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September 28. 2011
Unity
c o n t i n u e d f r o m page 13
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P hotos by M indy C ooper /T he P ortland O bserver
Every day at Project Grow, a progressive program for adults with mental diversities, community
member Lama feeds the goats that live on the lawn o f the non-profit’s artist studio and gallery in
north Portland, where she always incorporates the animals into her artwork.
IliV C
11C 1C .
Larna, another artist within
to grow closer to integration the program, agreed.
and work opportunities. “The
She was painting the largest
trouble with the model was work she has ever attempted,
that it wasn’t as temporary as capturing the community goats
it was intended to be,” she with shades of purple, pink and
said. “Jobs were supposed to yellow. Although she loves
be received, but it is problem­ painting, Larna is paid by Port
atic in the way it still segre­ City for her work with the
gates adults with disabilities.” goats. Every m orning she
The jobs offered in the past, brushes them and makes sure
she said, were often demean­ they have food and water.
ing because many of them
The original proposal of
didn’t pay minimum wage. “It Project Grow included an art
is written in the law that you studio and an urban farm as
can pay people with disabili­ part of the alternative model.
ties below minimum wage if “This was always part of the
they don’t perform to stan­ vision—to be a part of the sys­
dards.”
tem to change it from within,”
Ilyes said, however, the she said.
lower wages were not because
Today, Project Grow, which
the worth of the employees is funded by the state, has
was less, but because the work grown to 48 artists and urban
opportunities available didn’t farmers who practice there
fit the individual’s abilities. “For every day. “With each indi­
decades, folks who were a part v id u al, we have certain
of it weren’t offered the op­ amounts of dollars we get from
portunity to grow,” she said. the state,” Ilyes said. “And
“So this is where Project Grow w e’re rather fortunate be­
came in.”
cause we also have an incred­
At the studio, Dan, a mem­ ibly supportive community.”
ber of the program, draws
In addition to the art gallery
checkers and thoughtfully fills and studio, the program has
in the squares with several almost 2 acres of urban farm
shades of colored pencils. “I land that provides fresh pro­
think about designs all the duce to individuals throughout
time,” he said. As one of the the neighborhood and a core
original artists at Project Grow, group of seven staff collabora­
he explained he has been work­ tors, dozens of volunteers and
ing in the art space for “a long a large number of individuals
time.”
from throughout the commu­
Before becoming a member nity.
of the program, Dan said he
“I t’s truly an incredible
did pane work, sorted hangers sp a c e ,”
said
T im othy
and labeled bottles. He said, Donovan, the farm director for
however, he is happier to be Project Grow. He said every­
creating art, and “everybody is one has the opportunity to be-
R()11 H C l H d o 11 Local Educator and National Ac
ctivist
Read Ron Herndon's weekly column, "Parent's Corner"
Wc arc pleased to have Ron as part of our editorial team.
He kings wonderful insight to our city.”
C.hiKk Washington,
Portland Observer Publisher
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