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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 2019)
OPINION Page 6 n THE ASIAN REPORTER March 18, 2019 Volume 29 Number 6 March 18, 2019 ISSN: 1094-9453 The Asian Reporter is published on the first and third Monday each month. Please send all correspondence to: The Asian Reporter 922 N Killingsworth Street, Suite 2D, Portland, OR 97217 Phone: (503) 283-4440, Fax: (503) 283-4445 News Department e-mail: news@asianreporter.com Advertising Department e-mail: ads@asianreporter.com General e-mail: info@asianreporter.com Website: www.asianreporter.com Please send reader feedback, Asian-related press releases, and community interest ideas/stories to the addresses listed above. Please include a contact phone number. Advertising information available upon request. Publisher Jaime Lim Contributing Editors Ronault L.S. Catalani (Polo), Jeff Wenger Correspondents Ian Blazina, Josephine Bridges, Pamela Ellgen, Maileen Hamto, Edward J. Han, A.P. Kryza, Marie Lo, Simeon Mamaril, Julie Stegeman, Toni Tabora-Roberts, Allison Voigts Illustrator Jonathan Hill News Service Associated Press/Newsfinder Copyright 2019. Opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of this publication. Member Associated Press/Newsfinder Asian American Journalists Association Better Business Bureau Pacific Northwest Minority Publishers (PNMP) Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Oregon MY TURN n Dmae Roberts Meet Coi Vu! Correspondence: The Asian Reporter welcomes reader response and participation. 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Back issues of The Asian Reporter may be ordered by mail at the following rates: First copy: $1.50 Additional copies ordered at the same time: $1.00 each Send orders to: Asian Reporter Back Issues, 922 N. Killingsworth St., Portland, OR 97217-2220 The Asian Reporter welcomes reader response and participation. If you have a comment on a story we have printed, or have an Asian-related personal or community focus idea, please contact us. Please include a contact name, address, and phone number on all correspondence. Thank you. S ince December, Coi Vu has been living her it as a great opportunity to “lift up voices” and dream. As the newly appointed director of advocate for other immigrants and refugees, saying, the Asian Family Center (AFC), a program of “Every day I go home and think about the huge the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organiza- responsibility and privilege it is to be in this role. As AFC director, she’s tackling policies for early tion (IRCO), Coi considers it an honor to lead and design programs for the families AFC serves. But childhood equity to help ready children in preschool this job, she says, is the culmination of two decades and kindergarten for elementary school. Through IRCO, she works on direct services of social-service work that was such as housing stability, health inspired by her personal navigation, legal services, energy experiences as a refugee. assistance, and youth and In 1979, Coi was still in her parenting programs that support mother’s womb when her family families. and many village members fled IRCO and AFC are also Vietnam on a boat that eventually increasing immigration legal shipwrecked off the coast of services because there’s a “fear in Malaysia. Her father drowned our communities” about current trying to rescue her mom and restrictions in applying for green siblings when he was caught in a cards and citizenship. whirlpool. The rest of her family Coi Vu is the newly appointed director “Our Southeast Asian and were rescued by Malaysians who of the Asian Family Center in Portland. took them to a refugee camp. After she was born, a African communities are also facing deportation at village uncle named her LaiCoi — Lai for Mai Lai high rates,” says Coi. Through AFC she’s helping (Malaysia in Vietnamese) and Coi for mo coi, which immigrants and refugees know their rights while means orphan. (Orphan is a cultural term used advocating for policy and social change. Established in 1976 by Asian refugees, IRCO when one parent dies.) Her family arrived in Portland in 1980. Growing originally assisted refugees in finding jobs, services, up as a 1.5-generation Vietnamese American, Coi and a pathway to become citizens. As the organiza- learned early on to navigate her dual identities. In tion grew, it became inclusive of all immigrant and her 20s, she worked full-time while raising two refugee communities. AFC was founded by IRCO in young nieces on her own and studying for a Bachelor 1994 and celebrates its 25th anniversary on May 2 of Science degree in psychology and later a Master at a gala event held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, of Arts degree in education. She then focused her located at 1441 N.E. Second Avenue in Portland. Coi believes there’s still work to do to uplift immi- career on social-justice work as a community organizer at organizations such as Impact NW and grant and refugee communities and she’s com- mitted to the effort. Always positive, she says she Open School. Like many artists and writers in Portland, I met keeps her spirits up by focusing on the “humanity of Coi during her five-year stint overseeing public people” even when she disagrees with them. “When we lose focus on humanity, we get discour- programming at 19 branches of the Multnomah County Library where she offered a venue for aged because we no longer feel the bond and link performances and talks. Through that position, she with each other,” she explained. “What grounds me was involved as a programming advisor on a is the understanding and belief we’re all connected.” Coi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer six years mega-documentary about the Vietnam War by Ken Burns, a collaboration she described as memorable ago. As a cancer survivor, she’s well aware of the for her because people are still healing from the impermanence of life, the importance of every trauma of the war and it’s still “very real for our moment, and how “every relationship is precious and should be valued.” To me, the signature in her communities.” Currently she’s also a human-rights commis- e-mail speaks to her personal mission and spirit: I was born onto my mother’s earth. I rise above the sioner for the City of Portland, an appointment in which she looks into human-rights needs and sea of my father’s death. I am who I am of this sea and of this earth, of this violations and works to bring social-change policies. When she was hired as the director of AFC, she saw time and of the time of my birth. Opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of this publication. Wondering what events are going on this week? Check out The AR’s event calendars, on pages 10 & 12!