Portland News and Events for March 27 Through April 2015

PHOTO: The Fourth Annual Inner City Blues Festival is Saturday, April 11. The event – a benefit for the single-payer health reform movement -- features Norman Sylvester and a host of Northwest music all-stars. Also on hand are food, drinks and desserts available for sale, with a no host bar and community information tables, raffle prizes and silent auction. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., the show runs from 6 p.m. till midnight, at the North Portland Eagles Lodge, 7611 N. Exeter at Lombard. Proceeds go to support the work of Health Care for All-Oregon. This year’s festival will honor the memories of Janice Scroggins, Linda Hornbuckle, Jim Miller, Mel Solomon, Geneva Knauls and Lucinda Tate. Tickets are available on www.tickettomato.com; at Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside St.; Geneva’s Shear Perfection, 5601 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.; and Musicians Local 99, 325 NE 20th St. For more information go to www.hcao.org or www.facebook.com/healingthehealthcareblues.

Pan-Africa Young Leaders Social Impact Fair

The World Affairs Council of Oregon holds a special event to see how Africa's Young Leaders are envisioning the future of social Change in their communities, Friday, March 27, from 3:30-4:45 p.m. at the June Key Delta Community Center, 5940 N. Albina St.

Come meet the Pan-Africa Young Leaders and learn about the action projects they have developed to address social issues in their communities.
Visiting Oregon through the State Department’s Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Program, these 19 students and teachers have come from Angola, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria and Zambia to learn how young people are making an impact here in the U.S. The Social Impact Fair will exhibit the ideas and innovations they will use to bring positive social change back home.

Join us for this free event and see how young people are tackling the issues that shape modern Africa.

For more information call the World Affairs Council of Oregon at 503-306-5252 or go to www.worldoregon.org.

Drivers Urgently Needed for Meals on Wheels

Individuals, corporations, civic or ecumenical groups are needed that can deliver Meals on Wheels to homebound seniors in the North Portland area on weekdays.

Deliver once a week or once a month with a pick-up at the Two Rivers Center, located in the Charles Jordan Community Center, 9009 N. Foss.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license, their own car, vehicle insurance and will have to undergo a criminal background check.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 503-953-8210

Sybrina Fulton at Community Event

The African American Alliance in collaboration with sponsoring organization, the YWCA of Greater Portland, is coordinating a community unity event featuring special guest, Sybrina Fulton, mother of 17 year old Trayvon Martin who was attacked and murdered in 2012.

Fulton will share her powerful inspirational message on “Empowering Our Youth,” Monday, April 13, from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. at Maranatha Church, 4222 NE 12th Ave. Please plan to arrive by 6:15 pm since seating is limited.

The program will include spoken word, poetry, and music from our youth and other community members. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information please leave a message at 503-288-8429.

Hip-Hop Benefit Concert for 14-year-old Girl with Cancer, Hep C

A benefit concert to aid 14-year-old Liliana Marfil in her fight against surmounting medical bills is set to feature some of the top talent in Portland hip-hop.
The day-long affair starts at 1 p.m. April 18 and will feature a host of emcees including (but not limited to) the likes of Mic Crenshaw, Mic Capes, Swiggle-Mandela, Elton Cray and Talilo of RLM entertainment.

This all-ages day of celebration entertainment will not just be live hip-hop.

A ‘scratch-off’ battle between DJ’s is also featured, along with Filipino food available for purchase.

Millennium Studios is also offering two two-hour recording at their facilities for auction as well.

All proceeds raised will be used towards to costs of Liliana’s medical expenses.

For more information on the event visit the official page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1030100810351884/

To donate to Liliana Marfil’s medical expenses now visit the official Gofundme page: http://www.gofundme.com/lillianacancer

Public Feedback Sought Regarding Police On-Body Cameras

The Portland Police Bureau is currently researching on-body cameras for police officers and would like to hear from the community about this important topic. The Bureau believes that the use of on-body cameras by police officers can improve community relationships, build trust and enhance officer accountability.

This link has been created for you to provide your feedback, input and concerns. http://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/521411

Questions to consider include:

• Privacy issues that concern you.
• How to use the technology during sensitive investigations: domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, response to care for someone needing mental health assistance?
• Should footage be available to anyone who asks (this could include victim interviews, interior of homes, children or uninvolved community members, etc.)?
• Once footage is released, should there be any restrictions on sharing and posting that video?

Other thoughts, suggestions or concerns you may have should also be shared regarding on-body cameras.

Give feedback on the website or send a letter to: Chief Larry O'Dea, Re: On-Body Cameras, 1111 SW 2nd Avenue, Room 1526, Portland, OR 97204.

Portland Seniors invited to Giving Forward Workshop

Those older than 50 are invited to attend a Giving Forward Workshop to learn ways to make a lasting difference in the world. The workshop will be held at the Overlook House, 2829 N. Melrose Dr., Portland, Saturday, April 25, at 8:30 a.m. and is sponsored by SAGE, Senior Advocates for Generational Equity.
Portland-based SAGE seeks to inspire older adults to give forward their time, talent and passion to enable younger and future generations to thrive. Call 971-717-6570 for more information.

The public also is invited to attend the free MusicianFest Performance Series April 21 and April 28, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Hollywood Senior Center, 1820 NE 40 Ave., Portland.

Also during April and May, the Hollywood Senior Center is hosting a new class on visual storytelling. Classes will be held on Thursdays, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., running April 16 through May 21.

For a full schedule of events at the North Portland Senior Center and the Hollywood Senior Center, visit hollywoodseniorcenter.org and click on the “What’s New” tab.

The Friends of the Multnomah County Library’s Annual Spring Used Book Sale

More than 20,000 items will be offered at the Friends of the Multnomah County Library’s Annual Spring Used Book Sale the weekend of April 17-19 in the Gresham Station shopping center, 1271 NW Civic Dr., Gresham.

Proceeds from the sale benefit the Multnomah County Library.

Kicking things off is a Members-Only Night on Friday, April 17th, from 6 PM to 9 PM. Annual memberships start at $10 for individuals and $15 for families. Memberships can be purchased at any time, including at the door Friday night.

• Admission is free to the public on Saturday 9 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 4 PM.
• Sunday will be a 50 percent off Discount Day on all remaining regular items.

The sale offers 20,000 items at great prices. Hardcover and quality trade paperbacks start at $2, mass market paperbacks and children’s books at 50 cents, CDs at $2, and DVDs at $3. Also available in this new and used collection are audio books, pamphlets, sheet music, and maps in good to excellent condition.

The sale space is at 1271 NW Civic Drive in the northwest corner of the Gresham Station shopping center. Free parking is available, and the site is served by TriMet No. 4 bus on Division and MAX—use the Civic Drive stop one block north.

May Day Fundraiser for Black Midwives

Come celebrate International Midwives Month with a special screening of "Bringin' In Da Spirit," an evocative and passionate documentary that celebrates the history of the Black midwives who committed themselves to holistic answers in the face of powerful misconceptions about the practice of midwifery and virulent opposition from practitioners of Western medicine. Narrated by Phylicia Rashad, this film won the Paul Robeson Award Initiative Special Prize, FESPACO, Burkina Faso, 2005.

After the film, Shafia Monroe will moderate a panel discussion with Pastor E.d. Mondiane, Mariah Taylor and Willie Poinsette with reflections on the film and their stories about the midwives in their lives, the role that Black midwives play today and how to get more women to become midwives. After the discussion join the panelist, guests and the ICTC members for refreshments, socializing and purchase ICTC -T-shirts.

For more information go to www.ictcmidwives.org.

Portland Rescue Mission Seeks Presents for Annual Birthday Party for Homeless

On Monday, May 11, hundreds of Portland-area people in need will celebrate their birthday at Portland Rescue Mission’s seventh annual Birthday Party for the Homeless, at the Mission’s Burnside Shelter in downtown Portland. The Mission seeks birthday presents and cards from the community to provide each guest to help them feel loved and remembered.

The Birthday Party celebration includes music, games, decorations, gift bags, and a special dinner for all guests, thanks to the generosity of our community partners including Fred Meyer, Beaverton Toyota and A Jesus Church - Bridgetown.

Community members can support the birthday celebration by donating a gift of $16 to provide 10 hot, nutritious meals for people in need. Participants can also download a birthday card template, and all cards should be mailed by May 4 to Portland Rescue Mission at P.O. Box 3713 Portland, OR 97208. For more information, visit www.portlandrescuemission.org/birthday.

Wealth Inequality Talk Commemorating Earth Day

On April 15 at 7 p.m. in Cone Chapel, Willamette University will host a student-led interdisciplinary discussion about capitalism and climate change. Featuring four of the university’s leading faculty experts, the event is free and open to the public.

Participants include: Nathan Sivers Boyce, chair of the university’s economics department; Wendy Petersen Boring, chair of the history department; William Smaldone, E. Jerry Whipple Professor of History; and Elliot Maltz, marketing professor for the university’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management.

These distinguished scholars will contribute their expertise to a conversation that identifies how the structure of our economy contributes to climate change and rising wealth inequality. The inquiry and discussion is focused on identifying solutions, and the students leading the effort hope that this is the first of many such discussions across the state.

For more Portland and Seattle area events, check our Community Calendar.