February 07, 2024
Page 9
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2024
Fears and Hopes Through Creative Expression
Teens Impacted
by Prison Share
Their Story
Research offers a startling sta-
tistic: One in 14 children in the
United States has a parent either
is or has been behind bars. If the
number astonishes you, it’s be-
cause these young people have
learned through experiencing
deep stigma and shame to keep
their truths close to the vest.
But in a club at Parkrose High
School, these teens have had an
opportunity to be seen, heard,
and understood. They are mem-
bers of a club founded in 2022
known as The PATHfinder Club
(Paving a Trail of Hope).
Founded by Portland’s own
PATHfinder Network, which in
2023 took over operations of
POPS the Club (Pain of the Pris-
on System); The PATHfinder Club
(TPC) provides support for teens
whose lives have been impact-
ed in any way by incarceration,
detention and deportation. Each
year since the model organization,
POPS, was founded, they have re-
leased powerful, award-winning
book collections featuring writing
and artwork created by club mem-
Kids at Parkrose High’s PATHfinder Network
bers across the country. The work
reflects the words and wisdom of
these young people who possess
much knowledge and a perspec-
tive too seldom unheard, unseen,
or misunderstood.
On February 13, the newest
collection, ADVICE TO 9TH
GRADERS: Stories, Poetry, Art
& Other Wisdom (Out of the
Woods Press) will be published.
Community Grieves
Children’s Author...
Continued from Front
ing at a bar in the 17200 block
of Southeast Division Street.
Officers arrived and found an in-
jured man inside the bar. Officers
began trauma first aid until EMS
arrived. Paramedics initiated ad-
vanced care before transporting
the patient to the hospital with
life threatening injuries.
The involved man remained
on scene and spoke to officers,
and no suspect is currently be-
ing sought. The police said they
have not charged anyone. En-
hanced Community Safety Team
(ECST) detectives responded to
the scene and began an investi-
gation. Several hours later, PPB
was notified that despite lifesav-
ing efforts by medical profes-
sionals, the patient died at the
hospital. The Portland Police
Homicide Unit was notified and
is assuming the investigation.
The fatal shooting is the city’s
ninth homicide this year.
Neighbors and friends say the
victim was 37-year-old Montrell
“Trell” Goss. His passion was
writing children’s books and
reading them at schools along
with a mascot named Triple C.
His two published books center
around Chillin’ the Courageous
Coyote - who is described as
misunderstood. Goss’s books
can be found on Amazon.
According to a statement that
was made by Laura Cromwell
who watched Goss grow as a
children’s author gave a state-
ment to KPTV “He was a peace-
maker kind of guy,” she said.
“He wanted to make the world
a better place. And it starts with
kids.” She continued and said
more than anything; Cromwell
said she wants people to know
Trell Goss was a good guy.
Police said witnesses may
have left before speaking with
police. If anyone has informa-
tion about the shooting and has
not yet spoken with investiga-
tors, police ask that they con-
tact Detective Eric McDaniel at
Eric.McDaniel@police.portlan-
doregon.gov or 503-823-0833,
or Detective Sean Macomber at
Sean.Macomber@police.port-
landoregon.gov or 503-823-
0404, and reference case number
24-26686.
Originally designed to be a col-
lection for entering 9th graders
to have an opportunity to feel
welcomed to high school, the
book itself extends far beyond
offering straightforward advice
for teens. Indeed, as those who
attended The Pathfinder Net-
work’s 30-year anniversary cel-
ebration earlier this year learned
when youth contributors read
their work onstage, their poet-
ry, their artwork, their stories
and insights offer each of us a
window into the souls of these
resilient youth. The PATHfinder
Club and their publications have
given them a chance to roar and
as a result, they have also given
all of us an opportunity to learn
from tender, deeply honest and
hard-won perspectives.
The Pathfinder Network in-
vites the community to join
them in celebration on Wednes-
day, February 13, at 5 p.m at
Parkrose High where they will
officially launch Advice to 9th
Graders. There, community
members will have an opportu-
nity to meet many of the writ-
ers and artists who created this
book as well as a chance to meet
TPC’s leadership team and the
book’s editor.
As Leticia Longoria-Navarro,
Executive Director of The Path-
finder Network, puts it when
discussing the impact of The
PATHfinder Club and this publi-
cation, “Hearing your experienc-
es reflected in the stories of oth-
ers, especially the hard ones, can
help lessen the impact of stigma,
shame and adversity. Feeling
like you are not alone in your
experiences can create powerful
shifts and open the door to mean-
ing, healing and power. That is
what we create in Clubs, and that
is what we have expanded on in
Advice to 9th Graders.”
For those unable to make the
event, The PATHfinder Club
welcomes your questions and
also invites you to purchase a
copy of the book (or a copy for
every 9th grader you know) at
Out of the Woods Press.