Colors of Influence Reviews

An uncharacteristically gorgeous and sunny November Saturday took us on a road trip to Newport, Oregon. We had a wonderful opportunity to visit with Lisa Brown , founder of All Native Creations, an artist co-op comprised primarily of Native American tribal members and descendants. Lisa, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians, has years of experience in providing services "to assist tribal members to eliminate barriers, create plans for financial sufficiency, and to share info regarding concepts to assure emotional, physical and spiritual wellness." Through All Native Creations, Lisa leads the artist co-op and educates patrons though art and cultural workshops. Humility ranks high among all virtues, and Lisa credits the generosity of numerous elders and spiritual teachings, for allowing her to share knowledge about balance and respect for the earth and others. Being able to experience a busy Saturday afternoon at All Native Creations offered a rema...

I'm extremely grateful for the chance to learn and write about the successes and accomplishments of ethnic minorities who are making a difference in the business world. I'm humbled and inspired by the energy and the momentum that business people of color are bringing about in Oregon and beyond. To everyone who has taken time away from their hectic schedules for a profile interview, maraming, maraming salamat! I can't thank you enough for the chance to share your stories through OMB. Many who are familiar with my work through OMB may also know that I also do some freelance writing for The Asian Reporter newspaper, the largest English-language weekly publication in the Pacific Northwest dedicated to Asian Pacific Americans. Since making the transition to marketing communications and public relations, I have missed certain elements of covering events, reporting, shooting photos, etc. It's great to have a chance to write about issues and events of interest to our divers...

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit with Peter Leung , a businessman and civic leader based in Eugene, Oregon. Mr. Leung had the distinction of becoming the first Chinese-American to serve as the president of a local chapter (Corvallis) of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He currently serves as vice president of the Eugene chapter of the NAACP, and remains committed to lending a voice for peoples of color. Previously, he was appointed as the chair of the Oregon Commission on Asian Affairs. In his role, he developed close working relationships with both the local Latino and African-American communities. I'm happy to learn about his work and vision for moving the NAACP chapter forward. While in Eugene, I also took the opportunity to view the University of Oregon Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Fine Art exhibit A Way With Words: The Calligraphic Art of Jung Do-jun . In Korea and other parts of Asia, calligraphy was traditionally regarded among ...

Anti-immigration sentiment has spurred heated debate across the country about policies that will impact the economics of race for generations to come. In the workshop " Public Policy Struggle Around Immigration: Impact on Nonprofits,” two leading advocates for immigrant refugee and laborer rights weighed in on the issues and offered advice for activists and community leaders about how to “change the immigration conversation.” The event was hosted by the Diversity Leaders Network of the Technical Assistance for Community Services , which provides training and consultation for nonprofit organizations. Kayse Jama, founder of Center of Intercultural Organizing , captured the essence of the immigration debate when he said that the United States cannot have a conversation about immigration without tackling the issue of race. During the last century, U.S. policies on immigration have been characterized by “exceptionalism” – designed to exclude and limit the arrival of immigrants fro...

Last Sunday’s Oregonian published my photo of Alberto Garcia, father of Virginia Garcia, namesake for clinics that provide high quality, comprehensive and culturally appropriate primary health care for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and others with barriers to receiving health care. Mr. Garcia, 83, visited Oregon for the first time in almost 30 years to celebrate the opening of the latest clinic in Hillsboro. He is pictured with her daughter Alma, who accompanied Mr. Garcia on the trip. Both live in Mission, Texas. In 1975, 6-year-old Virginia Garcia died of complications from a minor foot wound. There was a lack of cultural and language appropriate medical services that resulted in her death. The Hispanic and medical communities came together after the incident to enable access to health care among underserved people in the community. In July 1975, Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center -- then situated in a converted three-car garage – opened its doors to the public. In 2...