Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (July 18, 2012)
WWW . THESKANNER . COM J ULY 18, 2012 P ORTLAND , O REGON V OLUME XXXIV, N O . 18 25 CENTS For The Skanner news alerts Text "NEWS" to 503-715-0890 or scan this QR code C HALLENGING P EOPLE TO S HAPE A B ETTER F UTURE N OW Big River Float July 29 FOOD AND FAITH Advocates say Willamette is cleaner, thousands agree By Lisa Loving Of The Skanner News The Farm to Congregation Program is focused on increasing access to healthy, affordable produce for everyone while providing opportunity for small farmers, especially new and immigrant farmers. It is one of several projects of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon’s Interfaith Food and Farms Partnership and includes the weekly Farmers Market at Muslim Community Center, 3801 NE MLK Blvd, Fridays 1:30-2:30 p.m. The little market is open to the public and features produce, berries, and honey from Great River Farm on Sauvie Island. For more information, contact Alison Warren at awarren@emoregon.org. cut line Effort to Promote Breastfeeding ICTC plays key role in bringing moms together for focus groups Julie Sullivan-Springhetti Of Multnomah County M ost Oregon moms breastfeed their babies. But African American parents stop breastfeeding soon- er than others and fewer choose to start breastfeeding at all. Now a community health partnership is working to understand why. Parents of children under age 5 are invited to a series of focus groups on barriers to breastfeed- ing in the African-American community. See RIVER on page 3 INDEX PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED L ast year, Willamette River advocate Will Levenson spearheaded the Big Float, a first-time event that saw more than a thousand people cross the river on inner tubes and other floatables. For this year’s Big Float, which is Sunday, July 29, Levenson is thinking bigger. “This community is going to really start caring about the Willamette,” he says. “It’s going to be more than the river you drive over – it’s going to be the river of fun and enjoyment.” A benefit for the Willamette Riverkeeper, the Big Float 2012 is expected to attract up to 3,000 people, and organizers hope to break the world record for the number of people simultaneously floating in “water rings” that are connected together “with something other than hands.” The event is $5, and this year life vests are required for all participants in addition to your “personal floatation devices.” Levenson says that there is no current on this part of the river and that the water is warm, “like a lake.” Registration kicks off starting at 10 a.m. Sunday morning, on the east side of the Willamette River near the Hawthorne Bridge. At 12:30 p.m. a parade of inner- tubers walks across the bridge, then the group puts into the water on the west side after each participant gets their water gear safety-checked. A barge holding a live band is docked in the center of the river for the event; partici- pants are expected to spend an hour and a half in the water as they paddle their floats across to the other side. On the east side of the bridge is a commu- nity after-party with food carts, a beer garden by the Kona Brewing Company, and children’s activities by the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde. Early weather reports say to expect partial Although breastfeeding rates among Oregon’s African Amer- ican population exceed those at the national level, the percent- age of those who start breastfeeding and continue breastfeeding to one-year is lower than Oregon’s population as a whole, according to state surveys. The focus groups are a collab- oration of the International Center for Traditional Child- bearing, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program of Multnomah County, the Urban League of Portland and the Healthy Birth Initiative, Mult- nomah County. “We want the black communi- ty to see breastfeeding as everyone’s business,’’ said Shafia M. Monroe, the Interna- tional Center for Traditional Childbearing president and a midwife for nearly 30 years. “Some people think it’s personal. You bring it up and everyone becomes quiet. But there needs to be more dialogue. We all care about our babies.” The Center will host two focus groups in Portland with women and an event for men. “We know the many benefits mother’s milk has on the growth and development of the baby, and it’s free!’’ said David Brown, WIC program manager. “Breast truly is best.” Jamaal Jensen, owner of Champion Barbershop, is one of the partners hosting the men’s focus group. He says men have questions about how to support the mother while breastfeeding. Health experts recommend See MOMS on page 7 Jordan Center Gala a Family Event News ................2,3,6,7 Retired parks official to be celebrated with food, music, fun Opinion ..................4,5 By Helen Silvis Of The Skanner News A & E .........................7 Food..........................5 Bids/Classifieds ..........7 I ce cream, music and family activities will headline the festivities at a rededi- cation celebration for The Charles Jordan Community Center. The celebration is set for 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 22 at 9009 N. Foss Ave. Open to everyone, the event is free and will be followed by a con- cert in neighboring McCoy Park. Portland City Council voted unanimously to honor Jordan for his contributions to Portland. As a twice-elected city commis- sioner, and later as Parks director, Jordan literally changed Portland’s landscape. Dur- ing the 14 years he was Parks director, the bureau added 44 new parks and natural areas. There’s not a place where you can look in this city and not see his footprint,” says Michelle Harper, who worked with Jordan at the City and at Portland Parks. “’Portland’s living room,’ Pioneer Court- house Square, would not have existed if not for his leadership. And he was the first to call it Portland’s living room. In so many ways, he was ahead of his time.” See CENTER on page 3
