Unite Oregon

I have met some of the warmest, kindest people by volunteering with this nonprofit. I love and share their values of inclusiveness, kindness and cooperation, thereby building the kind of supportive, open, dynamic community we all desire to live within.

Wonderful!! Fighting for social justice is no easy feat and UO does it all the time!

Unite Oregon helped me make major steps toward becoming a better activist. On a whim, I volunteered to help with a first-in-the-nation program to register naturalized American citizens as voters, before they even left the ceremony. This led to projects where I created a training brochure for the voter program, and helped find English language classes for Nepali speakers. This experience showed me how I can make a difference in my community, which translated well when I became involved in programs helping to fight hunger. Without Unite Oregon, I would not be the activist I am today. http://vimeo.com/84440579

I ❤️ Unite Oregon. I was in their pilot program and it was the most beneficial program I have taken. Not only is the organization fighting for all people rights they have an amazing group of staff that truly care about the work that they do and they care about you.

Trying to support people who are immigrants. It's giving all contacts to start knowing things in Beaverton, OR USA.

I've been interning with Unite Oregon ever since July and I find that the work they do for our community is so essential to the forgotten voices in our neighborhoods. They truly do speak for immigrants and refugees and people of color in Oregon. Though they are a smaller group, the people are hardworking and genuinely good willed. They are respectful to each other, myself, and most importantly, to the people they help and represent.

Unite Oregon led the field on passing important legislation to advance racial justice in Oregon! This year we collaborated to pass House 2355, a bill to end profiling and provide adequate resources to train law enforcement officers across the state. It was incredibly inspiring to work with such a passionate group of community leaders.

Amanda Manjarrez
Advocacy Director
Coalition of Communities of Color

Unite Oregon crosses the urban-rural divide, bringing people together to advance programs and policies that uplift all struggling communities. It's an organization with a unique intercultural model, led by the people most impacted.

Unite Oregon is a gem of an organization that organizes and empowers immigrant and refugee communities, as well as communities of color, across the state. Without the great work that this organization has accomplished over the years, Oregon would certainly be a less just and welcoming place. I feel honored that I had the opportunity to work with and learn from the incredible people that drive Unite Oregon. During my time there, they trained amazing young leaders, helped defeat a hateful anti-immigrant ballot measure, combated racial profiling, and mobilized countless numbers of individuals in Oregon. Moreover, they taught me how, as a white woman, to understand my privilege and act as an effective ally so that those most impacted can lead. Now more than ever, the work of Unite Oregon is crucial to guiding our country in the right direction - away from divisiveness and hate, and towards a truly inclusive and fair society.

Love the work the do to support POC organizing. Their advocacy work in Salem has paid off, and I know they will continue to fight for a more just and equitable Oregon.

Great place, teaches you a lot about self worth and attaining knowledge to help better your community in ways you didn't think were possible. Unite Oregon impacts the community drastically and i appreciate the work they do!

Passing new laws against police profiling; suing the president to keep immigrant and refugee families safe in their homes; helping create a rapid response network supporting hate crime victims in Southern Oregon; creating leadership programs for whole communities -- especially kids -- this is an organization that has already changed the course of Oregon history.

Unite Oregon is a great organization to volunteer. Their work empowering voices of the immigrant and refugee community is especially important today considering the divided times we live in. Through volunteer advocacy and campaign work at UO I felt like I really made a difference in the community. As an ally I still consider myself as "outsider" to immigrant communities but at unite Oregon I felt unequivocally welcomed and appreciated.

I'm an undergraduate university student completing my senior practicum with Unite Oregon. As my practicum/internship has progressed, I have come to have a better understanding of the importance of the work that Unite Oregon does -- and the amazing, dedicated group of people behind it.

Unite Oregon is committed to the communities it works with and for, and highlights intersectionality especially where race, ethnicity, culture, migration story, gender, sexual orientation, and language are concerned. In a time and place where social and political rhetoric perpetuate hate, racial stereotypes, and vilify immigrants and refugees, Unite Oregon has and is carving out an inclusive space where people from many different backgrounds are comfortable coming to and connecting with others, whether that is through established programs like PILOT and BUILD, teach-ins and community events, or simply through stopping by the space.

Unite Oregon consists of an inclusive space, staff, volunteer and community base that I feel comfortable engaging with as a queer woman of color navigating academia and the world around me. I have been able to engage in supportive and informative dialogue about the ways that people exist and resist in the personal and political spheres as well as ways to engage in the community/social activism that Unite Oregon supports.

Unite Oregon has truly advocated for Oregonians state-wide - their recent efforts to get a transit levy passed in the Rogue Valley has helped ensure that people have better access to work, education and can further be in charge of their own futures! Thank you Unite Oregon!

Unite Oregon has led the effort for equity for people of color, immigrants, refugees and ALL Oregonians. They are an effective, heart-based organization that continues to inspire all those who are able to work with them. Their ability to bridge the gap between communities often left out of the conversation and the civic and policy decisions that impact our lives sets a high bar.

Unite Oregon is a unique non-profit in Oregon both with their mission and service area.

Unite Oregon embodies what our country is becoming -- an increasingly diverse and global place ‐‐ and leads the field in cross‐cultural approach to movement building.

Unite Oregon is a values-driven intercultural organization with a strong racial and gender justice analysis that uses community organizing strategies to move its work. It's talented leaders, staff, and members are a powerful voice for justice in the state.

Unite Oregon is the perfect example of community coming together to solve problems for *all* Oregonians. UO understands that when some of us are oppressed, all of us are oppressed; so it works statewide toward dismantling barriers to access for immigrants, refugees, people of color, women, low-income families, rural populations, and other groups that have been pushed aside and disenfranchised for way too long. I am proud and honored to be counted among its members.

Unite Oregon walks their talk. An inspiring organization doing amazing work throughout Oregon. I helped with their get out the vote campaign and was so impressed with their organization, hard work, respect for youth, and inclusion.

Unite Oregon is committed, consistent, community driven, and leads grassroots efforts for systemic change across sectors. This organization facilitates a truly participatory leadership development model that places the power and resources in the hands of most affected, thereby enabling the community to strengthen the power of networks for change.

I worked at a precursor to Unite Oregon for several years, and have remained affiliated with the organization, because there's no other like it in Oregon. Unite Oregon brings together immigrants, refugees, people of color of all nationalities, low-income folks, and rural communities in a way which breaks down barriers and builds power in communities. And they leverage that power to effect systemic change - that's the dream for so many organizations, and Unite Oregon is one of the few living it.

Unite Oregon raises awareness about very important issues that afrect many communities. I'm participating in Unite Oregon's pilot program. I learned many useful information regarding how to organize, how to effectively communicate about issues facing our communities and much more. I had an excellent experience with Unite Oregon.

I started working at CIO in July as an intern for my graduate program. I instantly felt welcomed and like a valuable member of their team. CIO is a an amazing social justice organization, and this is evident in the work they do and their methods for doing the work.

CIO's commitment to social justice is reflected in their relationships with one another, their community members, and their community partners. They are quick to help each other with whatever is needed, even when it is not their project. They have authentic relationships with their community partners, and because of these relationships, they are able to advocate for a broad range of issues that impact communities outside of the immigrant and refugee communities, without over stretching their capacity.

I have met a dozen or more graduates of CIO'S leadership development program, PILOT, who are still actively engaged with the organization in meaningful ways. Some are now staff and members of their Board of Directors.

I have worked at CIO for four months, and it is a rich and supportive learning environment. I am already incorporating what I have learned into my work outside of this internship.

Hello everyone, I was a participant in the PILOT Program with the Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO). I enjoyed every moment spent participating in the PILOT Program. It was interesting how participants came from diverse backgrounds to learn and share experiences. Taking part in this program gave me an opportunity to be among a diverse group since I immigrated to the United States. It is amazing to learn about different cultures and to find out that though we come from different backgrounds, we all have something in common.
I enjoyed the blend of the activities during our PILOT Retreat; learning , playing and resting. I learn about my community - Oregon from the questions and answers. I was able to demonstrate my talents and share my experiences in life.
We also had amazing CIO staff and one more thing was the great powerhouse provided to us. Indeed, it was an awesome experience.

We have worked with the Center for Intercultural Organizing on many projects over the last two years. In our work together, CIO has helped us to strengthen our community work by giving us an avenue to involve our members in work that is a priority for the union and CIO. Such projects have included community forums, joint legislative work, and coalitions to pressure employers to hire more people of color in our union represented positions.

My name is Felicia Bechtoldt and I am from Moldova. When I moved to the U.S. in 2014, I was looking for leadership programs where I could apply as a non-U.S. citizen. When I found out about Pan-Immigrant Leadership Training and Organizing Program (PILOT) organized by the Center for Intercultural Organizing and its eligibility criteria, I immediately applied. PILOT is one of the fewest programs in the state, which focuses on enhancing leadership and advocacy skills of migrants, refugees and asylees. My PILOT and CIO experience has been great so far and recommend anyone to join the organization and apply for the program.

CIO has an amazing team of staff and leaders guiding innovative and brave work. I've worked in the non-profit sector alongside them for several years now, they've effectively managed to be a strong advocate for their community while always remaining true to their values. I can't say enough good things about their team and work.

I am a BOLD alumni and have been involved with CIO for 3 years now and the organization is amazing and definitely helps Immigrant and Refugees get the toolkit and learn how to organize themselves and get educated on current, former and future events or issues that are affecting us and how it can unite us to create this intercultural movement that we can become advocates for our own community and overall a better and just community for all Oregonians.

This organization not only provides incredible opportunities and support to immigrants and refugees but it makes you feel part of a family. The staff is very organized, professional and kind! Thank you CIO and keep up the great work.

It's great I can not do anything without it it's fabulous its approve all my skill and its help my to help my community Thank you all for all the services you have provided Thanks

The mission statement of CIO is a profound, visionary statement that speaks to the heart of the work they do: "Led by people of color, immigrants and refugees, rural communities, and people experiencing poverty, we work across Oregon to build a unified intercultural movement for justice." CIO organizes and empowers people who are traditionally excluded from power--immigrants and refugees, people of color, rural and working poor Oregonians--through leadership development, advocacy training, policy work at the local, state, and federal level. CIO believes in creating welcoming, inclusive spaces that make room for all people to be their full, authentic selves and you only have to walk through the door of one of their local offices in Portland, Beaverton or Rogue Valley to see that they put that belief into action. Every person is treated with dignity and respect and as a valuable contributor to the community and to society. CIO gives me the opportunity to live out my values in a meaningful way and I am grateful for the intercultural movement they are building in Oregon.

As a refugee, I came to Portland on August 2012 knowing nothing about the city that I suppose to be my new home. One time I went with a friend to a meeting for refugees in Beaverton and I first heard the word CIO. I asked what does CIO stand for and after I knew it, I became familiar with it. I attended several meetings representing the Iraqi Society which I volunteered to work with refugees.
Then I got the lit to light the candle that brightened me and led me to get the CIO Pilot Training. Then I got promoted in my society as a community leader. I learned how the institutions work and how bills can be done, what are our rights, Portland and its Counties….etc. The trainees form a diverse society whom became my friends. We had spent joyful days that I still remember. So I am grateful to CIO.

Muwafaq Alkattan

CIO embodies the traits we all hope for in grassroots community groups. They are led by people who have lived experiences with the issues they work on, their staff leadership is full of integrity and vision, and they focus on values-driven campaigns that make life better for immigrants, refugees, and people of color in Oregon.

CIO is one of, if not, the best organization of its kind I have participated in. I was at some of the retreats and workshops they organized, and what I learned during these programs was immense, and whose relevance could not be overemphasized. Numerous times during these, and other programs, I found myself feeling amazed, pleasantly surprised, and sometimes struck with outright astonishment at the information I was absorbing, all of which laid just how ignorant I was regarding things that really matter to me and the community at large. I came out of these programs greatly informed, empowered, equipped with great motivation to better myself, and to be actively involved in improving the conditions in my community.
Thank you CIO, and I hope you long remain within the community and continue doing what you are doing.

The Center for Intercultural Organizing has been a great partner with us! Their Margins to Mainstream program is connecting communities of color specifically the immigrant and refugee communities to resources, advocacy and community strengthening in a unique way with their Wellness Life Guides. The Wellness Life Guides serve as a bridge for many who are new to the US as well as those who have been her for a while. They have experienced many of the same challenges as the community members they are working with. We are pleased to continue our relationship with this organization.

The Center for Intercultural Organizing is an incredible force for community organizing and advocacy in our region. Their breadth is very wide across communities of color, especially immigrant and refugee communities and is evident at any of the events they host. The relevancy and urgency of their mission is strong and their ability to bring communities together impressive. This is a truly unique organization, one that is a consistent leader and stands in solidarity with others on priority issues for the community. CIO has been a key partner for the City of Beaverton in providing leadership training and civic engagement opportunities for underrepresented communities, in helping to increase dialogue between government and community, and in shaping the conversation on equity and inclusion.

Center for Intercultural Organizing have a great staff culturally savvy to integrate diverse under represent communities to build up leadership, participation and communication.

The Center for Intercultural Organizing takes on a very tough issue--integrating immigrants into American life--and does it in ways that empower and enrich everyone involved. For the CIO, its not about services, although they do advocate for individuals. The goal is to help New Americans fully participate in their new country. CIO helps people become citizens but also trains them in how to become fully active in their community, learning how to volunteer on citizen advisory committees, on political campaigns and with other local community organizations.
Well run, respectful. I joined the Board so I could learn from their smart and thoughtful approach.

My firm and I have been consistent supporters of the Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO) for several years now. CIO is one of a select group of non-profits that can be counted on to not only adhere to its mission but to challenge itself year after year on how it can do better and come up with more innovative ways to help the communities it serves and ensure diversity, grass-roots organizing, education, and involvement.

I am a consultant who works with a range of non-profit organizations in Oregon & Washington. I have worked with CIO's organizing, advocacy & development staff. CIO's staff stands out as being remarkably committed and dedicated to their work and the organization's mission. The organization is a tremendous resource for our community.

Being from a small town in central Washington with very little diversity and a strong migrant worker population. Being a part of CIO and attending functions that center on diversity and cultural awareness is a wonderful way for myself and my daughter to recognize and appreciate benefits to diversity and bring back to my small town new views and a greater understanding of cultural issues and help my area to all work together for change.

CIO demonstrates diversity not only in its programming but also in its employment and volunteering policy. I have met people from all different parts of the world through CIO. I am confident with the continued work of CIO, Oregon will be a better place to live

CIO is led by some of the most conscientious people, with a level of integrity and wisdom that guide the organization's work well. Their values ripple through their mission, practices, staff dynamics, and community engagement. I am proud to partner with them and look forward to co-hosting events together in the future.

Center for Intercultural organizing. Is one oft best decisions I made. In the past I tried to been more involve with my Comunity, but I didn't know how. CIO made this possible, after I been involve they give the tools how to improve myself to be more successful, in leadership and organizing. But not only in my Comunity but also with others Intercultural communities. Also I improve my English pronunciation. Thanks to CIO they treat every one like a family and support to each other.

The Center for Intercultural Organizing makes me believe institutional change for all refugees and immigrants is possible. Their programs are truly intersectional and this is the kind of space our community must foster. Resilient Connections is one of CIO's newest programs that serves as a support group for Queer/Trans Refugees and Immigrants. CIO is modeling for other refugee organizations of the NW and even some of its immigrant rights organizations with beginning stages of Queer Liberation. The Center, including Staff, Board and family- is genuinely contributing to the empowerment and leadership development of its constituents with a post-modern multicultural lens.

The Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO) is an important nonprofit program for the City of Portland. It supports our immigrant and refugee families and community members. Most importantly, CIO gives these communities tools to be a political voice and power in the City. It gives the tools for the voiceless to be heard and bring important issues that goes on within our community that at times our local, state, and federal government may not know. The staff is amazing and passionate about the community. And I cannot wait to see how CIO transforms the City of Portland in the future.

CIO is one of the most important social justice organizations in Oregon, and the only one that serves the immigrant and refugee communities well beyond the city limits of Portland. Their commitment to creating an organization that empowers and develops the communties they serve plays a critical role in our state. Their PILOT program alone should be replicated across the country. CIO continues to be a leader in Oregon through their civic engagement, leadership development, public policy advocacy and grassroots organizing. Whether the issue is to end profiling, address health disparities, ensure fair housing, or the myriad of other great social justice advocacy work they do, CIO is advancing a platform that every day makes Oregon a more equitable and just state.

CIO is committed to creating a more just and equitable communities in the Portland area. The staff is exceptionally smart, committed, and forward thinking. They are especially concerned about making sure those who are traditionally excluded from city/county policy making (i.e., immigrants, people of color) have a voice at the table.

I have been watching and witnessing the birth, growth and important anchoring leadership of Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO), not only in specific immigrant communities, but in the larger communities of Portland and Oregon. The organization's careful and deliberate work has ensured that the voices of immigrants were heard at all levels of government, within social services settings, and in the places that policy and procedures are developed. They bring a strong, unified and powerful voice for immigrant communities and, as a result, we are all better informed and able to understand the plight of immigrants from all countries. CIO does not stop with only raising the issues of inequality, lack of cultural competence among providers, or what's lacking, they bring trained and skilled constituents with skills, abilities, talents and dreams, as newly-arrived residents of our city, counties, and state, who have much to contribute to the larger community.

CIO has made its compelling presence known through the state, has been particularly adept at moving their leadership effectively in a number of circles, local government, at the city and county level, and in working collaboratively to achieve major successes in our Legislature. CIO has also ensure that its membership is diverse and representative of immigrant communities in ways that heretofore have not proven successful.

The organization's model encourages members to come together regularly, to develop their strengths, and cultivates diverse leadership that pushes other organizations to recognize the power and benefit of more diverse representation on issues that affect all of us - whether housing affordability and quality, school improvements and teacher humility and cultural competence. CIO doesn't preach, it shows the stories of individual lives before us, and allows communities within its organization to hold their uniqueness whiile working for collective benefit.

CIO is a strategic, well focused organization that has strong leadership connections and credible relationships throughout the larger community, starting with its constituentis. This is an effective and important point to ensure effective organizing and mobilizing among members and to engage supporters in solidarity ith them - on immigration reform, school reform and quality education for all, housing, health issues, economic opportunity and equity, among others.

It has been my pleasure to watch them grow while staying rooted to their original principles of equal access, justice, diversity and equity to the immigrant voices that emerge in their own organization as well as with those they interact with.

CIO is one of the best examples of a grassroots organization that has not forgotten its roots, but has built the core components needed for long-term success: bringing leadership up from within, setting a vision and mission and not wavering, having enviable results that bring real return on investment, and increasing the diversity of voices that speak in Oregon, and for all of us.

It has been and continues to be my pleasure, as a funder, a community resident and as a social justice leader to wholeheartedly support CIO; one of the best at doing what they do and delivering real change for their communities and mine.

I am a new member of the Pan-immigrant Leadership and Organizing Training at CIO. Therefore, I have had the opportunity to witness the great work CIO does to support and empower multi-ethnic communities. CIO provides an space to meet people from all over the world to join efforts to fight against injustice and social change. I don't feel alone anymore!

I am currently in the PILOT program through CIO. I have met many people from all over the world, and everyone is so inspiring. I truly appreciate the work the CIO does, and the PILOT program is a great way to train tomorrow's leaders. The staff, volunteers, and participants are all warm and welcoming. We may all have different stories and journeys, but in the end we all have the same vision.

I witnessed the development of the Center for Intercultural Organizing from seed to the thriving organization it is today. I myself am an immigrant and the challenges facing this population are close to my heart. The sense of loneliness, isolation and discouragement are real. There are very few venues for the immigrant and refugee to deal with the confusion and anxiety created by the clash with a foreign culture. CIO offers a space where multilingual and multicultural people are learning and engaging in their communal challenges. CIO believes that the people most affected by an issue should be the individuals and communities leading and advocating for solutions.
CIO is the catalyst of changes for these individuals from helplessness and confusion to integration and leadership in the struggle for social economic justice.

CIO has shown me how a multicultural community can come together and for each others causes. They are a safe place for dialogue and education between communities

I had the chance to participate in the PILOT training program conducted by the Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO). During the training I noticed how the CIO staff members were very professional, well trained, organized, and committed. Moreover, I was amazed how the CIO successfully represents the diverse community, were members from various backgrounds and ethnicities embraced to form a strong non-profit organization that advocate the rights of immigrants and refugees.

Center for Intercultural Organizing ( CIO) has been working with the Immigrant and refugee communities to empower and build a multi-ethnic/racial movement. I'm honored and proud to be a part of such and organization that not only work with the communities for building capacity. But the policy work on state, Counties and Cities level to review and recommend inclusive policies for all Oregonians.

I've just joined the PILOT program of CIO and had our FIRST RETREAT for 2 days and a half. Learned a lot about things that I never imagine. The freedom of speech as a tool to inform and educate people in order to have a consensus to find solutions for different public and social issues. Yes, I loved it and will continue learning to help and be part of the solutions!

Review by Tom Potter:
The Center for Intercultural Organizing has been providing services to Oregon's refugees, immigrants and communities of color for the last ten years. Their strength lies in bringing together different communities and providing them with the tools to expand their internal leadership, build community capacity, and influence public policies that effect their communities.
As Mayor of Portland from 2005-2009, I had the opportunity to work with the CIO and watch them interact with Portland's various communities to empower and engage them in making government work for them. Their efforts have made the Portland Metro area and our state of Oregon a better place for everyone, especially our recent arrivals and the communities of color. These groups have not always been part of the governance process and it is heart-warming to see the transition with individuals who were formerly afraid of government to come forward and work with government to improve the lives of their families and communities.

The Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO) builds capacity within immigrant and refugee communities so that they may begin to get involved in the civic life of our City. This involvement connects the new-comer to her/his new home and helps to create a feeling of belonging, reducing isolation. It also brings new, creative voices to local government processes resulting in sounder investments and better outcomes for all. CIO does a fantastic job of this with very limited resources. Portland is a much better City for the work of CIO and the involvement of the community leaders it supports!

CIO president and staff go beyond just meeting people; they learn their story, connect and support them in anyway they can. As an organizer I try to net work with as many organizations as I can to make sure people are getting help when they needed. Net working with CIO is one of the best rewards I have as an organizer. CIO made me realized that when you see and treat people as your own family member regardless their immigration status, religion or the Country they come from is when you really start building real communities.

CIO really believes and works to make sure Justice is for all!

CIO is an organization filled with people who wear hearts on their sleeves. Everyone I had a pleasure to meet, is commited to serve and help where the help is needed most, actively looking for creative ways and programs to make the most impact. CIO provides immigrants and refugees with necessary tools to make significant changes in their lives but it also emphasizes the great role we play in receiving them in our communities.

The Center for Intercultural Organizing is among the leading edge of organizations in Portland, Oregon, doing multiracial, multiethnic, multilingual organizing that incorporates cultural work and creative expression with the hard-nosed strategic thinking to raise the power of immigrant and refugee voices for racial and economic justice. I LOVE CIO!

CIO is an amazing Non-profit. They make leaders out of everyone; people of different races, sexual orientation, beliefs, backgrounds and many others. These communities are the ones that I can call Centre for Intercultural Organizing because power is so completely handed over to the people. I have communities standing up and working with the Counties, City Councils and others just to see to it there is human dignity in development around Oregon. Their members are all-over working hard to bring change to society and thanks to their capacity building approach which exposes communities to leadership and advocating. My organisation will implement their leadership approach in my country, Malawi (in Southern Africa) when I return in December this year.

CIO, the hub for people from all over the world to come together to elevate and empower our communities, through leadership development, advocacy, and grassroots organizing.

The Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO) is an amazing organization that touches the lives of immigrants and refugees. The close-knit intercultural relationships created and fostered through this organization by bringing together so many different cultures (many with long-time historical conflicts) are creating long-term change locally and state-wide; creating a positive ripple effect for American born residents, and maybe even worldwide. According to the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, every dollar invested in CIO's advocacy, organizing and civic engagement garnered $150 in benefits for their communities. You can read it for yourself here: http://www.ncrp.org/files/publications/GCIP-NW_Report_low_res.pdf

Center for Intercultural Organizing ( CIO) has been working with with the Immigrant and refugee communities ( IR)in Oregon to empower and build a multi-ethnic/racial movement. for the last three years I have know CIO since the work in Washington County in Oregon started. CIO had reached out to all the IR communities to invite them to the Beaverton CIty Hall, in order to build a strong representation for IR and people of color in civic life in the City. Now in Beaverton there are IR leaders that are parts of boards and commissions because of the training and the advocacy work that CIO had done to engage the IR leaders . I'm honored that to be a part of such and organization that not only work with the communities for building capacity. But the policy work on state, Counties and Cities level to review and recommend inclusive policies for all Oregonians in Oregon.

As an original co-founder of the Center for Intercultural Organizing in 2003, I can attest to its ability to make a significant contribution to the lives of immigrants, refugees, people of color, and Oregonians over time. Its leadership development program, policy advocacy campaigns, educational forums, and community organizing and mobilization efforts have increased the visibility of newcomers to the Northwest and made real strides toward equity for newcomer communities. I invite all immigrants, refugees, people of color and allies to join this important movement for justice.

When I first came to CIO, I met highly diverse group of people. I was new to Portland, and Cio gve me both a course and orientatin to the city.

I am inturning at the Center for Intercultural Organizing this summer, and so far I've had an amazing experience. I have been apart of so many projects and feel like I've really done good. I have helped raise money and awareness for projects that are important, I have done bill research, I have registered voters, and I have organized events. All of it was a pleasure to do, and I felt that I was making a real difference. It doesn't take long to see how hard everyone there works, and how much they all care. Everyone who is there genuinely wants to be there. The whole environnent is one of productivity, creativity, and friendship.

As student want to learn about becoming a leader in community. Ran across many organization and to reach my goal. Most had plan that did not fit me and saw they had different goal. but i had to look back in 5th grade and remember a person name by Kayse Jama that was help Somali youth in Portland through summer camp so many of stay out trouble and help remember what we learn in school. His start pop out by how is a good guy. and ran to someone that was start nonprofit to help Somali youth in Oregon to become leaders in the community so i went some of the meeting and start to get involve. That we was getting help by center for intercultural Organizing with advice and how to run a great non profit and giving us a space to hold our meeting and much more. Help our first fundraising event. so i was like people are life savers and then i want to do more in social Justice and i tag on with them on there lobbying day and alot about my rights and saw how that we need to do more in social justice and i volunteer and sign up for (Pilot) - Pan- Immigrant Leadership and Organizing Training and become graduate of 2011-2012 programs and Oregon is growing with immigrant and center for intercultural organizing is helping change to share voice of rights and social Justice.

I really enjoy working at CIO because I feel that I am able to apply my theoretical knowledge and education in an meaningful way, impacting individuals and groups who need support and advocacy. I am amazed at CIO's connectivity to the immigrant and refugee population in Portland, as well as its connections to other social justice organizations in the area.

I am a high schooler interested in social justice and public policy. Volunteering for CIO allowed me to reach out and help my community in fun and interesting ways. It was an incredible experience.

I have volunteered to this organization, participated in programs it has lead, and have been to its community events. The Center for Intercultural Organizing is a place where people who have left their home country feel at home. This organization puts every dollar it gets to help the community it represents and its partners. It has been in the forefront in getting the immigrant and refugee community visible and involved in the greater community. Unlike most organization in this field CIO doesn't represent one ethnic group, it represents every immigrant/refugee. It helps those who comes in and who need it. CIO also doesn't pay a whole lot to overhead like some other organizations. So a donation to them really goes to help the community that often goes unrepresented and silenced.

CIO advocates powerfully and effectively for communities of color in Oregon. It has been very effective in bringing the needs of people forward in Beaverton - which has continued a discourse of tokenistic and paternal responses to issues of institutional racis. A powerful, accountable and poignant voice for a wide array of community members.

The Center for Intercultural Organizing is the only group I know that is consciously working for the integration of all ethnic diversity in the community. It provides a model of what an inclusive society looks like when diversity takes the lead. There are many organizations that seek to "help" various groups assimilate and integrate on the terms of the mainstream society - and there are organizations who help newcomers, whatever their background, to get settled in their new home. But CIO is the one that's trying to actually break down the civic barriers that exist so we can all be in the same room together - without diluting our identities.

I've been trying to work with CIO since the director and his wife founded the Community Language and Culture Bank in the early part of this century. Their multicultural festival in the park to reframe the dialogue after Sept 11 was a major achievement.

Over the years, we have had cause to come together, and I anticipate, with my organization People-Places-Things to work with them by doing direct service organizing.

This nonprofit started with an idea after 9/11. How do immigrants integrate into our community for the positive. I have watched CIO mature into a wonderful organization for immigrants, helping them to become confident, needed, and understood. It gives them a place where they can feel welcomed, helped, and gives them the confidence and training to go out into their communities to serve others. It is quite a unique organization. It is one that I can totally support.

I came here as a refugee and wanted to make a difference for my community that was suffering from poverty, isolation and war trauma. In the CIO, I found the training that has helped me not only help my community but connect to leaders of other immigrant and refugee communities and also people of color in the United States. The skills I learned are so valuable, but the relationships are even more. Thank you, CIO!

As a person who believes in a multicultural society that benefits and includes all, I have found the Center for Intercultural Organizing to be a place where I can act on that belief. As a US-born American, I feel it is my job to help welcome the newcomers to the United States by ensuring our laws, policies and community are fair and just. The CIO gives allies like me ways in which we can be effective in advocating for justice. Through trainings like Refugee and Immigrant Solidarity Education (RISE), I learned the issues and challenges immigrants face and was able to put this information into change through activites at CIO. I recommend everyone in Oregon who cares about racial equity and immigrant rights to join this organization!

I love this place , the CIO. We need more people and groups who actually care about the little guy or gal no matter what they do or where they're from. People who volunteer for CIO are sincerely trying to make the world a better place.

I have been looking for a place like CIO for a long time. Having grown up in Portland, and attending a predominantly White, Middle Class college in Portland, as a person of color, I began to feel a bit isolated. This is the first time that I have felt comfortable with my ethnicity in my work environment. CIO does a great job at including and appreciating all of its volunteers, I truly feel like this is a second home. CIO works hard to represent and advocate for immigrant and refugees, who are often taken advantage of marginalized in our society. Each and every member of CIO is welcomed as extended family!

The Center for Intercultural Organizing is one of the most progressive immigrant rights organization that I personally know of.
The determination to create unity with immigrant groups and other local organization for a larger movement of equity is uncanny.
I have been involved as a volunteer, staff and now support from another city as a donor. I greatly believe in the work that CIO does and I know how hard the staff and volunteers work to ensure community progress.
CIO empowers people and creates future leaders.

My name is Anna, and I have been involved with the Center for Intercultural Organizing for 10 year. I arrived to Portland, OR over 10 years ago from Poland to participate in an exchange program. I always had a strong desire to help immigrants and refugees. I was very fortunate to meet two community organizers Kayse Jama and Stephanie Stephens. At that time, I offered to help them at the small office in Portland. I was amazed to find a circle of new friends who became my new family. I was glad to help them to organize the 1st Global Portland Festival, which happened on the first anniversary of September 11th. Our mission was to bring people together and support each other in this hard time. After the first few years of their work, CIO changed their focus towards building power in immigrant and refugee communities through many different fields: education, civic engagement, leadership, and so on. It was a pleasure to see them grow. I attended Portland State University and received a degree in International Studies. Then I participated in the short faculty led program to Cyprus where I learned about the history of Cyprus. That experience allowed me to realize that I should pursue my master's degree in International Conflict Resolution and help others. Even though, I had a lot of going on, I always new that CIO advocates for the rights of innocent people, and I always found my way back to CIO. If you are an immigrant or refugee, you need to have a place like CIO that always has it's door open for people, for an advise, for comfort. They represent all people no matter what their socio-economical status is. They build bridges between communities by educating young community leaders through the program called Portland Immigrant and Refugee Leadership Program (PILOT). I never had an experience such as this. I met a lot of wonderful young people with a lot of potential who are, in the future, going to make a difference. We went through the leadership training that allowed us to learn about basics of city government, introduction of community organizing, politics of oppression, issue and campaign planning, cross-cultural community movement building, conflict resolution, and media strategy. The trainers encouraged us to go back to our respected communities and become engaged, to have an impact, to make a difference. This leadership program gave us "wings." It allows us to connect and learn about other communities. CIO organizes a lot of wonderful events that empower men and women from difference cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. They provide many workshops. They have a Media Project that trains community members on how to use media to serve the community. There are many goals that CIO has that focus on supporting people by educating them, providing civic engagement, community organizing, mobilization, leadership, and help with immigration issues. At this moment, I am on the board of directors, and I am really proud to be part of their mission. I am amazed by their ability to stand for ALL. It is the only non profit that serves in such a huge capacity. And, we all have to work together to build one safe community for our children and for the future.

As an Ethiopian immigrant who has migrated to the US in the 70's, I found CIO to be an organization uniquely poised to hold a much needed safe space for all immigrants and refugees to have the ability to express their needs in their own voices.
Personally, as a new board member, I have felt that I have found "home" among people with similar lived experiences and the forum to voice them.
I am honoured to be part of CIO.
Assefash

I came to united state of america in Jan. 2010, and I was afraid from what I will facing here when I decide to start my new life as an immigrant.
And too many people scary me about the life here, especially with different traditions between my old life and my new one.
But when I met some people here, belong to CIO organization, they told me to come down and everything will be fine, as much as I would like.
They prepared everything to me to start my new life here and guide me to the right way to living here in peace and with lovely people who belong to CIO organization.
And later on I get from them training to have experience to help the new immigrants and refugees just like what I got from the CIO members when I arrived here.

The breadth of their work, from legislative action to leadership training to education to building social movements to fun community events, illustrates the organization's stragegic, cooperative approach to creating change. I don't know of another group that is able to organize a variety of communities so effectively on a range of fronts, both local and far-reaching. While many immigrant and refugee organizations focus on advocacy and serve primarily one population, C.I.O.'s diversity speaks to its focus on real unity and empowerment.

As the first person born in my family to immigrants from India, my experience in the United States has always had the feel of being an outsider. Watching my parents and all of my relatives navigate a new culture, political system, educational system - a place where our skin color, accent, religion was not always welcome and where our voices did not count as much as the rest. CIO has been a homecoming - a place where we reclaim our dignity by having our voices heard, by working for our rights, and by coming together as a community of people from all over the world, yet with similar challenges, we find that we are stronger together.

THROGHOUT THE PAST TWO YEARS ME ,BAHER AND SOMEOTHER IRAQIS TRIED OUR BEST TO SERVE AND HELP THE SO MANY NEW IRAQI COMERS TO THE USA AS A REFUGEES .WITH THE HELP OF THE CIO IT WAS ROUGHLY POSSIBLE TO TO GIVE HELP AND PRESENT ASSISSTENCES TO THOSE PEOPLE . WE WORKED HARD AND EXERTED ALL AVAILABLE EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH OUR IRAQI SOCIETY IN OREGON WHICH DEALS WITH SO MANY ISSUES RELATED TO OUR COMMUNITY
WE BOTH KNOW THAT LIFE IN AMERICA GENERALLY IS NOT AN EASY GOING ONE ESPECIALLY TO IRAQIS WITH ALOT OF PTSD'S AND TRUMAS AND THE PROCESS OF RESETTLMENT IS NOT AN EASY PROCESS.LIFE HERE IS COMPLETLY DIFFERENT AND EVERY ONE IS SUFFERING IN ONE WAY OR IN ANOTHER
THE IRAQI SOCIETY OF OREGON AND WITH THE HELP OF CIO WAS ABLE TO GIVE HELP TO THOSE IRAQIS IN SOLVING THEIR PROBLEMS GIVING THEM THE NEEDED ADVICES GUIDING THEM EXPLAINING THEM THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO CULTURES AND THE SYSTEMS
GETTING MORE AND MORE DONATIONS IN RESPECT OF CLOTHES FURNATURES ETC.WE STILL LOOKING FORWARD TO GIVE MORE HELP TO ALL IRAQI TILL THEY WILL THAT THEY BELONG AND ABLE TO GO ON

If one came to America as a refugee in 2007, when, how, and why can he become a member of Board of Directors in the Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO)? The minimum time, I guess, would take 3 years as it happened with me, and for how, it is as simple as one is invited to apply for the Board membership, and he is there in the Board.
But it is all about the (why). Why one would become a member of CIO in three months after his arrival to America? Why three years to join the Board? Why is it CIO in the first place? The answers are simple, once you get to meet Kayse who will come instantly to meet you when Lisa tells him about the active newcomer, you will be embraced with warm hearted welcoming, unconditional acceptance and recognition, and your heart and mind will recognize this sincerity. Then Kayse, Stephanie, and Lisa (leaders of CIO) will show you the way to community activism, and as a new comer to America (AKA refugees and immigrants) who wants to be equal to other citizens of America and did his own research, you will choose to join the organization that has a holistic vision and approach, sincere to its mission to defend the rights of all newcomers.
CIO will teach you the lesson of American Democracy (People can decide their future) through involvement with allies, community activists and organizations, and that is year one. Then CIO will give you the training of (PILOT) to be a community leader and how to engage in the Democratic system. In Pilot you will meet other CIO leaders, CIO staff, and community activists who share with you your values and enthusiasm, and you all become one family, so you get the warm human relations, share the experiences with each other, and that is year two. And once you are in the community, doing your homework with all the seriousness that reflect how serious you were trained, and practicing what you learn, receiving the continued unconditional support and backup of CIO leaders and staff, I guess the time comes when you are invited in year three to join the Board.
In CIO I restored the status that I lost when I left my country, I was recognized again and I restarted my new life as a member in my new home. Immigration is an American experience, America now is moving to a multicultural community in the global world of the 21st century, and this is exactly what we do at CIO, bridging between old and new immigrants, and building the new multicultural America.

As I near graduation from CIO's Pan-Immigrant Leadership and Organizing Training , I can see how much work the Center of Intercultural Organizing is putting in its effort to better our multicultural community by spreading the awareness of cultural diversity and different obstacles that the immigrants and refugees face in this country, but, more importantly, in educating and empowering immigrants to be active community leaders and understanding their roles as equally valued community members.
The PILOT program is one example of CIO's long-term vision of identifying and developing future immigrant leaders who can organize and increase community participation on the issues that affect them.
I would highly recommend the CIO to anyone who wants to be support and build a better community for everyone.

As an immigrant myself, I have always thought when you come from another country, it is ok to be "othered" since this is not your land of birth. Through the Leadership training provided to me by CIO, I have learned that not only is not ok to accept this, but I also have to speak out against it. For every time I accept it, there's many, many immigrants out there who experience it and won't ever be able to speak out.
Although CIO is made up of being who come from different parts of the world, we have a common thread of having experienced social injustice ourselves or through family and friends. CIO has helped me realize that I need to be the change I wish to see around me. I may be just a tiny spark, but it takes a spark to get a fire going and pretty soon, all those around us can warm up in its glowing as we used to sing in Africa!!

in the years I worked as a policy director and education strategy coordinator for then Portland City Commissioner and now Mayor, our work with CIO not only helped inform us on an array of concerns, we worked together to solve community problems. We turned to CIO to bring together representatives from many communities too often not "at the table" to make decisions and develop policies to ensure we all work together. They are a very effective organization with strong and wise leadership. I greatly respect the work of CIO. They are continuing to build relationships which ensure that including underrepresented communities becomes the norm. The issues I worked most directly with CIO on regarded public safety and planning issues. Their participation and contributions were invaluable.

As a CIO volunteer, I participated to help bring the people of refugee's together because when I was there I felt that no one had a sense of working together and to be leaders..., there was a question given to everyone individually and everyone seem to have a desire to help their own ethnic background or for their own needs and I was the only one that thought that everyone needs to work as a team and help each other because that is what I learn during my childhood days and in school!!! Also my brother (SV) and I also worked with people from a diverse background to using the camera production equipment for CIO members to learn from the studio time. I had a fun time working with people from all types; in-order to do a project it takes a lot of time and a group of people to get things done!!! I also enjoy what other cultures had to share whether it was food or stories from their cultures to jokes!!! I would encourage people from all walks of life to join or participate because they will have the tools ready to help you especially if you are a refugee or immigrant that just arrived here in the United States. This is a place where you can learn about other ethnic backgrounds and get information for any question one might have or needs help with in life and support. CIO can be a place to help make dreams or visions to come alive!

As a member of a minority CIO has taught how to be a global citizen within my diverse local community. Having participated in other immigrant organizations before, CIO engaged me in community work in a different way. Most organizations I had participated with before have a reactive approach to meet their goals; CIO,in turn, has a proactive approach to making systemic change in favor of a more just and equitable society from the bottom up...

This organization literally changed my life. Before my involvement with The Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO), I had been in the United States for almost 50 years and never felt like I belonged here. My previous attempts to get involved in civic life were met with being shut down, feeling isolated and ignored; no matter what I tried, I essentially came away with either no influence, or feeling invisible. So I stopped trying and continued to feel like I had no voice in this city or state, let alone America.

But then I was fortunate in being chosen to participate in the leadership program for first generation immigrants & refugees (Pan-Immigrant Leadership & Organizing Training or PILOT). Through this program, I learned the basics of how our city government worked, skills for effective public speaking and organizing, and so, so much more! Through this program, I found my voice and learned how to affect change. Before my year of PILOT training ended, I finally started growing roots in this country and was empowered to create change for the better in my community.

Now I am board member for this incredible organization that has touched so many lives in a very positive way.

I started volunteering with CIO in 2004 because I was impressed by the passion and intellect of the director and his small but committed staff. I am so proud to say I have been such a long-time volunteer and have had the privilege to watch this member-driven organization blossom from a heartfelt set of ideas to a widely and highly respected and influential organization in Portland. City leaders have been wise to take notice of the effective grassroots organizing accomplished by CIO, and the accolades various members have received for their community leadership and have been well-earned. Many thanks to CIO for helping to nurture and create leaders among the many ethnic groups in Portland, and most especially for empowering the everyday people to believe in themselves and take action for the causes they believe in. Thank you so much CIO!!

Thanks to CIO I was able to learn about the system of government in US , my rights and responsibliities as a citizen and above all learned to appreicate and embrasse diversity.

Empowers members of under-represented and often marginalized communities to interact and communicate with civic authorities in constructive ways that improve the understanding of the issues among all participants without undue animosity. Invaluable asset to newcomers looking to develop the skills to better integrate into and work productively with the mainstream.

I've been involved with CIO for about three years as a volunteer. One thing I love about CIO is that is brings together immigrants from various communities to work for their common interests. It also educates the wider community on the realities of immigrant life and struggles. CIO is a place where people can feel comfortable sharing their stories and work together to create a civic environment that is inclusive and empowering.

I have been fortunate to participate and be a part of an organization such as Center for Intercultural Organizing! Through its continuous efforts to educate members in the community, CIO continues to impress me in continually striving towards systemic change. As a proud member, I support its mission and hope to continually work with the organization to empower members of the immigrant and refugee community!

I'm the member of CIO since 2009. Being in United State is tough when you don't know anyone here. I was new to the country when it came to know that CIO exist in Portland and helps diverse communities in different aspects. I talk with one of the board members and she offered me a leadership training. I’m thank full to CIO to introduce me to different people and giving me courageous to serve my community better. CIO offeres PILOT trainings to the community leaders, which is great and direct us to the political feild.

I am constantly amazed at the work that CIO does in the community. They convene people of many cultures, races, and creeds to build personal capacity, political engagement, and to mobilize for important causes in our society. The Executive Director reflects the values of his organization well and is always on task!

As a proud member of the Center for Intercultural Organizing, I can attest to the many ways in which this organization not only empowers immigrants and refugees but also allies in the struggle for social justice. As a member-run organization, CIO is composed of and powered by ordinary folks. CIO members come from diverse cultural, ethnic, economic, and religious backgrounds. They are immigrants, refugees, U.S.-born citizens, workers, students, asylees, moms, dads, grandparents and, most importantly, allies in the struggle for social justice. Our members share a common belief in a multi-racial, multicultural democracy inclusive of all—and the passion to put their beliefs into action. As an ally member, I have learned in depth about the struggles immigrants and refugees face, and how to put that knowledge to work. I have attended leadership trainings, advocacy days at the municipal and state level, and really feel my participation has made a difference.

Hi, I'm Anya Valsamakis, CIO board member for five plus years. Why do I volunteer? My parents were very newly emmigrated from Russia to the US, when I was born. Though you would never know it if you met me (probably), finding my between-cultures identity was painful. I became a social worker and for years worked with refugee and immigrant families, developing programs and helping find jobs. Though social services are very important in the early resettlement years, what immigrants need for the long term is civic education, a voice here, and to have their very great contibutions seen and counted. CIO is a vibrant, flexible organization, driven by values of equity and social justice. We believe that a, " diverse, grassroots, multiracial, multicul;tural movement of immigrants and refugees"can help make Portland a better place to live and serve as a model of unity for the rest of the country. I love being part of CIO, find my community service gives back over and over. One example why I find it meaningful: at our last board meeting about 40 Somali youth came to CIO for their own organizing meeting, to launch their own youth centered non-profit. Seeing their faces and hearing their excited voices, switching between Somali and English, I felt tremendous pride that CIO empowers people to engage in this great country that belongs to all of us.