Celebrating 30 Years of IRCO's Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center

Portland, Oregon

Over three weeks this summer, delicate images began to emerge from the facade of a building on NE Sandy Blvd and 80th Ave. The series of portraits, done in soft blue and teal tones, are part of a large mural by muralist Alex Chiu. The mural was painted in celebration of Portland-based non-profit, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) and the 30th year anniversary of their Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center (PIAFC), of which the mural now graces.

Titled Uplift, the mural features a portrait of a Samoan mother lifting up her young daughter as she softly ascends through the air. Both figures are supported and surrounded by a beautiful array of community members.

“When choosing the imagery for the Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center, I was inspired by an old photo of Juliannah and her daughter, Leupeti. The image shows Juliannah lifting her daughter in the air in a gesture of celebration. For the mural, I incorporated an image of a rose in Leupeti’s hands as a symbol of the city of Portland. To me, this image encapsulates the love of a parent for their child while celebrating and uplifting the future generation and I wanted this image to be the focus of the mural.”

“I was honored to have the opportunity to paint for an organization as important to the immigrant community as IRCO. I am proud to feature several local Portland figures, including Juliannah and Leupeti of the Island Soul Dancers. I used a new design style that worked out well for the mural concept. The use of monochromatic portraits allowed me to include several portraits within the image without detracting from the main image of a mother with her daughter.” – Alex Chiu, Muralist

The portraits represent the various cultural communities that live in the Portland area and receive services from the PIAFC. While not all of the cultural communities served by PIAFC were able to be included in the mural, this mural includes many Pacific Islander communities, as well as major refugee communities from Southeast Asia. Some of the communities depicted in the mural include Cambodian, Vietnamese, Lu Mien, Hmong, Micronesian, Yap, Tongan, Laotian, and Zomi. The flowers in the mural include a rose, a symbol of Portland, the city of Roses; a plumeria, the national flower of Laos; a lotus flower, the national flower of Vietnam; and a hibiscus flower, the national flower of Malaysia.

As a child of immigrants and a participant in the IRCO community, it was important to Alex to be able to represent and honor PIAFC and its community warmly and accurately. He worked closely with IRCO as they sought to honor the vibrant cultural heritages of the Center’s clients and staff while reflecting the way that immigrants and refugees of all backgrounds have found community through IRCO’s Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center.

The mural was developed through extensive community feedback and celebrates IRCO’s nearly 50 years of serving Asian and Pacific Islander communities in the Pacific Northwest. Uplift serves as a visual commitment of IRCO’s work and stands as a beacon of community.

“PSAA was honored to partner with community muralist Alex Chiu and IRCO on this project. An expert in his field, Alex always goes above and beyond to ensure that diverse voices are heard and included in the artwork he produces. Great care was given to locate inspiration imagery for this mural, to highlight some of the Asian and Pacific Islander communities IRCO has supported over the past five decades in Portland. It was also a pleasure to work with Christian Chase, IRCO’s Communications Designer and co-project manager for this mural. This new piece of public art is a beautiful addition to Sandy Blvd and celebrates a much loved local organization and the Asian and Pacific Islander community here in Portland.” – Tiffany Conklin, PSAA Executive Director

With this new piece of public art, IRCO would like to thank, Alex Chiu, Connie Nguyen Truong, Anny Hsiao, Cayle Tern, Kathleen Jonathan, Sam Phan, Sam Bessas, Sokho Eath, An Bui, Kolini Fusitua, Nelyn Phillip, Lisa Sin, Christian Chase, Esther Kwak, Nhu Nguyen, Diem Nguyen, Nhu Hoang, Susan Lam, Stefan Saing, Makarano Yim, Francis Kham, and Khamille Newman. Additional thanks to any and all IRCO staff and community members that gave their time and input to make this project possible.

COMMUNITY MEMBER PORTRAITS

MURAL UNVEILING

*Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Photos provided by Alex Chiu.*

On Thursday September 12, 2024, an unveiling celebration was held featuring a ribbon cutting and cultural dancers. Also in attendance were many of the Portlanders featured in the new mural.

“The unveiling of this mural marks 30 years since IRCO began culturally specific services through PIAFC’s wraparound model. I hope that it serves as a message of belonging to our communities and a celebration of the rich diversity found in our Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Thank you to the artist, Alex Chiu, our PIAFC advisory board, all of IRCO, and our communities for their contributions to make this mural happen.” – Sokho Eath, Director of PIAFC

EVENT PARTICIPANTS

WELCOME TOAST: Lee Po Cha, IRCO Executive Director Sokho Eath, PIAFC Director
REMARKS: Representative Khanh Pham
RIBBON CUTTING: Dedication by Alex Chiu, Muralist
PERFORMANCE: Blue Vahine
CLIENT SUCCESS STORY: Muoi Chuong
ON BEHALF OF SENATOR WYDEN: Grace Stratton
PERFORMANCE: Roseway Middle School Dancers
PERFORMANCE: Tongan Youth
PERFORMANCE: Beautiful Ladies of Tonga
REMARKS: Lippe Ezra, Chuuk community leader
PERFORMANCE: Zomi Innkuan Portland Oregon (ZIPO)
REMARKS: Dr. Connie Nguyen-Truong, PIAFC Advisory Council Member
PERFORMANCE: Rose City Girls
PERFORMANCE: Rose City-Malo e Lelei Tongan Youths
PERFORMANCE: VietFans Dance Group