By Dhananji Rathnayake
Ushering in a new chapter of leadership for the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center (IWC), in April of this year human rights activist Faisal Khan took the helm of the nonprofit organization as its new executive director. He shared his background, aspirations, and strategies for guiding the IWC forward.
Khan has an extensive background in human rights and civil rights advocacy, spanning decades of work across different continents. In 2016, Khan founded the Carolina Peace Center, an advocacy organization with a mission to support marginalized communities in North Carolina and beyond. He also has served as an Assistant Editor and Regional Editor for two international newspapers in the Caucasus region. His work has included collaborations with the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Azerbaijan as well as with the United Nations and various non-governmental organizations on initiatives focused on human rights, healthcare, and social programs for women and orphans.
“Immigrants are resilient, intelligent, and bring valuable skills to our communities. Embracing diversity and inclusion strengthens our society.”
– Faisal Khan, Executive Director, Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center
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Joining IWC stemmed from Khan’s lifelong passion for social justice and advocacy for marginalized communities. “I held my first press conference when I was just 10 years old,” he said with a smile. “There was no media involved. It was just me and my friends who I invited to come and join my press conference. We put out Pepsi, crates to sit down on, and made a podium. This has been my passion, to be the voice for the voiceless and to do the best I can.”
Khan, who spent some time in Maine as a child, remembers Maine as less diverse than it is now. When an IWC vacancy arose, he saw it as a great opportunity to return to the state he fondly remembered. “In the Portland Jetport [when I arrived], I saw a girl, with a Somali or Sudanese background with a hijab, working there. That was like a very pleasant surprise. It was truly heartening to see such diversity.”
In his transition to leading IWC, Khan emphasized his immediate priorities. “My focus right now,” he explained, “is to restructure our programs to better meet the evolving needs of our community.”
Acknowledging the importance of digital literacy, Khan outlined plans to enhance educational programs at IWC. “We are reevaluating our programs to include more practical skills like email etiquette and job application strategies,” he said, highlighting the organization’s commitment to empowering immigrants through education and community integration.
Khan emphasized the role of partnerships in IWC’s future. “We are actively engaging with other organizations and community leaders to foster stronger collaborations and enhance our impact,” he said.
Financial sustainability remains a priority. Khan plans to diversify funding sources and increase community engagement. “We rely heavily on donations and grants, and I aim to expand our funding base to support our growing initiatives,” he explained.
Highlighting the importance of maintaining a cohesive board and strong staff relations to address potential challenges, he said, “I have tremendous respect for our board members and am committed to working collaboratively to navigate any challenges that arise.”
Khan discussed the challenges faced in rural Maine, emphasizing the lack of viable public transportation and job opportunities outside major cities like Portland and Bangor. He advocated for bipartisan efforts to improve public transit, believing it would attract workers and stimulate economic growth in smaller communities.
“In the old days,” said Khan, “people worked at one job for 25 years, 30 years. Now there are more opportunities and there’s more progress, and more opportunities to make money. And that drives people to relocate and move around. So I think in small towns, if they have the opportunity, they will not relocate. But if they don’t have jobs, if they don’t have the fundamental necessities to support their families, then they have no choice but to relocate.”
Khan’s message to the community is to emphasize the contributions of immigrants to American society. “They’re going to make tremendous contributions to our nation’s prosperity and growth economically, democratically, from a system standpoint as well. I hope to see more Mainers welcome immigrants and embrace them, and celebrate the immigrants coming from different parts of the world.”
