| News from Intercultural Family Services, Inc. |
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The Making of IFSI
I-Prep’s YFDP Revamps
Program
West Philadelphia Sets City Example
Rhoshida Johnson Goes the Extra Step
Intercultural Saxophone Ensemble
Performs at the Pie
A Youth Shout Out
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It is my great pleasure to introduce the premier issue of Hands On, the quarterly newsletter of Intercultural Family Services, Inc. (IFSI). We believe that this title reflects the goals and
philosophy of IFSI.
From our agency’s inception as a social service organization devoted primarily to assisting immigrants and refugees, IFSI has evolved into a multipurpose institution that serves a broad constituency. Through these changes, there has always been one constant – we have always strived to maintain a personal relationship with our clients and the surrounding communities, one that is truly Hands On.
In every issue we hope to celebrate and explore the beauty of the diversity that we see all around
us – in our clients, staff, neighborhoods, city, nation, and world. I personally invite all of you to participate in this celebration as we approach the new millennium and all of its joys and challenges.
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The Making of IFSI
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The foundation of Intercultural Family Services, Inc. (IFSI) is rooted in the experiences of thousands of immigrants and refugees who came to Philadelphia to create new homes from countries around the world. After traveling thousands of miles, sometimes taking many years, they moved next door to people who didn’t speak the same language, pray to the same God, eat the same foods, or use the same medicines.
IFSI’s guiding principles emerged from these interactions between newcomers and residents: (1) IFSI respects different beliefs, customs, and values; (2) IFSI promotes the similarities amongst people; and (3) IFSI celebrates culture and faith as the grounds for collective understanding. With these guiding principles, IFSI’s leadership set out to build family-oriented services that were culturally sensitive, linguistically appropriate and flexible enough to be tailored to individual needs.
What began as a small resettlement agency run by volunteers with limited funds in 1979 has grown into a multipurpose human service organization supported by private and public partnerships. Recognizing the power of diversity, IFSI’s Board and staff are of various African, Asian, Latino and European descent. As a result, we have the capacity to translate and interpret in more than two dozen primary languages.
IFSI serves people throughout the greater Philadelphia area and in four other locations within the state. Today, IFSI provides an array of community-based health and social services, and a constant exchange of training, educational, artistic, cultural and civic experiences. In 1998, over 7,000 people benefited from IFSI direct service programs and over 15,000 from IFSI outreach programs.
Cultural competence is the cornerstone by which IFSI measures its success. IFSI adheres to the belief that all individuals possess invaluable resources that are essential, not only for personal growth, but also for improved family and community relationships. IFSI builds on the strengths inherent in the cultural heritage and values of its program participants. The experience and practice of diversity in action have made our programs among the most unique and demanded city and statewide.
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I-Prep’s YFDP Revamps Program
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Educational and health care institutions are defining features of West Philadelphia; however, there are few affordable, quality enrichment programs and activities for resident youth and their families after school hours. With this need in mind, IFSI reorganized its youth programs under one umbrella, called Intercultural Prep (or I-Prep), and established an array of year-round enrichment activities.
The Youth and Family Development Program (YFDP), a model I-Prep program at IFSI, provides a safe, structured, and supervised place for students between the ages of ten and 17 after school and during summer months. At IFSI, we believe that all community youth need opportunities to explore and develop individual competencies, ethnic pride, and intercultural understanding through individual/group counseling, drug and alcohol therapy, and educational, arts and culture, and athletic programs.
YFDP also offers daily academic tutoring, computer instruction, and life skills classes. All instructors are experienced youth workers. YFDP meets Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Most of the youth participants come directly from school via Septa to the center where we offer snacks and a hot cooked meal each evening. Currently, there are 60 boys and girls involved in YFDP. Students are divided into three age groups.
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Let me begin by saying that I am partial to West Philadelphia. There are other great neighborhoods in the city of Philadelphia, but the diversity here is unparalleled. Today West Philadelphia is home to people whose ancestry can be traced to places like Mali, Mexico, Cambodia, the Sudan, Egypt, and East Timor.
Residents and visitors can buy goods from any corner of the world: curry powder, Korean pottery, Muslim hijaab, and African drums. The explosion of ethnic food restaurants attest to the culinary and economic contributions that immigrant communities make to West Philadelphia. The growing number of churches, mosques, temples, and other faith based institutions symbolize the community’s commitment to cultural diversity.
These changes involve a meshing of cultures -- the older “indigenous” African and European cultures with the newer immigrant cultures. We live in an increasingly interdependent community that has overcome serious challenges and obstacles to social integration. As an American who has immigrated from Ethiopia, I am honored to pay tribute to those individuals who have shown us new ways to communicate, interact, and live in multicultural neighborhoods by eliminating barriers that cause misunderstandings.
As neighbors, we still face many challenges including unacceptable levels of poverty, crime, unemployment, and below par educational services. But this is a community with strong assets. One of our key strengths is our cultural diversity. In our neighborhoods, there resides enough creativity, skills, and goodwill among its citizens to create a vibrant sense of community and an achievable, positive vision of the future.
While other communities begin to embrace the wisdom of multiculturalism
and multi-ethnic neighborhoods, West Philadelphia continues to advance the bridging of human geography. It is incumbent upon all communities to accept the moral obligations posed by our increasingly diverse neighborhoods by not only envisioning the ideal community, but by engaging in its creation.
What we must strive for is a mosaic – a community with ethnically sensitive and active, compassionate citizenry. International quarters are popping up on every corner of this community. West Philadelphia represents a strong concert of diverse peoples, voices, and faiths. We encourage the rest of the city to follow in its footsteps.
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Roshida Johnson, a case manager at IFSI,
exemplifies how the agency is making a positive difference in
our community. Jim Saunders, the Director of Children and Youth
Services, says that “Roshida is energetic, and focused. I know
that she gives her clients her all when she is with them.” So,
it was no surprise to receive this letter of appreciation from
one of her clients.
Roshida says that her strengths come from being very good with
time management, being a people-person, and willing to go the
extra step: “I think that everybody has the power to do better
as long as they put their minds to it.” Roshida was a
co-recipient of IFSI’s “Top Notch Performer Award.”
Roshida received her Bachelors in Criminal Justice from Temple
University. A newspaper ad led her to IFSI. She says, “I
stumbled into social work. I thought I would only give it a try
but ended up falling in love with it.”
Roshida is currently pursuing her studies in law. Even after
reaching her goal of becoming a criminal justice lawyer, she
says, “I will remain a social worker at heart, and be a better
lawyer because of it.”
Roshida is a native Philadelphian, born and raised in North
Philly. She has been married four years to Jay Johnson. She
describes their five year old son, D’mitre, and their six
month old daughter, D’sura, as their greatest accomplishment.
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August 17, 1998
Dear Ms. Marcha-Hidalgo,
I’m writing this letter to let you know of the wonderful job Roshida Johnson is doing. My granddaughter and I didn’t know how things were going to work out when she came to live with me a year ago...Miss Johnson helped me to get her into counseling as well as directed me into enrolling her into school...I know for a fact that she went beyond her job requirements in helping us to settle in with one another.
Miss Johnson helped us in so many ways...Although she is young she is a wise young lady and we think a lot of her...I know others who has had the service we did but were not blessed to have Roshida. I just wanted you to know how dedicated she was to her work.
Thank you for listening,
Elaine Taylor
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After making its debut performance in June at South Philadelphia’s Pie Gallery, the Intercultural Saxophone Ensemble performed again in November to favorable reviews. Led by renowned musician, Odean Pope, the ten member ensemble is preparing for more performances in the spring.
The Ensemble is one of several classes offered to community members of all ages through the Music and Mentorship (M&M) Program at IFSI. Other classes include instruction in African percussion with Jeff Jackson, piano with Dave Burrell and Harold Watson, and violin with Collin Yu. All our Musician Mentors are accomplished musicians and experienced instructors.
Fees are set according to a sliding scale. In other words, you pay what you can afford to pay.
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by Jazzmine Garner,
YFDP Participant, Age 12
Just sit back and chill
and enjoy the thrill
As I tell you the way
some people live their life everyday
I can wave their way
but they’ll choose
not to say hey
So I can say bye,
when they never even
said hi
People think of the grey
in their own way
and say something else
that just throws
off their day
But I don’t think that way
because that’s back
in the day so I look confused and say
Hey life ain’t always that way.
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