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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2022)
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 Approximately 3,000 wapato bulbs planted — pg. 8 may 1, 2022 Memorial Day event returns to almost normal on May 30 Return of the egg hunt By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor U nlike many annual Tribal events, the Memorial Day celebration at the West Valley Veterans Memorial only took a one-year break after the be- ginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The event returned in May 2021, but it wasn’t quite back to normal. Attendance was limited to 50 people with invited guests only. The usual meal that precedes the event held inside the Community Center was canceled and boxed lunches were handed out for consumption onsite or later. In addition, everything occurred outdoors with mask wearing and social distancing encouraged. But this year’s event on Monday, May 30, will be almost back to pre-pandemic normal with the noon meal held outside the Community See MEMORIAL DAY continued on page 6 Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez Tribal descendant Tiny Brisbois, 5, scoops up eggs during the Tribal Housing Department Easter Egg Hunt held in Tribal Housing on Saturday, April 16. The event returned after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus. Tribal youths scrambled to collect approximately 3,500 candy-filled eggs. See more photos on page 11. Parenting from prison Tribal member struggles to mend relationships post-release (Editor’s note: The U.S. criminal justice system disproportionately affects Native Americans, women in particular, who are overrepresented in the prison population with the highest incarcer- ation rate of any racial group, 349 per 100,000. This story is the second in a series that examines the effects of mass incarceration on Grand Ronde Tribal mothers and their children.) P ORTLAND – Grand Ronde Tribal member Andrea Schneider dreamed of living with her children once she was released from prison. It was one way she got through the long days of incarceration, where time can sometimes seem to stand still on long, monotonous days. The reality once she was paroled from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in April 2020 turned out different than her hopes of a happy family reunification. Years of separation took a toll. After serving a nearly six-year sentence for robbery, she soon found that spending quality time with her three SmokeSignalsCTGR Watson named Portland’s equity office director By Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals staff writer P teenagers – now 18, 16 and 14 – and forging new bonds was very challenging. ORTLAND – Grand Ronde Tribal mem- ber Lisa Watson has been appointed to serve as the new Office of Equity and Human Rights director for the city of Portland. She was selected by Portland Commission- er Carmen Rubio and will begin her new role on June 1, succeeding interim director Jeff Sel- by, who will move to the deputy director role. “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Office of Equity and Lisa Watson Human Rights with the city of Portland,” Watson says. “I thank Com- missioner Rubio for the faith and trust placed in me for this role. Prioritizing equity within the city, its bureaus, and for our leadership and employees paves the way for everyone to See PARENTING continued on page 7 See WATSON continued on page 9 By Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals staff writer TO SEE MORE PHOTOS Photo by Kamiah Koch Tribal member Andrea Schneider stands outside her home on Hayden Island in Portland on Friday, April 15. Schneider was released from prison two years ago in April 2020 and is struggling to reconnect with her children following her incarceration.
