Dozens of people held a march that aimed to recognize the experience of all Portlanders who came from overseas.
The participants said it’s especially important to do that in today’s climate.
One former refugee from southeastern Europe said many people don’t even realize he is an immigrant because he “looks white.” And he says that attitude is offensive to him. “We can talk about immigrants’ and refugees’ situation and I bring it up, but they say, ‘No, you look white. You shouldn’t be offended,’” former refugee Milan Velinirovic said. “I am extremely offended when immigrants and refugees are mistreated because it doesn’t matter. I could look differently than I look and then what, I would be mistreated?”
The event was organized in part by the East Port.
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