From Bhutan to Portland

Portland is home to about a thousand Bhutanese refugees, southern Bhutanese driven out of their homes in the 1990s during an era of ethnic cleansing. Many are descendants of Nepali people whose families lived in Bhutan for centuries, and most spent a decade or more in refugee camps in Nepal while awaiting resettlement. 

Their community held one of its periodic celebrations today, and I joined them to make photographs they may be able to use as they develop a website. I was seated beside Sumitra Chhetri, whose story appeared in Street Roots last year and is similar to the stories of many who were in the room. I fell in love with one face after another. How could I not? See Extras.