Opportunity Knocks: A Success Story

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1 MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER Volume 8, Issue 4 April 2018 o Opportunity Knocks: A Success Story Nirmal Gurung began working at MCRC, for Refugee Support Services, in just a year after coming to the U.S. Since then he has worked as a caseworker, interpreter, post-secondary education manager, and employment developer, largely with the Nepali and Bhutanese populations. A typical workday for Nirmal consists of clients casually coming in and out of his office all day. He does not require appointments. Everyone has an issue, he says. He gets them in, registered, and does whatever he can to help. Coming Events May 1 May Day May 4 Star wars Day May 5 Cinco De Mayo May 8 National Teacher Day May 12 International Nurses Day May 13 Mother s Day May 15 Chocolate Chip Day May 19 Armed Forces Day In March 2018, one of Nirmal s dreams was realized. He added entrepreneur to his résumé. He is now a licensed owner of Tandoori Hut Indian Cuisine in downtown Erie, located on the northwest side of Perry Square. Following his workday at MCRC, he goes to the restaurant, where his sister Dharma has just finished serving hungry patrons their mid-day meal. Bikash, one of Nirmal s clients, is the cook. Located right in the heart of downtown, it is a hot-spot for the lunch crowd, pulling in: Gannon students; courthouse staff; and workers from UPMC Hamot or Erie Insurance just to name a few. Nirmal is grateful for the ideal location. There have been challenges, like learning the many regulations associated with running a food-based business. Nirmal soon realized how few people he had to turn to regarding these obstacles. But his perspective is one of hope. The staff has been pleasantly surprised at the local community s tolerance for spicy foods and the willingness to try different flavors. Tandoori Hut is Indian cuisine, yet the food is similar to that of Nepal or Bhutan. May 21 Victoria Day May 25 National Tap Dance Day May 28 Memorial Day May 31 World No Tobacco Day Multicultural Community Resource Center of Erie Michael Burns, Esq., Board President Joanna R. Cherpak, Executive Director MCRC Noticias Editorial Team: Cathie Whitmire, ESL Instructor Carol Brigham, Education Manager Colleen Flatley, Student Support Jordan Cherpak, Tobacco Cessation 554 East 10 th St., Erie, PA Ph: FAX: MCRC@mcrcerie.org

2 P A G E 2 Continued from Page 1 During the week, the restaurant has a reasonably priced lunch buffet. After 4:30, you can order dinner from the menu. It offers fresh naan breads-baked in-house, curries, kabobs and vegetarian fare. There are some new menu items to come, including ethnic Nepali recipes, such as dumplings and noodles. Nirmal has some advice for those who struggling to overcome cultural fears: We have more opportunities than challenges. Nothing is impossible. Save the Date! Online Registration now open Any Questions? Contact Carol Brigham Saturday, June 2, 2018 at Presque Isle State Park

3 P A G E 3 Learning Civil Rights: How to Vote Part of the civic rights and responsibilities of all United States citizens is voting; however, voting is also an act that many Americans choose to forego. As part of learning to become a citizen, students from the Refugee Elder Program and the RSS Life Skills classes participated in a voting demonstration. A representative from the Erie County Board of Elections visited the programs to discuss basic rules and regulations of voting in Erie County. He also brought with him one of the electronic voting machines used in Erie County elections equipped with sample questions. This allowed participants to gain hands on experience using the stylus, touch screen and casting a vote. MCRC would like to thank the Erie County Board of Elections for providing this valuable presentation.

4 P A G E 4 Taking Care of Our Home Planet Earth Day was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson. He coordinated a nationwide event that brought environmental concerns to the spotlight. On April 22, 1970 in Philadelphia, Chicago, LA, NYC and other larger cities, over 20 million people protested against industrial development and pollution. Earth Day instantly became a national holiday. Later that year, the Environmental Protection Agency was formed as a governing body to protect the air, water and land. In the same year, the EPA passed legislation to do just that including: the Clean Water and Air Act and the Toxic Substances and Surface Mining Control Act to name a few. Earth Day grew to 200 million when it went global, according to Earth Day Network. Today, over 174 countries participate, making Earth Day the largest civic event in the world. EDN s 2018 Earth Day theme is End Plastic Pollution. Besides harming marine life and polluting our oceans and wildlife, plastic is now known to cause early puberty and life-threatening diseases. This year, New York City Council plans to ban the sale of disposable plastic bottles at parks, golf courses, and beaches. San Francisco and Concord, Massachusetts have already done this. In Bogota, Columbia, people will breathe clean air as they ride bikes, walk and enjoy the car and motorcycle free day to reduce environmental pollution on Earth Day. Elementary school children plant trees and participate in Save Earth awareness programs in India. Philippines Coast Guard workers pick up plastic waste on Freedom Island. Teens in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica all take part in reforestation activities under the slogan Your Actions Transform the Planet. Next Earth Day, what actions can you participate in to transform the planet? Why wait? Why not Earth Day every day? It s our planet, let s take care of it. With all of us working together, I am hopeful that it is not too late to turn things around, if we all do our part for this beautiful planet. Jane Goodall, 2018 Erie City Leaders Discuss Community Concerns On April 19th, 2018, Mayor Joe Schember along with members from his staff held a meeting at MCRC s Annex building from 6 until 7:30 PM. The meeting was an open discussion for staff and community members around MCRC to give their thoughts and opinions on topics ranging from neighborhood safety to the job market. Those who attended called it a very positive meeting with hope for the future. Thank you to the Mayor for taking the time to listen to these concerns.

5 Ways to Help MCRC: Come support our fundraisers!! P A G E 5

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7 MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER 554 East 10th Street Erie, PA Phone: Fax: Web: United We Stand.. Your Donation is Appreciated To make a financial gift to MCRC, send it to Joanna Cherpak, Executive Director, 554 East 10th St., Erie, PA or donate online at MCRC is a 501 ( c)(3) charity and all donations are tax deductible. MCRC volunteer opportunities exist for one-time or continuing activities. Please visit the Volunteer tab at our Website at or look for us on the Get Connected Erie website at agencies/mcrcerie To inquire, send an to MCRC@mcrcerie.org. Be sure to include your name and phone number in your message. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to the United States Congress on Wednesday, April 25, In his address to them, he supported the alliance between the United States and France but he also denounced some of the tenets of this current administration. He stated We can choose isolationism. But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. I don t share fascination for new strong powers and the illusion of nationalism. In a very eloquent, subtle way he shared his opposition to what is happening in terms of Immigration in the United States. Like the United States, France is also a refugee resettlement country and has a population of immigrants. In addition President Macron gave a disapproving nod to the fact that the U.S. is not part of the Paris agreement which focuses on climate change. He expressed his hope that we may one day rejoin the agreement as we were long time members until now. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau echoes President Macron in every way. It is very positive that our foreign allies care so deeply about the welfare of our nation. Sometimes it appears we are losing hope but then something small but significant happens. Hope is renewed. One stellar example is the photo taken recently at First Lady Barbara Bush s funeral. It was of Presidents George H.W. Bush, her husband, George W. Bush, her son, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama; First Ladies Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump. All of them had sincere smiles on their faces and love in friendship for each other. The incredible part is they are not all from the same political party nor share all the same views. However they respect each other immensely and basically agree to disagree. Essentially isn t that how it should be with everyone? Everything happens for a reason. It is not always clear why things happen in the order they do. However I am a firm believer that everything tends to work out the way it should. I always tell my staff to take the high road regardless of how you feel. Emotions tend to make us shoot from the hip when we need to learn to keep our finger off the trigger. Relying on logic and the sage advice of those who have been there is the wisest of choices. We at MCRC have always been chameleons adapting to the changes around us. We provide so many valuable services to the community and always give 110%. Our hearts are always in the right place and our work ethic shows it. Like France we support our allies and hope they will support us in return. At the end of the day, we are all in this together. Being united is better than going it alone. Have a wonderful month of May and enjoy the Spring that has finally arrived! Genuinely yours, Joanna R. Cherpak Executive Director Proudly serving the needs of the Hispanic and refugee communities since 1975.