Category: Events

Civic education forums, luncheons, social events

April 4 Panel Discussion on Mental Health, Housing, and Homelessness

View the Video of Our Zoom Webinar by clicking below.

You can listen to the podcast by clicking here.

The panel of community leaders discussed chronic homelessness as a public health issue. They explained how they are trying to provide health care and shelter to people with mental illness and/or addiction, and the need for more shelters, and supportive affordable low-income housing.  

The panel included: 

Jill Kahnert, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, retired from Central City Concern.

 

Jason Renaud, LWVPDX League member, and Voluntary Managing Director of the Mental Health Association of Portland

 

Scott Kerman, Executive Director, Blanchet House

 

Rachael Duke, Executive Director of Community Partners for Affordable Housing

 

This program may be viewed on public access television channels at the   times listed below.

Portland Public Schools Webinar

This webinar highlighted the ways Portland Public Schools is moving forward in the face of many challenges.

On the plus side, how can PPS build on its recent improvements in student performance on state tests? On the challenging side, what can be done to improve inadequate funding, in the face of projected downturns in student enrollment? How can we offset the low number of instructional days caused by short-term (the strike!) and long-term factors? 

To view the video recording of this webinar, click the arrow below:

Listen to the podcast of this program by clicking here.

The panelists included Portland Public Schools leaders and educational experts: 

    • Dr. Sandy Husk, Portland Public Schools Interim Superintendent
    • Michelle DePass, Portland Public Schools Board of Education 
    • William Fernandez, Senior Professional Development Officer, Office of Research, Assessment and Accountability
    • Kristina Howard, Interim Chief Academic Officer, Senior Director, Teacher Professional Learning, Office of Teaching and Learning 

This program is one of our community education programs held free of charge for our members and the public. All of our programs are recorded for rebroadcast by MetroEast Community Media and available by video and podcast from our website, lwvpdx.org. The programs are also replayed on community access television. The replay schedule is below. 

Funding for production of this program is provided by the League of Women Voters of Portland Education Fund and the Carol and Velma Saling Foundation. 

March Event on Affordable Housing

LWV of Portland held a Community Education program, “Solutions to our Affordable Housing Crisis,” on Wednesday, March 13, 7 to 8:30 pm via Zoom. Click on the arrow below to view the video recording of this program.

PODCAST: 

To listen to a podcast of this program, click here.

THE ISSUES:

Our community and state are experiencing a dire lack of affordable housing. The causes include limited rental vacancies and housing costs rising faster than wages.  This program focuses on what is being done to help solve our housing crisis. 

PANELISTS

State Representative Mark Gamba represents Portland neighborhoods. He advocates for actionable solutions and investments in affordable housing and housing for the unhoused.

 

Brian Hoop, Executive Director of Housing Oregon. Housing Oregon is a statewide association of affordable housing organizations.  They convene the 90 member organizations to develop and advance policy, organize a conference and other educational events, support peer groups, and communicate industry news to members.

 

Dominique Merriweather (Dom), Executive Director, Proud Ground.  Proud Ground brings permanently affordable housing opportunities to first-time homeowners using a land trust model. 

 

All of our programs are recorded for rebroadcast by MetroEast Community Media and available by video and podcast from this website.

Replays of the recording will be on public access Comcast and Ziply channels. The schedule is below.

Funding for production of this program is provided by the League of Women Voters of Portland Education Fund and the Carol and Velma Saling Foundation.

Webinar: Transportation Challenges

Recorded Zoom webinar: Transportation Challenges for Portland and Beyond

Click on the arrow below to view the video of this webinar, which was recorded November 15, 2023.

This LWV of Portland Zoom webinar featured a panel of government and nonprofit leaders who discussed several of the most urgent challenges now facing our transportation sector. These challenges directly affect our communities.

The panelists:

    • Moderator: Chris Smith, a transportation policy expert and a long-time community volunteer. Chris also explained how Portland’s transportation system fits into Metro regional transportation planning.
    • Millicent Williams,  Director, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) discussing funding concerns. Funding is a major challenge confronting multiple government transportation agencies. In part, this is due to less revenue from gas taxes. However, Portland also faces other revenue and expense concerns. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) must deal with this issue now as the City of Portland is developing budgets for its next fiscal year. 
    • Zachary Lauritzen, Interim Executive Director, Oregon Walks, discussing transportation safety. Safety on, and alongside, our roads continues to be a difficult problem with consequences that can be deadly. Addressing safety concerns requires action by multiple agencies– not just the transportation sector. 
    • Jana Gastellum, Executive Director, Oregon Environmental Council, discussing climate concerns. Transportation is Oregon’s largest source of carbon emissions, so it is an important factor in addressing climate concerns. Options to reduce driving and the transition to electric vehicles reduce gas tax revenues. This requires consideration of additional state-level funding approaches.

This program was recorded by MetroEast Community Media. It is also available as a podcast here.

Funding for production of this program is provided by the League of Women Voters of Portland Education Fund and the Carol and Velma Saling Foundation. 

Replay dates and times on cable TV are shown below.

Portland Is Changing! Charter Implementation Successes and Challenges

A recorded Panel Discussion    

On September 19, 2023,  a panel of leading experts discussed the work accomplished thus far and work that is underway to ensure effective and fair implementation of the  charter reforms approved by voters last November.  Panelists:

    • Melanie Billings-Yun, Charter Review Commissioner, 2020-22 (Moderator) 
    • Shoshanah Oppenheim, Charter Transition Project Manager
    • Marcus Mundy, Executive Director, Coalition of Communities of Color
    • Leah Benson, Co-Chair, Government Transition Advisory Committee (GTAC)
    • Alex Zielinski, Reporter, Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB)

Click on the arrow to view the video recording of the program:

Listen to the podcast of this program by clicking here.

The video is being shown on cable TV at the times listed below. 

 

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