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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 2012)
PaSe 4 _____________________________________ ^fJovtlatth (©bserucr____________________ October3. 2012 Study Looks at Gentrified Portland Young college graduates move here and stay (AP) — Portland may not be "a city where young people go to re tire," but it’s the place they go to be underemployed, a new study found. A famous quip by Fred Armisen on the television show "Portlandia" led Portland State University re searchers to investigate the reality behind the comment. The quirky IFC network series pokes fun at the Oregon city's many eccentricities. The researchers' review found that Portland is a magnet for the young and college educated from across the country, even though a disproportionate share of them are working part-time or holding jobs that don't require a degree. In short, young college grads are moving here, and staying, because they like the city's amenities and culture, not because they're chas ing jobs. Their participation in the labor force tracks with other cities, but they make 84 cents on the dollar when compared to the average of the 50 largest metropolitan areas, the research found. "You put all of that together, and it suggests that young people are coming here and they're trying to make the best of it," said Greg Schrock, an assistant professor in urban studies at PSU. "They're com mitted to working, they're commit ted to trying to make ends meet, but they're more committed to living in Portland." Young people are drawn by a relatively low cost of living, a vi brant arts scene and a collegial, laid- back atmosphere. With abundant public transit, a vibrant bicycle cul ture and many walkable neighbor hoods, there's no need for a car. "I'm pretty content being able to support myself on a minimum-wage job," said Deanna Horton, 22, who graduated in May from Lewis & Clark college and is now working the front desk at a science museum. Horton doesn't have a driver's li cense, but she said the only time she's ever felt she needed one was A young couple enjoys the view o f Mount Hood from Washington Park. (AP photo) when she moved across town. A transplant from Syosset, N. Y., on Long Island, Horton said she'd love to have a more challenging and fulfilling job — but not enough to give up on a city that supports things like a neighborhood tool library, which gives residents free access to a wide variety of tools for carpentry, home improvement and gardening. "I feel like my job prospects in other places would be really good," she said, looking over the top of her Apple com puter at the popular Stumptown Coffee. "But I don't want to try." Portland's reputation as the place young people go to retire was ce m en ted w ith a sk etch on "Portlandia." The PSU researchers studied Census data from 1980 to 2010 with a focus on young people, ages 21 to 39, with a college de gree. They found that the m igra tion o f those people to Portland had already begun in 1980 and was consistent throughout the 20- year span. Portland was the only m ajor city that never saw a lull in migration, even during recessions. The data suggest that young people continue flocking to Port land, in good times and in bad. And they're coming from places large and small. While young col lege graduates tend to move to larger metro areas, Portland had a net gain in migration from cities large and small. Come Out for Our Families! We believe all our families have so much in common: we struggle to access healthy food, quality education, affordable healthcare, and housing. Our families also face discrimination that prevents us from thriving in our workplaces and our neighbor hoods. As families of color, we experience unique challenges as we work to keep our homes, our jobs, and our health. These struggles affect Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) families of color in very unique ways. LGBT families of color are part of the fabric of our com munity and members of our own families. Alliance of M inority Chambers Causa Oregon Farmworker Housing Development Corporation Latino Network Lewis & Clark Law School Native American Youth and Family Center Northwest Health Foundation Oregon Action Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) Oregon's Farmworker Union Unfortunately, some of our LGBT family members do not feel our community's full support. So, in honor of National Coming Out Day, we are coming out as friends, fam ily and public allies of LGBT families of color. We believe our communities are stron gest when all families - extended families, multi-generational families, single-parent families and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families - have the resources, re spect and love they need to thrive. We believe it's time to come out in support of all our families. Join us! Mariotta Gary-Smith, Health Educator, Multnomah County Health Department Lorena Manzo Lead Organizer, Causa Oregon Larry Roper, Vice Provost for Student Affairs, Oregon State University Sharon J. Gary-Smith, Executive Director, McKenzie River Gathering Foundation Nichole J. Maher Northwest Health Foundation Carmen Rubio Executive Director, Latino Network Avel Louise Gordly Jason Mak Diana Ruiz Lisa Reed Guarnero Donna Maxey Commissioner, City of Portland Human Rights Roy Hunter Sampsel, Executive Director, Institute for Tribal Government, PSU Joe McFerrin II, President/CEO, Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC) June Arima Schumann, Board co-chair, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) Jilma Meneses, Chief Diversity Officer, Portland State University Ty Schwoefferman, Health Equity Organizer, Urban League of Portland Captain Kevin Modica Portland Police Bureau, Youth Services Division Sho Shigeoka Emi Hanawa School Psychologist, Portland Public Schools Levi Herrera-Lopez, Executive Director, Mono a Mono Family Center Portland African American Leadership Forum Linda Hornbuckle, Community Health Special ist, Multnomah County Health Department Portland Japanese American Citizens League M iki Hunnicut Portland State University Rich Iwasaki Portland Japanese American Citizens League Alberto Moreno, Executive Director, Oregon Latino Health Coalition- Kayse Jama, Executive Director, Center for Intercultural Organizing Matt Morton, Executive Director, Native American Youth and Family Center Dante James, Director, City of Portland Office of Equity and Human Rights Thach Nguyen, Asian Pacific American Net work of Oregon (APANO) Annabelle Jaram illo Commissioner, Benton County Melissa “ M im i” Nolledo Chairperson, Eugene/Springfield Asian Council Roy Jay, Executive Director, Alliance of Minority Chambers Pam Phan, Member, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) Roberto Jimenez, Executive Director, Farmworker Housing Development Corporation Lolenzo T. Poe, Jr. Chief Equity and Diversity Officer, Portland Public Schools J.B. Kim, Assistant Dean, Diversity and Academic Resources, Lewis & Clark Law School Vera Poole Multnomah County Sherriff Larry Kleinman, Secretary-Treasurer, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) Oregon's Farmworker Union Midge Purcell, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy, Urban League of Portland Urban League of Portland (All other organizations listed for affiliation purposes only.) Donny Adair, President, Donny Adair Consulting Tina Adair, Membership Services Representative, Kaiser Permanente David Barrios Native Community Member Andrae L. Brown Associate Professor, Lewis & Clark College Cyreena Boston Ashby Portland African American Leadership Forum Jo Ann (Bowman) Hardesty Karol Collymore Gerald Deloney Se-ah-dom Edmo, Tribal & Diversity Outreach, Lewis & Clark College Paul Knauls Community Leader Susan Leedham, Co-president, Portland Japanese American Citizens League {JACL) Antoinette Edwards, Director, City of Portland’s Office of Youth Violence Prevention, Co-Founder of PFLAG Portland Black Chapter Thomas Le Ngo, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) Keith Edwards International Business Representative, IBEW Francisco Lopez Executive Director, Causa Oregon www.basicnghts.org/ourfamilies Guadalupe Quinn, Program Coordinator, Immigrant Rights Advocacy Program (Amigos) Gauri Rajbaidya Rev. W illiam Sinkford Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church Commissioner Loretta Smith District 2, Multnomah County Channbunmorl (Chom) Sou, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) Lamar Tillman, Outreach Coordinator, Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette Tricia Tillman, Administrator, Office of Equity and Inclusion Sheila Warren, President, Portland Parent Union Myrna-Yvonne Williams, African American AIDS Awareness Action Alliance (A6) Ron Williams, Executive Director, Oregon Action Jean Yamamoto, Co-president, Portland Japanese American Citizens League Anita Yap I V Ramon Ramirez Presidente, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) Oregon's Farmworker Union Liani Reeves General Counsel, Office of the Governor I •♦s • • •< Suk Rhee, Vice President, Planning & Operations, Northwest Health Foundation E l H ispanic N ews —— — W W » » l h I <»* Official Latino & LGBTQ publications for BRO OUr FAMILIES A project of Basic Rights Oregon
