Birdwatching and Historical Walking Tour - 8th VANPORT MOSAIC FESTIVAL

Walk starts and ends at EXPO Center

Join Marti Clemmons (Portland State University archivist/historian) and Han Lyons (BIRDHERS) as we contextualize a space where history and nature meet.

There is much in common at Force Lake, between birding and history, both of which assist us in gaining more context and understanding of our surroundings. Part of the Columbia River Slough, Force Lake once served as a recreational outlet for the residents of Vanport. A physical remnant of the era, today it serves as an accessible birding spot, a place that weaves the past and present into an observable experience.

Two Walks as part of the 8th Vanport Mosaic Festival:

- May 27th: Open to General Public Walk - This walk is part of the Day of Remembrance at EXPO/Delta Park, May 27 ~ Join us anytime between 12-4 pm: Memory activism, tours, stories, pop-up exhibits, and screenings on the Indigenous land where Vanport once stood and where nearly 4,000 Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated.

- May 29th: Womin & Queer centered Community Walk

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BIRDHERS is a bird-watching club for womin, Queer, Trans, and non-binary people to build community by walking together, being present in nature, observing flora and fauna, sharing knowledge and curiosity about the world around us. Through the lens of bird watching, we strive to create a safe, accessible space in nature for people outside of the white cis-hetero patriarchy that has historically dominated this practice.

ETHICS

l✓Comfort of birds comes first

✓ Ask questions!

✓ Non- hierarchal knowledge sharing

✓ Nature Stewardship

✓ No species elitism

✓ Promote relationships with public

Above all else, Birdhers champions inclusivity, curiosity, and respect. Any form of bigotry, racism, or misogyny will not be tolerated.

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Part of the 8th VANPORT MOSAIC FESTIVAL May 18-29, 2023

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The annual festival is a highlight of Portland's cultural calendar, blending history, culture, arts, and activism into a living and highly creative memorial. Oregon Arts Watch/ Bob Hicks

2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the flood that destroyed Vanport, once second-largest city and the largest WWII federal housing project in the United States.

Join us for two weeks of memory activism to commemorate Oregon's Katrina-like disaster with exhibits, presentations, artistic tributes, a reunion/celebration of former Vanport residents, documentary screenings and oral history recordings, tours of the historic Vanport area, and community engagement activities.

The events will take place in various venues in Portland and are free/sliding scale.

Festival headquarters: The Historic Alberta House | 5131 NE 23rd Ave, Portland OR

Host or Publisher Vanport Mosaic