 Our “No Turn on Red” Ordinance Passed!
City Council just unanimously passed the ordinance I co-sponsored with Councilor Loretta Smith, directing the Portland Bureau of Transportation to roll out “No Turn on Red” restrictions across Portland's High Crash Network, which makes up roughly 8% of city streets but a staggering 62% of traffic deaths. Right turns on red create real danger for people walking, biking, and rolling through crosswalks, and PBOT data shows this simple change can cut crashes at an intersection by about 9%. PBOT will prioritize the riskiest intersections first: those near schools, parks, transit stops, and in Equity Priority Areas. This project starts with a 30-intersection pilot and a public education campaign before enforcement begins. As someone who is championing an age-friendly city, I love how this works for all ages and stages of life, from the youngest among us to the oldest, who are uniquely vulnerable. Read more HERE.
Why I Voted “No” on the Moda Center Term Sheet
On Wednesday, Council voted to move the Moda Center term sheet forward. I voted “no,” but with deep respect to my colleagues and all who have put work into this grueling process, especially the public advocates. I continue to be inspired and thankful for how committed everyone has been on this issue.
As I said on the dais, I cannot support this term sheet without a firm commitment of capital from Dundon and his team as part of the capital stack. As it stands now, we don't know if they will contribute, and if so, how much. A term sheet is a starting point, and I don’t believe this is an adequate starting point. I've been consistent and clear throughout this process. I believe I owe it to the people in my district and beyond, who have shown up over and over again asking me to demand a fair deal for Portland, to take this position.
Importantly, I asked the City to commit to keeping the public informed along the way and to give Council at least 30 days of due diligence time to review the documents we’ll vote on in December. The City has committed to keeping this website as up-to-date as possible: portland.gov/venues/moda-center.
Resolution to Ban NDAs for Data Centers
Councilor Green and I just announced our proposed resolution urging the City Administrator and all City leadership to refrain from signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) related to data center development, and to ensure that all decisions affecting Portlanders — from siting and permitting to utility rates and public engagement — happen in the open. I don’t take this lightly. This is about our very survival and the survival of children and their children. Data centers consume the basic necessities of life – like the air we breathe, the water drink, our natural environment. Portlanders are already hurting in very real ways with their utility bills and all the increasing costs to simply exist, let alone thrive. I believe this resolution is a baseline and the simplest, fastest action we can take now for the time being. Read more HERE.
 Cayle Tern Legacy Soccer Leadership Program
The Cayle Tern Legacy Soccer Leadership Program is a pilot program created by Bottles To Soccer that aims to invest in young people whose families have been directly or indirectly affected by immigration-related challenges. I am proud to have donated $1,000 to help seed the program, which is an eight-week leadership and community program that combines leadership development, civic engagement, experiential learning, soccer, mentorship, and community service to help students build confidence, strengthen leadership skills, and make a positive difference in their communities. It is especially special to me that it is named in honor of Cayle Tern, a compassionate community leader whose life reflected service, advocacy, and a deep commitment to creating opportunities for others. Applications are now open for the Fall 2026 cohort and due Thursday, August 27. Learn more HERE.
Help Boost My Newsletter
I have always loved sending out a Friday newsletter since I was in the classroom. I know I have casual readers out there, but I also know that I have newsletter devotees who rely on my weekly updates for news snippets, resources, and events. I love delivering this information to your inbox every week, and I’d love your help in getting some new subscribers! If you like my newsletter, can you forward this to your friends, family, and neighbors? They can sign up HERE or through my Council landing page!
 As I rode the bus home earlier this week, I found myself getting wistful about my time on Team TKL coming to an end. I’m brimming with gratitude to have spent my summer with such an amazing team, who are as generous with their snacks as they are with sharing their deep knowledge about city government. Working with them has been the best introduction to the public sector that I could have asked for, and I am endlessly thankful.
In my brief time at City Hall, I’ve focused on the ethical investment of public funds, traffic safety, data centers and more. Different issues, but a common thread ran through all the research: a belief that local government can achieve transformative things for those that it serves. Investments that respect the dignity and rights of all people. School intersections where every student, teacher, and parent can cross safely. Rules to protect Portlanders and our environment from polluting corporations. If the federal administration is enacting government at its worst, through my work and those that I met along the way, I saw flickers of government at its best.
To think all of this came from a cold email last spring is astounding. This experience has exceeded anything that I could have anticipated, and I’ll carry all that I’ve learned with me for the rest of my life. I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading my weekly reflections on this work as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them. Until we meet again!
Calling Mural Artists!
RACC, in partnership with Multnomah County, is seeking artists for two exterior murals at the future Sobering & Crisis Stabilization Center at 440 SE Stephens Street. This Percent for Art opportunity totals about $140,000 for a large mural along SE Grand Avenue and a second at the building’s entrance. Artists with large‑scale mural experience and those with lived experience related to houselessness, substance use, or mental health are encouraged to apply, especially those connected to the Portland region. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, August 19. Learn more and apply here.
Safety & Tree-Focused Bike Ride
Urban Forestry is partnering with APANO, Vision Zero, and BIKETOWN to put on a safety and tree-focused bike ride in the Jade District from 5:30 to 7:30 pm Friday, August 21 starting at the Portland Community College Southeast Campus. The 4-to-5-mile ride will feature some of the Heritage Trees in the District and the new biking infrastructure along SE 82nd Ave and SE Division St. All are welcome, and bikes will be provided through BIKETOWN if needed. Learn more HERE.
Kenilworth Park Summer Free for All Concert
The Summer Free for All concert in Kenilworth Park, SE Holgate Blvd and SE 34th, will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 pm August 22. The 80s-style band Blonde Neon will be performing, and food carts Scoop of Love and Beijing Bro will be there.
2026 BIPOC Mental Health Summit
The 2026 BIPOC Mental Health Summit, hosted by the Oregon Heals Coalition, is a one-day convening featuring workshops, speakers, and community activations that will be held August 22. “Healing Together: Across Generations, Across Communities” seeks to shift the narrative from viewing mental health solely as a personal experience to understanding it as a reflection of the health and well-being of entire communities. Learn more and register HERE.
Film Screening of Kintsukuroi
Kintsukuroi, a new historical drama from director Kerwin Berk, will be shown at 2 pm Saturday, August 22 at Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton Street. The film follows members of the Ito family from their pre-war life in San Francisco’s Japantown to the concentration camps of the American West to the battlefields of Europe. The film's Portland debut, hosted by JAMO, will feature director Kerwin Berk and several members of the cast and crew. Learn more and get tickets here.
The 43rd Annual Hawthorne Street Fair
Did you know that Hawthorne Boulevard is home to Portland’s longest-running street fair? The 43rd anniversary Hawthorne Street Fair will be held 11 am to 5 pm on Saturday, August 23. Multiple music stages, vendors, and sidewalk sales will be featured, along with Hawthorne’s many shops.
Jade International Night Market
The 2026 Jade International Night Market will be held from 4 to 10 pm Saturday, August 29 at Portland Community College’s SE campus. The event will feature 120+ food and retail vendors, performers, and cultural showcases from across the Asian diaspora and beyond. More information about “Jade in Motion: Charging Forward with Hope,” inspired by the Year of the Fire Horse, can be found HERE.
PCEF 82nd Ave Ride to Jade Night Market
The ride, starting at 4:30 pm Friday, August 29, will meet at Bird Alliance of Oregon, NE 82nd Ave and Siskiyou St., and bike to the Jade Night Market. Along the way the climate investments that are revitalizing 82nd Ave will be discussed, with stops at climate resiliency projects from Bird Alliance of Oregon, Depave, APANO, and more. New bike and pedestrian infrastructure that is helping make the neighborhood more bike-friendly are possible because of the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) and the Jade Multimodal Project. Learn more HERE.
Arts Organization Operating Support Grants
Applications for the City’s updated Operating Support Grants opened Monday, July 20, the first time in 30 years the City is accepting applications directly. These grants support Portland-based nonprofit arts organizations and are funded through the General Fund and the Arts Access Fund. Applications for FY2026–27 are open through noon on September 11, 2026, and organizations must register in WebGrants by September 4, 2026. Learn more HERE.
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