Sheikh. We co-hosted the Miller Family Free day, provided docent training, hosted lectures and dialogues, created podcasts, and created the Portland Meet Portland room that featured the work of refugees the Portland Meet Portland works with.
Here is Ayan, one of the RISE students that we worked with in our Reflections on Common Ground podcast. She is an amazing young Somali woman who, through her participation, changed us. In what ways were were able to provide her a conduit for her to reflect on her own life and use her own voice, she gave back ten fold in the joy and insight she brought to those around her. Watch her, in this video we co-produced, recite an original poem "Racism" against the backdrop of the Common Ground Exhibition.
Lived Citizenship and Stories from Our Village
The hundreds of hours spent making connections for newcomer refugee and immigrants and long-term residents really breaks down to one thing - relationships. Our goal is achieved in the stories of people making surprising realizations, new friendships and building new skills. This is embodied in our Lived Citizenship program and its project 'Stories from our Village'
In 2013, the Stories of Our Village project emerged as an opportunity to share stories of one of the most diverse communities in Portland = New Columbia. The mission of the story project was to capture in their own words a variety of voices from the New Columbia world. We've provided one of the 'Stories from our Village' publications for you to enjoy.
“After moving here, I saw things I was not used to: a lot of kids out late in the park. Just not used to that. I also felt a barrier between the cultures and races. When I heard some kids talking bad about the Mexicans, I didn’t feel too good about that. I wasn’t used to prejudice. I grew up in Iowa and was never exposed to any racism.
But at one point, I engaged with some of the younger teens at New Columbia. I showed them how to build and stain a fence, and I paid them. I thought, if I can just get some kind of relationship with them, even if it’s work, it would help. And it did: some of the kids still remember me and respect me.”
“I am from Togo, West Africa, and was raised in a village given to my ancestors through time. My family lived there 8 years before we moved to a bordering country as refugees escaping political turmoil.
I did a lot of summer volunteer jobs, helping kids with homework, and cleaning up the park. Many things came together for me and I discovered my strengths. I realized in the garden that I was a teacher and leader. When I received an Oregon Peacemaker Award in 2007, it kind of blew my mind.”
“Back home, you know, people always help each other and neighbors are there for each other. There weren’t a lot of Africans when we came to America in 1990....
Now I have good friends and helpful neighbors here and volunteer at the Village Market...Right now, I’m trying to be a good neighbor.”
