query: immigrant leadership

[colist-admin at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  thanks to Spencer for continuing the immigrant leadership discussion.]

From: Spencer Wells <ohiotenants at earthlink.net>

I've been watching the discussion of leadership development with new
immigrant groups closely and I've found some really valuable suggestions
and observations.  Thanks all who have contributed.

I'm driven to respond to John Beam's observation that there is a wealth
of community work experience and knowledge within the communities where
he's been working.

My much more limited experience, with Russian, Somali, and Cambodian
immigrant groups living in HUD subsidized housing,  suggests two
barriers to utilizing that experience:
1.  My sense is that the communities of origin were much more
homogeneous than the communities where the immigrants find themselves
now and that they may not have had much experience working in a
pluralistic setting.
2.  I don't know how much of the community work perspective they bring
to the US is based on democratic principles.  Seems to me that we end up
deferring to "elders" of the communities where we're working and not
reaching younger people and women, who defer to A traditional pattern of
leadership.

I'm a rank novice at working with immigrant groups and I don't feel like
I've had any successes that I can point to--all thoughts, suggestions,
observations are welcomed!
--
Spencer Wells
Preserving Ohio's Affordable Housing
(a project of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio)
35 East Gay Street Suite 210, Columbus, Ohio 43215
voice/fax 888-290-7368 email: ohiotenants at earthlink.net