June 2019 Cultural Work Roundup

Get outside on a picnic blanket, on a patio, or anywhere under the sun for arts and culture this month. Plus, we are proud to launch two distinct summer event series at APANO: our AMP Summer Series (formerly known as MicCheck!), a lineup of unique events led by cultural workers in our community, and Eat Up!, a series that explores food entrepreneurship through personal stories from local food entrepreneurs. Click on the links to learn all the details on the AMP Summer Series and Eat Up!

EVENTS

• Tuesday, 5/21 - Wednesday, 6/5: The Vanport Mosaic Festival 2019 – In these times of collective amnesia, remembering is an act of resistance. For the fourth year Vanport Mosaic invites you to explore the many silenced histories that surround us, in order to better understand our present, and write a new chapter where we all belong. Join us for two weeks of MEMORY ACTIVISM to explore and confront our local past and recent history of “othering, ” and its tragic consequences. Through exhibits, documentary screenings, tours, performances, and dialogues we will celebrate the lessons of resilience and resistance as defined and told by historically oppressed communities. Various times and locations.
• Sunday, 6/1: Albina Queens - Exhibition Opening – This photography exhibit celebrates those who claim, reclaim and/or disrupt traditional constructs of black femininity in its many forms. The images captured mark an occasion where black women/femmes were seen, counted, loved and valued. This in and of itself is a political act. The black women/femmes we are seeking represent a wide spectrum of difference (trans women, non-binary femmes, femmes, cis women, youth, elderly, people with a range of abilities — and everything and everyone in between). It is in this spectrum where we find the beauty and power of black people. Exhibition runs through June 30. Opening 6pm-9pm, Ori Gallery.
• Sunday, 6/1 - Wednesday, 6/5: GAMBATTE: An American Legacy – GAMBATTE: An American Legacy is explores the resilience and fortitude of the Japanese American community, from Nihonmachi, Portland’s historic Japan town, to the present. Through theatre, dance and music the 90-minute performance is a way to raise empathy and heal the emotional legacy and the effects of racism in America. Various times, Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center.
• Sunday, 6/2: Black Queer Pride Celebration – Pride month is about honoring the resilience of our communities and uplifting the voices of the most marginalized, including young people, undocumented and disabled folx. Join us for a celebration of Black Queer Resilience in Portland. We’ll explore what it means to be Black and Queer in this city. Drop in for one portion of the event or hang out all day! 12pm-4:30pm, Central Library.
• Sunday, 6/2: QTIPOC Draw Night – Draw, craft, chat with other Queer/Trans/Inter* People of Color! The venue has free parking, and light snacks and tea will be provided. 6pm-10pm, Independent Publishing Resource Center.
• Monday, 6/3: Community Healing Gathering – A Community Healing Gathering is an open dialogue between generations sharing their emotional legacies catalyzed by GAMBATTE: An American Legacy. 7pm, Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center.
• Saturday, 6/8: Grant Writing for Artists – How do you get your dreams the funding they deserve? Learn to tell your story in a dynamic and engaging way! Along with the basics of creating and writing grant narratives, developing budgets & organizing supporting materials, we will also demystify the process of applying for and maintaining grants in accessible language. Together we will explore how to properly research grants, keep your materials organized, develop systems to streamline your efforts and be the change you want to see in the world! 10am-1pm, June Key Delta Community Center.
• Sunday, 6/9: Cultural Connections: Celebrating Immigrant & Refugee Stories – Cross-Cultural Youth-Driven Conversations ~ Community Art Making ~ Food ~ Performances Come join Youth Advocates for Immigrants and Refugees (YAIR) in a cultural celebration of immigrant and refugee art and stories. Be prepared for an empathetic story exchange, amazing art, and delicious food! 2pm, New Expressive Works.
• Friday, 6/14: Black Filmmaker Fellowship Screening at the Hollywood Theatre – Celebrate Black brilliance and the future of media at this screening and fundraiser for #OpenSignalLabs, a new incubator for Black filmmakers based in Portland. This event marks the completion of the pilot year of the Labs fellowship, which provided career-changing support to six local artists in 2018-19. Labs fellows Kamryn Fall, Elijah Hasan, Tamera Lyn, Sika Stanton, Noah Thomas and Dustin Tolman—and staff Ifanyi Bell and RaShaunda Brooks—will share excerpts of new works, followed by a Q&A. Their documentary and narrative films address gentrification, Portland police, African identity, music, fashion and more. 7pm-9pm, Hollywood Theatre.
• Wednesday, 6/19: Hear Our Voice – This staged reading and discussion will feature four new works by emerging PDX playwrights of color: "Girl in the Leather Jacket" By Nicky Nicholson-Klingerman, Directed by Yasmin Ruvalcaba; "Tears, Tequila, and Truth" by Marissa Sanchez, Directed by Cambria Herrera; "Lunch Room" by Lisa Collins, Directed by Jennifer Lanier; and "Held by My Sea" by Cambria Herrera, Directed by Yasmin Ruvalcaba. 7:30pm-9:30pm, Portland Center Stage at the Armory.
• Saturday, 6/22: Vancouver NAACP Branch 1139 Juneteenth Celebration – Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day, is an American holiday that commemorates the June 19, 1865, announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas, and more generally the emancipation of enslaved African Americans throughout the former Confederate States of America. Job Fair 10am-12pm, Celebration 1pm-6pm, Clark College Hanna Hall.
• Sunday, 6/23: Pending Approval: The History of Korean American Adoption – Focusing on Korean adoption through a historical lens, this first in a pair of events supports this year's AMP theme: "Passages." "The History of Korean American Adoption" will center on the socio-historical context of Korean adoption and the origin stories and childhoods of adoptees. The second event, "Now and Tomorrow for Korean Adoptees" on July 7, will focus on the adult adoptee experience and cover themes such as identity, returning to Korea, birth searches, and parenting. Each event will include an artist's presentation, a brief address on the history and context, an adoptee panel discussion and Q&A, and community reception. (These events precede the AMP-sponsored screening of "Approved for Adoption.") 3pm-5pm, Milepost 5.
• Thursday, 6/27: Share Your Food with the World: A Food Production How-To – Join us for our inaugural “Eat Up” series leading up to the Jade District Night Market this year! APANO is teaming up with local food entrepreneurs who will share personal stories, how their culture influenced and inspired them, their learnings, challenges, and successes. Up first: A casual evening discussion with Matt Choi, co-owner of Choi’s Kimchi, a food processing company based in Oregon, and Jason Ball, former chef and currently Faculty Research Assistant and Culinary Project Manager of Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center. Matt and Jason will talk about producing a family recipe to sell to the public, Farmer’s Markets, as well as scaling up to meet demand, food safety, costs and resources. They’ll also be whipping up some Kimchi Fried Rice to share with you all! 6pm-8pm, Orchards of 82nd, 8118 SE Division St.
• Saturday, 6/29: Pride Luau – UTOPIA PDX will be celebrating Pride Month in a big beautiful way! A magical night from a meaningful blend of our Pacific Island cultures and having pride in our LGBTQ+ identity and community. This particular intersection of being a QTPI (Queer and Trans Pacific Islander) allows us to share our unique narratives and experiences and what we have been doing these past two years in community with all of you. We will wear our favorite cultural island attire, eat a delicious islander feast, and sing and dance to our beloved island homeland songs and music. If that isn't enough, we will be having a silent auction of 8 incredible luxurious resort packages in destinations from our cousin island nations in the Caribbean! Ticket sales will start soon so lock in the date! Get ready to enjoy a fantastic evening Portlandia QTPI style! 6pm-8pm, Lagunitas Community Room.

OPPORTUNITIES

• Community Powered Change Grants – The Oregon Health Equity Alliance (OHEA) is excited to announce our upcoming summer community grants! Applications will be available June 3rd for up to $20K in funding for community powered change! We are hosting an info session Wednesday, June 5th from 6-7:30pm at the Urban League of Portland. Join us for light refreshments and bring all your questions. Eligibility criteria and details on work being funded is available here.
• APANO is hiring! APANO is seeking a Welcome Desk and Event Coordinator (closes June 7) and an AmeriCorps VISTA Housing Resource Coordinator (closes July 15). Click on each link to learn more about these positions.
• RACC is hiring! The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is seeking a Director of Advancement and Innovative Partnerships to lead the organization’s efforts to raise approximately $2 million per year from individuals, foundations, businesses and government sources. We encourage Cultural Work Roundup community members and people of color to apply and/or share with your networks. Application period closes on June 14 at 5pm. Link to position description is here.
• Low cost creative work spaces available at Broad Space, a co-working collective for artists who identify as female or non-binary. Spaces start at $95/month for a hot desk! Email: JeanettePDX@gmail.com for more details.

/// More on the Cultural Work Roundup ///

The Cultural Work Roundup is a monthly spotlight on arts and cultural events and opportunities that:

• Directly relate to APANO's cultural work strategies to impact beliefs, actions and policies through centering the voices of those most impacted and silenced, resisting and shifting harmful narratives and ideas, and moving beyond defensive strategies to envisioning alternatives.
• Centralize the voices of Oregon-based Asian and Pacific Islander artists and/or artists of color.

Events may include readings, exhibitions, festivals, openings, and performances. Opportunities may include calls for artistic submissions, grant and funding opportunities, and volunteer opportunities. The deadline for submissions is the third Monday of each month for events and opportunities that fall into the following month. For example, events and opportunities that take place in June are due to APANO by the third Monday in May.

The Cultural Work Roundup will be posted on APANO's website and shared via APANO's digital communications platforms. Events and opportunities will be posted at APANO's discretion based on alignment with our cultural work values. You may submit to the Cultural Work Roundup by filling out our Google Form at bit.ly/culturalworkroundup.

If you have any questions, please contact Cultural Work Manager Candace Kita at candace@apano.org. Enjoy!