“You may not always have a comfortable life. And you will not always be able to solve all the world’s problems all at once. But don’t ever underestimate the impact you can have, because history has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michelle Obama (At the Young African Women Leaders Forum, 2011)
Hello Everyone, Enjoying all those fall colors out there!?
The Humboldt Neighborhood Association wants to hear from you!
Please join us for this months Humboldt Neighborhood meeting on 11/14/18 7-9pm @ Neil Kelly 804 N Alberta Street 97217 Parking and entrance behind building off of Albina.
Meetings are always 2nd Wednesdays of the month.
To receive meeting agendas & minutes please email HNAnews@gmail.com to be added to the HNA contact list.
Check out many happenings in the neighborhood and beyond @ The Humboldt Neighborhood Association FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/humboldtneighborhoodassociation/
Lastly, if you aren’t familiar, nextdoor.com is a fantastic way to connect with your neighbors, and your community. To join, visit https://nextdoor.com/invite/mtsqadhtazdnutzawpxe
Thanks everyone for all you do and see you soon.
— Best,
Kymberly Jeka
Chair | The Humboldt Neighborhood Association
Alberta Abbey Neighborhood Party
October 13, 2018, 1pm to 10pm @ 126 NE Alberta Street, Portland.
The Alberta Abbey has a great BIG spectacular community event planned and Everyone is welcome! Don’t miss the new Alberta Abbey unveiling and all it has to offer the neighborhood and beyond. There are fun activities planned for the entire day well into the evening. The Alberta Abbey block party will feature food, art, performances and vendors from Northeast Portland’s King and Humboldt neighborhoods.
Come join the Abbey and King/Humboldt Neighborhood Associations for a day of great performances, food, and fun for all ages. Kids activities downstairs from 1pm, bands and food outside from 2pm, and things finish off indoors with an open mic and stellar lineup of artists.
Any artists, businesses, or neighbors that lives, works, or attends school in either of these neighborhoods can sign up to be involved here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhNdnFVsA0KpLHkTU89kL6p-hDWN9VGIiYx7G8TPRN3xB-tQ/viewform
September 14, 2018
Dr. Rita Moore
Chair, PPS Board of Education 501 N. Dixon St.
Portland, OR 97227
Dear Dr. Moore,
We, the Board of the Humboldt Neighborhood Association, would like to thank the PPS Board for its support of our recent series of community conversations regarding the possibility of renaming Jefferson High School. The response from the neighborhood on this issue was both impassioned and surprising. We believe that convening this dialogue has rekindled connections between Jefferson students, faculty, alumni, and neighbors, and has shed much-needed light on pressing concerns around safety and infrastructure at Jefferson.
Specifically, we heard repeated calls to prioritize several outstanding issues at Jefferson – namely, ensuring safe drinking water; eradicating vermin; and attending to ongoing maintenance concerns. These issues, the community suggested, are in far greater need of attention than questions about the possible renaming of the school. On behalf of the students of this venerable and revered institution, we urge the PPS Board to address these concerns in a timely manner.
Finally, with regard to the question of renaming Jefferson, the community expressed significant support for retaining the name of “Jefferson,” while also disassociating the school from its slave-owning namesake, Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. This disassociation could include removing President Jefferson’s first name from the school’s official name, as well as removing the statue of President Jefferson from the school grounds. However, the community stressed that any action regarding the school’s name take a back seat to addressing the aforementioned health and safety issues, which are of far greater and more immediate concern.
The Humboldt Neighborhood Association intends to continue to advocate for and support Jefferson High School as well as its students, faculty, and leadership.
Thank you for your attention to these matters.
Sincerely,
Anne LaBorde, Chair, Humboldt Neighborhood Association
Cc: Margaret Calvert Principal, Jefferson High School Richard Hunter, Jefferson Alumni
Sarah Steele, Jefferson Student Body President
Humboldt Neighborhood Association Community Conversation 01.29.2018
“Humboldt Neighborhood Association (HNA), with support from Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN) hosted a conversation about “What is in a name”, led by longtime neighborhood member, HNA Historian, and Jefferson High School alumni, Clifford Walker. The main point of the conversation was to bring awareness around naming institutions after former slaveholders and other historic racist and oppressive figures. NECN & HNA reached out to community members, former alum, and extended contacts in order to get the word out to communities’ members who identify most with the identity of Jefferson HS. Although the discussion continues and has led to current students who like to keep the “Jeff’ legacy minus the “Thomas” part. In the end, it has improved to HNA building stronger relations with their neighbors and local educational facilities, and the momentum continues.”
Thomas Jefferson, More Than Just a Name:
Who do we choose to memorialize in our community? What types of achievements and behavioral characteristics do we place value on? These were the very questions tackled at the most recent Humboldt Neighborhood Association (HNA) meeting, which led to riveting discussion surrounding movement to renew a motion to renew the neighborhood policy stating:
HNA General Meeting, Novemeber 15, 2012 (original motion passed) – November 8, 2017 (renewed)
“This board is opposed, as a matter of policy, to retaining names of schools and other public institution names for former slave owners or others who did not respect equal opportunity for all. ”Clifford Walker, Humboldt resident and HNA Historian
The HNA discussion was focused on Thomas Jefferson and the local high school named after him. Many revere him as a founding father; the author of the declaration of independence and successful president.
Many, however choose to overlook, or are uninformed of his less publicized side. Thomas Jefferson’s behaviors and writings would lead us to believe that he was a proponent of white supremacy, unopposed to forced sexual encounters (when done within the bounds of his legal rights as a property owner) and was perhaps, one of the earliest eugenicists in modern history.
These starkly juxtaposed positions challenge us as individuals and a community to seriously consider what type of people and things we choose to memorialize. Thomas Jefferson is more than just a name – it’s a statement that represents a legacy, a belief system, personal ethics, and a specific understanding of the world.
These conversations are being held all around the nation and world. From San Francisco to Oklahoma City, India to Paraguay. There is no reason Portland and the Humboldt neighborhood should not be having the same conversations. The Humboldt neighborhood, and Portland as a whole have both led the charge in forward thinking. My experiences have proven that the Humboldt neighborhood exists as a city center for creativity and inclusion. If we wish to continue this legacy- I challenge the community to think twice before willingly sending their children, and tax dollars into buildings named after individuals who promoted the use of slave labor, violence, and championed white supremacy.
Who was Thomas Jefferson? Why was the school named after him? Are there alternative people or things we could name our community school after?
If these questions interest you or you’d like to get involved in the discussion, please join the Humboldt Neighborhood Association and other community members on January 29th at the North Portland Library to discuss where we go from here.
Updated Humboldt Neighborhood Survey Request!
DID YOU KNOW…
(1) Your neighbors see Humboldt as an historic, educational center with walkable streets and easily accessible local businesses.
How do you view Humboldt now?
(2) Your neighbors value Humboldt’s diversity and friendliness, and want to continue community revitalization efforts so these traits are not lost.
What do you want Humboldt to be in the future?
Please take the survey below yourself, so that we can better represent you while thinking about a long-term vision for Humboldt Neighborhood!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H3M8PN7
For more information about the questions and your neighbors’ responses to the 2014 HNA survey, please see the ‘About Humboldt’ Menu Tab above and select the ‘Humboldt Neighborhood Survey’ from the drop down menu to see the results
Monthly Meetings
We are currently looking for enthusiastic members to join The Humboldt Neighborhood Association (HNA). Come to a monthly meeting to find out more!
Humboldt Neighborhood Association now meets every second WEDNESDAY of the month, 7pm – 9pm (No meeting in August).
This family friendly meeting always includes renters & businesses, as well as home owners!!
All Neighbors & their children welcome! (please feel free to come for all or part of the meeting)
New Meeting Location:
Neil Kelly 804 N. Alberta Street on the corner of Albina & Alberta Parking is located behind Neil Kelly and entrance is in the back from the parking lot.
If you’d like to be on the agenda, email us at HNAnews@gmail.com
CHECK OUT & LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/humboldtneighborhoodassociation/?fref=ts