PRSG has amazing volunteers, and we have to thank Shanna Vincent (photographer) and Mara Clifton (author of the article below) for taking the time to come out to our event at the Rosewood Initiative and capturing the special moments.
The Rosewood Initiative’s Saturday Celebrations features a vaccine clinic; a small music stage; and a maze of booths where people share information on community resources, and sell hand-crafted goods and locally grown produce. Portland Refugee Support Group (PRSG) has been hosting bake sales through the Rosewood Initiative for years, originally partnering with the Refugee and Immigrant Hospitality Organization (RIHO) before it was incorporated into the Rosewood Initiative community organization. The Rosewood Neighborhood is located in Southeast Portland, but vendors have come from all over the greater Portland and Vancouver areas. For families that have experienced displacement, events like the Saturday Celebrations offer a chance to get involved with the larger community.
Ruqayah and her daughter, Bayan, lived in the country of Georgia, and then Arizona before settling in the Pacific Northwest. Ruqayah says it was difficult to make new connections before joining PRSG. She’s grateful to be involved in events like this, not only because they support her family’s livelihood, but because they create visibility for her culture of origin.
“She’s proud to share Arabic food,” says Bayan, who is translating for her mother. Familiar customers return year after year, enamored with the traditional Levantine pastries and flatbreads.
Sharing food is an important part of Arabic culture, too. Salsabel, who is selling baked goods with her mother Khadijeh, points out the elaborate texture of a savory flatbread called Khubz Kalib. The design is the product of a carved wooden mold, and the bread is a staple of Eid, the joyous festival that celebrates the end of Ramadan. Salsabel explains that part of what brings everyone together during the festivities is the making and sharing of food. The spices and flavors of the baked goods are especially meaningful, but Salsabel stresses that the most important ingredient is love. Making food for others creates something bigger than the food itself.
Khadijeh says the recipes have taken on new meaning for her since moving to the United States. After having to leave so much of her old life behind, traditions around food were something she could carry with her. Something grounding during times of hardship. The flat breads—the Khubiz and the Fatayer—are especially important to Khadijeh because she remembers learning to make them from her mother. And now it’s something she shares with her own children. A way to keep the culture of her childhood alive.
Hind was ready to start selling her hand-crafted goods as soon as she joined PRSG. Trained by a doctor in Jordan, she has been making soap and candles for over nine years. Her soaps are made from simple, natural ingredients; and they feature soft scents like lavender, chamomile, ginger mint, cinnamon honey, and orange. Hind says she enjoys making and selling soap because it is something her customers can use. Like the food, it transcends cultural barriers.
For all three families, being involved in the Saturday Celebrations is a chance to support their families, meet other community members, and share an important part of their cultural identity. After the sale is over, Salsabel will visit the other booths, sharing any unsold food with the other vendors and volunteers. “Food is universal,” she says. It brings people together.
Ruqayah and her daughter, Bayan, lived in the country of Georgia, and then Arizona before settling in the Pacific Northwest. Ruqayah says it was difficult to make new connections before joining PRSG. She’s grateful to be involved in events like this, not only because they support her family’s livelihood, but because they create visibility for her culture of origin.
“She’s proud to share Arabic food,” says Bayan, who is translating for her mother. Familiar customers return year after year, enamored with the traditional Levantine pastries and flatbreads.
Sharing food is an important part of Arabic culture, too. Salsabel, who is selling baked goods with her mother Khadijeh, points out the elaborate texture of a savory flatbread called Khubz Kalib. The design is the product of a carved wooden mold, and the bread is a staple of Eid, the joyous festival that celebrates the end of Ramadan. Salsabel explains that part of what brings everyone together during the festivities is the making and sharing of food. The spices and flavors of the baked goods are especially meaningful, but Salsabel stresses that the most important ingredient is love. Making food for others creates something bigger than the food itself.
Khadijeh says the recipes have taken on new meaning for her since moving to the United States. After having to leave so much of her old life behind, traditions around food were something she could carry with her. Something grounding during times of hardship. The flat breads—the Khubiz and the Fatayer—are especially important to Khadijeh because she remembers learning to make them from her mother. And now it’s something she shares with her own children. A way to keep the culture of her childhood alive.
Hind was ready to start selling her hand-crafted goods as soon as she joined PRSG. Trained by a doctor in Jordan, she has been making soap and candles for over nine years. Her soaps are made from simple, natural ingredients; and they feature soft scents like lavender, chamomile, ginger mint, cinnamon honey, and orange. Hind says she enjoys making and selling soap because it is something her customers can use. Like the food, it transcends cultural barriers.
For all three families, being involved in the Saturday Celebrations is a chance to support their families, meet other community members, and share an important part of their cultural identity. After the sale is over, Salsabel will visit the other booths, sharing any unsold food with the other vendors and volunteers. “Food is universal,” she says. It brings people together.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
