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Community rallies around Iraqi

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Web Manager Posted in Concordia News

By Brian Burk, CNA Media Team
Editor’s note: The space confines of a printed newspaper limited the ability of CNews’ March issue to explore how the Sahibs are affected by recent executive orders, and how they appreciate the Concordia community’s support. Below, Brian tells you “the rest of the story.”

As upsetting as Ghaith Sahib found the first executive order restricting travel to the U.S from predominantly Muslim countries, he was cheered by the support from the Concordia community. He escaped the Iraq War in 2005 to re-establish himself here with native Portlander Tiffany and, now, their daughter Malaika. Photo by Brian Burk

Reverberations from executive orders on foreign entry to the United States – commonly referred to as the “travel ban” or the “Muslim ban” – are being felt in Concordia.

Inside a former carriage house on Alberta Street, Iraqi-born Ghaith Sahib and wife, Tiffany, run DarSalam, one of two Portland restaurants they own. Dedicated not only to feeding but also educating patrons about Iraqi history and culture, the restaurant evolved from a food cart the Sahibs launched in 2011 after relocating to Portland from Amsterdam, where they had met and married. Tiffany is a Portland native and Ghaith, who left Iraq after barely surviving a 2005 car bomb attack, sought to re-establish himself in the United States. He is now a U.S. citizen.

In January an executive order was issued to restrict travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iraq. The order also suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days. Later, a second order was issued that removed Iraq from the list of restricted countries.

The executive orders have disrupted business and family life. A Syrian employee has been unsuccessful in bringing his wife and brother into the United States. “He has been told by organizations that, by luck, he’ll see his wife in two years,” Ghaith reported. The Sahibs also have relatives in refugee camps abroad whose immigration status is tenuous.

Ghaith’s parents are currently in Germany visiting their eldest son. Although his parents have recently become U.S. citizens, Tiffany and Ghaith are concerned there will be complications when they re-enter the country. “They speak very little English,” Tiffany pointed out. “They can’t really defend or explain themselves.”

The Sahibs moved to Portland in 2009, later joined by his parents and two of his siblings, who help at the restaurant. Not including family members, they employ about 13 people on a part-time basis at the Concordia location.

Although adjusting to life in the United States was difficult, Ghaith said he found Portland welcoming. While initially hesitant to label DarSalam an Iraqi restaurant, the Sahibs were surprised by how little this mattered to their customers. They even attracted an unexpected clientele: American veterans of the Iraq war. “They have certain nostalgia for the culture,” Tiffany said.

One such veteran is Sean Davis, commander of neighboring American Legion Post 134. “Our friendship goes back years,” said Sean, who, like Ghaith, was injured in the war. “As soon as they opened the restaurant, I went over there. Ghaith was there working every single day, so I got to know him and his parents because I spoke a little bit of Arabic.

“I respect people who work hard and I respect people who love their families,” Sean explained. “He wants to make where he lives a better place.”

“When we heard about the ban, we were shocked,” Ghaith said. “We felt worry. We felt shame. We felt like people don’t like us.” Even after the second order excluded Iraq from the list of restricted countries, his tension was not resolved. “For me it still hurts,” he said.

Amidst the national immigration controversy, the local community has rallied around DarSalam. “We love Portland,” Ghaith said. “We got support from neighbors, from friends, from customers. They tried to show us love and encourage us not to give up. It was a really good experience.”

To those who would argue the executive order is necessary for public safety, Ghaith said, “I don’t agree at all. Refugees have already had to fill out so many applications, and there have been so many security checks. Refugees have already suffered. They need help.”

The Sahibs have an energetic three-year-old named Malaika, who played with restaurant staff while her parents spoke to Concordia News.

She’s half-Iraqi and half-American,” Ghaith said. “When she grows up she’ll be proud of who she is. There are many Vietnamese refugees who have been here for 40 years, and now they have generations of kids who are doing great things. So, when it’s proposed to make the country safe by stopping refugees, this is not the answer.”

After several years of building their business, raising a young child and continuing to adjust to an evolving political landscape, the Sahibs are ready for a break. They’ll soon be travelling to Mexico for a brief vacation. Tiffany used to live in Mexico, and Ghaith is excited about introducing Malaika to a new culture.

But with their excitement comes trepidation about the final stage of the trip, according to Tiffany.

“It will be interesting to see what coming back in is like.”

PDX is part of Concordia soundscape

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Web Manager Posted in Concordia News

Living near airport has its pluses, but neighbors want to know — can you quiet it down a bit?

By Steve Dodge

Concordians’ opinions about being neighbors to an airport are mixed. But most agree their
neighbor generates noticeable noise

Planes, trains and automobiles. When you live in the city, it’s pretty much a given that you’re going to hear one or all of those, plus the kid with the oversize sub woofer in his car — sometimes in the middle of the night.

And, when you live near an international airport, most people figure a little noise goes along with the convenience of a short trip to catch a flight. But what happens when a little becomes a lot?

Many neighbors, judging from conversations in the neighborhood and a flood of responses to a question on Nextdoor.com, expressed concern about the noise generated from small Federal Express “cargo feeders” as the Port of Portland calls them, and the fighter jets operated by the Air National Guard.

Others wondered why the cargo planes flew so low. FedEx planes have been observed flying only slightly higher than utility poles, which Pacific Power representative estimates are 150 feet tall. In some cases the planes are so low, the plane’s belly rivets can be clearly seen.

To be fair, some residents said they actually like the National Guard jet noise, finding it comforting in these uneasy times. Others figure they moved in knowing full well they’d be near an airport.

When the planes or jets roar over, people may pause their conversations, try to comfort their kids and pets, and later straighten the pictures on the wall.

CNews sent questions to the city of Portland, FedEx, the Air National Guard and the port. Only the port responded.

Kama Simonds, aviation media relations manager, said cargo feeder approaches are designed by the Federal Aviation Administration for safety, and that a Concordia resident living a mile away should see aircraft “at or very near 300 feet.” She said pilot discretion or an order from air traffic control could explain some aircraft flying under 300 feet.

As for noise, she said, 24/7 monitoring at Concordia University for arriving small planes averages 73 decibels, which she compared to standing next to a vacuum cleaner or a truck passing outside.

Asked why propeller planes were allowed to rev their engines on the tarmac, sometimes in the wee hours of the night, she said, the small cargo planes are required to test engines at full throttle – but are not required to use sound insulating hangars. Steve is a veteran journalist, writer, editor and former Concordia Neighborhood Association board member. He has lived 17 years in the neighborhood. Contact him at CyStev33@yahoo.com.

Editor’s note: Visit ConcordiaPDX.org/port-q-a for the full list of questions asked and responses from the port, along with comments from neighbors published on Nextdoor.com.

Donna Maxey founds, leads RACE TALKS every month at McMenamins Kennedy School

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Web Manager Posted in Concordia News, Events

By Nancy Varekamp, CNews Editor

Donna Maxey and Mrs. Johnnie Maxey
According to Donna Maxey (left), RACE TALKS draws people of diverse perspectives, races and ages, even her mother, Mrs. Johnnie Maxey

Let’s start at the beginning. “My parents were always involved in community service,” said Donna Maxey, RACE TALKS founder. “I was an activist in utero.” “My father belonged to the NAACP as a college student which was considered an underground activity at the time for which he could have been kicked out of school.

After migrating to Oregon from Texas, her parents became active in the Republican Party – the party of Oregonians Tom McCall, Mark Hatfield and Clay Myers – and her father became president of the Young Republicans. “There were always people coming and going from the house, and things going on,” Donna recalled.

“My first solo protest march without my parents was when George Wallace came to the Hilton Hotel in the early 1960’s “I’ve always been independent and pulled for the underdog, which is probably why I ended up being a teacher,” she said

In that role, and others, Donna has found herself blazing trails. “I’ve been the first and only Black person in too many situations, so much that I don’t have to be the first or only anything ever again.”

Growing up in Portland she was always around white people, but attending Pacific University was a culture shock for her. “I was surrounded by white people.” But that didn’t discourage her activism or her belief in building relationships – what she calls “the R word.”

The feeling of being surrounded intensified during her first teaching job in Oroville, California. “It was John Birch country and I was the first and only Black school teacher in the small, rural town.” Intensifying her dissimilarity to the rest of the community was her husband at the time–a white Jew who was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War era.

While teaching in Portland Public Schools, she was introduced to “Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools,” by Glenn E. Singleton and Curtis Lenton.

“The activities helped us to look at social interactions from perspectives other than our own. When one particularly ‘difficult’ person ‘got’ it, I thought, ‘This is powerful.’

“The only problem was that it was associated with people’s paychecks. If you expect people to make change and it’s connected to their paychecks, it doesn’t necessarily change their minds. It needs to be separate from people’s paychecks.”

In 2010, Donna was one of the several speakers at a McMenamins History Pub program, “Urban Renewal, Urban Removal,” and was upfront about the racism that accompanied the physical and economic displacement her family experienced during the early 1960s.

She was perplexed at how to explain the magnitude of that loss. “How can I share this so people understand what kind of home and community I lived in and what it did to us?” So, instead, I described the fauna and flora in our yard. People were just struck by this. Hey! A boxwood shrubbery is a boxwood shrubbery, regardless of what color the people in the house are.”

The first speaker talked about the unfair laws passed allowing the city and the Portland Development Commission to summarily move the Black community “It was all very technical,” Donna noted. The next speaker was a pictorial historian with photos of the Albina community dating from the 1800s to the early 1960s when the Veterans Memorial Coliseum and Lloyd Center were built. The third speaker was a Black real estate agent who discussed the home purchasing policies of the time.

Then it was Donna’s turn. “The Black community was decimated. My family lost our home, our neighborhood, our church, Daddy lost his barbershop.”

That led to the 2011 partnership between Donna, Uniting to Understand Racism and McMenamins to start RACE TALKS, which they bill as, “filling the spaces between race with compassion and education.”

For more information, visit the RACE TALKS website.

CNA Social Committee Meeting

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Web Manager Posted in CNA, Volunteer Opportunities

Monday, February 20th, 2017
5:15 PM – 6:45 PM
Kennedy School Community Room

Agenda:

  1. Begin Planning for Spring Egg Hunt scheduled for April 15
  2. Discuss Fundraising Strategy for Concerts/Movie in Fernhill Park
  3. Elect Social Committee Chair for 2017

2016 was quite a year; let’s top that in 2017

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Web Manager Posted in Concordia News

By Daniel Greenstadt – Concordia Neighborhood Association Board Member

It seems that breaking with political and social norms has become an American trend lately, and your neighborhood association is keeping up with the times. So, beginning with this issue of Concordia News, we’re casting tradition aside and turning “Chair’s Corner” into “CNA Voices” where, instead of hearing only from the chair, we’ll offer the perspectives of Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) board and committee members.

CNA is led by many dedicated souls who show up to lead the board and to staff and support the various committees, where the real work gets done. Together with you – residents of Portland’s greatest neighborhood – we’re building a better community.

And just how much better? Well, the dawn of a new year calls for a quick review of 2016 accomplishments so we can be sure to outdo ourselves in 2017. Here are some of CNA’s community-building events:

  • Spring Egg Hunt – Combine 7,000 handstuffed eggs and more than 300 children, and you get 10 minutes of the best kind of pandemonium! CNA partnered with American Legion Post 134 for this smashing success.
  • Neighbor Cleanup – We netted $1,998 for CNA community programs.
  • Sunday Parkways – CNA volunteers distributed 720 energy bars and gallons of water to hungry and thirsty cyclists, walkers and skaters. • Concerts in the Park – Bankrolled local business and community sponsors — and staffed and supported by CNA volunteers — we gathered some giant crowds at Fernhill Park to hear some of the best entertainment Portland offers.
  • National Night Out – It featured a great children’s parade – complete with police escort – and the season’s final park concert.
  • December holiday party – The food was fantastic at the HUGE party, children’s choirs were heavenly, the band was loud and attendees paid with nothing but their presence and some much needed food donations to Concordia Backpack Lunch Program. Thanks again to Cerimon House for the amazing venue.
  • McMenamins Kennedy School Community Room – We earned a whopping $18,000 in rentals for CNA to reinvest in the community.
  • Concordia News – We’re covering more issues, staying on schedule, reaching more people and continuing to invest in building CNews into the best neighborhood paper in the city. Our web and Facebook page made great strides too.
  • Land Use & Transportation Committee – The group continues its amazing work on a wide range of topics deeply impacting life here.
  • Open letter – One of the last actions of the board in 2016 was the letter you’ll see on the facing page. We want Concordia residents to feel safe and welcome here, and that’s something that requires “a village” to make happen.

Can we top all that in 2017? Let’s!

People assure support for others

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Web Manager Posted in CNA, Concordia News

By Nancy Varekamp, CNews Editor

Editor’s note: The February 2017 CNews published a short report on how increased tensions in a divisive political climate are being experienced in Concordia. Unfortunately, a short newspaper story cannot offer many details. This is a longer version of that printed story but – to repurpose a phrase – it isn’t “the rest of the story.”

Increased tensions across the country are causing people to think about how they relate to each other, even here in Concordia.

That’s why the Concordia Neighborhood Association Board of Directors wrote a letter of support to community members. People from across Portland are talking more about how to support each other, and parents find themselves tackling tough subjects with their children.

“You should’ve known we’ve got your back. It’s should’ve already been out there,” Ben Preacher tells his customers and friends. The Wilder Bar & Café publican believes people in the community have always supported each other and will help if anyone feels marginalized or that their safety is threatened.

“In America, it’s impolite to speak of politics and religion,” Ben has learned in his six years in Portland. That’s the opposite of his native Ireland. He encourages his customers and friends to keep talking, and to join him engaging in political and social action.

Customer and friend James Armstrong agrees. “We live in this progressive bubble out here and there’s a significant part of the country we don’t relate to.” He said he’s nervous about changes to come in social service and health policies, and he’s looking for ways he can make a difference.

Complex issues aren’t new to him as president of Alberta Main Street. “In recent years, we’ve been heavily focused on what lots of Portland is focused on – equity,” he said. “Living in a gentrified community, acknowledging the faults of the past is not enough. We’re making it clear that moving forward, our organization is an ally to the entire community.”

Co-owner of Alberta Eye Care, he also keeps pulse on healthcare issues. “There’s a huge unknown there. Already, in recent years, our patients have been paying increasing premiums with higher deductibles and fewer options.”

He’s concerned that won’t ebb.

Children have fears too, according to Claire LaPoma Faubion Elementary School counselor and Trillium Family Services therapist. Children – and parents – have her ear and her shoulder daily.

Children are like sponges, according to her, and they pick up on their parents’ concerns – and on their calmness. “The bigger picture stuff can feel pretty heavy to adults and to kiddos,” she said. “As adults, we have fully-cooked brains, reason and life experience to find our own sources of resiliency.

“For kiddos, their developmental level can make it challenging to cope with change.” According to Claire, the bigger picture can overwhelm them

She encourages tackling their concerns and fears as a family. (See the formula Claire calls SELF to help direct family discussions.)

“Bring it home,” Claire said. “I urge parents and children to talk about what they can do within their families and the communities to maintain a sense of safety.”

Talking can be therapeutic – and it can lead to action.

“We’ve always wanted to be known as the place you can talk about things,” Ben said of his neighborhood meeting place. And that was made evident by the dramatic shift in business in November. Neighbors sharing concerns and opinions filled Wilder.

There’s already a somewhat formal start on sharing concerns on a citywide basis. A meeting in late November – dubbed “What Now?” – drew hundreds of people. Several human resources agencies in attendance reached out to individuals and other groups for volunteers, advocates and support.

“There was this massive momentum, with all of us like-minded people sharing our frustrations and our hope,” Ben said. “It was a strategic planning meeting for strategic planning.”

It may be too soon – in what’s been described as a divisive climate – for specific action to assure the safety of marginalized populations, healthcare and other issues on the political horizon.

James, already active in local political issues, is keeping tabs on opportunities to help make a difference. “It’s a little bit of a no man’s land right now, with the accusations of Russia hacking the election and the country’s leaders being named.

Watching, listening, talking – and caring for each other – are the frontrunners to action, James said. “Getting together to make things better by tackling difficult, complex issues require people from all backgrounds.”

James Armstrong and Ben Preacher
James Armstrong (left) and Ben Preacher find support in sharing concerns with others about increasing tensions in American politics and community life.

Beneficial Insects Workshop

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Web Manager Posted in Events

Beneficial insects work around the clock to protect your garden from pests. Meet the diverse cast of predators that provide free pest control, discover plant types and management practices that provide food, water, and shelter to attract and sustain beneficial insects that help your garden thrive.

Register online at: www.emswcd.org/workshops

Date: Wednesday, March 15
Time: 6:30 – 9:00 pm
Location: McMenamin’s Kennedy School, Community Room – 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland
Cost: FREE

For more information call 503-222-7645

Download the flyer (pdf)

Here’s the DIY process to battle demolition

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Gordon Riggs Posted in Concordia News

By Steve Elder, CNA Media Team

It started when neighbors of a house on 35th Avenue got notice that a development group had applied to demolish the house.

A permit is issued in 35 days if no one appeals. There is a $1,318 filing fee to apply for delay unless a neighborhood association seeks a waiver. Concordia Neighborhood Association Board members unanimously went along, and a neighbor, Tricia, signed as appellant to seek the delay.

You must closely follow the rules to successfully pursue a demolition delay. Start by reading the appeal application carefully. Read the guide by Restore Oregon and Portland Bureau of Development Services. Attend a hearing or listen to an online recording of a previous hearing.

There are four requirements for a successful delay appeal, which must be met or the appeal will be denied without a hearing.

  1. Notify all permit applicants by certified mail. Ask for a meeting. Keep copies for the appeal.
  2. Show the property’s significance. This was tricky. The target looked ordinary but was affordable by first time homebuyers.
  3. Describe a plan to save the house. The target was ready for occupancy – maybe remodel the kitchen or add an auxiliary dwelling unit.
  4. Show you can afford to buy the house. The sale to the developer was not recorded, so Tricia had to guess the price. She used the tax value plus an estimate for a kitchen remodel and ADU. Tricia is an investor and showed she could borrow against of the value of her property on short notice for enough to buy and improve the target house.

If your written appeal meets the four criteria, a hearing date is set. In this case, the hearings officer was polite, but very firm. Your hearings officer may only consider the four core issues, and courtroom procedure is followed. In this case, the developer didn’t object, so Tricia’s evidence was accepted by default.

She won the delay, so no permit could be issued for 60 days. The ostensible purpose of the delay is to let parties seek an alternative to demolition, but the developer isn’t required to negotiate.

Editor’s note: This is the first in a CNews series of stories about local housing challenges and solutions. If you have ideas for future installments, send them to CNewsEditor@Concordia.org.

Water isn’t the only risk for lead poisoning

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Web Manager Posted in Concordia News

By Nancy Varekamp, CNews Editor

Residents of Concordia neighborhood are at larger risk of lead poisoning from paint than water, due to the age of the housing stock. Photo by Rob Rogers, Above Imaging
Residents of Concordia neighborhood are at larger risk of lead poisoning from paint than water, due to the age of the housing stock. Photo by Rob Rogers, Above Imaging

Last spring’s reports about lead in the water at local schools heightened awareness about lead poisoning risks.

But exposure from lead solder in home plumbing systems is more likely to appear in homes built after 1970. The threat in the older housing stock in Concordia – and an estimated 80 percent of Multnomah County – is from lead-based paint that wasn’t banned until 1978.

“Homes built before 1940 have a 90 percent chance of containing lead-based paint,” estimated Sherrie Pelsma, Community Energy Project (CEP) program director. The nonprofit organizations works to empower people to maintain healthier, more livable homes.

CEP offers workshops year round to help Portland-area residents understand the risks and reduce of lead exposure.

Children from the womb to age 6 are especially vulnerable because lead in the blood can affect brain development. Recent studies concluded lead-related cognitive decadence in children can lead to:

  • Brain and nerve damage
  • Learning disabilities
  • Behavior and/or attention deficit disorders
  • Organ, blood, muscle and/or bone damage
  • Hearing loss

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 535,000 of the country’s children ages 1-5 have lead poisoning. Blood tests are recommended for children ages 6 to 12 months and again at 24 months.

Lead settles anywhere
According to Pelsma, lead dust – from paint and even gasoline fumes prior to 1986 – can settle anywhere. From paint, that’s most likely below a roof’s drip line, and from gas fumes it’s in gardens near street curbs. In the soil, lead never breaks down.

Newer paint wears through at points of friction, like double-hung windows. Even mini blinds manufactured before 1997 contain lead and shed the dust as they deteriorate.

“Lead that is inhaled, is absorbed at 100 percent strength by children and adults,” Pelsma said. “If consumed – in foods or liquids – adults absorb 10 percent and children 50.
“The only way to be sure of recent lead exposure is to have your blood tested.”

Lead workshops abound
CEP delivers about 80 “Lead 101” workshops per year and 15 “Lead-Safe Home Projects” sessions for do-it-yourself remodelers. (Workshops open to the public can be found on the events calendar.)

They cover much more than lead poisoning risks. They feature detection, prevention, and basic lead-safe work practices. They also introduce the several organizations that partner to help residents and businesses mitigate hazards.

Check back with CNews next month for details on tips and services to help you curb lead in your home.

Here’s help for you and your home

Community Energy Project
503.284.6827

Multnomah County Health Department
503.988.4000

Oregon Health Authority
971-673-0440

Portland Water Bureau
503-823-1547

Share the story of your life

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Web Manager Posted in Concordia News

Alberta Main Street’s Equitable Placemaking Historical Marker Outreach Project is seeking stories that document the history of the African American community on Alberta Street.

Stories will be included on the Alberta Main Street website, and selected stories will be the basis of historical and cultural markers on Alberta Street between 10th and 31st avenues.

If your story is selected for a historical marker on Alberta Street, you will receive a $500 stipend to participate in the marker design process.

Business owners, residents, and visitors are all invited to submit stories. You may submit a written story, photographs or other documents: on AlbertaMainSt.org, send them to Stories@AlbertaMainSt.org or 1722 N.E. Alberta St., 97211. All stories require a signed Life History Form and Informed Consent and Copyright Permission Form, available at AlbertaMainSt.org.

Oral Histories may be recorded at a Wednesday, Nov.9, community meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Cerimon House, 5131 N.E. 23rd Ave. RSVPs may be made at AlbertaMainSt.org. Other oral histories may be uploaded electronically at AlbertaMainSt.org or by scheduling an appointment by calling 503.683.3252, ext. 2.

For details and/or to ask questions, Kenya Budd, Alberta Main Street Equity and Engagement coordinator, may be reached at that phone number and at Kenya@AlbertaMainSt.org.

Contributed by Alberta Main Street

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