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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 10, 2002)
.lu h w \\ u .p o r tlu iid o h s c n er.eom C o m m itte d to C u ltu ra l l)h e rs it> HI, 2(102 “ffiiidgÂtity fPavtCand ô Catntnunitieô” ttt n in tn n n itu a I e tt h a r World Affairs Council Hafez A l-M irazi, the W ashington Bureau C h ief for A l-Jazeera will be speaking in Portland at a W orld A ffairs Council M onthly H eadline Forum event on T hursday, July 25, noon tim e at the G overnor Hotel, S.W. 10'h and Alddf. He will be d is cussing the role o f A l-Jazeera as an instrument o f dem ocracy in the Arab world. Call 503-274-7488. East Portland Nibble On Saturday, July 20, the East P ort land Com m unity C enter hosts their annual East Portland N ibble. This is a fun, fam ily-oriented sum m ertim e event that includes m usic, dance, fine art exhibits, petting zoo and other activities. Event is from noon time until 8 p.m. at 740 S.E. 106,h Ave. Admission is free. Call 503-823-3450. Adopt-a-Pet Fair W hat do pets, vets, m usic, horses, mascots and microchips have in com m on? They are all featured at the O regon Humane S o ciety ’s 6'h an nual Adopt-a-Pet Fair. It will be held July 2 7 - 2 8 at 1067 N.E. Colum bia Blvd. Call 503-285-7722 or visit w w w .oregonhum ane.org. Pearl District Farmer’s Market Rounding out the w eekly schedule is the Thursday evening farm er's m arket, now in its second year in the c ity ’s trendy Pearl D istrict, betw een N.W . Flanders and G lisan St. The m arket will stay open until Sept. 12, from 4 -8 p .m . Lead Poisoning Prevention Workshop The most com m on sources o f lead poisoning are found in and around homes. Come to a w orkshop and learn about the effects and sources o f lead poisoning; how to test for lead; and prevention tips. The class will be on Saturday, July 24, from 6:30 p.m .- 8 p.m. at 422 N.E. Alberta. Call 503-284-4962 to register. Soul Chain Links Soul Sisters Family finds livelihood happiness in craft by D avid P lechl T he P ortland O bserver The first link in the Soul Chain is mom. The next couple o f links are sisters, Mona McDonald and Phyllis Black. From there, come all the friends, family, and other artists that have helped them along the way. Crocheting is there life, bu, it all began with their mother Audrey, that very first link. “My mother is the master behind all o f it,” says McDonald, who owns the clothing store with her sister Phyllis, “actually, she taught us how to crochet.” Mona was about eight years old. She remembers being curious, but also thinks her mother probably pushed her and her sister just a bit. “I told them, all little girls should know how to knit,” said Audrey, “1 just taught them the basics and their imagina tions went wild.” From those humble beginnings, no one foresaw that they would eventually open a clothing store called Soul Chain at 2324 N.E. Alberta St., showcasing a collage o f finely crafted handmade tops, dresses, hats and bikinis. Only a couple years ago, McDonald was totally burnt out, frustrated with jobs and overbearing bosses; She wanted to go into work for herself, even though she didn ’t have any idea o f what she wanted to do. And, she hadn’t crocheted in over twenty years. “1 am a spiritual person, so I began to pray,” she explains, “Lord, whatever it is you want me to do, I’ll do it. 1 picked up a needle. I made a sweater, and it was beautiful, so I thought, this is what I am supposed to be doing,” Meanwhile, sister Phyllis and a girlfriend were thinking about opening some kind o f shop. The pieces were falling into place. Black was already crocheting hats, gloves and scarves and selling them out ofher mother’s home. McDonald painted and did interior design work on the side. Between them, they figured they had their bases covered. continued 'y f on page .46 Mona McDonald crochets a dress at the handmade clothing store she owns with her sister Phyllis Black on Alberta St. called Soul Chain. photo by D avid P i . ec hl /T he P ortland O bserver Hollywood Senior Center The H ollyw ood Senior Center, lo cated at 1820 N.E. 4O'\ will be having a show ing o f “ Harry Potter and the S o rcerer's Stone” on Friday, July 26,1 p.m .T he centeralso holds regu lar book discussion groups. Call the center for Ju ly ’s selection and m eet ing time. N ew com ers are alw ays welcome. Call 503-288-8303. Neighborhood Petition Saves Tree Dave Duncan signs a neighborhood petition that ultimately saved this tree from being cut by the city. The construction of a new bus stop platform will eliminate two o f the three trees on the block in front of the Starry Rose Coffee Shop on Alberta St. Domestic Violence Exhibit A pow erful display o f life-sized fe male silhouettes tells the story o f O regon women who lost their lives through dom estic violence. There will be a view ing and a program at The Bahai Center, 8720 N. Ivanhoe St., from 10 a.m .-4 :3 0 p.m. on Satur day, Aug. 10. Call 503-289-1472. Blue Lake Park Events M etro’s Blue Lake Regional Park offers N aturally for Kids, a sum m er events program forchildren to learn how to make nature crafts at the Clatsop picnic shelter, from 10 a.m. - 11a.m. on W ednesday, July 17. Kids can create their own w ildlife scene from clay. The park is located b e tween M arine Dr. and Sandy Blvd., ofTN.E. 223"1 Ave. Call 503-797-1850. Trauma and Transformation The T rauma Relief o f Services o f the N orthw est in Beaverton is present ing a w orkshop on innovative ap proaches to resolving trauma. There will be a main pre-conference on Aug. 2 1, a main conference on Aug. 22 - 23 and a post-conference. Aug 25 - 28. Registration is necessary. Call 503-526-0838. photo bv D avid P i . echl New Business Center Opens for Minority Entrepreneurs Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs expands with facility serving Gresham The Oregon Association o f Minority Entrepreneurs has just opened the doors to their new 8,000 square foot Rockwood facility at 18725 S.E. Stark, serving small and large businesses in Rockwood and Gresham. Fred Meyer is donating the facility, which includes the old “Satellite" restau- I rant and several vacant storefronts, for 10-years, rent-free. The new facility will be an incubator for m inority-ow ned, women-owned, and emerging small businesses - housing as many as eight businesses. OAMF. officials said the site will also host an incubator “without walls," which I means its services will also be available to businesses not physically housed within the facility. Current potential tenants include a beauty salon business, bakery and public agency. OAME has been in the forefront o f promoting and developing minority people, places, and clusters. A main outcome in this program will be to provide individuals the support and access to common re sources. which will lead to ownership, wealth, and jobs for the community. Formorc information, contact Kristine Leibrand, Gresham Business Assistance Coordinator at 503-618-2854 or Jorge Guerra, OAME director at 503-249-4477. I
