WWW
AUGUST 31, 2012
A player practices in advance of the Portland World Cup, Sept. 8, 9 and 16.
BY ALEX ZIELINSKI
S T A F F W R IT E R
t’s early evening at Northeast Portland’s
Fernhill Park and the manicured soccer fields
are swarming with cleat-clad players. As the hot
summer sun lowers to a tolerable temperature,
young boys, assemebled as a team, lace up their
matching Nike cleats, watching a nearby group of
teenage girls juggle a soccer ball while checking
their smart phones.
In the middle of the hoard of minivan-escorted
athletes, squeezed onto half a field, one group
stands out from the rest. With an average age of 25
to 30, these older players may appear less
equipped for the game: Some wear beat-up
sneakers without shin guards; others are dragged
onto the field to scrimmage wearing jeans. But
their enthusiasm is infectious.
“Buenos días!” the players shout at other
teammates as they arrive, somehow bursting with
energy after long days of physical work or waiting
in long lines for unattained work. Neighborhood
friends bring their families to watch, carting water
coolers and lawn chairs, cheering and joking with
the group. On the field, some players dribble the
I
ball easily around the defense, while others
stumble with their footwork. Regardless of talent,
these guys are clearly having the most fun of any
team at the park.
This loosely formed team of Mexican and South
American immigrants is just one of the estimated
16 teams preparing to play in Portland’s newest,
least-known, but most diverse soccer tournament:
The Portland World Cup.
Started by the VOZ Workers’ Rights Education
Project, a local organization with a focus on
empowering immigrants and day laborers, the
PWC draws immigrants from across the region -
with home countries spanning from Ethiopia to
Honduras - together to play in a yearly
competition and multicultural festival.
With a booming first year, backed by generous
grants and sponsorships, the PWC quickly gained
popularity in a community of stress-ridden day
laborers searching for work in a new part of the
world. But the event’s structure and financial
support has recently become uncertain. Now,
approaching its third year, the volunteer-fueled
event has supporters crossing their fingers for the
stamina to make it big in a soccer-crazed city.
Street Roots
Annual Report
A look back on the
past year in the
organization and
our partners
Page 7
The Portland World
Cup tournament is
free and open to the
public
Despite its obvious façade, the PWC is not just
about soccer. VOZ has found the game a
comfortable, common platform for immigrants who
wouldn’t usually attend the organization’s meetings
to talk about issues in the community.
“It’s an incredible tool for organizing,” says Paul
Reik, the VOZ staff member tasked with PWC
outreach. “Folks aren’t tense here, they’re enjoying
themselves and relaxing. It’s a perfect environment
to have a casual discussion.”
Reik - who had never played soccer before
becoming involved in the PWC — recalls airing the
World Cup on the TV at VOZ’s worker’s center
downtown. One day laborer in particular was glued
to the set, quietly following the match from the
corner of the room.
“He was never interested in our advocacy work.
But I could tell he loved soccer, so I told him about
the cup,” says Reik. “Now he’s one of our anchor
goalies.”
Fernando Ramos, a Guatemalan immigrant who
moved to Portland first for work, now for school,
echoes Reik’s sentiments.
Qualifying games:
Sept. 8,9 a.m.
Sept. 9,10 a.m
Fernhill Park
NE 37th Ave &
Ainsworth St
Finals:
Sept. 16,1 p.m.
Hiken Community
Field, Concordia
University
NE 29th Ave. and
Liberty St.
See WORLD CUP, page 3
Three Boxes
Nichole Maher
Revisiting David P.
Hooper, the m an
behind the Hooper
Center
A conversation with
the new executive
director at
Northwest Health
Foundation
Page 4
Page 5