BUSINESS & COMMUNITY
THE WEST END NEWS | AUGUST 2020
The thing that has helped me be successful is that I create platforms for people to create their own solutions.
Patrick Kiruhura
What are some of your ideas to let cultures get to know each other in Maine?
Asking the right questions to feel connected to our neighbors (Part 2 of 2) Every Month Peloton Labs founder Liz Trice interviews a community member for the West End News. This month is a continuation of Liz’s chat with Kiruhura Babu Patrick, who is founding a new nonprofit in Portland called World Roots Culture Exchange.
Last month we talked about how we need to understand each other’s nature and cultures to feel connected and to provide value to each other. Any advice for people who want to get to know their neighbors better?
Do you have family here?
My parents and siblings are in Rwanda, one sister is in Nashville, she has two children and a husband. That’s it for very close family, but when I count my family, I count eight generations. I may say this great-great-grandfather had seven women, and they had this many boys and girls… If you count that, I have a lot of family memThe biggest problem is we measure bers in the U.S. I know the whole family people on intellectual level instead of tree… emotional level. So we ask people, ‘What This might blow your mind: I have do you do?’ But what really connects peo- several family groups on What’s App - one ple is emotions. Ask them, ‘How are you that includes all my cousins and aunts and handling coming to the US?’ instead of uncles up to my grandfather, one up to his ‘Why did you come to the US?’ to con- father (my great-grandfather), and another nect at a deeper level. Ask, ‘What are the up to his father (my great-great-grandfachallenges you’re facing? How is your fam- ther) and so on. I have one family group ily? How are your children?’ Those are the of over 800 people. If I was about to host questions that will create relationships. a wedding, I might host over 1,000 people, In my culture, people ask about me, because my wife’s family is included, too, and everyone in our family group will conabout my mom, my dad, about my siblings tribute money to the wedding, even if they (even if they don’t know if I have any sibdon’t come. It is a responsibility. If somelings), and when they finish asking this, one dies, or if someone goes to hospital, I become very open to them, because I or if a family can’t afford school for a child, feel these people really care about me. It’s a request goes out, and everyone donates building a house of information and trust. something. It’s like crowdfunding. It’s really The environment that you meet peo- organized. ple in is important. If you meet someone on the street, chat, and invite them to have tea in a coffee shop, then you can take an- You know your family back other step to invite them to your home eight generations? That’s or let them invite you to their home to amazing! I don’t even know all learn more about one another. If you go into someone’s home, they will be very my cousins! Are you getting open and give you everything they have messages all the time from to give. hundreds of people? Also, if you want to create relationships between rich people and poor people, the rich person has to seek out the poor person. It’s hard for a poor person to find a rich person, but it’s easy for a rich person to find a poor person. They can humble themselves, and say, ‘I am no different than you.’ Every person is different, so when you’re helping people, don’t put them in a group. Work with them individually.
Maine is a family. No matter what roots we come from, we still have to live in the same house, and if it rains, it’s going to rain on the whole house. I’m trying to create a space, a platform, that brings all the elements of Maine together. A Mainer is a Mainer because of all the elements Patrick Kiruhura speaking in red coat. that are there together. In order to be -Photo courtesy of Patrick Kiruhura fully comfortable in Maine, you need to will give them everything they need. Only know a few of the cultures you are living after they have rested and ate, I would ask, with. Meet a few Congolese people, a few Chinese, et cetera.You have to spend time ‘How did you get my name, and how are outdoors, and time in the city with people you connected?’ of different cultures from yours. I had a German friend, and she was I would like to create an Intercultural made part of my family, too. The foundaMaine Center for all the cultures in Maine tion of our culture is dependency and to have a point of meeting to learn from family based. We care about togetherness. one another, to celebrate our differences If you come to my family, and my mom and participate in making Maine a home works a lot to cook you a lot of food, the for everyone. biggest offense would be to say, “Thank Host backyard bonfire events with you for feeding me.” Because you didn’t value her for who she is, but rather what music from musicians from different she gave you. The food is just the envi- backgrounds. We did this weekly at Root ronment she created so that she could House in Rwanda, which was a coworking connect with you. The food is nothing, the space, mini hotel and cafe. house is nothing, it’s just a tool to create a Create an app to match older people relationship with you. to younger people who can provide services. I think during this pandemic would What are the needs of your be a good time to do that.
community at this time?
We could create local experiences where people of different backgrounds Before you help someone, ask them can take you to visit their world right here to share with you what they need. Take in Maine for a day. the time to learn about people, and then help them figure out how to function We can create tours where you stay within your environment. with a family in their home country, so you
I believe my life is different from yours because of culture. Culture is tradition and laws. The first thing I need to function in the U.S. is information about the laws and the traditions. If I don’t have that, I will be criminalized. The second thing is to help Yes, my What’s App is very busy! See, people have a language, so we can share you can see this message here: thirty value with each other. The third thing, and people are contributing money, one five last thing, is to help them find a home. dollars, another twenty dollars, twenty People are naturally very good! But dollars, twenty dollars. All to solve comif I function just like you, then my value munity problems. If you are lucky to get is lost. So, you have to help people keep connected to one of our culture members, their identity, let people have the space to you get connected to all of it. If I have a home, it is not my home, it is the home of do it their way, free their creativity.Then, if the family. If someone is coming to Maine, you give them money, they will add more someone says, “Patrick lives there,” and I money to you and your community.
PelotonLabs is a coworking space in the West End of Portland, Maine with a mission to connect and encourage people working on their own to manifest their visions without fear.
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understand what it’s like to live in their culture. We can create a space that has food, crafts, music, and events from many different cultures. I’m looking for partners for all of these.
If you like Patrick’s ideas, you can reach him at kiruhura01@gmail.com
