Inspiring Leadership in Immigrant Communities - ILRC

Inspiring Leadership in Immigrant CommunitiesJanuary 2003Example: Lin, a community leader, is helping Victor approach the manager of hisapartment building about a leaky ceiling in Victor’s apartment. They first went to themanager about the leak two months ago. Everyone knows that the manager isoverwhelmed with work because he doesn’t have any assistants and the building is oldand falling apart. At the meeting, Lin and Victor acknowledge that the manager faces ahuge task and that the manager has been courteous to them, but they stress that afterwaiting for two months, Victor needs the leak fixed now. They show copies of the lettersthey have written to both the manager and the landlord. They finally make a deal: if themanager has not fixed the problem in three days, Victor can fix it himself and subtract thecost from the next month’s rent.After the meeting Lin and Victor write a letter to the manager thanking him for themeeting and stating the terms of their agreement.3. If someone on the other side is behaving wrongly, tell him so. If necessary, ask to speakwith a supervisor.In some cases the governmental workers might clearly be breaking the rules. If possible, bestrong but calm and polite. Don’t get personal. A good tactic is to talk about the law, that is, whatthe worker is supposed to do, and ask for a justification of his or her behavior in legal terms. Ifnecessary, ask to speak with a supervisor.Example: Mohammed is trying to schedule a meeting to talk about youth services forrefugees at the city’s community center. Mohammed knows the community center isavailable to use for free on Tuesday evenings at 6 p.m. Yet when he approaches the city’scommunity center administrator to reserve the room, the administrator first saysMohammed cannot use it. Then after Mohammed shows him that the community center’sbrochure says community members can reserve the room, the city worker tellsMohammed that he will have to pay $125 to use it. Although Mohammed would like tosay, “Listen you idiot! Don’t you even know the your own city’s requirements for usingthe meeting room?” he instead remains calm. He tells the worker, “I have the right to usethis room for free. Show me where in writing it says I have to pay $125. If you don’twant to let me use it for free, I’d like to speak with your supervisor.” The worker finallydecides to let Mohammed use the room for free.4. Look for creative solutions. Consider the other side’s point of view and their interest inefficiency.Sometimes the other side will reach a compromise if you can convince them that what you areasking makes sense for them.Example: During the immigration amnesty program of the 1980s, community groups inSan Francisco wanted to set up a table and have an advocate help people who came to thelegalization office at INS. They formed a coalition and met with the head of thelegalization department. They pointed out that the legalization office was crowded withclients who had a lot of questions and problems. INS did not have enough personnel to7-7