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News media contact:
Hannah Schafer
Portland Bureau of Transportation
(503) 823-8656
hannah.schafer@portlandoregon.gov
@PBOTinfo
PBOT News Blog:
Emerson Street Block Party is a shining example of Portland in the Streets
 The June 23, 2017 block party, hosted by Nikki the Brown Clown, featured many local performers participating in games and activities throughout the afternoon. Photo by Nico Lim, Portland Bureau of Transportation
By Sophia Barba, Portland Bureau of Transportation
(July 11, 2017) Portland summers are a welcome
respite from the rainy days that occur for most of the year. It is during the
summer that Portlanders take full advantage of the sun, and come together to
celebrate their communities. Such was the case on Friday, the June 23, when
artists, families, and community leaders gathered at a block party in front of
the Emerson Street House, which opened about a year ago under the coordination
of Diane Freaney and Sabin CDC, in
Northeast Portland.
 Right: Block partygoers grabbing a seat before the round of performances that occurred at the Emerson street block party. Left: Portland-based textile artist Joanne Green with pieces that live at the Emerson Street House. The block party was frequented by many local artists and creatives that participate in events and activities at the house throughout the year. Photos by Nico Lim, Portland Bureau of Transportation
This was the second year that Nikki Sandoval, also known as Nikki Brown Clown, a Portland-raised jack-of-all-trades, has coordinated a block party for her former neighborhood on Emerson Street.
 Nikki is currently based in California, but was able to apply for her block party remotely using Portland Bureau of Transportation’s new online application. For Nikki, her Portland community is greatly important to her; the same can be said for the families and creatives that have been touched by her passion and dedication to empower local youth.
The block party on Emerson Street
happened on a hot Friday afternoon. The street was closed off to vehicles
allowing for sprinklers, performances, and face painting (among other
activities) to occur in a space that is otherwise perceived as site for moving
cars. Hosting a block party is a great way to empower communities who can
reclaim their neighborhoods for pedestrian use. Block parties such as these
remind us that creativity, diversity, and community are truly what makes
Portland such a special place.
For more information about the Emerson Street House, go to
their website to subscribe to their mailing list: www.emersonstreethouse.com
To learn more about Sabin CDC, go to their website at www.sabincdc.us
Follow Nikki Brown Clown on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pdxbrownclown/
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Learn how you can host your own block party at
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the City’s transportation system, and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility. Learn more at www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation
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