Stories In Movement
Co-created and co-facilitated by:
Chisao Hata and Laura Lo Forti
Between January and May 2019 the Vanport Mosaic will be holding a series of facilitated story circles with elders from Portland’s historic communities of color towards harvesting lessons of hope, resistance and resilience for these challenging times. An outer circle of selected listeners surrounds the circle of narrators. These gatherings focus on listening and restorative civic engagement to share stories, identify conditions of how we live together, infuse an artful process into our gatherings and build deeper relationships with those involved. We are focused on creating effective ways to share rather develop concrete strategies and outcomes.
Honoring the Vanport Community
Every year, we host a reunion for former Vanport residents and flood survivors.
In 2018, on the 70th anniversary of the flood that destroyed Vanport City, the Vanport Mosaic honored the survivors with a moving ceremony at Peninsula Park in Portland, led by the Royal Rosarians. Thanks to our advocacy effort, Gov. Kate Brown, Sen. Jackie Winters, House Speaker Tina Kotek, Portland Mayors Charles Hales and Ted Wheeler, have proclaimed a Vanport Day of Remembrance on the anniversary of the flood.
