Celebrating Immigrant Culture in Oregon

In times of uncertainty and division, creative expression becomes more than a luxury; it becomes a lifeline. For immigrant communities, it’s a way to preserve heritage, assert identity, and build bridges of understanding. And for the cities immigrants call home, it’s a source of vibrancy, resilience, and renewal. Immigration Counseling Service (ICS) and nonprofits in Willamette Week’s Give!Guide Creative Expression Category recognize the power of the arts to advance social justice and amplify the voices of marginalized communities.

During this year’s Give!Guide, ICS is proud to partner with two organizations that embody the power of inclusion:

• The Immigrant Story documents, narrates, and curates stories about immigrants in order to promote empathy and advance an inclusive community. They combat historical erasure and foster empathy by bringing immigrant and refugee voices to public spaces, recording and archiving them for the future and curating them online.

• PHAME empowers individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead full, creative lives through arts education and performance. For people with developmental disabilities, PHAME’s unique arts education classes, performances, and community events create opportunities to discover and nurture artistic talents, gain real-world skills, build self-confidence, socialize, and connect with others who share their experience of disability and those who do not.  

When diverse voices are uplifted through creativity, communities grow stronger, more compassionate, and more connected. And when creative spaces welcome immigrant stories, they become places of transformation, where understanding flourishes and justice takes root. By supporting ICS, The Immigrant Story, PHAME, and other creative expression organization, you are advancing inclusion and creating spaces where everyone can thrive.