The 8th Vanport Mosaic Festival
Join us for the 8th Vanport Mosaic Festival, our annual memory activism celebration to Remember, Repair, Reclaim, and Re-image our collective story.
Let’s commemorate together the 75th anniversary of the flood that destroyed Vanport - and honor the community that called Vanport home. From May 18th to May 29th, we invite you to learn about Oregon’s Katrina-like disaster with exhibits, artistic tributes, a reunion/celebration of former Vanport residents and survivors, documentary screenings and oral history recordings, tours of the historic Vanport area, and presentations.
Curated by Story Midwife Laura Lo Forti
laura@vanportmosaic.org
Flood refugees picket City HallJune 30, 1948
The Vanport Citizens’ Emergency Disaster Committee--formed by The Vanport Tenants’ League, Vanport College students and other activists--pressured the government for permanent housing and relief grants for flood losses. Victims never received monetary compensation nor an apology from any government agency. The Vanport Flood is considered Oregon’s Hurricane Katrina.
Courtesy of Oregon Historical Society
AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS
Vanport Mosaic’ work in collaboration with the Vanport Community and partners has been funded by a grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Telling the Full History Preservation Fund, with support from National Endowment for the Humanities. We are honored to be one of 80 organizations nationwide recognized for helping to preserve historic places to tell stories of underrepresented groups.
Our memory activism has been awarded the Oregon Heritage Excellence Award, the Spirit of Portland Award by City Commissioner Nick Fish, and the Columbia Slough Watershed Council’s Achievement Award.
FESTIVAL 2023 TEAM:
ADVISOR: Mr. Ed Washington, Vanport survivor and VM Board Member
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR: Story Midwife Laura Lo Forti
FESTIVAL CO-CREATORS/CO-CONSPIRATORS: LaVeta Gilmore Jones, Chisao Hata, ridhi d’cruz, Bobby Smith/Albina Music Trust, Matthew Karrigan/ Historic Alberta House, Aaron Spriggs, Kelly Bosworth, Greta Smith, Kris Land
DESIGN: Andrew DeVigal, Eric Mast
ADMINISTRATION: Dianna Fontes
LOGISTICS: Vida En Color/Michelle Comer and Carolina Nascimento
SPECIAL THANKS:
- Special thanks to Vanport Mosaic general manager Judith Yeckel for the many years of magic behind the scene.
- Shout out to Vanport Mosaic co-founder Damaris Webb; her mentees Lillo Alfano, Leah Hartzell, and Riley Lozano; Mr. Kent Ford; and Cleo Davis, who continues to amplify the history of Portland Black Panthers. Make sure to experience WALKING THROUGH PORTLAND WITH A PANTHER: THE LIFE OF MR KENT FORD. ALL POWER! - a new solo play by Don Wilson Glenn, directed by Damaris Webb and featuring La’Tevin Alexander.
- Past, present, and future board members + dreamers/believers + collaborators + mentors + volunteers + forever VM family: Katy Barber, Susan Barthel, Velynn Brown, Raymond Burrell, James Burke, Alex Chiu, Helen Daltoso, Sunshine Dixon, Eliza Canty-Jones, Janice Dilg, Karen Carillo, Todd and Angie Fadel, Rujuta Gaonkar, Darrel Grant, Laura John, James Harrison, Karim Hassanein, Regina Ingabire, Tim Hecox, Julie Keefe, Lisa Loving, Jen Lundstrom, Heather McCafee, Renee Mitchell, Dmae Roberts, Joel Schoening, Samson Syharath, Greta Smith, George Thorne…
OUR DEEP GRATITUDE TO THE FORMER VANPORT RESIDENTS AND FLOOD SURVIVORS FOR KEEPING THIS HISTORY ALIVE AND SHARING THE GIFT OF THEIR STORIES.
Run time:
May 18-May 29, 2023
Admission:
Most events are free/by donation