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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 2021)
NOVEMBER 3, 2021 Portland and Seattle Volume XLV No. 3 News ................................3,6-8 A & E ........................................5 Opinion ...................................2 ‘Black and Missing’ .........5 Calendar .................................4 Bids/Classifieds .....................7 CHALLENGING PEOPLE TO SHAPE A BETTER FUTURE NOW PHOTO/CITY OF PORTLAND GORDLY HOME: NEW CENTER FOR BLACK LEADERSHIP Safe Rest Village sites are a large part of the city’s plan to address Portland’ homeless crisis. L eaders in Portland, Oregon, and Multnomah County announced Monday that nearly $40 million is being allocated to address the city’s ongoing homeless crisis. The investments will go toward cre- ating 400 more shelter beds, increas- ing the number of outreach workers, expanding behavioral health services and funding community cleanup pro- grams. “We didn’t get here overnight. The houseless crisis has been chipping away at the city’s soul for over a de- cade,” Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan said at a news conference on Monday. “There’s zero denial about the impact of this crisis on our street and (that) it’s having on our city.” Portland, like other major cities, is in the midst of a homeless crisis that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Residents, advocates, businesses and organizations have urged the city to do more to address the issue — in the form of additional housing, mental health resources, cleanups and increased public safety. “Anyone who’s traveled Portland’s See HOMELESSNESS on page 3 Chef Author Mixes Vegan and Traditional Soul Food Recipes page 5 Sisters Avel Gordly and Faye Burch are transforming their childhood family home into the Gordly Burch Center for Black Leadership and Civic Engagement The Gordly Burch Center for Black Leadership and Civic Engagement will celebrate family’s long history of community contribution By Saundra Sorenson Of The Skanner News T he Gordly Burch House at 4511 North Williams Avenue is an unimposing single-family home next door to a small communi- ty church. But in the past 80 years, it has been an important center of Port- land’s Black community, inhabited by union mem- bers, community activists, and the first Black woman ever elected to the Oregon Senate. Now, sisters Avel Gordly and Faye Burch are trans- forming their family home into a Black leadership academy and a neighbor- hood archive. “My sister Faye and Lakeitha Elliot and I have had layers of conversa- tions over time about wanting the Gordly family home to be preserved as a meaningful part of Black history in Portland,” Gord- ly told The Skanner. “When you look at the makeup of families that lived on that block during the years I was growing up, in the late 40s, 50s, into the 60s, there were a number of Black families -- intact families, mom and dad and children. And we had community and we looked out after each other. When I think about what’s now left and what the ownership looks like now, say from Going Street going south to Skid- more on Williams Avenue, you still have Black home ownership, or Black prop- erty owners. And again, each of those homes has its own story of community, what made Black commu- nity, and now what’s left of Black community.” With the support of Self Enhancement Inc., Burch and Gordly have conceived of the Gordly Burch Center for Black Leadership and Civic Engagement. “We are applying for several grants with Meyer, PCEF and other organiza- tions,” Burch said. “We are See GORDLY on page 3 Oregon County Bans Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products The ban goes into effect in Washington County on Jan 1 The Associated Press O regon’s second most populous county has passed the state’s first ban on flavored tobacco products. Oregon Public Broadcasting re- ports the Board of County Commis- sioners in Washington County voted 3 to 2 Tuesday to prohibit retail sales of any flavored tobacco products, in- cluding menthol cigarettes and vape pens. Ordinance 878 was created based on findings that indicate tobacco use by young people continues to be a significant health risk. “The Board heard compelling ev- idence that restricting access of flavored products results in fewer young people using addictive tobac- co and nicotine substances as well as higher quit rates,” Board Chair Kath- See BAN on page 3 PHOTO BY KAMPUS PRODUCTION By SARA CLINE Associated Press/Report for America PHOTO COURTESY OF AVEL GORDLY AND FAYE BURCH Officials Pledge $38M to Address Portland’s Homeless Crisis Nearly half of the spending will go to buy or lease property to create hundreds of additional shelter beds 25 CENTS The Washington county ban on the sale of flavored tobacco includes menthol cigarettes, vape pens and cartridges.
