So many skills, such little time

Under one roof, in just one day, we managed to learn no less than 10 different skills ranging from plant identifcation to soap making to car repair to cheese making and even macrome!

Melia and Griselda Maria planned our third team meeting of the year with an effort to highlight the local knowledge and expertise of the team. Members were invited to both teach something to the team during a one hour workshop block and also attend multiple sessions.

DIY skills are a great way to save money, conserve resources and build community. All things we value in our progam.

Learning how Portland institutionalizes environmentalism

A foggy morning made for a beautiful tour of the Multnomah County eco-roof.

A private, behind the scenes, tour was just part of a massively educational Team Meeting organized by Ivy and Chelsea about Portland eco-initiatives.

We spent the first part of the day learning about the Portland compost and recycling stream, the benefits and history of eco-roofs, stormwater management and tree planting programs. 

In the afternoon the sun finally came out and we volunteered with the Bureau of Environmental Services Green Streets Stewards cleaning Green Streets along SE Clay.

First Team Meeting of the Year

We started our day with coffee and conversation, two great stimulants. Our morning conversation centered around the Vanport Multimedia Project (a project of the North Portland Multimedia Center and the Skanner Foundation) that documents the stories and lives of those effected by the Vanport Flood of 1948. Laura Lo Forti, Project Director invited PC Perri, Filmmaker, and Milo Reed, Historian, to talk with the team about the project, the history of Vanport, and its connection to Portland's black population.

In the afternoon we stopped by the Emerson Garden where we learned about brownfield restoration and environmental justice with Cassie, Groundwork Portland's Executive Director. Will Bennett, Garden Coordinator, shared history of the garden as well as the Golden West Hotel, a historic black hotel in downtown portland, before leading half our group on a garden clean up project while the other half walked the neighborhood to teach neighbords about the garden.

We ended our day by visiting the site of a historic black neighborhood that was partially demolished to make room for Legacy Emanual Hostpital.  We spent some time with a permenant exhibit installed at the hospial explaining the hospital's role in the displacement of thousands of black Portlanders.