PrideScape
By Pride Northwest
The mission of Pride Northwest, Inc. is to encourage and celebrate the positive diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans communities, and to assist in the education of all people through the development of activities that showcase the history, accomplishments, and talents of these communities.
PrideScapeApr 14, 2022
Rose Haven Development Director Liz Starke
In this episode, Pride Northwest Executive Director Debra Porta is joined by the Development Director of Rose Haven, Liz Starke. Debra and Liz discuss the services Rose Haven provides day-to-day as the only day shelter and community center specifically serving women, children, and gender-diverse people in Portland. The conversation also includes topics such as how the LGBTQIA2S+ community is impacted by homelessness and the barriers they face accessing services, the landscape of current needs for houseless and housing-insecure people in Portland, and the no-daytime camping ban in Portland and how that has affected houseless folks, shelters, and service providers.
To learn more about Rose Haven's crucial work in the community and how to get involved, please visit rosehaven.org. To stay updated on Pride Northwest's programs, visit pridenw.org. To contribute to Pride Northwest's Fall & Winter Community Impact Drive, of which Rose Haven is a beneficiary recipient, please check out our Impact Drive page here: https://www.pridenw.org/community-impact-drive
Portland Backpack with Shani Harris-Bagwell
Pride Northwest is excited to support Portland Backpack as part of this year's Community Impact Drive. Portland Backpack's Mission is to serve children who are at risk of hunger by providing food sacks for weekend days when food scarcity is higher. They believe that engaging the community in their efforts creates a greater impact that reached beyond reducing hunger. Learn more about this growing organization and how you can help support their efforts.
Madi Bourdon, school counselor, GSA leader and children’s book author
For this PrideScape conversation, Pride Northwest Executive Director Debra Porta sat down with Madi Bourdon, local school counselor, GSA leader, and children's book author. Madi was formerly the school counselor and GSA leader for a Portland area elementary school that faced extreme backlash, doxxing, and violent threats over a planned Pride event that ultimately was cancelled for the safety of everyone involved. Debra and Madi discuss and break down what happened with Madi's former GSA and the anti-LGBTQIA2S+ vitriol over their Pride event, how she, the other organizers, and the school community were impacted, and how they were able to pivot in order to still hold a (private) Pride event for the GSA members and their families. The two also discuss the children’s book surrounding chosen family that Madi is crowdfunding for, and how people can help. Due to safety concerns, the crowdfunding page is not public, but if you are interested in contributing to Madi's book fund, please email debra.porta@pridenw.org and a link to the page will be shared with you.
As always, please check out pridenw.org for more details about Pride Northwest's year-round work supporting the LGBTQIA2S+ community in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Katie Cox, Executive Director of Equi Institute
In this extended episode, Executive Director of The Equi Institute Katie Cox returns to the PrideScape program to chat with Pride Northwest Executive Director Debra Porta once again. The two discuss updates from Equi and how the landscape of LGBTQIA2S+ supportive services looks currently, the work being done in the LGBTQIA2S+ housing collaborative the two organizations are founding members of, the wave of queer and trans newcomers to Oregon from conservative states, and the LGBTQIA2S+ Oregon survey project launching at 2024 Portland Pride. To stay up to date on the crucial work The Equi Institute is performing for the trans, queer, gender diverse and intersex community, and to support their efforts, please visit their website at https://www.equi-institute.org/.
Ian Morton, New Director of Programs at Pride Northwest
In this episode, Executive Director Debra Porta sits down with Ian Morton, the new Director of Programs at Pride Northwest. The two discuss what this new position means for Pride Northwest, goals for the upcoming year and beyond, and how this year's Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade went. To learn more about Pride Northwest's programs and get involved, visit pridenw.org.
Cayla McGrail and Eden Dabbs from the LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Project
In this episode, Pride Northwest Executive Director Debra Porta speaks with Cayla McGrail and Eden Dabbs from the LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Project, which is housed within the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability’s Historic Resources Program. The LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Project is a multi-year effort that works to identify, document, and preserve historic places and resources associated with lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer+ histories. Debra, Cayla, and Eden discuss the origins of the project, its timeline and goals, why it's important to document and preserve LGBTQ+ histories, and how you as a community member can get involved. If you are interested in submitting a site to be considered, please follow this link: https://www.portland.gov/bps/planning/historic-resources/lgbtq-historic-sites/questionnaire Additionally, you can contact Cayla at cayla.mcgrail@portlandoregon.gov.
Vegas Flights
In this episode, Executive Director Debra Porta spoke with Vegas Flights, an up-and-coming drag performer, producer, director, and more. For those unaware, Pride Northwest and Vegas Flights previously partnered on The Takeoff, an all-queer youth drag show that premiered in November 2022. Debra and Vegas discuss Vegas's experience growing up, what brought them to performing, and their experience producing The Takeoff. They also touch on what is needed right now in terms of support for queer youth, as well as what's coming next for The Takeoff. To support Vegas Flights, please check out their Instagram. Make sure to watch both their page and Pride Northwest's accounts for updates regarding The Takeoff 2!
Dr. Sandra C. Comstock at Hygiene4All
This month, Pride Northwest Executive Director Debra Porta sat down with Dr. Sandra C. Comstock, Executive Director of Hygiene4All, to discuss how Hygiene4All came about and what they do, how the pandemic has affected the local houseless community, what the landscape of resources looks like now, and how folks can engage to support Hygiene4All's mission. They also address the City of Portland's plan to tackle the homelessness crisis by building city-sanctioned camps. For those unaware, Multnomah County recently voted to approve a plan to spend more on homeless services, and their plan did not include funds for such camps. The camps are still planned to be built, but Multnomah County will not pay for them. Debra and Sandra talk through how these camps will cause undue harm to those who are already most marginalized. To read more about this recent decision from the County, you can view this article from OPB. To learn more about Hygiene4All and how to support them, please visit their website: h4apdx.org
Dana Louis with Gather:Make:Shelter
In this extended episode, Pride Northwest Executive Director Debra Porta talks with Dana Louis, Executive Director and Shepherd of Gather:Make:Shelter, a local organization that works with populations experiencing houselessness and poverty to engage in collaborative, skill-building creative projects. Debra and Dana discuss the origins of Gather:Make:Shelter, the collaboration between Pride Northwest and GMS at 2022 Portland Pride, and various projects completed at the C3PO villages in Portland. Dana also describes stories of those she has engaged with throughout the years, and what she would like the public to know about people experiencing houselessness. If you'd like to learn more about Gather:Make:Shelter and find ways to connect with their work, please check out their website: https://www.gathermakeshelter.org/
Tony Camacho Martinez at p:ear
Executive Director of Pride Northwest Debra Porta is joined this episode by Tony Camacho Martinez, Program Director at p:ear, a local Portland organization that works with houseless youth. Started in 2002 and founded by 3 women, p:ear focuses on establishing connections and relationships with homeless youth, supporting them through art, education, recreation, mentorship, and work programs. Tony and Debra discuss the work that p:ear is doing and their mission, the current needs of homeless youth and how that has changed throughout the pandemic, our Pride Days of Service partnership for October, and how listeners can support p:ear. To learn more about p:ear and support their programming, please visit https://www.pearmentor.org. To learn more about the last Pride Days of Service day at p:ear and sign up to volunteer, please visit https://www.pridenw.org/volunteer-1.
Natalie Berning with OnPoint Community Credit Union
In this episode, Debra Porta meets with Natalie Berning, Financial Advisor with OnPoint Financial Services and Raymond James at OnPoint Community Credit Union. They discuss the difference between a credit union and a bank, how to decide which financial institution to bank with, how to protect yourself financially in an economic downturn, and resources for folks needing more help with financial planning. For more information on the resources touched on in this episode, please visit OnPoint's website: https://www.onpointcu.com/financial-education/
Robin Will and Melissa Lang with GLAPN
In this extended special episode, Debra is joined by Robin Will, President of GLAPN, and Melissa Lang, Vice-President. They discuss what GLAPN does, LGBTQIA2S+ history in Portland and Oregon dating back to 1912, the 30 year anniversary of the start of “the Measure 9 years” and what we can learn from that time, as well as GLAPN’s current programming and how you can support them in their efforts to keep queer history alive. Visit their website and find out more at https://glapn.org/
Keely Helmick with Oregon SAIGE
Keely Helmick, President of Oregon SAIGE and owner of Connective Therapy Collective, joins us this episode to discuss all things ORSAIGE and our upcoming collaboration at Portland Pride. We discuss who ORSAIGE is, why it’s important to have a chapter of SAIGE in Oregon, their advocacy to bring a bill to legislature to ban conversion therapy in adults in Oregon, supporting LGBTQIA+ therapists and LGBTQIA+ people seeking therapy, and the new Quiet Booth we're bringing to Pride this year.
Miri Cypers, Director of Northwest Region Anti-Defamation League
Director of the Northwest Region of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) joins us this episode to discuss the evolution of the ADL. Including how the way hate is directed at folks has evolved over the years and the ways the ADL is working on these issues, including technology and current hate laws.
Amira Stanley, Owner of Core Gut Mind Connection
Amira Stanley of Mind Core Gut Connection joins us in this episode to talk about her journey with mindfulness and self love and how she uses self compassion even during the toughest times. Amira covers how trauma can affect our ability to sit in mindfulness and the importance of therapy in addressing trauma when moving forward. The episode closes with a mindfulness exercise led by Amira.
Year in Review
Join Pride Northwest's Executive Director, Debra Porta and our Program Assistant, Kari Anne Horton as they reflect on this past year's programs. While Pride Northwest is most well known for the Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade, there are a number of programs that the organization works on year round. Including community organizing around housing, and food insecurity, LGBTQIA2S+ youth programs, and our commitment to using our platform to uplift the accomplishments and history of our community. Pride is more than a party, it is a starting point. Hear how Pride Northwest puts that Pride spirit into action.
Iden Campbell, Twelve6
Listen to Pridescape's final episode of the year. This extended episode features Iden Campbell, founder of Twelve6, which focuses on suicide prevention, especially among BIPOC LGBTQIA2S+ folks. Suicide prevention is about more than just treating the person, it requires a robust response which responds and treats the underlying issues, in addition to after care. Learn more about how Iden and Twelve6 address these issues and their upcoming suicide prevention tool coming in 2022. Content Warning, this episode discusses suicide.
https://www.twelve6.org/
Co-Producers of the Never Look Away mural, Zoe Piliafas and Ruban Lawrence
Learn about the original vision for the mural, the community effort that went into making it become a reality, and what the goals and hopes are for this project going forward. Hear from two of the Co-Producers Zoe Piliafas and Ruban Lawrence
Author Patricia J. Gallegos
Patricia J. Gallegos is a new author. Her debut novel, The View from My Window, is a LGBTQIA Young Adult Fantasy. The book follows Willow on her journey through violence, wisdom, and love. After all, the fate of her people rests squarely on her shoulders.
As a published illustrator, her pen and ink illustrations capture the wildlife and the landscape of the Four Corners in Under the Indian Turquoise Sky, Ye Galleon Press. This collection of Native American fables was shared, in the oral tradition, by respected Native-elder storytellers with young Native American students, who put these treasured fables into writing for the very first time. This treasury was compiled by Dr. Grace Nutley and Rosemary R. Davey.
As a Nationally Certified Sign Language Interpreter, Gallegos is a student of human nature and the language of what is unsaid but clearly stated. As a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, she has the reputation of being the Shen whisperer, She-Who-Sees-Inside-the-Spirit. She teaches and practices Traditional Chinese Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Following her own native roots, she treads softly in the footsteps of her ancestral matriarch, who was an Apache warrior and practitioner of curanderismo.
Support local bookstores and buy her book on Indie Bound (direct link to book)
Ian Daniel Morton with the Q Center
Catch up with the new Executive Director of the Q Center in downtown Portland, Ian Daniel Morton. Ian fills us in on some of the programs that are taking place at the Q Center, how it has been taking on this new role in the middle of the pandemic, and what is on the horizon for Q Center.
Katherine FitzGibbon and Elizabeth Bacon Brownson with Resonance Ensemble
Catch up on what is happening with Portland Pride this year. Kari Anne, the Program Assistant and Debra Porta, the Executive Director of Pride Northwest give us the low down on the official events of Portland Pride this year. This episode features one of the organizations Pride Northwest partnered with for Portland Pride this year. Katherine FitzGibbon and Elizabeth Bacon Brownson with Resonance Ensemble fill us in on how they have been using music to address the many issues that COVID19 and the pandemic have brought up for LGBTQ+ and Black, Indigenous and Communities of Color. Learn about the piece they are premiering at Pride with music by Mari Esabel Valverde and words by Dane Figuero Edidi.
Maria Peters Lake and Kimberlee Van Patten with Peacock Productions, Inc.
Debra speaks with Maria Peters Lake and Kimberlee Van Patten, founders of Peacock Productions, Inc. and administrators of the Audria M. Edwards Scholarship Fund. Learn how Peacock in the Park and the scholarship fund began, the history of Peacock in the Park, and how the culture of these large events has changed over the years. They also touch on how COVID19 and the pandemic will affect our community and LGBTQ+ events going forward.
Rick Jung, Executive Director of the Portland Gay Men's Chorus
Rick fills us in on what has been happening with the Portland Gay Men's Chorus, how COVID has affected the choir and how they perform, and what's coming up this season!
A Conversation with AARP's Community Engagement Director Bandana Shrestha
This episode examines the needs of older LGBTQ+ individuals, specifically focusing on folks who are 50+. Building across generational communities and the effect the pandemic has had on older LGBTQ+ folks and where we go from here.
State of LGBTQ Oregon and Katie Cox with Equi Institute
Debra Porta and the new Executive Director of the Equi Institute, Katie Cox discuss a new project Pride Northwest and Equi Institute will be partnering on in 2021.
Welcome to Pride Northwest
Debra Porta is your host and the Executive Director of Pride Northwest. She is joined this episode by Kari Anne Horton who is the Program Assistant. Learn more about Pride Northwest programs and events, how COVID-19 upended the annual Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade, and what is coming in 2021.