January 24, 2024
ocaL N ews
INSIDE L Instilling
Hope, Courage, and
Page 3
Healing Among the Community
Arts &
ENTERTAINMENT
page 7-8
c Lassified /B ids
pages 10
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2023
Lowenstein
Trust Award to
Dr. S. Reneé
Mitchell
Dr. S. Reneé Mitchell has sur-
vived a lifetime of trauma and
channeled these experiences for
good, including identifying op-
portunities and creating programs
to heal and inspire others. Dr.
Mitchell has a long-term and deep
commitment to Portland’s Afri-
can-American community. She
has worked for decades as a jour-
nalist, author, poet, playwright,
and educator.
In 2018, Dr. Mitchell created
the Soul Restoration Center to
help low-income youth of color
channel their creativity and to find
their voice and clarify their pur-
pose. As a result, in early 2022, Dr.
Mitchell transformed a neglect-
ed building into a vibrant cultur-
al center. The Soul Restoration
Center is a place where Black
Renee Mitchell
people of all ages can experience
what it feels like to be culturally
seen, centered, and authentically
cared about, and was recognized
for its extraordinary capacity to
convene, celebrate, and build a
strong sense of community in
gentrified North Portland. Dr.
Mitchell’s vision combined with
her commitment to community
helped create a project that be-
gan during the pandemic and has
evolved into a national effort – to
help the Black community in Port-
land – and elsewhere – to embrace
and spread joy and to empower
others to take the time to acknowl-
edge and affirm one another.
The Soul Restoration Center
helps heal the traumas of Port-
land’s racism and gentrification
experienced by many African
American youth and provides a
safe gathering space where Black
youth and adults can experience
Black joy “… Black joy serves
as an act of resistance, amidst
the tidal waves of racial oppres-
sion.
Dr. Mitchell developed
the I Am M.O.R.E.’s theory of
change, called Empowered Resil-
ience™, as a doctoral candidate at
the University of Oregon (2021).
She created an award-winning,
evidence-based example of how
to empower and build hope and
resiliency in Black youth with cul-
turally relevant skill building and
programming. The Center also
shines a light on Black elders and
honors who they are, what they’ve
done, and the important role they
play in holding space for young
people to thrive.
As a survivor of domestic vi-
olence, childhood bullying, and
other trauma, Dr. Mitchell con-
Continued on Page 9
Garbage Companies in Recovery Mode
Ice storm
causes delays
Last week’s snow and ice
storm caused a nearly unprece-
dented disruption in Portland’s
waste collection system.
Hazardous road conditions and
closures of key facilities in the
regional garbage system resulted
in many garbage companies be-
ing unable to collect for the entire
week. Companies had planned to
start catching up on Saturday but
were unable to after freezing rain
made road conditions unsafe.
Waste collection companies are
operating in storm recovery mode
and focusing their trucks and staff
on picking up garbage this week.
If your garbage was not picked
up last week, leave your garbage
bin at the curb, and it will be col-
lected as soon as possible. If this
week is your usual garbage week,
set out garbage on your regular
collection day.
Garbage companies expect
to be able to pick up recycling
this week. If your recycling was
missed last week, you can set out
twice as much this week.
Snow covered waste bins in Portland 2023 (Photo Courtesy of
Portland BPS)
Some companies have post- all remaining cardboard, bundle
poned compost collection un- it together, secure the bundle with
til next week, as they redirect tape, and lean the bundle against
their trucks and staff to catch your blue recycling bin.
up on missed garbage collection
Glass should be set out any
from last week. If your compost rigid plastic container filled with
wasn’t collected last week and/ glass bottles and jars next to your
or this week, you can set out ex- regular glass recycling bin. A
tra yard waste next week for no 5-gallon bucket with a few holes
extra charge.
drilled in the bottom to let rain
If you’ve got more recycling through works well.
and yard waste than can fit in your
Leaves, branches, or other yard
bins due to weather-related ser- waste can be placed in a yard
vice delays, here’s how to set out waste bag or can (32 gallons and
extras: put recyclables in a card- 45 pounds max each). Branches
board box or a paper bag and set can be bundled and tied securely
next to your blue recycling bin.
with string or twine (do not use
Cardboards should be flatten wire). Branches cannot exceed 36
boxes and cut into smaller pieces inches in length and 4 inches in di-
to fit as much as possible into your ameter. Set bags, cans, or bundles
recycling bin. Flow with flatten next to your green compost bin.