May 16, 2014

Office of Equity and Human Rights Community Engagement Liaisons Program helps grow community involvement at City Budget Hearing

The City Budget Public Hearing on May 15, 2014 featured many community voices never before heard at previous years’ sessions. Answering a request from the City Budget Office, the Office of Equity and Human Rights New Portlander Programs’ Community Engagement Liaisons (CELs) helped gather members of several immigrant and refugee communities to testify before City Council.

Community members included:

• Zomi elders and activists led by Rev. Zam King Mang of Zomi Association of United States
• Iraqi Kurd, Sunni, Shi’a, and Christian Portlanders led by Dr. Baher Butti of Iraqi Society of Oregon
• Portland’s West and Central African elders and activists led by Jerome Adibonou of Togo Community of Oregon
• Pacific Island (Tongan and Chuuk) American elders and activists led by Kolini Fusitua of Tongan American Resource Center of Oregon

The CELs Program is designed to assist bureaus in their outreach efforts to underrepresented communities in Portland. Photos from the hearing may be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124652604@N07/sets/72157644705353794/

More information on the CELs Program is available at: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/oehr/article/482264