| The Oregonian
(Portland, OR)
February 25, 2008
OUR LEADERS NOW COME IN MANY
COLORS
By S. Renee Mitchell
African wisdom says you can gauge your power of persuasion
this way: If people follow you up a hill, you're a leader.
If no one does, all you're doing is taking a walk.
These days, more people of color, particularly immigrants
and refugees, are stretching out all over Portland's landscape.
At least 13 percent of residents are foreign born, according
to U.S. Census data. And in some east Portland neighborhoods,
one in three residents are immigrants.
And more and more, they're demanding and receiving, thanks
to the blessing of Mayor Tom Potter. This year, for example,
the Portland City Council created the Office of Immigrant
and Refugee Affairs to evaluate the city's hiring policies,
give organizations money to train new leaders, and establish
a multicultural community center.
"I think it's fairly unprecedented for Portland,"
says Maria Lisa Johnson, executive director of the Latino
Network. "These past few years, we've seen dramatic change
in terms of access and dialogue with immigrants and people
of color."
The mushrooming mobilization of communities of color is giving
businessman Sho Dozono's campaign for mayor a whiff of the
"Obama factor." Dozono says he had to turn down
signatures once he hit 4,010, which is 2,510 more than he
needs to qualify for public financing.
Although Dozono has been a trusted civic leader for decades,
the 63-year-old says he couldn't speak English when he moved
here from Japan at age 10. Now, he is using his shared history
as an immigrant to inspire Vietnamese, Chinese and Africans,
among others, to vote.
"The city of Portland having, not particularly an Asian
but a first generation immigrant running for mayor is extraordinary,"
notes Kilong Ung, who leads the Cambodian-American Community
of Oregon. "Whether that person is going to be elected
or not, that's irrelevant."
Saturday, some of Dozono's supporters are organizing a multicultural
get-out-and-vote rally -- complete with translators. The March
With Sho starts at 10 a.m. at the downtown Salmon Street Springs
fountain and ends at the Japanese American Historical Plaza,
on Southwest Front Avenue and Davis Street.
"It's a completely nonpartisan event," insists
Jennifer Harry, who runs the Asian American Business Alliance.
"We don't care how you vote. We just want you to vote
and have your voice heard."
Without more political clout, those who are increasingly
diversifying our city risk being shoved between the lines
of the latest anti-immigrant measures on the statewide ballot.
Yet, voting isn't the only path to influencing policy.
Kayse Jama, for example, founder and director of the Center
for Intercultural Organizing, won't even qualify for U.S.
citizenship until next year. However, Jama, a Somali refugee,
is one of seven commissioners overseeing the city's public-financing
initiative, which requires contributors to be registered voters.
Meanwhile, the voter-education momentum in communities of
color hasn't even hit stride yet. On March 14, the Urban League,
NAACP and other local black organizations are holding a mayoral
forum, the first in a series. The Latino Network is having
its candidate dialogue in April.
In addition, one objective of Jama's grassroots organizing
agency this year is to mobilize its members to go door to
door collecting voter registration forms.
"We're actually seeing and treating this issue as a
long-term strategy," Jama explains. "We believe
it's one way to create a more equitable social justice in
this country."
Take note: Power in this ethnically homogenous city of Portland
is shifting. And with it comes more immigrants and other leaders
of color climbing hills and training others to follow in their
footsteps.
S. Renee Mitchell: 503-221-8142; rmitch@news.oregonian.com;
http:// blog.oregonlivecom/reneemitchell
©2008 The Oregonian
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