What Portland is talking about
💉 All adult Oregonians 16-years-and-older will be vaccine-eligible by May 1. And individual counties may be able to speed up their own timelines if they have enough COVID-19 vaccines, according to a report from Oregon Public Broadcasting. On March 29, vaccine eligibility will expand to adults between 45 and 64 with underlying health conditions; pregnant people 16 and older; migrant and seasonal farmworkers; seafood and agricultural workers; food processing workers; people experiencing houselessness — and many others. Get the full list and the latest vaccination numbers from the Oregon Health Authority here.
❤️ The past weekend saw protests against anti-Asian violence and racism in response to last week’s attack in Atlanta that left eight people dead, six of whom were Asian women. About 200 people gathered along the waterfront during a Saturday vigil to honor the victims of the attacks and speak out against Asian hate and white supremacy. Local AAPI Portlanders said in a report with KOIN that they haven’t felt safe after the rise in attacks since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
➡️ Take action: Support organizations like APANO, which are committed to social justice and equity in AAPI communities (they have a list of places to donate to, which can be found here), speak out and condemn racism, hatred, and violence; support local Portland AAPI-owned businesses and events — like the Disorient Asian American Film Festival happening now. Send in suggestions for AAPI-businesses to shout out and we will share them in our next newsletter.
😋 Toki is TikTok-ifying some delicious classics. The Han Oak team has been giving traditional dishes certain pandemic twists, and drawing inspiration from the social media outlet. Whether you’re looking for smash burger bao buns, or a Gim-bap supreme, “a ‘rice sandwich’ filled with a rainbow’s worth of pickled and sauteed veggies and crispy nori wrapped up in the style of last year’s most imitated fast food hack, Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap Supreme,” according to OregonLive. You can read the rest of the story — and find out how to get your hands on these dishes — here.
🐘 These elephants are having a bamboo party at the Oregon Zoo. You can watch the celebrations and joy here.
🌸 It’s that time of year again — cherry blossom season is in full swing. Portland Reddit was very excited to see the beautiful pink blooms and showed appreciation with several photo posts, which you can see here, here, and here. Have some of your own cherry blossom pictures to share? Hit reply and send them in.
