Black History Month: Oregon

Black History Month is an opportunity for all of us to reexamine the history of black people in Oregon. Making an effort to understand the history of the place you call home is, in and of itself, an act of love as it honors those who came before you.

Educating yourself about the past of your community is also a way of imagining yourself into the lives of people who have lived different experiences than you. If we hope for a just society, we must begin by understanding one another and understanding how we got to where we are today as a community.

Here are a couple wonderful resources, made right here in Oregon, to help you explore Oregon's black history and understand it within the context of the history of the United States:

Learn about Civil Rights in Oregon from OPB's documentary Lift Ev'ry Voice>>

Watch educator, writer, scholar, and poet Walidah Imarisha answer the question: Why are there not more black people in Oregon?>> 

Coalition of Communities of Color

Imagine a world where socioeconomic disparity, institutional racism, and inequity of service have been eradicated. This is the vision behind the Coalition for Communities of Color. The organization focuses on:

Research Justice: Data collected through the work of the Coalition and partners like Portland State University has been instrumental in educating Oregon residents and policymakers alike about the realities faced by communities of color throughout the state. 

Leadership Development: CCC is actively growing leaders in communities of color throughout Oregon and SW Washington to guarantee their future success in advocating for themselves.

Policy Analysis and Advocacy: Focused on making voices of communities of color central in policy discussion. They are working with both community members and legislators to achieve this goal.

Check out their 2017 Racial Equity Legislative Report>> documenting work done by communities of color with our legislators to ensure that racial disparity is addressed in state laws and regulations.

Consider supporting the important work of the CCC>>

January: A Month of and for Hot Things

You probably all already know that January is a National Month trifecta in the hot food department covering Oatmeal, Tea, and Soup in just 31 days. We won't promise that a steady diet of hot food will solve all that ails you but it will definitely make for a more pleasant (and warmer) month. Here are some suggestions to celebrate these three hot national treasures.

Spruce up your oatmeal game with these tips from The Kitchn>>

Visit the Lan Su Chinese Garden and have a quiet cup of tea in the teahouse operated by Tao of Tea>>

Rescue your pantry vegetables with this improvisational minestrone>>

New Conforming Loan Limits

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie  Mac announced that the 2018 conforming loan limits will increase from $424,100 to $453,100 for a single family residence (higher limits are available for 2-4 unit properties). This is great news for anyone needing a reduced down payment or guideline flexibility that is not readily available with jumbo financing. The change is effective with closings after January 1.

As for VA loans, they have historically followed conforming loan limits so there is every reason to believe they will also raise their limits to the new higher amount as well. 

Click here for more information about these changes>>

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

The Oregon Historical Society is launching a new exhibit "Racing to Change: Oregon's Civil Rights Years" and offering FREE admission on January 15th from 10 am to 5 pm in honor of Dr. King. 

Take advantage of the opportunity to educate yourself about black history in Oregon during the civil rights era. If you cannot make it to the opening, the exhibit will be up through late June. 

Interested in the history of Real Estate in Portland as it relates to the black community, watch this online lectureby Dr. Karen J Gibson, Associate Professor at Portland State University discussing Portland’s Black Belt: Motives and Means in Albina Real Estate, 1940–1990.

photo credit: Oregon Historical Society