Immigrants, Refugees Showcase Art and Talent at Cultural Celebration

Diversity of Portland's racial, ethnic and tribal communities merge with artwork at the monthly Colored Pencils Arts and Culture Night, scheduled April 24 at the Center for Intercultural Organizing office, 700 N. Killingsworth, Portland.

Since debuting in February, Colored Pencils Arts and Culture Night has drawn hundreds of Portlanders eager to share in the rich textures of cultures represented in our neighborhoods.

About one in five Portland resident is foreign-born, with growing populations of families from Latin America, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe. Colored Pencils Arts and Culture Night brings together visual artists and performers from a wide variety of racial, ethnic and tribal backgrounds.

To celebrate the City of Portland's Intercultural Communications Month in April, city employees are heartily invited to attend the event to gain insight into the vibrant fabric of our local community.

The event, held every last Friday of the month, is organized by Portland artist Nim Xuto and writer Ronault L.S. Catalani (Polo), in partnership with staff and volunteers from the Center for Intercultural Organizing, City of Portland Office of Human Relations, Colors of Influence online magazine and the Latino Network.

Learn more at www.coloredpencilsart.com

A few highlights from the March event:

Medicine Wheel for the Planet

Jennifer Grenz, PhD Working toward ecological healing requires awareness of how Indigenous ancestral knowledge and living ways can complement Western scientific approaches to environmental restoration and protection practices. Dr. Jennifer Grenz (Nlaxa’pamux mixed ancestry) worked for more than two decades as a field researcher and practitioner for environmental nonprofit organizations, where she worked with different levels of government, including First Nations in Canada. "Medicine Wheel for the Planet" compiles Grenz’s most potent realizations about the lack of forward movement in addressing an impending ecological catastrophe. A warming climate impacts not only human lives but also the natural balance that relies on reciprocal relationships rooted in deep connections to the land. She uses the metaphor of the four directions of the Indigenous “medicine wheel” to invite openness to Indigenous teachings, letting go of colonial narratives, merging lessons f...

Memento - Embracing the Darkness

Dennis "Dizzy" Doan Stories about overcoming and persevering through family dysfunction, poverty, and mental health challenges offer hope and the promise of better days. Dennis “Dizzy” Doan’s memoir Memento: Embracing the Darkness is one such story, with the added complexity of being raised in an immigrant Vietnamese family. Doan’s parents dealt with the mental and emotional aftermath of war, which forcibly uprooted them from their homeland. In the United States, they struggled to create a safe and stable life for their two sons. Doan shares his journey of finding himself, his craft, and eventually a successful tattoo business in Southern California despite personal strife and run-ins with the law. Doan is best known for developing the aesthetic language to combat anti-Asian hate that erupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. His art series titled “Model Minority” went viral, sparking conversation about Asian American identities and harmful stereotypes. In Memento, Doan showcase...

Enlighten Me

Editor's Note: This review was originally published in Los Angeles Book Review . Author Minh Lê Standing up for oneself seems like doing the right thing. Binh did just that in the face of a racist school bully who was poking fun at his Asian heritage. But physically assaulting another student goes against school policy, and it was Binh who got in trouble. Binh shares a silent retreat with his family and younger siblings. Along with other children, he learns about stories from the previous lives of the Buddha. The stories are interesting, but for Binh, it is difficult to sit still and clear his mind when he misses his Gameboy. While he struggles with silence, he learns important lessons about friendship, community, and being present. In the graphic novel "Enlighten Me," award-winning author Minh Lê and bestselling illustrator Chan Chau tell the story of a boy who gains a better understanding of himself as he works on quieting the mind and reflecting on dharma. Lê and Ch...

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