UPDATED MARCH 12, 2020
Per direction from Oregon Governor Kate Brown, all events with more than 250 expected attendees must be postponed – and Mayor Wheeler has asked that events be limited to no more than 25 people. That guidance affects several events which we at Portland Parks & Recreation had been planning to host or to present, including the popular Portlanders Stand with Refugees & Immigrants event, which will not take place as planned on March 19. We will work to reschedule it, and provide updates as able.
Portland Parks & Recreation has monitored the COVID-19 situation since it began. We continue to be in communication with, and following the guidance of, the Oregon Health Authority, Multnomah County Health Department, and the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management regarding COVID-19. We continue increased efforts to clean and sanitize Portland Parks & Recreation facilities.
For more info, please visit portlandoregon.gov/parks/covid-19.
ORIGINALLY POSTED FEBRUARY 13, 2020
UPDATED ON MARCH 2, 2020
(Portland, OR) –
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is proud to present the fourth annual Portlanders Stand with Refugees & Immigrants celebration on Thursday, March 19, 2020 at PP&R’s Southwest Community Center. Everyone is invited to the vibrant, multicultural community gathering to celebrate and welcome people new to Portland and the United States. Enjoy free admission for music, dancing, and camaraderie. Food vendors will be on site (food is for purchase).
Photo from 2019's Portlanders Stand with Refugees & Immigrants celebration.
What: Portlanders Stand with Refugees & Immigrants celebration – a free, multicultural community event with dancing, live performances, music, and fun. Enjoy food carts on site, serving throughout the event (food is for purchase). Presented by PP&R’s Parks for New Portlanders program.
Where: PP&R’sSouthwest Community Center, 6820 SW 45th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97219.
When: Thursday, March 19, 2020, 6pm–8:30pm
RSVP to the Facebook event:
facebook.com/events/299156067668858/
Portland Parks & Recreation notes that many people new to Portland from around the world do not speak English as their first language. To best reach and inform them, this press release will be translated into seven languages other than English (below), and distributed to members of those vibrant communities.
- Somali
- Arabic
- Swahili
- Spanish
- Burmese
- Russian
- Pashto
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler will attend and give brief remarks. Other special guests include Portland Parks & Recreation Director Adena Long, former Parks Commissioner Amanda Fritz, and representatives of the offices of US Senators Wyden and Merkley.
“Portland is proud to stand with our immigrant and refugee neighbors,” says Mayor Wheeler. “Everyone is welcome here, and the City will continue to invest in services and programs for all Portlanders.”
Portland Parks & Recreation, via the Parks for New Portlanders program, also hosts events such as the Portland World Cup Soccer Tournament and WALK with Refugees and Immigrants. These events are often many newcomers’ first experiences with their City government and helps people new to Portland access Portland Parks & Recreation offerings and other City services.
“Portland’s parks, natural areas, and community centers are a vital part of the quality of life for all Portlanders,” says Portland Parks & Recreation Director Adena Long. “We continue to more fully engage with traditionally under-represented communities. We are fully committed to continuing the crucial work of welcoming and serving all Portlanders, whether they’ve lived here all their lives or if they’re new to the City from anywhere in the world.”
“This event means a great deal to us,” says Amin Khananzai, President of Afghan Youth Association of Portland. “The Portlanders Stand with Refugees & Immigrants celebration gives people who are new to Portland from around the world a chance to showcase our culture and community. It’s a way for all of our neighbors to learn more about the vibrant, multicultural communities which are woven into the fabric of the Rose City. Coming together for this crucial City of Portland event helps foster a sense of belonging, a feeling of warmth, of being welcome.”
Portland Parks & Recreation welcomes people from all races, religions, countries of origin, sexual orientations, genders and abilities. The #WeStandTogether poster is available in English and 14 other languages.
Notably, the Portlanders Stand with Refugees & Immigrants event will dedicate time towards remembering our late former Parks Commissioner, Nick Fish. Members of the public will be invited to write their thoughts about the Commissioner on a large banner. He remains an inspiration to many.
Event partners include:
- Neighborhood House
- Torus
- CAIRO
- Refugee Volunteer Org
- Afghan Youth Association of Portland
- People Places Things
- PDX Rohingya Community
- The Arabic House
- Risen Community
- Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
- St. Luke Lutheran Church
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