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Heritage University: educating the community

October 20, 2022 By Tyler

By Kevin Figueroa-Rangel

After having visited the Alvarez pepper farm, we visited Heritage University. We were introduced to Isaias, the student life director at the University. He went over the various programs that the institution offers, as well as the resources they provide the students with to help them succeed academically. He mentioned that the university, with the help of generous donors and other grants, covers 90% of the cost for nearly every student. Moreover, he mentioned that most students will actually find themselves attending without having to pay a single dime in tuition. Given that the cost of attending college is increasing each year, it was nice to see that there are institutions that are prioritizing the education of their students. Towards the end of the visit, we were given the opportunity to speak with several students who currently attend Heritage. The biggest takeaway from the short QnA session was that most of the student body, after eventually completing their degree and graduating from Heritage, is interested in staying near the institution in order to give back to the community. This truly helped emphasize how strong of a community Heritage has and will continue to build as time passes.

Northwest Justice Project and Jesuit Volunteers

October 20, 2022 By Tyler

By Brooke Niemer

Yesterday afternoon we visited Northwest Justice Project (NJP) where we listened to a presentation about what NJP does and specific details about the H2A program. The H2A program for migrant farmworkers is something that has been discussed throughout our time so far on the immersion, but we still had a lot of unknowns. This presentation provided the specifics of what it covered, how it worked, and who it was intended for. One thing that stood out to me is when they showed an example of an H2A visa which explicitly stated the dates of when they would be considered documented within the U.S. This stood out to me because the effects of their labor will have a much longer effect than their time for this particular visa since they are helping provide fresh produce to people which will have a positive effect on their health. One of the presenters is a Jesuit Volunteer, and we continued our time together during dinner.

After we visited NJP, we walked over to the Yakima house for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps NW and had a community dinner with them. Four people who we had never met before invited us into their house and community for dinner and a lively conversation. One thing that stood out to me was their passion for making connections and community. We were able to hear about how they chose JVC, their service placements and what their role is, the history of the JVC house, and the fun things that they engage in. They also asked very thought-provoking questions about our immersion and what brought us here, which made me feel very welcomed in their community. Their generosity and kindness are something that I will always remember.

Instant Community

October 20, 2022 By Tyler

By Gus Smith

Yesterday (Tuesday), our group sat in on a class for native Spanish speakers who were learning English, run by an organization called Nuestra Casa. Leading up to our visit, I was nervous. I’d practiced Spanish with native speakers very sporadically, and feared that I wouldn’t be able to understand or keep up with the things they might say to me. Upon our arrival to the church building that houses Nuestra Casa’s classrooms and offices, that fear started to disappear. Those I met inside were some of the most caring and friendly people I’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with. The immediacy and energy with which they welcomed us broke any ice there might have been and allowed us to feel the level of relaxation necessary to form real connections. All of that happened before we even entered the classroom, but continued inside. The students, who were full grown adults, many with children, had a passion for learning and a desire to engage with us that made it really easy to give help when it was asked for, or offer it when it appeared necessary. That mix of factors created an instant community between all of us that I’ve rarely seen anywhere else. Everyone was appreciated, recognized, and included, and I’m very excited to return to Nuestra Casa tomorrow for our next class.

Inaba Farms

October 20, 2022 By Tyler

By Oswaldo Martinez, Raychel Brown and Rochus Sison

Today we visited Inaba Farms and talked to Lon Inaba. His family has owned this farm for three generations, but now he is selling it to the Yakama Nation. This will be a big step for the farm and the indigenous people reclaiming the land. He touched briefly on how chain grocery stores negatively impact the ‘growers’ – also known as the farmers. If produce is too big, too small, scuffed, or misshaped, they get thrown away because grocery stores don’t want them. The chains’ selectivity and idolization of the “perfect” produce leads to an accumulation of food waste.

Rural Immersion participants listen to Lon Inaba while in one of the buildings storing produce like squash.

We saw a perfectly good crate of green bell peppers all being donated to an organization because they didn’t fit the criteria of the superstores, which leads to growers having more cautions when picking and shipping produce. This gave us the ability to pick some ‘imperfect’ food of our own. We were able to pick our own bell peppers and squash to take back to the farm we are staying at.

Mr. Inaba believes to help fix this system we need to make sure to support local farmers by buying from local farms. He referred to this as being a “selective consumer”. This means knowing where your produce comes from and knowing the impact your purchase has on the food system.

The Power of Storytelling

March 10, 2022 By liwanag

Narratives or stories are powerful and show up in every part of our lives. We watch, listen, and learn about stories every single day of our lives. Stories are a retelling of characters’ experiences and their problems. The reason why we enjoy and attach ourselves to stories is that we want to understand how characters, settings, events, actions, interactions, and results are all interconnected with each other. However, the purpose of why stories are so important is that they create and re-create meaning(s) through interactions and public messages.

The importance of storytelling was a recurring theme that I experienced throughout the whole immersion, especially when we meet with Bruce from Vanport Mosaic. Vanport Mosaic is a memory-activism platform that amplifies, honors the present, and preserves the silenced histories that surround us to understand our present and create a future where we all belong. Vanport Mosiac amplifies the stories of Portland’s African American Community to expose the struggle, perseverance, and resilience that continues today.

The presentation of multiple first-person narratives exposed personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The things I learned from these narratives helped me understand more aspects of Vanport. Beatrice shared that she didn’t realize she was homeless until later in her life. Jackie shared that they had to learn to meet people and experience new cultures in Vanport because everyone who lived in Vanport was from other parts of the country. Lurlene shared that people don’t talk about Vanport. Lee talked about the segregation in the city of Portland, but also in Vanport. Ben shared that there are so many opportunities to hate, but you can use that hate to drive for change. Myrtle shared that she lost everything during the flood because people thought they could go back and get their stuff. Kent shared that getting on the street is easy by just organizing and educating those to create change. Donna shared that she didn’t just lose her house, but also her church, her parent’s business, and her community. Even though these are specific parts of each story that caught my attention, each story has so many more messages that are important for the history and experiences in Vanport. Listening to different stories exposes issues that were not brought up before and/or need to be discussed. Being an Organizational Communication major, listening to these stories helped me understand systems and structures that are purposely placed in our society.

The reason I signed up to participate in the North Portland Civil Rights Immersion was that I realized I did not have any historical knowledge about the city I reside in. The University has no aspect of the curriculum or an option to take a Portland history class. I felt like I needed to find a way to learn more about the history of Portland. Throughout this whole immersion, I have learned about the history of Vanport, the African American community, and so much more. The best part of this immersion was listening to every single narrative because each one was unique. Having over a year left of my educational journey, I can’t rely on the classroom to be my only source of historical knowledge. Sometimes you have to seek out history and deal with the real world on your own time.

By Bella Metcalf

Visiting New Columbia

March 10, 2022 By liwanag

Tuesday, March 1st was a day spent engaging with the community and getting to know how people interact and build community despite change. Previously during this immersion, we had learned about the Columbia Villa, a public housing site that housed predominantly low-income people of color. In 2001 the neighborhood received a grant that enabled the revitalization of Columbia Villa into New Columbia. We spent the day visiting the neighborhood with the goal of understanding what life was like, and how the revitalization efforts affected the residents.

We started the day meeting with Shalonna Jackson and Michael Mangum, two community organizers who work for Home Forward, which is an organization that focuses on blending affordable rental homes as well as owner-occupied homes to revitalize the New Columbia neighborhood. Shalonna and Michael spoke about their experiences with working with Home Forward as well as the history of the neighborhood.

Next, we talked to two women, Lei and Larena, who worked at the Charles Jorden Community Center in the New Columbia neighborhood. They spoke about the importance of the community center and how it plays a role in creating a sense of belonging for the residences.

Afterwards, our group spent time cleaning the neighborhoods’ community garden. During this we got the chance to speak with one of the members of the neighborhood. She told our group about how the garden provides a deep meaning to her because it gives her an outlet to engage with others in the community as well as spend time outdoors. To me, this encounter was significant because it made me realize how having a sense of belonging and community can be so impactful for peoples’ well-being. We ended our time at New Columbia talking with Charles, who works for the local grocery store in New Columbia. He shared his food, coffee, and experiences with our group.

Throughout all our interactions with people in New Columbia it was clear how passionate they were about their community and how eager they were to share their passion with our group. I left this experience feeling inspired to engage in my own community in a more meaningful way, as well as hopeful to the future of New Columbia because of the passion the community members expressed.

After our long day of visiting New Columbia, we went back to the Church where we were staying and invited member of the Church over to join us for dinner. Reverend Marva brought us her homemade pie, cake, and lasagna, all very delicious! We spent the night exchanging our stories and hearing about their personal experiences. We also learned about the Church’s history and how gentrification has led to the Church’s decline in membership.

Throughout the day I felt immense gratitude towards those who shared their stories with our group, as well as a gratitude for those who care deeply for their community. Getting to understand the passion and care people have for their community was contagious and made me want to engage in my own community more.

By Kari Thordarson

Imagining Home

March 10, 2022 By liwanag

Today we watched the movie “Imagining Home” which focused on the sense of community that existed in the Columbia Villa neighborhood and the effects of the renovation project that took place in 2003. This neighborhood was created during World War II as a homing community for shipyard workers, and after the war it became a public housing site. In the following decades this neighborhood faced economic and social isolation, a surge in violence and the buildings were in deteriorating conditions. In an effort to provide better living conditions for its residents Columbia Villa through the funding of the HOPE IV program were able to rebuild the neighborhood and integrate them more into the surrounding communities. With this renovation project people were forced to relocate for 2 years until the building of New Columbia ended. In this new community affordable and owner-occupied homes were integrated as to create a community with people of various social standings. Although, the project in the eyes of developers would revitalize this community that had been long forgotten families feared the end of a resilient community.

When watching the movie, a newer resident of the Villas said that those who look down on the community could end up there if a family member dies or if they lose their job; therefore, the line separating the Villas residents from the outside is very thin. This struck me as she shared her story about how she ended up there, especially since she owned a house with a white picket fence, which so many associate with the American dream. Unlike other people the Villas were a sign of hope for this woman and her family in their escape from domestic abuse, to keep going forward. Since the people who lived in that region were mostly low-income people of color, her narrative had a big impact on me as one’s financial situation can change abruptly and what we know to be true can change just as fast.

By Araceli Lara

Worldly Women in the Workforce

March 2, 2022 By Tyler

This morning we went on a walking tour around Northwest Portland. Roaming the industrial area between the Willamette River and Forest Park, Sarah Taylor taught us the history of the land. Focusing on this area alone, we learned about the intersectionality of air pollution, health, social justice, and racism. Since the Industrial Revolution, the people of this area – historically people of color – have been put at risk of health impacts related to air pollution from oil transport. Here, trains and trucks load and unload from Zenith Energy’s fuel storage facility. It was insane to learn how many tons of flammable crude oil were being stored next to the tree line of Forest Park. What made this storage location even more fascinating was that it was located on a fault line. If not moved, the next major earthquake will cause a massive oil spill and/or explosion.

*Our group with tour guide, Sarah Taylor, with the Cathedral Bridge in the background.*

This afternoon we planned to meet a few members of the Portland Harbor Community Coalition (PHCC) to learn about the superfund site – area of mass pollution — along the Willamette River. When we arrived at Cathedral Park, two women were waiting for us. By the time we finished introducing ourselves, there were a total of seven who came to meet with us from various organizations! As a senior and aspiring environmental activist, it was extremely powerful to hear from so many women in the environmental field. They explained the history of Superfunds as they were established under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act that was created in 1980. Most pollution associated with these Superfund Sites resulted from World War II ship-making before any environmental protections were adopted. As a result, we are forced to play catch-up to remediate both historical and more recent sources of pollution.

Talking individually with the women from the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and PHCC, I appreciated their excitement not just for their work but about helping us be able to join them in their efforts. Their enthusiasm made me excited to join the work force!

–By Julia Weinand

Small Efforts Lead to Great Contributions

March 7, 2020 By Tyler

Reflection by Meg Bender and Brittany D’Souza

It was our last full day on immersion and we spent our day today in the Columbia River Gorge. Mayor Arlene Burns and Peter from the Friends of the Gorge were our guides for the day. It started with a presentation, then they took us to Mosier. Mosier was the location of an oil car derailment in June of 2016. Luckily nobody was hurt but it opened their eyes to what could’ve been. This tragedy also became a focusing event for the community to become further engaged in climate activism. Mayor Burns taught us that small actions can have large positive outcomes. Her position as mayor is a volunteer position and she has devoted it to improving her community. Mosier has been represented in global conferences, including a gathering of mayors from major cities, such as Los Angeles and Houston, around the world in Chicago to commit their cities to the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. While Mosier with a population of 430 doesn’t scream major city, Mayor Burns has taken the hand that they’ve been dealt to the world stage. Proving that no matter how small you believe your contribution may be, it adds to a global effort.

Walking beside the train tracks where the oil train derailed

Later in the day, we took the time to get outside and explore the Gorge a bit more. We ended up on a hike at Horse Thief Butte, which provided amazing views of Mount Hood and the river below. As we rested after climbing up the Butte, we reflected on all the knowledge shared with us about the amazing body of water coursing below.

Hiking at Horsethief Butte with Mt. Hood in the background

Finally, we ended our day by meeting with a group of activists from the local high school. The student activists testified before their city council and eventually approved the plan. This provided experience around the difficulties in getting policy approved and challenges they faced as young advocates. Overall, they provided us hope and reminded us of the fire many of us carried as younger adults. The passion that they have is evident and we were inspired to have the courage to advocate in any possible way going forward.

In gratitude,

Brittany and Meg

Getting to Know the River

March 6, 2020 By Tyler

Reflection by Cindy Garibay and Molly Grimshaw

Today was our last morning in Portland. Although our wakeup time was the earliest so far, everyone was eager to get on the move. Over the past three days, we had heard from seven different organizations who shared their stories of environmental justice and advocacy in an urban setting. Although their perspectives were impactful, we felt as though there was a piece missing in the narrative. In search of this missing component, we traveled an hour east to Hood River, and could finally put a setting to the stories we had just learned about.

We began our day with an introduction to the Colombia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC). Their headquarters was located along the river, with gorgeous views of the Washington side of the gorge and the pristine water below. CRITFC is an organization that not only focuses on fish, but also community. They provide both technology and management to the four major tribal nations of the Columbia River: the Yakama, Warm Springs, Umatilla, and Nez Perce. The Executive Director of CRITC, Jaime Pinkham, emphasized the importance of recognizing the sovereignty of these nations, something we all tend to forget. This acknowledgement of their presence is directly connected to outsider activities in the river. Many of the livelihoods of the indigenous river peoples have been disrupted and destroyed by these activities, which in turn has been a direct threat to the core values of their culture. The construction of dams and railroads, as well as the seizing of native homelands, are some of the most impactful instances of these persisting problems. This was the perfect set-up for the rest of our day, where we continued to learn about the environmental and cultural impact of unwanted government intervention, as well as the deep connection the river has to the tribal nations.

Continuing our journey, we drove along the river to some different river access sites used by the tribal citizens. We learned about their fishing systems and the role CRITCF has in the processing stage of the operation. Our first stop also had gorgeous views of the river and the gorge, which further contextualized the information communicated to us throughout the week. Several of us had not previously viewed the river as anything other than a body of water, but this quickly changed when we got an up-close view. Standing at the edge of the bluff presented a vast, breathtaking view of the land, but a closer look revealed the details often overlooked by the common passerby. Scattered alongside the riverside were several fishing platforms, exposing the historical and persisting reliance of the tribal nations on the Columbia River. It was an eye-opening, yet peaceful moment for our entire group, which helped us transition into our final leg of the day’s adventure.

We arrived at the Celilo Village mid-afternoon. Jaime, who had been leading us on our jaunt around the Columbia River Gorge, introduced us to a community who had been living along the banks of the river for thousands of years. We were escorted into the village’s longhouse, their central meeting place for all important events. Inside, we met four generations of tribal citizens who shared the history of their society, as well as their individual testimonies about what life was like growing up removed from the modern world. Family, we learned, is the core of what they believe in. Their children are raised in the traditions of their ancestors, and it is expected of them to continue their way of life. When reflecting on this, our group became aware of the prevalence of individualism in American culture, and the stark contrast in ideologies that are taught to us by our society. However, for this tribal community, the preservation of their customs is crucial to their survival. Language also plays an important role in the safeguarding of their identity. The chief of Celilo Village explained to our group that there was so much more to what he was teaching us, but the lack of direct translation from their native language to English made it impossible to fully encapsulate its true meaning. With this in mind, we more clearly understood the significance of preserving their culture, and the dire consequences if it was lost. After listening intently for three hours, we were all feeling the effects of a long day, but one of the elder women, Gloria, sent us on our way with a piece of uplifting knowledge. She explained that, in her native language, there was no direct translation for the word “goodbye”. Instead, they part ways with a word meaning “I love you”. This was a simple but highly profound way to form a connection between us and them, and a really nice end to our long day. With our hearts full of knowledge and our bellies full of salmon, we went on our way, reflecting on what we had been taught, and our understanding of the role we play in this ongoing story.

In community,

Cindy and Molly