February 1, 2017 The Skanner Page 3
News
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“
Smith was not able to
make it to a community
reception held Jan. 28
for the exhibit’s open-
ing, but his wife, Julie
Kern Smith, addressed
the crowd of more than
100 people briefly on his
behalf.
“Portland needs more
visibility for Black art
and Black culture,” Kern
‘I was told, “Your politics ar-
en’t welcome here. You’re too
radical. You’re fired”’
Montgomery is work-
ing with the Portland
Art Museum on a series
of community projects
in conjunction with
“Constructing Identity,”
an exhibition of Afri-
can American art that
opened at the museum
Jan. 28 and will remain
on display through June
18. That includes com-
munity
discussions,
talks by local artists,
collaborative
events
with local schools and
a project wherein local
artists will create work
responding to the collec-
tion — and that work will
be displayed later in the
spring.
The Pettrucci Family
Foundation loaned its
collection of African
American art to the mu-
seum, and, according to
Michael Murawski, di-
rector of education and
public programs for the
Portland Art Museum,
this is the largest exhibi-
tion from the Pettrucci
collection ever publicly
displayed. Works in the
exhibit date back more
than 130 years, and in-
clude creations by Black
artists from all over the
country, including sev-
eral works by African
American artists local to
the Pacific Northwest, in-
cluding Portland painter
Arvie Smith.
Smith said. “More than
ever, we need to cele-
brate our differences.”
In remarks to the crowd
and in a brief interview
with The Skanner, Mu-
rawski said the exhibit
and attendant events re-
flect an emphasis that the
museum should belong
and respond to the com-
munity.
“This is a public insti-
tution. You are here be-
cause this is your muse-
um,” Murawski told the
crowd.
Museums have not tra-
ditionally featured Black
artists, and tradition-
ally museums have en-
gaged curators who “tell
you what to think of the
show,” Murawski said.
In addition to engag-
ing local artists to create
responsive works, the
museum is planning an
artist panel discussion
Feb. 11, engaging art-
ists whose works are on
display in the exhibit.
The Museum of Impact
is working with Don’t
Shoot Portland to in-
volve more local artists,
and Hana Layson, the
Portland Art Museum’s
school and teacher pro-
grams specialist, said
she’s working with local
schools on response proj-
ects, including a planned
display of student art lat-
er in the spring.
Gary-Smith
Kali Thorne-Ladd to Serve as PCC’s Board
On Jan. 19, the Portland Community College Board of Directors named Kali Thorne-Ladd as chair of the board from her previous position
as vice chair. She replaces former chair Gene Pitts (Zone 6) who resigned last month. Appointed in 2012 and elected in 2013, Thorne-
Ladd represents Zone 2, which includes North Portland and portions of Columbia County. She is the first African American woman
to serve as PCC’s board chair, and at 39 years old, she is also the youngest. Thorne-Ladd is co-founder of KairosPDX, a non-profit
organization focused on access to quality early learning opportunities for historically underserved children. She also worked for the
City of Portland Mayor’s Office as the education strategies director overseeing policy and direction for the mayor’s key education
initiatives. Her involvement with the college’s Future Connect Scholarship Program is where Thorne-Ladd was first introduced to PCC,
which prompted her to pursue a board position. She holds a master’s in Education Policy and Management from Harvard University.
COAB
cont’d from pg 1
brought on by the DOJ, which
found police to be using exces-
sive force, including stun guns,
against people with mental ill-
ness.
As part of a 2014 Settlement
Agreement, the COAB was tasked
with monitoring and recom-
mending solutions for police
reform, thereby enhancingas a
solution to community outreach
and to enhancepublic safety.
But on Jan. 31, the volunteers’
terms of service came to a bitter
end. While stakeholders, includ-
ing the Portland Police Associa-
tion and the Albina Ministerial
Alliance Coalition for Justice and
Police Reform (AMAC), have ex-
pressed their commitment to con-
tinued community oversight, the
City of Portland told The Skanner
it has no intentions of re-appoint-
ing the board’s members.
For some, the COAB’s dissolu-
tion comes as no surprise, given
its stormy past. But that hasn’t
stopped other remaining mem-
bers from feeling ultimately dis-
appointed.
“I feel pretty sad about it all,”
said COAB chair Philip Wolfe. “I
believe that the COAB could have
changed some things. And I saw
how much that change was need-
ed, because it seemed like the
“
possibly could to stop the COAB,
and they blamed the COAB for its
failure. But I was trying to do my
best to continue it.”
Meanwhile, the AMAC — which
Federal Judge Michael Simon
granted “enhanced amicus,” de-
‘The city did everything it possibly
could to stop the COAB, and they blamed
the COAB for its failure’
Portland community wasn’t hold-
ing the police accountable.”
The board lost around half of
its original 15 members due to
personal reasons, arguments and
misunderstandings.
Progress was locked in stale-
mate. Wolfe said the COAB made
more than 50 recommendations,
but felt they were generally dis-
missed by the DOJ and the City.
“A few recommendations did
pass, but afterwards it seemed
like there was no change,” said
Wolfe. “The city did everything it
fined as having a seat at the ne-
gotiation table — has continued
to urge the City to re-appoint the
members of the COAB whose past
experience, it said, is an asset.
“We’d like to see that current
board members remain because
they bring a history as to what has
been done, what has worked, and
what has not worked well,” said
Dr. T. Allen Bethel, president of
the Albina Ministerial Alliance.
Read the full story at
TheSkanner.com
cont’d from pg 1
sion with closed-door corporations.
“I’m an angry, gentle woman,” laughed
Gary-Smith. “So I’ve tried to use that,
to have conversations in places that so
seldom we’re allowed, or anyone who is
‘other-ized,’ particularly in philanthro-
py, with all that money, power and his-
torically embedded racism.”
When she found out that the MRG
Foundation was looking for a new ex-
ecutive director, she wondered if the
organization would be ready for some-
one like her — an engaged and public
figure and a woman of color.
But it was the foundation’s unique
take on philanthropy that ultimately
won her over. Rather than leave the de-
cision making to an often disconnect-
ed wealthy few, MRG embraces a “by
the community, for the community”
approach. In truth, it relies on a com-
mittee of boots-on-the-ground activists
that recommend groups for funding.
And that culminates in hands-on, in-
tentional relationships with potential
grantees.
“That’s powerful, change-making
philanthropy,” she said of MRG’s tactic.
In 2011, she would become the first Af-
rican American woman to run a phil-
anthropic foundation in Oregon.
“
have, in how we built credibility in
communities of color,” she said.
Gary-Smith helped ensure that
MRG’s funding was representative and
reflective of the places with the great-
est struggles for equity and opportu-
nity; African
American,
Latino and
N a t i v e
American
communi-
ties, among
them.
Having the selective power to grant
millions is a difficult position to give
up, admits Gary-Smith. “But it’s im-
portant to me that we make space and
be willing to open doors to places that
have been barred to us, intentionally
and deliberately, to let more bright, ca-
pable and engaged people in.”
In order to do that, said Gary-Smith,
you need to be able to walk away.
“I think we have to inform (founda-
Rather than leave the decision mak-
ing to an often disconnected wealthy
few, MRG embraces a “by the commu-
nity, for the community” approach
For five and a half years, Gary-Smith
helped take MRG from being a highly
effective “little engine that could” to an
outspoken foundation with an equal
place at the table of big players.
From that advantage point, the foun-
dation was able to discuss its strategies
and community engagement, while in-
viting other funders to try its practice
of long-term equity work.
“We had something that they didn’t
PHOTO COURTESY OF MRG FOUNDATION
first mobile social jus-
tice museum. It’s mobile
partly because she can’t
afford a brick and mor-
tar space in New York
City, where she lives and
works, but also because
she wants to “hit people
at all levels of society”
— from established mu-
seums to church base-
ments.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Art
MRG’s new executive director, Roberta Phillip-
Robbins, left, with Sharon Gary-Smith, right.
tions) with more people — men, wom-
en, people of different color, faith, race,
perspectives — in order to make the
best decisions about moving money to
make change.”
Read the full story at TheSkanner.com