Portland, OR. Unlike many nonprofits, online operations are no new challenge for BACKBONES. This organization provides support and education for people with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D). In-person meetups like that pictured above have been replaced by monthly peer-to-peer chats. The BACKBONES team already worked remotely, according to Executive Director Reveca Torres. They have successfully continued their online-based leadership program and boosted attendance for their monthly virtual meet-up group PeerConnect.
PeerConnect provides a space for people with SCI/D to take their minds off their worries and build relationships. Program Coordinator Shannon Kelly chooses conversational topics and activities for the group. Lately, numbers have grown. “At first, it was just a few people, and now we’ve had a consistent number of attendees,” says Torres. On September 19th, PeerConnect will host a discussion on managing mental health during COVID.
The BACKBONES Leaders Program also took place over video call pre-pandemic. As a result, social distancing and shelter-in-place orders were not major obstacles. The Leaders Program prepares individuals with SCI/D to advocate for others, be civically aware, and serve as role models. On October 22nd, BACKBONES will host a virtual celebration of this year’s participants and discuss plans for next year.
Before the pandemic, backbones created events and experiences that promote awareness and engage people of all abilities.
Despite BACKBONES’s preparedness, COVID did introduce new challenges for the organization. Many have turned to BACKBONES for help managing their healthcare mid-pandemic: for example, providing protective equipment for in-home caregivers. The nonprofit’s board had to cancel some in-person events. Economic hardships have made donations slow down. Also, some in the SCI/D community also feel an added layer of anxiety due to talks of ‘medical rationing.’ “Society doesn’t see disabled lives as valuable often,” Torres explains. “There’s this fear that, if it comes to rationing medical care, that people with disabilities would be at the bottom of that.”
Discussions of bias in medicine and disability rights intertwine with subjects like racism and policing. The Black Lives Matter movement continues to shed light on these topics and encourage solidarity between marginalized groups. “It’s been nice to see that disabled voices have been included. A large number of people with disabilities are victims of police brutality,” says Torres, citing officers’ frequent inability to communicate with autistic, deaf, and mentally ill people.
However, the intersection between racial justice and disabled rights gives Torres hope. According to her: “Everything that’s going on — with COVID, with BLM, with all the issues really — it’s bringing to the surface different issues we all face at the same time and if we work together we can make change in a more efficient way.”
From BACKBONES’s website: BACKBONES exists to help people with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) and their families connect with their communities. We do that by creating events and experiences that promote awareness and engage people of all abilities.
BACKBONES was born when friends and family of Reveca Torres started a fundraising campaign in order to help pay for medical expenses after a spinal cord injury. Surrounded by great people, Reveca realized the importance of a support system to help reach one’s goals after an injury and the impact others with similar injuries had — they provided motivation and confidence that couldn’t be found elsewhere.
With the support and guidance of so many, Reveca Torres and co-founders Veronica Gott, Patricia Mikicic and Annie Gonzalez put a long-time goal into motion and transformed BACKBONES into what it is today: a place to connect with others with the purpose of learning, teaching, and sharing.
Portland, OR. Fires continue burning in Oregon and whole communities have been displaced. An estimated 40,000 people have been evacuated and remain displaced from their homes. As the state of Oregon faces wildfires and smoke threats many are asking what they can do to stay informed and help out. There are many options, but first, the Oregon FBI is cautioning generous individuals about charity fraud amid Oregon’s major wildfires. Here are some tips for safe giving:
Donate to charities you know and trust.
Designate the donation to go to a specific disaster relief effort as opposed to a general fund.
Never click on links or open attachments in unsolicited e-mails, texts, or social media posts.
Verify the legitimacy of any solicitation by contacting the organization directly through a trusted contact number.
Beware of organizations with copycat names similar to, but not exactly the same as, those of reputable charities.
Avoid charities that ask for you to pay by cash, gift card, virtual currency, or wire transfer.
Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.
Know that most legitimate charity websites end in .org rather than .com.
Make contributions directly, rather than relying on others to make a contribution on your behalf.
Those affected by the fires can use your help – and there are plenty of legitimate charities out there to do that work. You just need to do your research before giving.
The Nonprofit Association of Oregon also compiled a list of resources we’d like to share with you.
The Ford Family Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, and the Oregon Community Foundation have jointly created the 2020 Community Rebuilding Fund with a goal of gathering resources and to plan for what comes next after the extraordinary devastation brought by wildfires across a state already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and consequences of racial injustice.
The United Ways across the state have set up Wildfire Relief Funds and are working to coordinate with partner organizations in their regions. Here are the United Ways that are responding: United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, Mid-Valley (Salem).
The MRG Foundation continues to fund organizations and efforts that are focused on BIPOC, Immigrant, Tribal communities, and social/racial justice organizations.
CAUSA of Oregon has set up a wildfire relief fund to purchase emergency supplies for immigrant Oregonians who have been evacuated or lost their homes due to the wildfires.
Beachie Creek Fire where firefighters are working hard to create a ‘Fireline’. It’s the hand or bulldozer line that firefighters put in down to bare mineral soil to hold the fire and keep it from growing.
GOVERNMENT RESOURCES:
The State of Oregon Wildfire Resources page is the official state site for all resources related to the wildfires in Oregon. It contains updates on firefighting efforts, evacuation maps, and alerts.
Keep track of wildfires near you. Sign up for emergency notifications. Most counties in Oregon have a network that you can sign up to receive alerts in case you need to evacuate. The Oregon Federal Executive Board has a complete listing of notification sign-ups by county.
Smoke covers the Portland area on September 9th. The smoke remains for the better part of a week. (Photo credit, Josh Williams)
211 Info can connect community members with needed resources.
Project Wildfire has great tips on preparing for evacuation and other resources.
You can also track Oregon Smoke Information updates via an interactive map with the locations of current fires and the latest information about air quality advisories.
White Bird in Eugene is maintaining a great resource list for individual community members impacted by the Holiday Farm fire.
Various county and regional COADs and community builders have set up resource pages, many of them using the Supporting Resilient Communities Inc. system. These pages are designed to coordinate response efforts, avoid duplications, and share information.
CAUSA of Oregon has set up a wildfire relief fund to purchase emergency supplies for immigrant Oregonians who have been evacuated or lost their homes due to the wildfires.
Portland, OR. A new Netflix documentary called The Social Dilemmais exposing the consequences of our growing dependence on social media. Filmmakers explain that hidden artificial intelligence is hijacking our attention to the detriment of our health and wellbeing.
Here’s a trailer for the film:
More about the film:”Set in the dark underbelly of Silicon Valley, The Social Dilemma fuses investigative documentary with enlightening narrative drama. Expert testimony from tech whistle-blowers exposes our disturbing predicament: the services Big Tech provides—search engines, networks, instant information, et cetera—are merely the candy that lures us to bite. Once we’re hooked and coming back for more, the real commodity they sell is their prowess to influence and manipulate us.”
One of the main people behind a movement to educate the public about how social media is exploiting users is a former Google designer named Tristan Harris.
He founded an organization called “Center for Humane Technology”. It has some recommendations for taking action to avoid being taken advantage of.
Here are the recommendations to help you and your family disrupt the social media cycle:
As technology takes over more of our lives each day, the tips, explanations, and resources here can help you take back control. Given how many new technologies and apps are constantly emerging, our Digital Well-Being Guidelines can also help you with a more generalizable, principles-based approach.
Turn off all notifications except from people.
Notifications appear in RED dots because red is a trigger color that instantly draws our attention. But most notifications are generated by machines, not actual people. They keep our phones vibrating to lure us back into apps we don’t really need to be in.
Visit Settings> Notifications and turn off all notifications, banners, and badges, except from apps where real people want your attention; e.g. messaging apps like WhatsApp, FB Messenger, Signal, Telegram, WeChat etc.
Go Grayscale.
Colorful icons give our brains shiny rewards every time we unlock. Set your phone to grayscale to remove those positive reinforcements. It helps many people check their phone less.
Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut (bottom) > Color Filters. This allows you to quickly triple-tap the home button to toggle grayscale on and off, so you keep color when you need it.
Try keeping your home screen to tools only.
Do you open apps mindlessly because they are the first thing you see when you unlock your phone?
Limit your first page of apps to just tools–the apps you use for quick in-and-out tasks like Maps, Camera, Calendar, Notes, or Lyft. Move the rest of your apps, especially mindless choices, off the first page and into folders.
Launch other apps by typing.
Swipe down and type the app you want to open instead of leaving bad habits on the home screen. Typing takes just enough effort to make us pause and ask, “do I really want to do this?”
OnAndroid you can use the Search Box on your home screen.
iOS: For best results, turn off Siri Suggestions (Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Suggestions to off)
Charge your device outside the bedroom.
Get a separate alarm clock in your bedroom, and charge your phone in another room (or on the other side of the room). This way, you can wake up without getting sucked into your phone before you even get out of bed.
Go cold turkey: Remove social media from your phone.
This one is tough, but effective! If you really want to use your phone less, we recommend removing all the major social media apps from your phone. It’s the easiest way to cut back, as these apps can easily gobble up so much of our time. Train yourself to use them from your computer only (if at all).
Note: You can delete the Facebook app and still get some specific features, i.e. Facebook Messenger for messages, and “Local” for events.
Send audio notes or call instead of texting.
Studies show that it’s common for people to misinterpret text messages, even from romantic partners, while voice is rich with tone and less vulnerable to misinterpretation. Recording a quick voice message is often faster and less stressful than typing out each letter. Plus, it doesn’t require your full visual attention.
Note: Sometimes people are not in an environment where they can listen to an audio note, so be patient with your expectations of response time.
Texting shortcut: Use quick reactions.
On iOS, press and hold on a text message and you’ll see this menu of quick reactions. It’s faster than crafting a response, and can also add some context, giving a taste of the emotion that’s often silently conveyed in a real, face-to-face conversation.
These are some recommended tools to manage social media:
Flux(Mac, Windows) Reclaim 15 mins of quality sleep by cutting the blue light from our screens.
uBlock Origin(Chrome, Safari, Firefox) Reclaim ~30-40% of your attention with every article you read.
InboxWhenReady (Gmail) Focus your inbox by only showing messages when you click “Show Inbox” instead of getting distracted as new emails arrive.
THRIVE (Android) Set boundaries with your phone for set periods of time by turning your smart phone into a dumb phone. Automatically lets others know when you’re taking a break.
Turn on NightShift (iOS) Blue light from screens late at night tricks our body into believing it’s still daytime, which disrupts our natural ability to sleep.
Freedom (Mac & Windows) Temporarily block specific websites or apps on your desktop, tablet and phone for set periods of time.
Moment(iOS) See how much time you spend on your phone.
RescueTime(Mac, Windows) See how much time you spend on different apps on your desktop along with various websites.
Enable “Send + Archive” Gmail only. This archives the email right after you send it. The email will reappear in the inbox when the person replies.
Gboard 50% faster “swipe” typing than regular keyboards so you can respond to a message and get off your device more quickly.
Calm Helps create calm and stress-free time in your day and reduces anxiety. Leading popular meditation app.
Calendly Rapidly allows others to book time on your calendar by sending them a quick link. Helps each user save 10-15 minutes per meeting scheduled.
Facebook Newsfeed Eradicator Removes the Facebook newsfeed and blurs the sidebars and notifications, allowing you to use some of the more utilitarian features of Facebook without getting sucked into the newsfeed.
NoMoRoBo Blocks robocalls and decreases the time you spend dealing with spam and telemarketers.
Siempo Siempo protects you from distractions & mindless use by letting you replace your home screen with an interface that allows you to batch notifications, unbrand icons, randomize their location, and set restrictions to prevent unconscious usage.
Distraction-Free YouTube (Chrome) – Removes recommended videos from the sidebar of youtube, making you less likely to get sucked in to unintentional content-holes. (Does not currently disable autoplay.)
Flipd This company boasts that users have spent more than 100 million minutes distraction-free. The app protects you from distraction by temporarily locking you out of distracting games, social media, and other apps. (Apps temporarily disappear from your phone).
We envision a world where technology is realigned with humanity’s best interests. Our work expands beyond tech addiction to the broader societal threats that the attention economy poses to our well-being, relationships, democracy, and shared information environment. We must address these threats to conquer our biggest global challenges like pandemics, inequality, and climate change.
Portland, OR. The Autism Society of Oregon (ASO) virtual walk had over 400 participants and raised nearly $50,000 to fund ASO’s programs throughout Oregon and SW Washington. The live-stream event was held on August 23rd. Families, individuals, and supporters walked or ran on their own in their Autism Awareness/Acceptance gear and sent in videos and photos for the montage below.
See all of the participants of the 2020 Virtual Autism Walk in Portland in this video by Robert Parrish.
Organizers say, during this challenging year, the nonprofit’s services are needed more than ever.
You still can donate to the walk at this LINK. Or, make a general donation to ASO at LINK.
Here’s a list of all the winners:
Largest Team:
Wild, Wild Westerlund
Highest Individual Fundraiser:
Joshua Peek
Highest Team Fundraiser:
Team Cameron
T-shirt Design Contest Winner:
Anna Litchman
From Autism Society of Oregon:
The Autism Society of Oregon is Oregon’s leading organization providing resources, education, advocacy on policy matters and support for individuals and families living with autism.
We are committed to these core principles:
• We provide services without regard to a person’s age, race, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, income level or level of need on the autism spectrum • We strongly encourage and welcome families, professionals and individuals living with autism with opportunities to participate in our governance, on our committees, and as staff members • We partner with others to advance the well-being of all living with autism • We promote individual choice and self-determination of individuals living with autism, aided by parental and guardian advocacy • We recognize a person living with autism can and should be able to maximize his/her quality of life and oppose any denial of their opportunities • We oppose any discrimination and harm directed towards individuals living with autism and their families
Donations to ASO are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
Portland, OR. The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in some very hard times for many of our local nonprofits; so much so that some may go under. According to the Harvard Business Review, “In the weeks and months ahead, nonprofits will need a major infusion of cash to keep staff on the payroll, to pay rent and utilities, to provide a semblance of services during this period of social isolation, and, simply, to survive.” The outlook for some nonprofits gets more precarious with each benefit cancellation and each face-to-face fundraising event dropped due to the risk of spreading COVID-19.
In Portland, we’ve seen many nonprofits rise to the challenge by using creative thinking and utilizing virtual fundraising. Donors are prioritizing charities with the fastest and most meaningful impact and shedding bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Businesses that serve the nonprofit sector are seeing that donors are prioritizing organizations that are focused on health and human services. Michael Gorriarán is the President of a business serving nonprofits called Arjuna. The company uses behavioral economics modeling and artificial intelligence to optimize nonprofit outreach to donors. Gorriarán says, “Fundraising contingency plans never considered an issue of this magnitude.” He notes that the pandemic has massively disrupted fundraising campaigns and that virtual campaigns are not producing as much revenue as in-person benefits.
According to the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, 49% of the nonprofits reported adding new clients, services, or programs since the start of the pandemic. If donations drop, they’ll need to find ways to fill the funding gaps.
Harvard Business School recently shared some other thoughts from business and nonprofit professionals on responses needed:
The importance of donors accelerating financial contributions that they might have made later was emphasized.
Unrestricted donations will do more good than restricted.
Donors should give priority to programs with proven interventions to the largest numbers of people, especially if they’re at high risk of having to close their doors.
Priority should be given to nonprofits closest to the frontline and to those serving the most vulnerable.
Halting the outflow of as much cash as possible, including a reduction in fixed costs, should be an immediate priority for nonprofits.
Any partnerships or mergers of nonprofits with similar purposes ever pondered need to be very seriously considered now.
At Portland Society Page we have a list of local nonprofits you can explore on our
Portland, OR. The President of the Portland Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is feeling optimistic about the future of race relations in the Rose City. Rev. E. D. Mondainé, a renowned musician, and U.S. Army/Air Force veteran took the helm of Portland’s chapter in 2018. His voice has become increasingly important during this time of downtown protests and civil unrest. Mondainé’s says, “Even though times are bleak, we can make change. Portland is a perfect storm for change in this country and the ninety-plus days of noise is the start of revolution.”
While many organizations and individuals protesting are calling for a complete defunding of the police in Portland (and across the nation, for that matter), Rev. Mondainé says that the NAACP does not stand with the goal of abolition, but rather, reformation.
Starting in May 2020, demonstrations over the police killing of George Floyd have been held in the city of Portland, concurrent with protests in other cities around the United States and around the world.
When asked about the death of George Floyd and the reverberations across the nation, Mondainé’s said he believes Floyd’s death was nothing less than a “horizontal, modern-day lynching” and not to be convoluted else wise. (Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin is charged with murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.)
Reverend E.D. Mondainé believes in Portland and the ability of residents to confront nationwide and global equality and equity. “We’re on a mission for justice, truth, and equality. And we’ll never stop fighting for that.”
The Portland NAACP has taken a stand on many issues including renter’s rights in 2019.
Mondainé’s spoke to Portland Society Page reporter Daniel Chilton about his views on the strategy of the Black Lives Matter movement and where the NAACP stands regarding the policing institution, as well as the prison industrial complex.
While the public conversation has primarily revolved around police institutions and police brutality, Mondainé also discussed the often-absent subject of the prison industrial complex. With Black inmates outnumbering whites by a large margin until very recently (according to Pew Research Center, this gap has begun to narrow) Rev. Mondainé says that the NAACP is trying hard to keep this conversation going and has major plans in the future to continue to address both police and prison reform; that one cannot exist without the other present.
Thousands marching into downtown Portland; a photo strikingly familiar to those of the 1960s civil rights march on Washington.
About the Portland NAACP:
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race.
To find out more about Portland’s NAACP branch and any upcoming events, including their monthly meetings downtown, click here. If you’re interested in donating to their cause, you can do so directly here. To register to vote for the upcoming election and make your voice heard for change, you can do so here.
Portland, OR. Portland Opera has postponed operas like Tosca, (seen above) but it it will present An Evening with Portland Opera: A Free & Virtual Concert from Rose City. The online benefit concert will take place on Saturday, October 17th, at 7:30 PM, and will be available for free on Portland Opera’s Vimeo and YouTube channels. Hosted by General Director Sue Dixon, conducted by Music Director George Manahan, and directed by Kristine McIntyre, An Evening with Portland Opera will feature guest artists whose performances were canceled or postponed due to the pandemic, joined by the 2019/20 Resident Artists, the Portland Opera Orchestra, and Portland Opera Chorus, under the direction of Chorus Master & Assistant Conductor Nicholas Fox. Donations accepted before and during the event will directly support Portland Opera. This hour-long performance, which was recorded and produced safely, will only be available to view for 30 days.
“Although we cannot gather in person, we are delighted to join together to share in an evening of beautiful music,” says General Director Sue Dixon. “We are not alone in facing the very real challenges of this time. The decision to program this concert allows us to celebrate the talent and artistry of the musicians we were going to hear and love this year, be inspired by the vitality of our artform, and connect with the community that is the reason we do the work we do. We hope you will tune in and that we can all find joy and comfort in experiencing music together.”
Guest artists for this special evening will include sopranos Vanessa Isiguen, Alexandra LoBianco, and Caitlin Lynch; mezzo-soprano and former Portland Opera Resident Artist Daryl Freedman; baritones Michael Chioldi, Gordon Hawkins, and Will Liverman; and bass-baritone Daniel Mobbs. They will be joined by Portland Opera’s 2019/20 Resident Artists: soprano Emilie Faiella, mezzo-soprano Camille Sherman, tenor Ricardo Garcia, and baritone Geoffrey Schellenberg. Pianists for the performance include Portland Opera Chorus Master & Assistant Conductor Nicholas Fox, Cris Frisco, Steven McGhee, Joshua Quinn, and Carol Wong.
This benefit concert was made possible by ongoing support from The CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Oregon Arts Commission, and the Regional Arts and Culture Council. Portland Opera is a member of OPERA America.
Artist Biographies:
Soprano Vanessa Isiguen made her Portland Opera debut in 2017, joining the company for the Big Night concert, and singing the role of Mimì in Puccini’s La Bohème. Since then, she has joined the company each year for the annual Big Night concert. This year, she was scheduled to sing the role of Nedda in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, prior to its cancellation due to COVID-19. Additional recent credits include the title role in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with Palm Beach Opera and Opera Idaho, the role of Roberta Alden in Tobias Picker’s An American Tragedy with Glimmerglass Opera, and numerous roles with Opera Tampa. Full bio information can be found here.
Soprano Alexandra LoBianco is scheduled to make her Portland Opera debut in the title role of Tosca, a role she has previously sung at North Carolina Opera and Minnesota Opera. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2019 as Marianne Leitmetzerin in Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier. Her credits also include the roles of Leonore in Beethoven’s Fidelio and Helmwige in Wagner’s Die Walküre at the Wiener Staatsoper; Amelia in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera at Florida Grand Opera, and Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at Seattle Opera. Full bio information can be found here.
Soprano Caitlin Lynch was scheduled to make her Portland Opera debut this summer as Bea in Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers, prior to its cancellation due to the pandemic. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Biancofiore in Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini in 2013 and has since sung the roles of Cynthia in Nico Muhly’s Two Boys, Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and the Countess in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro there. Additional credits include roles with Palm Beach Opera, English National Opera, Seattle Opera, Utah Opera, and the Seattle Symphony. Additional bio information can be found here.
Mezzo-soprano Daryl Freedman made her Portland Opera debut as a Resident Artist as Aglaonice in Philip Glass’s Orphée, and went on to sing numerous roles with the company including Venere in Monteverdi’s Il Ballo delle Ingrate, Dinah in Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, Sandman in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Concepción in Ravel’s L’Heure espagnole, and multiple roles in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les sortilèges. She is scheduled to sing the role of Azucena in Verdi’s Il Trovatore in the 20/21 season. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Schwertleite in Die Walküre in 2019 and is a graduate of Washington National Opera’s Cafritz Young Artist program. Additional bio information can be found here.
Baritone Michael Chioldi was scheduled to make his Portland Opera debut as Tonio in Pagliacci in June 2020, prior to its cancellation due to the coronavirus. He has performed at nearly every major American opera house, including The Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera and Los Angeles Opera. Recent credits include the role of Giorgio Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata with Utah Opera, Washington National Opera, and Austin Opera; the title role in Verdi’s Rigoletto at Austin Opera, and Gerard in Giordano’s Andrea Chénier at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. Additional bio information can be found here.
Baritone Gordon Hawkins is scheduled to make his Portland Opera debut as Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca. He has previously sung this role with Cincinnati Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Vancouver Opera, and Arizona Opera. He has sung numerous roles with The Metropolitan Opera, including Thoas in Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride, Donald in Britten’s Billy Budd, Marcello in La Bohème, and Jake in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. Additional credits include performances with San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, Washington National Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the BBC Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall. Additional bio information can be found here.
Baritone Will Liverman made his Portland Opera debut in 2017 with the company’s Big Night concert and the role of Marcello in Puccini’s La Bohème. He was scheduled to return to the company in the role of Silvio in Pagliacci, prior to its cancellation this June. Liverman’s recent engagements include starring as Papageno in The Metropolitan Opera’s production of The Magic Flute, in addition to singing the role of Horemhab in the Met’s premiere of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten and appearing as Malcolm Fleet in Nico Muhly’s Marnie. He also recently appeared as Pantalone in The Love of Three Oranges at Opera Philadelphia, as Silvio in Pagliacci at Opera Colorado, and as Schaunard in La Bohème with Santa Fe Opera, Dallas Opera and Opera Philadelphia. Additional bio information can be found here.
Bass-baritone Daniel Mobbs made his Portland Opera debut in 2004 as Lord Sidney in Rossini’s The Journey to Reims, and subsequent roles with the company have included the title role in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and most recently, Baron Douphol in Verdi’s La Traviata. He was scheduled to return to the company in the title role of Bajazet prior to its cancellation. In previous seasons, Mobbs has performed with numerous American companies, including The Metropolitan Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Los Angeles Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Additional bio information can be found here.
Soprano Emilie Faiella made her Portland Opera debut as a 2019/20 Resident Artist in An American Quartet: Four One-act Operas, singing the roles of Lucy in Menotti’s The Telephone, Geraldine in Barber’s A Hand of Bridge, and Lola in Moore’s Gallantry. Prior to joining the Resident Artist program, Faiella performed the role of Yniold in Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande at Boston University’s Opera Institute. She was a 2016 participant in Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artists Vocal Academy, and in 2017, she was a Young Artist at SongFest, an art song festival and training program.
Mezzo-soprano Camille Sherman completed her second year of Portland Opera’s Resident Artist program during the 19/20 season. She made her Portland Opera debut as Flora in La Traviata and has since sung the roles of Ramiro in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera, Kate Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and two roles in An American Quartet: Four One-act Operas –the Announcer in Gallantry and Sally in A Hand of Bridge. She was scheduled to sing the role of Asteria in Bajazet this spring, prior to its cancellation. Last year, Sherman was a semi-finalist in The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, after winning the Northwest Regional Competition. Additional bio information can be found here.
Tenor Ricardo Garcia made his Portland Opera debut as a Resident Artist in An American Quartet: Four One-act Operas, singing the roles of Bill in Barber’s A Hand of Bridge, and Donald Hopewell in Gallantry. He was scheduled to sing the role of Beppe in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, prior to its cancellation. Before joining Portland Opera’s Resident Artist program, Garcia was a 2019 Apprentice Singer at the Santa Fe Opera, and a member of the young artist program at Wolf Trap Opera in 2017. He has recently sung the roles of the Drunkard/Lamplighter in Portman’s The Little Prince at Tulsa Opera, as well as the role of Bajazet in Handel’s Tamerlano at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Garcia recently joined the Houston Grand Opera Studio Artists Program. Additional bio information can be found here.
Baritone Geoffrey Schellenberg made his Portland Opera debut as the Marquis in Verdi’s La Traviata. As a Resident Artist, he sang the roles of Fiorello in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Nardo in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera, was a soloist in the 2019 Big Night concert, and sang multiple roles in An American Quartet – Ben in The Telephone, David in Barber’s A Hand of Bridge, and Doctor Gregg in Gallantry. Last season, he also sang the role of Schaunard in La Bohème with Vancouver Opera. Schellenberg was scheduled to sing the role of Charlie in the Portland Opera premiere of Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers, which was cancelled due to the pandemic. This fall, he joins Opéra de Montréal’s Atelier Lyrique for the 2020/21 season. Additional bio information can be found here.
From Portland Opera:
Portland Opera exists to inspire, challenge, and uplift our audiences by creating productions of high artistic quality that celebrate the beauty and breadth of opera.
Since 1964, Portland Opera has contributed to the cultural, artistic, and economic landscape of the city and region that we love. We celebrate the beauty and breadth of the opera repertoire with performances that take place in the Keller Auditorium, Newmark Theatre, and the Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre at the Hampton Opera Center. The company is also a committed educational partner, touring fully staged operas to schools and community centers throughout Oregon and SW Washington region each year, in addition to a host of other efforts designed to make opera accessible for all.
Portland, OR. New Avenues for Youth celebrated its annual Brews for Youths festival, but for the first time in its history, this fundraiser was held virtually. The benefit on July 25th, is one of many that have moved to an online platform due to COVID-19 pandemic. New Avenues for Youth has seen a tremendous shift towards technology to provide goods and services for at-risk and impacted youth in Portland. With a decrease in physical presence and an increase in a virtual presence, New Avenues for Youth has had to shift its approach.
“[This shift] is beneficial in the long run because we will have new tools and systems online,” says Lauren Eads, Director of Development and Communications. With an increase in online tools, New Avenues for Youth can continue to provide counseling and services to help at-risk youth in Portland while remaining safe.
An image from the educational program which is going live with virtual learning on August 24th.
However, one aspect that technology cannot provide is the face to face physical interaction that people need. “Community is important for them, a network of safe adults, that’s a lot of what the employers are. Case managers and problem solvers that can help,” Eads explained.
Helping nearly 1,400 individuals a year, New Avenues for Youth has served as a safe space for youth in Portland struggling with homelessness. By focusing on both intervention and preventative care, the nonprofit offers educational and employment programs, as well as counseling. Drop-in services including showers and meals, housing/residential services, and works with foster care systems with Portland to help those who are experiencing trauma or emotional and mental challenges that do not work well with foster care.
An image from the SMYRC program that serves young people who identify as LGBTQ+ with supportive services and a safe space.
Moving forward under the pandemic, New Avenues for Youth has decided to also hold its 19th annual Steve Allen Comedy show virtually. The comedy show has been a foundational pillar helping to fund the work of New Avenues for Youth. “With COVID-19 disrupting that [fundraising] pattern, we have an increased need for folks to make contributions so we are able to continue supporting young people experiencing or are at risk for homelessness,” Eads explained.
Tickets for the Annual Steve Allen Comedy Show can be found online.
New Avenues For Youth Front.
New Avenues for Youth is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and intervention of youth homelessness. Here’s a video about the nonprofit:
Since 1997, our programs and services have impacted more than 20,000 young people as they work to overcome barriers, pursue their goals, and realize their potential. From supporting basic needs like meals and counseling to providing opportunities for education, job training, employment, and housing, we meet youth where they are—and help them get where they want to go.
Portland, OR. Supporters can sign up online for this year’s AIDS Walk which is scheduled for September 12th. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the walk will take place wherever participants are. Following the virtual program, participants will choose a suggested walking route that is the same distance as the walk would be if we could be together. In the Portland/Vancouver area, CAP is creating multiple suggested routes for walkers to choose from; elsewhere, walkers will be encouraged to create their own routes.
All participants are encouraged to wear their favorite face covering and maintain a safe physical distance from others!
For 35 years, CAP has called upon thousands of community members, advocates, and activists to step up and take a stand against HIV transmission. Though this year’s event may look a little different, organizers say it is still critical that people show up to walk (in a safe and physically distant way) in an effort to remind our communities that HIV has impacted each and every one of our lives in some way.
There will be a Live Stream Program on September 12th at 10 AM. The stream will be available at www.aidswalknorthwest.org, as well as on CAP’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel. During the program, the nonprofit will be honoring the 2020 Heroes of HIV and celebrating the impact the individuals and organizations have made.
Following the live program, teams can head out any time between 11 AM and 2 PM to one of the Walker Check-In Stations to collect t-shirts, walker bags, and prizes.
From CAP:
CAP is the oldest and largest community-based provider of HIV services, housing, education and advocacy in Oregon and Southwest Washington
Portland, OR. Most piano teachers and students aren’t able to sit side-by-side these days; they’re learning via zoom. That’s the case with the young teachers at the Play It Forward Foundation. It was originally established by famous Portland pianist Michael Allen Harrison and has aimed to keep young musicians moving forward since its inception. It primarily operates with two distinct missions: the first is to take in donated instruments (primarily pianos) to rehouse them in public school programs and student homes; the second aims to keep these musicians in lessons while offering new teachers consistent work.
The first mission, wherein donated instruments are rehoused into public school programs and particularly talented young musicians’ homes, is just a part of how the Play It Forward Foundation is helping the community. The program’s Executive Director, Marietta Harrison, says that they look at nearly three hundred pianos a year, ultimately accepting around one hundred of these (with sometimes up to five calls a day for potential donations). These pianos are vetted and reconditioned prior to being donated in order to offer better services to the school programs or child’s home they end up in. In a time when public school’s art funding seems to be ever-declining, the organization pays for these services out of pocket in order to better serve the community.
With classes moved entirely online for the foreseeable future, potential barriers are further erased.
Rather than simply donating and dipping, so to speak, the second part of their mission aims to keep a consistent hand within Portland’s musical community. The nonprofit’s goal here is to remove any potential barriers between the students and their music– whether that be economic, logistical, or otherwise. Started in 2017 with a mere twelve students, the program was up to one hundred students by 2019.
Online piano recitals with both Michael and Marietta Harrison present.
Prior to the COVID pandemic, the program would offer work to young teachers seeking experience who would often travel to the school or the student’s home in order to better erase these potential barriers faced. Currently, the program has gone completely online and classes are being held through Zoom meetings. Given everything going on in the world right now, Marietta Harrison says that this program has always aimed to be proactive rather than reactive; establishing itself in the community as an organization that erases barriers for students and encourages musical growth.
About Play it Forward:
Nearly 20 years ago, the City of Portland passed a measure that cut critical funding to music education in our public schools. Having benefited from free music education in public schools, that eventually led to a successful career as a composer and pianist, Michael Allen Harrison could not watch this happen silently. Play It Forward, affectionately known as PIF was born. Play It Forward distributes gently used instruments gifted by donors to students and music programs throughout the Portland Metropolitan Community.
If you’d like to donate to a great cause, you can do so here.
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