Labor Arts Fest draws
accolades for its quality
Accolades have
been pouring in from
those attending the
first-ever Pacific
Northwest Labor
Arts Festival held
Nov. 10 at Portland
State University.
November is La-
bor History Month in
Oregon, and to help
celebrate this year,
the Labor History
Committee of the
Northwest Oregon
Labor Council decided to throw a fes-
tival.
The idea was the brainchild of Jim
Cook (pictured above center singing),
chair of the Labor History Committee
and recently retired member of Letter
Carriers Branch 82.
The festival featured singers, au-
thors, poets, filmmakers and painters.
They displayed their talents at various
venues at Portland State over an
eight-hour period Saturday, Nov. 10.
“Attendance wasn’t what we had
hoped,” Cook said. “But we learned
from this. Next year, I think we will
spread it out so that smaller events are
held throughout the month.”
Not surprisingly, Cook said he had
a difficult time getting the general
media to promote the labor event. “I
saw a couple of short blurbs prior to
the festival, but nothing more than
that,” he said.
The lineup of artists was stellar. It
included nationally-renowned
singer/songwriter Anne Feeney; her
©2004 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest
husband, Julie
Leonardsson, a
noted political
and labor artist
who hails from
Sweden; Port-
land hip-hop
artist Mic Cren-
shaw; and banjo
master Dick
Weissman.
Weissman, once
toured with the
legendary Jour-
neymen, along
with John Phillips (Mamas & Pa-
pas) and Scott McKenzie (If You Go
To San Francisco, Be Sure To Wear
Some Flowers In Your Hair).
“I have to admit, I was a bit skepti-
cal that Jim could pull this off. But he
did, and it was wonderful,” said Judy
O’Connor, executive secretary-treas-
urer of the Northwest Oregon Labor
Council.
Numerous unions donated money
to help pay for the venues, talent,
printing and other costs. Despite the
contributions, the festival, which was
free to the public, suffered a deficit.
Cook wound up paying $1,500 out of
pocket to cover the costs.
Contributions are still being ac-
cepted. Checks can be sent to the NW
Oregon Labor Council in care of the
Labor History Committee at 1125 SE
Madison, Suite 100-D, Portland,
97214.
For more information about the
Labor Arts Festival, go to their Web
site at www.nwlaborarts.org.
Ha pp y
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f o r R et i re d A me ri ca n s
THE voice for anyone who cares
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www.orara.org
*The typical American household is on track
to retire with 58% of its pre-retirement income.
(Wall Street Journal)
PAGE 14
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
DECEMBER 21, 2007