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Posted: November 10th, 2011 Lashawnda Becoats

Charlotte is home to a rich population of immigrants, refugees, asylees and internationals. It is a mosaic that enriches the lives of everyone here. Yet, the city hasn’t always done a good job of making these new arrivals feel like they are a part of the larger community.

Two years ago, Crossroads Charlotte organized a meeting of Charlotte’s IRAI (Immigrant, Refugee, Asylee and International) communities. Representatives from these communities met at the International House. They shared their personal stories about their new lives in Charlotte, frustrations with the city and hopes of living in a city that recognizes and appreciates the smorgasbord of cultures flourishing here.

Since that gathering, Crossroads Charlotte has been participating in a collaborative community engagement effort with the IRAI communities and service providers who support them. The goal is to increase access for all and build trust.

To help increase access, these organizations are launching The Mecklenburg Access Portal (The MAP). It’s a web-based resource directory for healthcare and social service providers to access information and resources. The portal will link the IRAI communities to much needed services and link service providers to underserved populations.

On Tuesday representatives from community organizations participated in lunch and learn session “Working Together to Better Serve the IRAI Community” as part of the Many Cultures One Community monthlong initiative. Meeting participants learned about the portal and methods to build better connections between the organizations serving the IRAI communities.

“It is important for the immigrant community to be known by citizens. Once we are known then we will understand the navigation of the systems in place,” said Patrice K. M. Ognodo, Neighborhood Good Samaritan's Center.

He said Tuesday’s meeting was another step toward bridging the cultural disconnect.

Mecklenburg Area Partnership for Primary-care Research (MAPPR) co-sponsored the event along with Crossroads Charlotte. Some of the groups attending included the International House, YMCA of Greater Charlotte, Ada Jenkins Center, The Mexican Cultural Society and Neighborhood Good Samaritan's Center.

Brisa Hernandez, MAPPR research coordinator, discussed the agency’s vision to alleviate healthcare disparities and barriers within the underserved population in Mecklenburg County. MAPPR hopes the Mecklenburg Access Portal will help it connect with people in IRAI communities who need their services.

“One the biggest things in working in the community is knowing about the resources that are available,” said Candace Murray, YMCA of Greater Charlotte. “(MAP) is going to be a huge help for professionals who can then link them to the families we serve.”

MAP will officially launch as a provider-only site tonight at a private event. Training sessions will be available for service providers. The portal will be unveiled to the public on Dec. 3 at a community event at Northwest School of the Arts as part of Many Cultures One Community. For more information about the initiative and to learn about other events go to www.crossroadscharlotte.org/manycultures.

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