Penson
Takes Oath
A Legacy of Portland Culture
‘City
of
Roses’
Table set for Vanport Jazz Festival
See Metro, page 6
Volume XLVIII • Number 27
Begins term
on Portland
Community
College board
See Local News, page 3
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • July 24, 2019
Established in 1970
Committed to Cultural Diversity
New Roots on MLK
Photo by J oshua J ames h uff P hotograPhy
Alberta Commons businesses owners (pictured from left) Dayna Reed, Theotis “Uncle Theo” Cason, Cole Reed, and Jamaal and Christina Lane, and Philip Read of Majestic
Realty, celebrate the replanting of roots in historic heart of Portland’s black community during Saturday’s grand opening celebration. The new shopping plaza at 5015 N.E.
Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. cultivates African American culture and prosperity by making affordable commercial space available for local businesses owned by people of
color and promoting a local hiring program.
Alberta Commons business owners celebrate
d anny P eterson
t he P ortland o bserver
The importance of cultivating African American culture
and prosperity and replanting roots in the historic heart of
Portland’s black community was the theme of Saturday’s
public grand opening celebration for the Alberta Commons
project, “Dream Street” located at 5015 N.E. Martin Luther
King Jr. Blvd.
Especially honored were the project’s three newest
person-of-color-owned businesses: Cason’s Fine Meats,
Champions Barbershop, and greenHAUS Gallery + Bou-
tique. The retailers have relocated to the new shopping pla-
by
za with the understanding they are lifting up other members
of their communities and inspiring them to recognize and
pursue their dreams.
The day included a festive and lively community mar-
ket, abuzz with food, art music, crafts, and live music from
the local community. Cole Reed, co-owner of greenHAUS,
welcomed the attendees, calling the new super block of
businesses, the new “Dream Street District,” a place where
equity, reconciliation and commerce can collide.
“Together we build a strong network of small business
owners that self-define our district, our identity, and our path
forward,” Reed said. “We are hatching a much broader and
inclusive neighborhood plan. We are our ancestors’ wildest
dreams come true, and we want this area to be a place where
all people can be inspired to realize their dreams, too.”
Special guest speakers included supporters of the project:
Jamal Fox, deputy chief-of-staff for Mayor Ted Wheeler;
Kimberly Branam, executive director of Prosper Portland;
and Phillip Brown, executive vice President of Majestic Re-
alty.
Theotis “Uncle Theo” Cason, and Jamaal & Christina
Lane, were among the black business owners finding that
a shared purpose is what brought them to open shop at Al-
berta Commons.
C ontinued on P age 4