 Arleta Schools Uniting Neighborhoods Program
Arleta Elementary School’s SUN program is a perfect example of how to build a strong and supportive community. The city of Portland runs 11 Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN) Community School programs, and I had the joy of touring Arleta’s program today. SUN programs aim to make schools community hubs, providing support and services to students and their families both during and beyond the school day.
I was so impressed by the wrap-around services the Arleta program provides – in addition to providing a food pantry, clothing closet, and hygiene closet, I learned that SUN staff members meet with students during the school day to support and encourage their learning journey. I am grateful for the powerful work they are doing at Arleta, and the positive impact their efforts have.
There is so much going on at this vibrant school! I was especially lucky today to see the new mural by Malcohm Pascua-O’Neill, a Plains Tribe Indigenous Artist. Each student will have radial basket weavings on display as the mural’s border. Also coming up is the Arleta Winter Bazaar from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, December 6, in the school cafeteria, 5109 SE 66th Ave. Crafts by students will be for sale, along with baked goods and a raffle.
Thank you, Arleta SUN, for an inspiring morning!
 Portland Art Museum Celebration
It was so exciting to be at the official opening of the new Mark Rothko Pavilion and glass pavilion at the Portland Art Museum on Thursday! What a beautiful addition to downtown.
A few years ago I served on an educators’ panel that helped create materials for students visiting the museum. With the addition of more than 21,000 square feet more artwork is now able to be displayed, including larger installations. The new space is already allowing for more engagement with young people, along with the innovative programming being offered at District 3’s own Tomorrow Theater.
There will be free days full of events and activities through this Sunday, November 23 to celebrate the grand opening; I definitely recommend checking it out!
 Council Votes and Property Tax Bulletin
On Wednesday I was delighted to see the passage of the ordinance I co-sponsored with Councilors Morillo and Green prohibiting price fixing in the rental market using algorithmic software. Such software is directly linked to renter affordability, and the ordinance will strengthen protections for renters, especially low-income folks, people of color, seniors, and people with disabilities who are at risk of homelessness. Fair market competition in Portland’s housing market is essential to making Portland more affordable.
On Monday property taxes were due. I sent out a bulletin co-created with my fellow District 3 City Councilor Steve Novick to show the city divides its share of property taxes. It was meant as one informational tool to explain how the budget process works.
 Sunnyside Shower Project
The Sunnyside Shower Project (SSP) held an open house Sunday, to celebrate the opening of a second shower at their location at 3520 SE Yamhill St!
SSP is so much more than a place to take a shower. A clothing closet, snacks, and hygiene products are all available to guests, but most importantly there are volunteers and other neighbors who care, and a chance to be part of a supportive community. I was honored to speak on the panel at the event, alongside (from left): longtime SSP volunteerJosette Hodge, Sunnyside Neighborhood Association (SNA) president and SSP volunteer Chris Waldman, SSP founder and SNA vice president Hannah Wallace, SSP director Lindsay Cogan-Sant, SSP volunteer Catrina Peterson, and moderator Ryan Mottau.
SSP is kicking off a Winter Gear Drive with a party from 5 to 10 p.m. November 29 at the Bare Bones Cafe, 2908 SE Belmont St. Warm winter gear will be accepted Dec. 1 through 21st at businesses around the neighborhood. Throughout the year SSP is open to donations of snacks, easy-to-cook meals, hygiene products, laundry money, and clothing, and also is seeking volunteers.
In addition to the SSP gear drive, new coats with tags still on are being accepted at Living Room Realty, 421 SE 10th, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. December 1-16. Donated coats will be given to Impact NW.
 OFNHP Healthcare Workers at Kaiser
It was a pleasure to speak at the OFNHP Healthcare Workers community roundtable discussion Thursday evening. Healthcare workers at Kaiser are continuing negotiations for better pay and a voice in patient care. We all benefit when our frontline health care providers feel supported and included in decisions affecting patient care.
 SOLVE Cleanup
Saturday’s SOLVE cleanup at 82nd and Powell was a great way to connect with the neighborhood. Almost 30 volunteers helped pick up trash and clean up the area. I love the impact SOLVE cleanups make, and the way connections are fostered. I even ran into my friend Laura, a teacher at Mt. Tabor Middle School – what a fun way to get caught up!
World Day of Remembrance
Sunday morning’s World Day of Remembrance event was a somber and important opportunity to honor those whose lives have been lost or forever changed by traffic violence, and to recommit to the essential work that lies ahead.
I want to acknowledge Families for Safe Streets, for all of their work, including adding memorial signs along 82nd Avenue. Each sign signifies a life lost and a preventable tragedy, and serves as an important reminder that 82nd has been one of our most dangerous corridors for far too long. This is why I support the work underway on 82nd, including continuous bus lanes. Continuous bus lanes create predictability, reduce weaving, calm speeds, and give thousands of transit riders a safer, more reliable way to travel.
I am also looking into new legislation regarding extreme speeding, and tools that help prevent needless deaths. Vision Zero, the city’s program that helps work toward zero traffic deaths and serious injuries, is a long fight. It is generational work. It reshapes culture, engineering, funding, and priorities. Progress, especially on dangerous corridors, is often uneven. The presence of fatalities, as devastating as they are, must not lead us to give up. They must strengthen our resolve.
Together, we will continue this fight. And together, we will build streets where everyone—whether walking, biking, rolling, or riding transit—can get home safely.
 ACLU Annual Meeting
The ACLU of Oregon’s Annual Meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, December 1. Hardy Merriman, an international expert and researcher, will speak about how to build an effective pro-democracy movement to push back against growing authoritarianism in the United States. The meeting will occur on Zoom, and requires pre-registration.
Premier of "Preservation Pictures"
Preservation Pictures, a film based on an intergenerational storytelling program at Buckman Elementary School in partnership with the Community for Positive Aging, will premiere at noon on Saturday, December 6 at Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division. The GalPal documentary documents the more than eight weeks spent by Buckman students and local elders forming film crews, sharing stories, and learning documentary filmmaking together. Tickets are free.
Tree Planting
Through a contract with Urban Forestry, Friends of Trees is planning community planting events. The first community planting of the season will be held Saturday, December 6, at Cesar Chavez School, 5103 N. Willis Blvd. Gloves, tools, and snacks will be provided; volunteers should dress for the weather. No experience is required, and you can sign up here! You can check the Friends of Trees website to see a list of other scheduled plantings.
https://bikeportland.org/2025/11/17/portland-advocacy-group-brings-stop-super-speeders-campaign-to-oregon-398175
Preschool for All Newsletter
Did you know that the Preschool for All program has a newsletter? You can sign up here!
Building Energy Efficiency (BEE) Grant
The Building Energy Efficiency (BEE) Grant supports small businesses and small commercial building owners by providing funds for energy-efficient upgrades. For more information check out the BEE page on the Prosper Portland website.
|
