Vanport Mosaic Presents: COMING HOME: A Week of Memory Activism in Portland’s Old Town
One of 14 Nationally Recognized “Cultural Week of Action” Events
“We hope everyone can join us for this transformative week of reflection, celebration, and community as we honor the rich history and cultural legacy of this special place and the people it has touched.” — Chisao Hata
PORTLAND, OR — Vanport Mosaic is honored to be selected as one of only 14 organizations nationwide invited to anchor the inaugural Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy, a groundbreaking initiative launched by Race Forward and Americans for the Arts (AFTA). As part of this initiative, Vanport Mosaic will shine a national spotlight on Portland’s rich and complex history through COMING HOME: Memory Activism in Old Town, a week-long series of events dedicated to honoring and reconnecting communities with deep ties to Old Town. Known as one of the city's oldest and most culturally significant neighborhoods, Old Town has been profoundly shaped by historic racism and cultural erasure.
“This project aims to honor and reconnect anyone with cultural and historical ties to Portland's Old Town, one of our city’s oldest neighborhoods,” says Chisao Hata, Community Weaver and visionary behind COMING HOME. “We look forward to welcoming everyone for a transformative week of reflection, celebration, and community building as we pay tribute to the rich history and cultural legacy of this special place.”
COMING HOME will begin on Saturday, September 28th, with an intergenerational, multicultural Legacy Circle, and conclude on Saturday, October 5th, with a Unity Circle for Humanity. Throughout the week, participants can explore exhibitions, experience the "History is Now" museum without walls, and engage in community-building activities. Events are free and open to the public.
A key event of the week will be a roundtable discussion “Re-imagining Old Town” which includes a presentation by Erica Naito-Campbell, the granddaughter of visionary Bill Naito, the Portland-born son of Japanese immigrants who became one of the city’s most significant business and civic leaders. The timely discussion will provide a historic overview and feature voices from the Old Town Community.
Vanport Mosaic has partnered with several esteemed organizations to enrich this initiative, including the Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Black Pioneers, Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Hellenic-American Cultural Center and Museum, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Oregon Jewish Museum And Center For Holocaust Education (OJMCHE), and Portland Chinatown Museum. Together, these partnerships will offer a diverse array of exhibitions, presentations, and activities that illuminate the history and importance of Old Town. Each organization has histories rooted in historic Old Town and will provide information, stories, and resources.
Other highlights of COMING HOME include:
Exhibits: Experience the COMING HOME a history of Old Town exhibit, curated by cultural coordinator Roberta Wong
Art Experiences: Take part in creating a community art piece
Walking Tours: Join historians to explore our visible and invisible histories that surround us in Portland’s Old Town.
Film Screenings
And More!
Join Vanport Mosaic in creating a future that honors and protects Portland's cultural heritage and all its communities. For more information about COMING HOME and to see the online calendar of events, click here.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 20, 2024
About Vanport Mosaic: Vanport Mosaic is a memory-activism platform dedicated to amplifying, honoring, and preserving silenced histories to understand our present and create a future where everyone belongs. The organization's core values include telling stories WITH, not ABOUT, communities. Vanport Mosaic has received numerous awards, including the Oregon Heritage Excellence Award, the Spirit of Portland Award, and recognition from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for using historical places as catalysts for a more just and equitable society.
About Race Forward and Americans for the Arts: Race Forward and Americans for the Arts are excited to announce a new initiative, the Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy. This annual initiative, hosted in partnership with local communities, brings people of all identities and backgrounds together to spark action towards creating a just, multiracial democracy. The inaugural week of action will be held Friday, September 27 through Saturday, October 5, 2024, in towns, cities, counties, and states across the country. Together with local arts and culture institutions and community-based organizations, these projects and activities will spark conversations that touch on history, how it shapes our present, and how everyday people are organizing to build an equitable and racially just future. Local events will also inspire action that community members can take together to create a truly, just, multiracial democracy—starting in their own neighborhoods.
Note to Journalists: Executive Director Laura Lo Forti and Community Weaver Chisao Hata are available for print, online, and broadcast interviews. If you would like more information on COMING HOME or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Liz Bacon.
FOR CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS:
EVENT TITLE: Vanport Mosaic Presents: COMING HOME, Memory Activism in Old Town
DATE & TIME: September 28 - October 5, 2024 (Event calendar to be posted and updated on the Vanport Mosaic website - stay tuned for more information)
LOCATION: Events will be held in the 220 Building, 220 NW 2nd Avenue, 6th Floor, Portland, Oregon 97209 + various spaces throughout Old Town.
PRICING: Free and open to the public
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Email: info@vanportmosaic.org