Portland observer., January 09, 2019, Page Page 15, Image 15

January 9, 2019
Page 15
photo by D anny p eterson /t he p ortlanD o bserver
Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty introduces her staff after being sworn into office on Jan. 2. Pictured (from left) are Administrative Assistant Angelita Morillo
, Chief of Staff Karly Edwards, Policy Advisor Derek Bradley, Commissioner Hardesty, Community Outreach Coordinator Matt McNally, Financial Policy Advisor Kristen
Johnson and Communications Director Lokyee Au.
A New Seat of Power
C ontinueD froM f ront
She encouraged her supporters
and others who filled the City
Hall chambers to continue to hold
elected officials, including herself,
accountable.
“I look forward to what we’re
going to be able to do as Port-
landers together. And I want to
remind you that this is only day
one,” Hardesty said. “You need to
come back to this chamber. If this
chamber looked like this every
day, what a difference the city of
Portland would be.”
“Keep coming back, keep
making sure your voice is heard.
‘Cause that’s why you elected me,
to make sure your voice was in
this chamber,” she added.
Hardesty’s first day in office
came with a City Council session
that began with some disorderly
and disruptive visitors who had
to be escorted out of the chamber
shortly after she was sworn in.
One of her first actions as a City
Commissioner was voting to put
in place the next steps for enacting
an open and accountable elections
measure that voters approved in
the fall.
Mayor Ted Wheeler welcomed
Hardesty to the council, calling
her inauguration “historic.” He
has given her oversight responsi-
bilities for the Portland Fire Bu-
reau, the 911 service departments,
emergency management bureau,
and firefighters’ pensions—the
former assignments of Saltzman’s.
During a press meet and greet
hours after her taking office, Hard-
esty cited houselessness as her
number one priority, and spoke of
working with the 9-11 Call Cen-
ter to integrate more mental health
professionals into the emergency
dispatch and changing the way
emergency responses are carried
out.
”We’ve invested a lot of money
in police. We haven’t invested that
much in the 9-11 Call Center or
the Fire Department or the Bureau
of Emergency Services, and so
having a conversation and high-
lighting that this is the rest of the
public safety system, and we’re
failing that system miserably, will
help us be able to divert money to
invest in those other parts of the
system,” she said.
After congratulating Hardesty
and offering his support, Mayor
Wheeler cited the historical signif-
icance of her seat as a woman of
color on the Portland City Coun-
cil, and for women in government
generally, in Portland.
“You will feel the pressure of
that history, for better or for worse.
You have my commitment to work
with you and help you make that
historic moment count for people
in this community,” Wheeler said.
Po’Shines Café De La Soul, the soul food cafe serving north and northeast Portland, will be
hosting their annual chitlin festival on Friday, Jan. 11 and Saturday, Jan. 12.
A variety of dishes for both seasoned and curious eaters to try, including fried chitlins, chitlin
mac and cheese, traditional stewed chitlins and more will be served at the PoShine’s Café at 8139
N. Denver Ave.
Since Po’Shines opened its doors in the summer of 2006 as part of a mission of providing great
food and service while giving youth and young adults an opportunity to get job training and experi-
ence in the culinary world. Over the last 10 years, Po’Shines has not only grown into an established
Portland soul food restaurant, but has also helped many individuals on their road back to success.
Po’Shines is now opening a Culinary School on Northeast Alberta Street that will provide a to go
and catering menu. In addition offering classes on healthy eating alternatives for diabetic and people
suffering from high blood pressure and just good down home cooking classes. We have acquired
materials and equipment to create a more suited learning and training environment in hopes to help
even more individuals to find their passion in the culinary arts with the help of our community spon-
sors and donations.
“When we started, we had no idea what we were in for,” said John Tolbert general manager of
Po฀Shines, “but day by day, piece by piece, person by person, everything has seemed to fall into
place, and now we are able do things and help people in ways that we never could have imagined.”
Chitlins are not something often seen in the city of Portland, let alone the Northwest, however
staff at Po’Shines weren’t surprised by the turnout at last year’s event, and the request for chitlins
throughout the year. In addition to plenty of good food, the two day festival will also feature local
music.
This is the 11th year that Po’Shines has brought the rare southern cuisine of chitlins (also called
chitterlings or The Calamari of the Ghetto!) to our Portland diners. We appreciate the opportunity to
reflect on our slave ancestors who took Chitlins, pig intestines, and made it into a wonderful delight.
In honor of their suffering and sacrifice we celebrate this wonderful event.
The Chitlin Fest will be on Friday, Jan. 11 and Saturday, Jan. 12 from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. at
Po’Shines, located at 8139 N. Denver. For more information call Po’Shines at 503-978-9000.