 Bike and Walk Buses in D3
Happy last day of school for Portland Public Schools students! This week I joined the Walk Buses at Grout and Marysville elementary schools, and it was wonderful to connect with the program coordinators and hear about the difference these programs make for attendance, attitude, and community connection.
I’ve now joined every Bike and/or Walk Bus in District 3: Abernethy, Arleta, Atkinson, Creston, DaVinci, Glencoe, Grout, Lane, Marysville, Richmond, Rose City Park, Sunnyside, Vestal, Whitman, Woodmere, and Woodstock! (If I’ve missed one, please let me know – I’d love to join you in the fall!)
It has been such a joy to be able to ride or walk with so many students on their way to school! The teacher in me jumps for joy. My inner environmentalist understands how meaningful these programs are on so many levels. And the transportation safety advocate in me re-commits to our Vision Zero goals every single time. Wishing all students and their families a safe, active, wonderful summer!
 Safe Routes to Schools Celebration
It was wonderful to celebrate the Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) program at Oaks Park Tuesday. In addition to the many students and teachers who make their schools’ Safety Patrol programs possible, I got to spend time with Portland Public Schools’ SRTS coordinator Maddy Cirineo. Thank you students and coordinators for helping students get to school safely!
Bob Stacey Crossing Elevator Repairs
The Bob Stacey Crossing is a crucial connection in D3. Or rather, it should be! Elevator outages have made it tough and sometimes impossible to use. I’m so proud to step in with my colleagues Councilors Novick and Morillo to fund repairs to make it operable again. As reported in this Willamette Week article, we are donating money from our office funds to make sure that the elevators remain available for all. I am committed to making Portland an age-friendly city where anyone from parents with strollers to active folks on bikes to older neighbors with mobility needs can move easily around the city. The more accessible, the better!
Huge thanks to the community for your consistent advocacy! It’s inspiring when District 3 shows up and speaks up, and I’m so happy we were able to respond! Fixes are slated for Fall 2026.
Gun Violence Reduction
My office was sent some data from the City’s Gun Violence Reduction Strategy for Q1 2026. This rapid analysis is meant to identify emerging trends for strategy and decision-making purposes, and I thought it’d be helpful to share with our constituents.
Data shows encouraging reductions in gun violence compared to recent years. Homicides this quarter are below 2019 levels, with 96% of days free from shooting deaths. Twelve‑month rolling averages show declines of 21% in all homicide victims, 38% in firearm homicide victims, and 19% in injury shooting incidents. Year‑to‑date data reflects even larger drops.
The report notes, “While gun violence disproportionately impacts Black Portlanders, the gap is narrowing. As of March 2026, Black Portlanders are 7.6 times more likely to be killed by gun violence compared to White Portlanders. In January 2020 this disparity was 14.75 times. The proportion of Hispanic/Latino victims of gun violence remains elevated. Youth victimization is declining, with notable reductions among both those 17 and under and those aged 18–24.”
Shootings in outer Southeast neighborhoods show substantial decreases. Centennial had zero incidents, and Hazelwood and Powellhurst‑Gilbert saw major reductions compared to previous years. The houseless community remains the most vulnerable, at an estimated 22 times higher risk of being killed by gun violence compared to housed Portlanders. Nationally, Portland is recognized by the Center for American Progress as one of 17 cities leading gun‑violence declines from 2021–2025, reflecting the impact of community violence prevention and intervention efforts.
You can learn more about Portland Ceasefire program and the Office of Violence Prevention at these two websites: https://www.portland.gov/community-safety/ceasefire and https://www.portland.gov/community-safety/ovp.
 Foie Gras Ban Passes
I was so glad to see the ban on foie gras, brought by Councilor Green and co-sponsored by Council President Dunphy, Councilor Morillo and myself, pass this week! After hearing from hundreds of members of the community, it was clear that limiting this unnecessary cruelty to animals was the right thing to do. Portland has a vibrant food scene and is one of the coolest places to eat in the world! I believe that we can join the at least 27 countries that have limited the production, sale or import of foie gras without losing our incredible food scene.
 Royal Rose Mixer
The Royal Rose Foundation is a Black- and woman-led organization rooted in overdose prevention that centers education and early intervention. They held a wonderful celebration of their work Saturday. In addition to addressing the growing impact of fentanyl and substance abuse in the community, the SE Uplift-sponsored group has grown since they began in 2023 into doing broader work for marginalized communities. Members of their youth group, members of the board, and other community members told powerful stories about the importance of their work. I am so impressed with the work they are doing for District 3 and beyond.
Sunnyside Field Trip
It was such a treat to host a group of Sunnyside Environmental School middle school students at City Hall yesterday! This is the second time this year a group of Sunnyside students have come to City Hall. It makes me proud to see each group engage with elected officials and their staff and learn about city government and advocacy. This group included students who I taught a few years ago, which made it extra special. The students arrived with curiosity, great questions, and interest in how local government works and met with Mayor Keith Wilson to present some of their policy ideas. I’m so proud of these young people. Here’s a post with clips from inside Council Chambers.
 Benson/OHSU Tour
It’s so exciting to see Portland Public Schools getting upgraded! As part of the beautifully renovated building for Benson High School, OHSU now runs a Student Health Clinic in partnership with Multnomah County for students and community members ages 0 to 21, regardless of ability to pay. Benson High School is known for its career and technical training programs, and the OHSU student health center inside Benson not only supports physical and behavioral health needs of students, but also is part of students’ education in the health occupations program!
MODA Community Pop-Up Listening Sessions
I love the Blazers, and I love good governance! As you know, I’ve been pushing hard and consistently on the Moda Center negotiations for months now. I was the only councilor to refuse to sign the letter applauding the state funds, and I’ve been fairly relentless about making these negotiations more transparent, accountable, and beneficial to Portlanders. I’ve been working with Council President Dunphy to hold listening sessions to give Portlanders a voice, and I’m thrilled it’s happening. We don’t know all the details yet, but we have times and neighborhoods, so you can save the date. Get ready! We need your voices! Put this info in your calendar!
District 3 will have our two pop-ups on Sunday, June 14th:
- 12:00-1:30pm in Laurelhurst Park
- 3:00-4:30pm at Mt Scott Park
Loving Day Documentary Screening
I will be a panelist for the Q&A session following the showing of The Loving Story documentary on Thursday, June 11 at the Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd Ave. The event, which starts at 6 pm with movie at 7 pm, is hosted by the Black Affinity Group, and is part of the celebration of the anniversary of the June 12, 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down all remaining anti-miscegenation laws. Get free tickets and learn more here.
Veganizer Asian Market
The Veganizer Asian Market, a one-of-a kind cultural event that celebrates the intersection between Asian culture and the vegan community, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. this Sunday, June 7 at The Redd on Salmon, 831 SE Salmon St. More information can be found here.
Riso Art Workshop for Child Care Providers
APANO and Child Care for Oregon are holding a Riso Art Workshop from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 7 at the Orchards of 82nd, 8188 SE Division St. You can find more information and register here.
Comment on the Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub
Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability just released a draft proposal to reduce the amount of fuel stored at the CEI Hub. Two online public information sessions will be held Monday, June 8 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. (register here for Session #1) and noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 (register here for Session #2). There will also be a hybrid meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 10 at the Braided River Gallery, 2201 Lloyd Center, level 2 or online (note: the link leads to a Teams meeting). The public comment period will stay open through June 30.
Neighborhood Association Board Elections
Neighborhood associations can be a great way to meet neighbors, learn more about your community, help plan projects, and shape City policy. District 3 neighborhood associations that are holding board elections (anyone who lives in the neighborhood is eligible to run!) include: Buckman Community Association on Thursday; June 11, Creston-Kenilworth Neighborhood Association on Monday, June 22; and Richmond Neighborhood Association on Monday and Tuesday, June 8 and 9.
Bike Helmet Giveaway
Just in time for Bike Summer, a series of bicycling events, the City of Portland is giving away 5,000 bike helmets, first-come, first-served, at 53 Plaid Pantry locations across the city, through June 15. Information about bike riding classes and other safe biking programs can be found here.
Rumble on the River
Rumble on the River #31, “Building Community for the Long Haul,” is the latest in an ongoing series of community forums centered around environmental and social topics. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 16 at St Andrew Catholic Church, 806 NE Alberta St. Doors and information tables open at 5:30 p.m. and a panel discussion at 6:30 p.m. More information can be found here.
Portland Pools Season Starting
Portland Parks and Recreation’s outdoor pools, including District 3’s Creston Pool and Montavilla Pool, will open Thursday, June 18! For more information on the week of free swimming lessons (starting June 22), Summer Free for All programs, and more, visit their website!
Kernside Midsummer Street Fair
The Kernside Business Association will hold its first-ever Midsummer Street Fair from 10 am to 8 pm Saturday, June 20 along NE 28th Ave between NE Burnside St and Glisan St. In addition to more than 100 vendors, there will be live music, art installations, a bouncy castle for kids, and more!
Firland Parkway Landscape Design and Work Sessions
Input sessions to help decide on landscape ideas for the Firland Parkway, an undeveloped right-of-way between the north- and south-bound lanes of 72nd between SE Holgate Blvd and SE Foster Blvd, will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 22, 12:30 to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 18, and 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, August 13. The committee also meets weekly at 6 pm on Mondays (except fourth Mondays) to work on the parkway. Updates on the project can be found here.
Adaptive E-Bike Rebate Applications Open
In other bike news, the Portland Rides PCEF E-Bike Rebate Program is accepting applications to make adaptive e-bikes, conversation, and wheelchair power-assist conversions more affordable for Portlanders aged 18 and over at or below 80% of Area Median Income. For more information about the program and to apply visit their website here.
Adaptive E-Bike Rebate Applications Open
In other bike news, the Portland Rides PCEF E-Bike Rebate Program is accepting applications to make adaptive e-bikes, conversation, and wheelchair power-assist conversions more affordable for Portlanders aged 18 and over at or below 80% of Area Median Income. For more information about the program and to apply visit their website here.
New emergency website portal
Portland has introduced a new portal for information on a wide range of emergencies, including earthquakes and severe weather. The website is Portland.gov/Emergency, and new information will be added over the next several months.
$5M in Eviction Assistance
The Portland Housing Bureau just added $5 million in eviction prevention support for residents of Multnomah County seeking emergency rent assistance through the County’s Department of County Human Services. To access eviction prevention support you can email help@211info.org, call 2-1-1, or directly work with Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), Latino Network, Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), El Programa Hispano Católico, Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI), and Bienestar de la Familia.
Good Growth Video Series
APANO has a series of videos about ways to make your home more safe and climate resilient. Content is available in English, Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese, with new content being added regularly. To check it out go to their Good Growth Youtube Channel.
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