June 29, 2011
M ississippi
Alberta
North Portland
_____ ®*?* ^JJortlanh (Obstruer
Page 11
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
M ETRO
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Immigrant and refugee youth soccer players and volunteer coaches, mostly from Somalia, prepare fo ra World Cup tournament this weekend.
Soccer, a Universal
Language for Youth
Refugees from civil war
adapt to life in Portland
C ari H achmann
T he P ortland O bserver
From the dry heat and dusty sand Fields of refugee
camps in Kenya to the breezy, lush banks of the
Willamette River, Somalian youth refugees and the
Portland community are united in preparations for the
city’s second annual Immigrant and Refugee Soccer
World Cup.
The players are adapting to a new life in Portland
and find cultural relief through the sport of soccer.
In 1991, the central government of Somalia col
lapsed and civil war broke out with widespread vio
lence and instability.
Portland, a beautiful, green and diverse city with a
temperate climate akin to the wet and dry seasons of
east Africa, would eventually make an ideal place for
some of these refugees to call a home away from home.
Originating from Somalia and other African coun
tries, in this case of Muslim majority nations, including
Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Kenya, and others, the families
left behind their belongings and often dismal life
conditions, and brought their children to America,
seeking better opportunities for education and their
by
Ibrahim Kassin, 15, has lived with his family in Portland for five
years. He grew up playing soccer in a refugee camp in Kenya and
enjoys the fact that he can play here.
future.
Upon arrival in a strange new society, immigrants
and refugees are faced with cultural and language
barriers that can hinder healthy adaptation into the
community, leaving them particularly vulnerable.
Helping to smooth the landing, was a group of
volunteers lead by Jamal Dar, whose community orga
nization formally became the nonprofit, African Youth
and Community Organization (A Y CO ).
Teaming up with Portland’s Park and Recreation,
A YOC will bring Somalian refugee youth together for
the 2nd annual World Cup Soccer Tournament and
Cultural Celebration at Delta Park on Friday, July and
Saturday, July 2.
Youth living in the Portland area from Somalia,
Kenya, Nepal, Bhutan, Burmese, Iraq, Turkey, Russia,
Mexico, Central America, USA, and various Asian
countries will represent teams in the tournament.
Dar also grew up in Kenya after being displaced
from his native Somalia. He moved with his family to
California at the age of 16, attended high school and
college. Now a U.S. citizen and Nike employee in
Portland, Dar combines his passion for working with
kids and community outreach.
Encouraging higher education, positive activities,
continued
on page 23