FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 28, 2024
communications@irco.org
Jenny Bremner, 971-336-3199
Portland, OR—The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center (PIAFC) is hosting its 30th anniversary celebration on Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 5:00 PM. The event will take place at the PIAFC, located at 8040 NE Sandy Blvd. Portland, OR 97213. Since its establishment in 1994, the PIAFC has been a pioneering force as the first culturally and linguistically specific one-stop community center dedicated to serving the diverse needs of Pacific Islanders and Asians.
“Starting as the Asian Family Center, this unique IRCO cultural center has provided 30 years of culturally specific services, becoming a vital part of Portland’s communities. As the Pacific Islander Asian Family Center, we continue to evolve through decades of experience, meeting the needs of refugees, immigrants, and future generations,” says Sokho Eath, PIAFC Director.
IRCO’s mission to welcome, serve, and empower refugees, immigrants, and people across cultures and generations is mirrored in PIAFC’s vision to provide and promote culturally relevant services to Pacific Islander and Asian families. PIAFC has local recognition as the first cultural center in Portland, started and led by the communities it serves. The cultural center has grown to serve over 3,000 people through multiple programs, led by a PIAFC Advisory Council of community leaders representing Vietnamese, Iu Mien, Taiwanese, Marshallese, and Lao communities. PIAFC was started in specific response to community need for prevention and intervention programs for an all-time high level of gang violence among Asian communities in North Portland in the late 1980s.
“The creation of PIAFC was a direct response to the need of our Asian communities, particularly youth, who were impacted with community and gang violence. As a Hmong refugee and a student of Roosevelt High School, I had seen how young adults were at risk of involvement in shooting and homicides. I first started at IRCO as an outreach worker, trying to connect with youth and their families and then eventually became the director of our first culturally specific center. I am very proud of all the ways PIAFC has grown and served our diverse communities,” says Lee Po Cha, IRCO Executive Director.
PIAFC is excited to share the installation of the new community mural on the west wall of the center. This project is the culmination of our efforts through extensive community feedback to create a piece that celebrates the rich history of IRCO’s almost 50 years of serving Asian and Pacific Islander communities in the Pacific Northwest. In creating this design, IRCO sought to honor the vibrant cultural heritages of PIAFC clients and staff and reflect the way that immigrants and refugees of all backgrounds have found community through the Center.
As IRCO celebrates this milestone, it’s important to remember that the mission continues. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey that allows IRCO to deliver vital services and uphold the cultural values that enrich our community. Here’s to many more years of service, growth, and community. Learn more about PIAFC here.