Yearly Archives: 2018

By Karen Wells | CNA Media Team

Our Concordia neighborhood racial demographic reflects the racial make-up of the state.

According to the 2010 census, the dominant racial group of our neighbors identify as European American and white, at 76 percent. This means that 24 percent are very visible to everybody else in the community.

This imbalance sets the stage for awkward cross-cultural social experiences, even with the best of intentions.

What can be done to avoid potentially awkward social encounters? Ask a question!

Questions facilitate getting new information, quelling curiosity or moving a conversation along. In a cross-cultural exchange, asking questions of curiosity can be awkward or worse, insulting to the recipient.

Who do you ask your “best intentioned, racial curiosity laden” question when your circle of trusted resources are a mirror reflection of yourself?

This new bi-annual column “Thank You for Asking” has the goal of guiding the cross-cultural curious toward culturally-sensitive and relevant ways on how to craft your question with integrity.

First person pronouns “I, me or we” will be used in answering questions. For example, “I appreciate you admiring my hair. Thank you for asking permission before you touch it.”

I have fielded many awkward, cross-cultural curious questions in a variety of social settings. I believe most of those questions were sincere. Some were ridiculous, poorly thought out, rude or insulting. They all had the common thread of curiosity.

I will draw on my experiences, historical references, online resources and others in our community to answer your question. The answer might appear here in CNews. Just send it to CNewsEditor@ConcordiaPDX.com.

Karen Wells is a retired early childhood community educator, health and safety trainer.

By Steve Elder | CNA Media Team

Portland deputy police chief Bob Day told Concordia neighbors his boss, Chief Danielle Outlaw, has a new perspective for the Portland Police Bureau. Her three primary challenges for the bureau are:

• Crime prevention and reduction
• Community engagement and inclusion
• Organizational excellence.

When the deputy chief spoke at the Nov. 7 Concordia Neighborhood Association annual meeting, he listed several livability issues that face Portland police and the community.

Homelessness – or houselessness – are largely West Coast issues, he said. “On a recent visit I made with my wife to Washington, D.C., we were struck that there weren’t people living on the streets like you see here.

“They’re just swept up. I don’t think you can just arrest your way out of a homeless situation. I see this as a community health issue, not strictly a police issue.”

The deputy chief believes many homeless people are dealing with mental health and drug abuse issues.

“In Portland we have a Law Enforcement Assistance Diversion Program, or LEAD. If a person is caught with a small amount of drugs on him we immediately call an outreach worker. We’re not going to charge you if you connect and are working with a social worker.

“Another area around the focus on crime reduction deals with what we term ‘livability issues,’” he said. “The most high-profile conflicts we’ve had are between Patriot Prayer and Antifa. It has taken up a lot of time figuring out what’s the best way to express first amendment rights and be safe.”

One of the means used by police is separating potentially violent demonstrators. One group will be allowed to demonstrate in one block and another in another block. “In some communities, like Berkley, they have ordinances against wearing masks,” he explained.

Reconnecting with the community for police involves racial issues. “About four years ago began a racial equity plan throughout the police bureau and throughout the city,” he said. “We have classes taught by a community member and a police officer.”

Another issue police deal with frequently is extremism and nationalism. “It’s been hard for us,” the deputy chief explained.

“In general, police are reactive. I’d like to see us be more proactive. I’d like to see us get out in front of some of these things. We realize that in Portland we need to be more proactive and forward thinking.”

Steve Elder, East2@ ConcordiaPDX.org, is an inactive lawyer, a developer, activist and old grouch.

By Tamara Anne Fowler | CNA Media Team

Dean Johnston, retired Portland firefighter, once played a helicopter-delivered Santa. It was during the 2012 holiday season. The event, held in Washington County, was put on by Tualatin Fire & Rescue with Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R).

“When you are dressed as Santa Claus, it’s amazing how many people wave at you,” Dean said.

Although less dramatic but more impactful than playing Santa is his work with PF&R’s Toy & Joy Makers. Dean has been with the group headquartered next door in Cully Neighborhood since 1969, and he became director in 1984.

Toy & Joy helps low-income families in the Portland area give their children toys for Christmas. It also works year round to soften children’s tragedies of losing their toys to fire, flood, earthquake and other disasters. Work is in partnership with the Portland Police Bureau and agencies that work with domestic violence.

During the holiday season, volunteers contact and work with state and local agencies that assist low-income families with children in need of a little holiday cheer.

The Toy & Joy Makers program is the largest of its kind in Oregon and has a long respected history working with state and local agencies.

Toy & Joy started giving toys to needy children in 1914. That’s when PF&R’s role in the community began to involve working with schools and teachers to find and assist families in need, and working with schools to teach children about giving and helping their communities.

Cash donations are used to purchase toys at wholesale prices. Each child served by the nonprofit receives several age-appropriate toys. Many firms and groups donate money or toys to the effort, in lieu of sponsoring a holiday party for employees.

Toy & Joy board members also meet with businesses that can help with donations of money, supplies, inventory and public relations. They also work with businesses to show how they can get involved helping with toy collection or donation programs.

By December, there are 20 to 25 Toy & Joy volunteers helping each day. There are no paid staff members.

And, as for Santa Dean, he enjoys his role. “It’s the warmth of giving and being with the family that makes this a favorite time of year.”

Tamara Anne Fowler is Edit Kitten, a writer with 20-plus years of experience offering a softer, gentler approach to editing and coaching. Her personal editors — Armani, Max Factor and Spicey’D — are also her cats. Visit her at EditKitten.com or contact her at Tamara@EditKitten. com.

It’s Willamette Week Give!Guide time again. The newspaper selected 150 nonprofit organizations this year to benefit from its goal to raise $4.4 million from 10,000 donors. Additionally, $347,000 is available in matching donations.

Several of the selected organizations hail from in or very near Concordia. Visit GiveGuide.org to donate to these organizations and/ or others:

Black United Fund of Oregon assists in the social and economic development of Oregon’s low-income communities and contributes to a broader understanding of ethnic- and culturally-diverse groups.

Columbia Slough Watershed Council protects and enhances the Columbia Slough and its watershed through community engagement, education and restoration.

Community Cycling Center broadens access to bicycling and its benefits by helping build a vibrant community in which people of all backgrounds use bicycles to stay healthy and connected.

Habitat for Humanity believes everyone deserves a decent, affordable place to live. People in the Portland area partner with Habitat to build or improve a place they can call home and pay an affordable mortgage.

Northeast Emergency Food Program, as described in the story above, provides food and clothing assistance to culturally- and racially-diverse neighbors while working to develop community solutions to food insecurity.

Schoolhouse Supplies, housed at Madison High School, provides free school supplies to students in need. Program organizers believe every child deserves school supplies and has the right to a quality education, regardless of economic circumstance.

Trillium Family Services, a partner in the Faubion 3 to PhD program, strives to help create safe communities where children are healthy and every family has the opportunity for success.

By Vanessa Miali | CNA Media Team

Cully Park is not your ordinary park or location. It’s a $14 million dollar, 25-acre outdoor destination for people of all ages.

The neighborhood, at 72nd Avenue and Killingsworth Street, is one of Oregon’s most ethnically and racially diverse, according to Portland Parks & Recreation.

It is also one of the most park deprived in the state. Its history goes back almost two decades. The city purchased the lot in 2000, in hopes of turning it into a park. But lack of funds put the project on hold until 2008, when nonprofit Verde, a Cully-based outreach and advocacy group, created the Let Us Build Cully Park coalition.

Funding for the park came from public and private partnerships. Verde raised more than $7 million in donations from a combination of 50 donors, partners and grants. Portland Parks & Recreation devoted $6 million in system development charge revenues for the park’s construction.

More than just fundraising involvement, Verde took a community-based approach to the park’s research and development process. That allowed it to meet ambitious contracting and workforce diversity goals. This generated income for low-income people and people of color, as well as the businesses they work for or own.

“We’ve devoted a lot of energy to working with the community on this project and are most excited about how in-depth it has been,” said Tony DeFalco, Verde executive director.

“We had existing relationships in the Cully neighborhood, and we developed a bilingual survey to expand our reach to over 1,000 people. Their feedback was incorporated into the design process, construction and workforce,” he added.

Verde also worked with 191 neighborhood students to design the play area. That involved teaching them basic design concepts, map reading and calculating scale using an architect ruler.

In addition to a youth soccer field and huge play area that includes a wheelchair-accessible sensory wall, Cully Park has a community garden, an off-leash dog area, parking lot, trails, fitness course, overlooks, habitat restoration and picnic areas.

Another unique element is the Native Gathering garden, which is the highest point in Cully Park and provides visitors views of Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood. Verde also turned undeveloped 72nd Avenue into a modern green street with flush curbs and an extra wide sidewalk.

“This alternative street design delivers environmental benefits such as storm water handling and tree canopy cover,” Tony pointed out. “The community has been asking for this park for 20 years, and we are thrilled to have made their vision a reality.”

Vanessa Miali has lived in Concordia for 18 years. She is a former public relations professional with two kids who cooks every day and gardens occasionally.