Bhutanese Community Listening Session Helps Make Voices Heard
On Saturday February 24th, nearly 20 members of Lowell’s Bhutanese community gathered at the ACE Center for New Americans to attend ACE Center’s Bhutanese Community Listening Session. The event played a pivotal role in making the voices of the Bhutanese community heard, as members of their community shared their experiences, concerns and hopes with ACE Center and Lowell City Council as well. With representatives from Asian Americans & Pacific Islander Commission the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association in attendance, multiple organizations came together to provide support, resources and aid to those who attended.
The event began with brief welcoming remarks from TPMP Director Rev. James Leavitt, as well as a welcoming greeting from Yasmin Padamsee Forbes and Shubhechha Dhaurali of AAPIC (Asian Americans & Pacific Islander Commission). The floor for others to speak was then opened, as Bhutanese representatives spoke on the hardships and challenges that those in their communities are currently facing. Such obstacles include education opportunities, affordable housing, youth programs and citizenship reform. In attendance were City of Lowell DEI Officer Ineabelle Dominguez, and Pollard Memorial Librarian Bridget Cooley, who offered support, guidance and available resources.The event itself was extremely powerful, as all involved gained a new perspective on the various needs for reform, and how to best support those in the Greater-Lowell community.
The lasting message of this event was the emphasis of making sure the voices of Lowell’s community are heard. Change needs to be made at not only our city and state level, but also federally to better aid those who are in need of support.
Coming next is ACE Center’s Afghan Community Listening Session on March 2nd. We are hoping that this event can also be just as impactful, and lead to systemic change to support all New Americans and their communities.