Why CELs Matter
Today, 1 in 5 Portland residents and 1 in 4 Beaverton residents are foreign-born. Nearly half of our public school students come from ethnic minority households.
In this increasingly diverse landscape, CELs plays a vital role as a cultural bridge between institutions and communities. Our liaisons—who are bi-cultural and/or bilingual—deliver messages in culturally appropriate and accessible ways, creating trust and a sense of inclusion. This approach ensures that residents feel seen, heard, and empowered to engage.
CELs liaisons help share project information in ways that resonate with community members. They gather meaningful feedback, connect individuals and groups with essential services, and provide timely responses when issues arise. Additionally, they offer technical assistance and ongoing support to help navigate complex systems. Through this work, CELs strengthens the foundation for inclusive, community-centered project development.
How CELs Builds Project Success
CELs creates effective pathways for genuine public participation, ensuring that all communities, especially those historically underserved, have a voice in shaping the places they live. True equity in the distribution of public services, benefits, and responsibilities requires more than translation; it demands intentional, inclusive engagement.
Authentic civic engagement goes beyond hiring interpreters and hoping for participation. It requires building trust, cultivating relationships, and establishing long-term partnerships with the communities you seek to serve. CELs liaisons bring deep cultural and linguistic expertise, allowing us to identify and engage specific ethnocultural and language communities within targeted service areas. This approach ensures that public projects are not only informed by the people most affected but also enriched by their lived experiences and perspectives.
