November 16, 2016 The Skanner Page 3
News
and other communities
of color throughout the
state. “It wasn’t going to
stop if Hillary was elect-
ed and it won’t stop now.”
Guerra-Vera said the
organization
intends
to continue to focus on
extant campaigns – po-
lice accountability, data
collection and calling on
local government to di-
vest in banks that invest
in the prison-industrial
complex — while also
being a resource to mem-
bers who are concerned
about the election results
and an apparent rise in
reports of racist, misog-
ynistic and Islamophobic
“
cont’d from pg 1
continue to do every-
thing it can to serve its
communities.
“For 40 years, IRCO has
been building new begin-
nings for immigrant and
refugee families. As we
move forward after the
election, IRCO’s vision
remains the same. We
will continue welcoming
newcomers and help-
ing them achieve safe-
ty, equality, justice and
self-sufficiency. Our mis-
sion is now more import-
ant than ever,” Cha wrote.
“We hope that our
President-elect will con-
tinue to uphold the core
values we share, like
We hope that our Presi-
dent-elect will continue to
uphold the core values we
share, like equal protection
and respect for every mem-
ber of society”
hate crimes across the
country.
“We really have been
hearing a lot of our mem-
bers being harassed for
being Muslim, as well as
people from the Latino
community,” Guerra-Ve-
ra said.
On Nov. 22, Unite Or-
egon will host an event
called The Movement
Continues at its North
Portland location (700 N.
Killingsworth) to allow
members to talk about
what they have been go-
ing through in the last
few weeks. The organiza-
tion, along with coalition
partners, will also host
a candlelight vigil Dec.
11 to “stand in solidarity
and show Portland and
Oregon the true Oregon
that we want to be a part
of which is a true united
community that we want
to be a part of,” Guer-
ra-Vera said.
“I think in this moment
in time, the conversa-
tions have been hap-
pening, the movement
building since we started
Unite Oregon, is real-
ly something the world
needs,” Guerra-Vera told
The Skanner.
Executive director Lee
Po Cha of the Immigrant
and Refugee Community
Organization, said in an
emailed statement that
the organization will
Crowell
equal protection and re-
spect for every member
of society. IRCO is work-
ing with other local and
national partners who
are strong advocates of
refugees and immigrants
on the potential short
and long-term impacts
of the election results.
We are taking steps to
ensure that essential
supports and services to
immigrants and refugees
are maintained, both na-
tionally and in the state
of Oregon.”
Joann Hardesty, a veter-
an activist and organizer
who currently serves as
president of the NAACP’s
Portland branch, said
local election results —
particularly the election
of local bookstore owner
Chloe Eudaly to the Port-
land City Commission
— made her feel much
more optimistic than the
national results.
She said many of her
friends are scared — but
she also sees many peo-
ple looking for ways to
help or resist.
“I believe there’s many
more people who believe
that love trumps hate
and are willing to get en-
gaged in one of the many
efforts that are taking
place,” Hardesty said.
“And if they don’t see
something they like, they
can start their own.”
PPS Students March
On Nov. 14, hundreds of Portland Public Schools students — including this group leaving Jefferson High School in North Portland — walked
out of class to protest Donald Trump’s presidency. The Portland Police Bureau blocked off streets and walked along students, and there
were no arrests or injuries associated with the demonstrations, though a statement from PPS said students who demonstrated would
receive an unexcused absence.
Vanport
cont’d from pg 1
port, a quickly-built workforce
housing town that became the
most racially-diverse city in Ore-
gon. The town itself was a model
for racial integration during a
time where most of the nation –
including Portland -- was segre-
gated.
Vanport went from being the
second largest city in Oregon to
completely destroyed in a matter
of hours. On Memorial Day, May
30, 1948, the dam protecting the
city burst and a 10 ft wall of water
destroyed homes, shops, a hospi-
tal and a technical college.
“
before the flood hit.
The documentary series has
expanded to include other voices
who are closely related to the era
such as Henry Kaiser, grandson
of Henry J. Kaiser, the industrial-
ist who owned the shipyards and
built the Vanport housing proj-
ect.
Another new perspective to the
documentary series is that of the
relief workers who were called in
to help as the floodwaters began
to fill the town. Melvin Osbeck,
who was a teenager at the time of
the flood, volunteered to help.
The town itself was a model for racial
integration during a time where most
of the nation was segregated
Many of the voices in the series
describe evacuating in a hurry
and having to leave most of their
possessions. Curnel Walden re-
membered his mother packing
frantically, grabbing only one bag
of clothes.
“We grabbed a bag with a
change of clothes for everybody
and that’s what we came out with,”
he said.
Walden’s family left their home
to find his aunt, who also lived in
Vanport. As the emergency si-
rens wailed, she insisted on pack-
ing a large trunk of possessions.
He said everyone begged her
to stop; telling her there was no
time to pack. Ultimately, his aunt
packed her trunk and got it out
Osbeck called the relief effort
“organized chaos” and said that
volunteer effort was dangerous
due to muddy sinkholes in the
area. Sometimes the water only
came up to his knees but people
couldn’t tell where the ground
had gotten too soft.
“You’d be surprised, you’ll hit a
sinkhole and you’ll be gone,” Os-
beck said.
Most of the narrators of the
Vanport documentaries were
children or young adults at the
time of the flood. Some of them
spoke of an idyllic childhood
where life was humble, yet re-
laxed. They remember the flimsy
construction of the buildings and
a lack of television. But they also
recall happiness riding bikes or
playing at the playground down
the street from the hospital.
Some spoke of a kind of bond
among Vanport survivors. Sur-
vivor Betty Duelen said that city
wasn’t often talked about, but it
was remembered by the children
who had lived there.
Dorothy and Hurtis Hadley
were both survivors of Vanport
and ultimately high school sweet-
hearts who married. Like most
children of the time, Vanport
was a frightening experience for
them, seeing their families rush
out of their homes at dinner time.
“Mother had set the table and
so she just took the tablecloth and
tied it into four corners with all
the food on it and we left with that
and the clothes on our back,” Dor-
othy said.
But the experience also made
them live boldly and have a better
life after Vanport. Hurtis started
the band The Fabulous Majestics
and had some success. He invest-
ed in their prosperity by opening
the first Black-owned bakery in
Oregon.
Though he and Dorothy were
worried about running their own
business and setting up shop in
Oregon City, they thrived.
For more stories of survival,
check out the film screening this
Sunday at the Hollywood The-
atre. Tickets are free, but reserva-
tions are required. Go to https://
wakeofvanport2016.eventbrite.
com to reserve your seat.
cont’d from pg 1
serving on the Portland School Board
and the Oregon State Board of Trust-
ees. She was the first African American
“
PHOTO BY CHRISTEN MCCURDY
Organizing
and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Crowell has donated over $109,000 to
the PCC Foundation which established
Crowell has shown a life-long dedication to ed-
ucation through her work
board president of the YWCA of Great-
er Portland and an active member of
the Portland Chapter of The Links, Inc.
an endowed scholarship in her name.
She also created scholarships for
technical program students at PCC
Swan Island Trades Center.
The library is the final project in
PCC’s campus bond-funded construc-
tion program.
Since the bond referendum in 2008,
two buildings have been added as well
as an underground parking garage.
Nearly every building on campus has
seen renovations and upgrades.
—Arashi Young
Evelyn Crowell accepts award at PCC-hosted
celebration