Portland observer., May 05, 2021, Image 1

Activist Named
Marshall Leader
Season for
Locally Grown
Vancouver NAACP
President Jasmine
Tolbert honored
King Farmers Market
ushers in spring
See Metro, page 6
See Local News, page 3
PO QR code
Volume XLVV • Number 9
‘City
of
Roses’
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • May 5, 2021
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Portland City Commissioner
Mingus Mapps introduces a city
maintenance project to support
the houseless community,
restoring the environment health
of a bioswale near the Morrison
Bridge in southeast Portland,
part of a new program that
builds community ties by offering
paid skill-building opportunities
to people who are unhoused.
Stewardship with Paid Work
Unhoused connected to green space maintenance
A new program for restoring street basin
bioswales and other green spaces is offering
paid skill-building opportunities to people
who are unhoused.
The project got its start last week as part of
a two year commitment by Central Eastside
businesses and introduced by Portland City
Commissioner Mingus Mapps.
The work included tree plantings at the
east end of the Morrison Bridge. But long
term, even more projects would get support
under the mayor’s proposed budget, which
calls for $5.7 million for citywide clean-up,
graffiti removal, and a program to provide
cleanup jobs for homeless people.
The efforts aim to create healthier green
spaces to benefit the community and Willa-
mette River while offering paid stewardship
and skill-building opportunities for people
who are unhoused.
The project got its start last week as part of
a two year commitment by Central Eastside
C ontinued on P age 4
Election Aims to Alter School Board
Two Black candidates
in the running
b everly C orbell
t he P ortland o bserver
Two Black candidates are in
a strong position to win election
to the Portland School Board in
a May 18 vote-by-mail election,
by
Gary Hollands
which if successful would add a
third person of color to the seven
member panel, a significant devel-
opment for increasing the repre-
sentation of minority families in
Portland, and follows the election
of a majority of people of color
on the Portland City Council last
year.
The contest for two open seats
on the Portland School Board
brings Gary Hollands and Herman
Greene, both esteemed leaders
from the African American com-
munity, running in zones covering
north and northeast Portland but
elected at large. If successful, they
would join Michelle DePass, the
C ontinued on P age 10
Herman Greene