From Resilience to Black Liberation: Uprooting Systems of Inequity
Afternoon Breakout Session: COVID-19 Community Impact with African Youth and Community Organization
Shift Details
| Shift Name | Afternoon Breakout Session: COVID-19 Community Impact with African Youth and Community Organization |
|---|---|
| Description | Many issues have risen for families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like disproportionate COVID-19 rates, lack of access to healthcare, and financial burdens especially for BIPOC communities. In this workshop, we will cover a brief overview of the work that has been done as a community to uplift each other during difficult times. We will be discussing the inequalities that members of the communities face when there are language barriers involved. We also want to reflect with each other to connect with ourselves, empower each other with our stories, and have open dialogues to understand each other on a deeper level.
Presenters: Muna Yusuf, Social Services Coordinator and Balkhiis Noor, Bridge Community Outreach Coordinator/Youth Environmental Justice Coordinator, African Youth & Community Organization About AYCO
The African Youth & Community Organization’s (AYCO) mission is to “settle the past, engage the present, and hope for the future.” AYCO strives to strengthen a sense of cultural identity within immigrant communities while also enhancing capacity toward integration and hope for the future. AYCO began working with immigrant and refugee youth in 2009, developing opportunities for mentorship and sports activities. Since its inception, the need for more comprehensive family and community support has moved AYCO toward family mentorship, parent-school mediation, cultural brokering and trainings with mainstream institutions, inclusionary programming for people with disabilities, and English language classes. In 2015 AYCO opened an office in East Portland increasing our capacity to provide an expanded array of services for immigrant communities across the metro area.
Our constituents have survived war, displacement and unimaginable hardship including a decade or more living in refugee camps. The impact of their experience is often compounded by persistent poverty, language differences and alienation once they arrive in the U.S. While their survival has required extraordinary resilience and the capacity to face a multitude of challenges, it is difficult to navigate unfamiliar American culture and resources that are meant to ease their transition. Moving forward, we are eager to bring visibility to the strengths of these resilient communities, while also attending to their challenges.
Please note, Zoom meeting password will be sent on the day of the event |
| Conferencing Link | Login to see the link |
| Open Date | Jan 8, 2021 9:00am |
| Date & Time | Sat, Jan 23, 2021 1:45pm - 3:00pm |
| Location | Portland, OR |