The Oregon & SW Washington African Community Development Center (OSWWACDC) was established in August 2020 to strengthen the diversity of African nonprofit organizations in Oregon & SW Washington. By broadening the base of African management and leadership, OSWWACDC helps nonprofits and leaders better understand and address the needs of the less fortunate members of our society, Refugees & Immigrants, (families, individuals, youths, and children) they serve.
OSWWACDC was created by the initiative of The Oregon & SW Washington African Community development center Inc. in partnership with multiple nonprofit organizations in Oregon & SW Washington. These organizations were concerned with the heavy turnover and lack of diversity among leadership within the Refugees & Immigrant community (nonprofit). Leaders of the various organizations shared a history of working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector. With this, the diverse views of the Refugees & Immigrant community and organizations (nonprofit) were listened to and their challenges and plights were understood thereby uniting to strengthen the African nonprofit organizations and community-based organizations in Oregon & SW Washington. Hence, the Oregon & SW Washington African community development center (OSWWACDC) was established. The Oregon & SW Washington African Community development center will serve as the implementing arm of this project and will coordinate the daily operations of the project.
Focus on the marginalized individuals, family & children, respect for individual rights, be gender sensitive, hold a non-partisan position, support equality, be impartial, be relevant, acknowledge realities, promote self-reliance, share decision making, be transparent and be accountable.
The mission of Oregon & SW Washington African Community Development Center is to promote solidarity and collaboration among grassroots Community Based Minority Organizations (CBMOs) serving refugees and immigrants to strengthen and provide a voice for these communities in the Oregon & SW Washington area. The objective of the project is to bring together the community partners in Oregon & SW Washington African Community who are currently implementing the same objectives. OSWWACDC highlights the benefits and advantages in terms of sharing skills, supporting each other, developing a strong partnership and increasing the potential for generating learning on specific areas of projects. Working together will develop an alliance among core partners’ organizations for future project ideas. The project brings together a unique alliance of African organizations in the Oregon & SW Washington area. This collaboration & partnership will be for the benefit of the entire community. One of our roles is to facilitate immigrants within Oregon& SW Washington to be productive citizens in the community and to be less dependent on the government’s social programs. This will be achieved through short intensive career enhancing education programs that will provide employment opportunities upon successful completion. We will undertake to educate immigrants on preventative diseases, nutritional matters and optimum health options, new immigrants will also be informed on how to access health care within their respective communities, and cultural adjustments that are expected. All this will be a means of reduction on health cost to the state of Oregon.
The Oregon & SW Washington African community development center (OSWWACDC) shall promote solidarity and collaboration among grassroots Community Based Minority Organizations (CBMOs) serving Refugees and Immigrants to strengthen them thereby making them self-sufficient and self-sustainable thus becoming less dependent and decreasing their reliance on public assistance programs.
Together as one, African/African American Community CBMOs Leadership Conference coming soon in Multnomah county, Portland, Oregon
