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Culturally specific programs garner support

RACHAEL WILSON
FOR THE MID-COUNTY MEMO

For citizens of Multnomah County and for their representatives in local government, budget cuts are an old story. On June 7, as members of the Board of County Commissioners vote on a final budget for fiscal year 2008, they continue a six-year trend of budget cuts for the county. This year, the cuts are estimated at $15 million; thus far, this is the largest reduction in funding for any single year.

Citizens concerned about the effect of these budget cuts on their community gathered on Monday, May 14 at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization gym at Northeast Glisan Street and 103rd Avenue to discuss the proposed budget with the Board of County Commissioners. Also present for the discussion was the Communities of Color Coalition, an organization formed of representatives from the African American, African immigrant, Asian Pacific Islander, Latino, Native American and Slavic communities in Multnomah County. This is the first year that the coalition has worked in conjunction with the Board of County Commissioners to oversee and advise on the county’s budget proceedings. As a result of this collaboration, board Chair Ted Wheeler stated, “The executive budget reflects a 98.7 percent agreement with the [budget] recommendations of the Coalition of Communities of Color.”

Still, despite the seeming agreement between community leadership, there remained much controversy over where the unwelcome, but necessary, budget cuts should fall. Multnomah County citizens voiced concerns about the proposed cuts to programs that serve ethnic and cultural minorities and economically disadvantaged groups in the community.

Citizens protested the reduction and elimination of funds for after-school and school-based programs such as Touchstone and Self Enhancement Inc. Students, parents and teachers from Binnesmead Middle School spoke out against the closure of their health clinic; they begged that funding be sustained for one more year — just time enough to seek and obtain alternate sources of funding.

One Binnesmead student, 12-year-old Dave Shurgay, reminded the board that the school health clinic provides basic, critical health services to students of families lacking health insurance. “Did you know that 16 percent of children in Oregon don’t have health insurance?” Shurgay asked. “There’re a lot of kids in our school that don’t have health insurance and can’t afford to go to the doctor because it’s going to cost them a lot of money.”

Binnesmead Middle School teacher Shea White-Hayes supported her student’s argument, adding, “Binnesmead Middle School serves a lot of students from economically disadvantaged families. Over 38.4 percent of our students receive free and reduced [cost] lunch. Most of the children in my classes don’t have health insurance. It’s not acceptable to allow lower economic classes and lower middle class citizens of our county to go without basic health care.”

During the two hours of public testimony, many people also expressed their support for culturally specific social service agencies.

Citizens asked legislators to continue financial support for organizations such as the Native American Youth and Family Center, the Native American Rehabilitation Association, El Programa Hispano (The Hispanic Program) and for IRCO programs such as the Asian Family Center, Slavic Community Services and the Domestic Violence Program.

Citizens advocating for continued support of culturally specific programs asserted that these programs were more effective, more accessible and have a deeper impact on the communities they served than general social services. First, they stated that culturally specific programs help to surmount the language barrier between many under-served immigrant populations and the much-needed services. Ruth Mitandwa, a recent immigrant from Zimbabwe, explained how her husband abused her during her first year in the United States and how IRCO’s Domestic Violence Program helped her.

“Being an immigrant and not knowing where to go, IRCO was the only place I could turn to. Immigrant women do not experience the same benefits as other women. It’s very difficult not having family, not having friends, not having anyone to turn to,” Mitandwa said.

Citizens also expressed their support and gratitude for El Programa Hispano and for the Asian Family Center because they offer services in foreign languages, translation services and English language training.

Secondly, citizens pointed out that culturally specific programs are more effective than general social services because they offer services contextualized by the culture of those whom they aim to reach. In the case of the Native American Rehabilitation Association, speakers repeatedly attested that the program is more effective than any other they have known because it incorporates Native American culture and spirituality into the rehabilitation process. Donna Sanchez, director of Family Services for the Native American Youth and Family Center, informed the board, “Many of our people would not access services at all if it weren’t for those culturally specific agencies.”

As evidenced by public testimony throughout the hearing, nobody wanted to see the county’s budget cuts gouge into important social services. But with the expiration of Multnomah County’s voter-approved Temporary Income Tax (ITAX), which was levied for 2003, 2004 and 2005, the county is faced with a tax deficit, and thus necessary service cuts. The Board of County Commissioners will not finalize the executive budget until June 7. Public testimony will be heard once more on Tuesday, May 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Commissioners’ Boardroom 100, located at 501 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. More information on the county budget and the budget hearings can be found on the Web at www.co.multnomah.or.us/cc/budget_hearings.shtml.

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