Adelante en Acción

In Support of Local Farmers

2012-01-09T13:33:00.001-08:00

In Support of Local Farmers
Written by Adelante Mujeres' Anne Morse and published by the Oregonian on Sunday, January 8.

I work for a community-based nonprofit in Forest Grove called Adelante Mujeres ("Move Forward Women"). Our mission is the holistic education and empowerment of low-income Latina women and their families. One key component of our services is Adelante Agricultura, a sustainable farming program. This program attempts to address the question of how to create an equitable food system that supports both farmers and consumers.

The Adelante Agricultura program offers a sustainable farming course and provides small-scale Latino farmers with the opportunity to grow produce at La Esperanza Farm, Adelante Mujeres' certified organic educational farm. We also work to support these farmers with access to markets for their produce. You may have seen our farmers at the Forest Grove, Cedar Mills, Lents International or the Hollywood Farmers Markets.

In December, Sen. Ron Wyden gave a substantial boost to our community of farmers through his Fresh Regional Eating for Schools and Health Act (FRESH), which he intends to have considered in the creation of the new Farm Bill. His bill would help all regional farmers in three important ways.

First, working with farmers, we have observed that one barrier for family farmers is access to smaller loans. The FRESH act proposes to provide a streamlined process for business loans to farmers of up to $5,000. With our farmers this would mean the ability to afford a pickup truck and install irrigation equipment – and make all the difference in their prospects for success.

Second, the FRESH will encourage states to seek better nutritional outcomes for recipients of food stamps (SNAP). Adelante Mujeres manages the Forest Grove Farmers Market. Not only is our Market accessible to low-income consumers using SNAP, but we offer additional nutrition incentives in the form of a match program. In the past season the market saw $10,000 in food stamp sales and $5,000 in nutrition incentive sales. This additional income went directly into the pockets of local farmers. I would like to see other programs that fairly incentivize healthy eating and that benefit our hardworking local farmers.

A third feature of the FRESH Act would allow schools to buy more fruits and vegetables from local farmers. Allowing school systems to buy more local produce versus the current status quo of highly processed commodity food products not only addresses our goal of expanding local markets for regional farmers, but it has the potential to vastly improve the quality of life and health of Oregon children.

Kudos to Wyden for this proposal. It is forward-thinking plans like The Fresh Regional Eating for Schools and Health Act (FRESH) that will support the family farmer, make sure that the Farm Bill serves the next generation, and help put local food systems on the right track.

Anne Morse is the Adelante Agricultura Outreach and Marketing Coordinator at Adelante Mujeres, at www.adelantemujeres.org.

The FRESH Act is being considered as part of changes to the Oregon Farm Bill, to be decided on in 2012.

What is a "Rosca de Reyes"?

2012-01-06T16:38:00.001-08:00

Our great friend and volunteer, Angeles Pineda, posted an informative link about the "Rosca de Reyes" on her Facebook page this afternoon, and got us wondering about the history of this bejeweled cake.

A Rosca de Reyes can also be known as a Roscón de Reyes, and its name translates literally into English as "King's Rope"--but is better known as "King's Cake". This is a traditional pastry in the Spanish speaking world, prepared to celebrate the Epiphany Holiday (which, consequently, is today, January 6!).

The Rosca de Reyes is prepared more like a bread than a cake, with flour dough that is kneaded into the shape of a ring or a crown. The dough is then topped with a simple butter-and-sugar frosting and an assortment of dried fruit, which are made to look like jewels and adornments. Some families hide a trinket in the cake, which represents the Christ Child; and whomever finds the trinket receives a blessing.

In Spanish the Epiphany holiday is called the celebration of the "Día de Reyes" (Day of the Kings) or "Los Reyes Magos" (the Magic Kings), and honors the journey of the Three Wise Men to visit Jesus after his birth, and the gifts they bestowed upon him.

The Día de Reyes is recognized with festivities that feature pastries like the Rosca de Reyes, and the giving of gifts to children. In some Hispanic traditions, children are given gifts on this holiday, rather than over the Christmas holiday in December.

This holiday is also closely linked to the February 2nd "Día de la Candelaria" celebration, during which time the person who found the Rosca de Reyes trinket must bring it to the nearest church and throw a party for their family and friends.

Many other European cultures also celebrate the Epiphany with a rosca-type cake. Will any of your families be celebrating this way? We'd love to hear about your family's traditions!

And, if it's not already part of your family's customs, try looking up a recipe online and experimenting with this festive holiday treat!

(photo from: http://www.experience-san-miguel-de-allende.com/rosca-de-reyes-recipe.html)

"I Can Write the Strongest Verses ..."

2011-12-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

I can write the strongest verses of my life,
And split the earth in two all the way to the plains.
I can write the strongest verses of my life,
And melt the frozen and frigid mountains.

… from “I Can Write the Strongest Verses” (Puedo escribir los versos más fuertes), by Violeta Hernandez – written as part of the Bridge Program literature class.

The Bridge Program connects Adelante Mujeres and the Center for Gender Equity of Pacific University to offer a class in Hispanic Literature to adult women studying in the Adelante Mujeres program.

The women in the class are incredibly enthusiastic to set foot on a college campus (the first time, for many of them) and to study the poetry of such great writers as Pablo Neruda.

At the end of each course term, the students in the class present works of poetry or short fiction that they have written in reaction to the literature they read in class.

Through odes to rice, love poems, and exposés about the hardships of poverty and immigration, the women celebrated the end of their term yesterday with a poetry recital at Marsh Hall on Pacific University. Dr. Nancy Christoph, their animated professor, MC’d the event, welcoming the women to read their poems and giving the audience the contextual background for poems like …

“Ode to the Knife” (Oda al cuchillo) by Blanca Erika Ríos, translation provided Mariana Valenzuela

In the kitchen
sharpened with a firm point
about to attack
without compassion.
You move thus
towards the weakest:
the onion, without weapons
to defend itself.
It awaits you in the corner,
trembling, awaiting
the moment when you’ll
attack, without mercy,
crying, hiding amongst its white and juicy layers.
And you, knife, with your shining blade,
proud of your triumph.
And the poor, sad onion,
with its heart
destroyed and confused.

“The Need of the Poor” (La necesidad del pobre) by Irene Hernandez, translation by Mariana Valenzuela

The need of the poor
Is to leave one’s hart lonesome at home,
While one searches for food,
Food that is not enough
Hunger you cannot fill.
The need of the poor
Is to wake and not have
Not even a tortilla on the table.
A preoccupied mother who suffers
And cries as she looks into innocent little faces
Who ask and do not know a thing.

The need of the poor
Is having to work from childhood,
Mistreated, humiliated and exploited
By those who of poverty
Do not know a thing.
The need of the poor
Is to walk without shoes
Through an endless path.

That is why I invite you
To turn your eyes
And give a hug, or a greeting
Because the need of the poor
will always, always, be.

Of course, not all the poems were of such a serious and heavy nature. There was also a great deal of inspired strength in the poetry of these women.

A crowd favorite was "Adelante Mujeres", written by Violeta Hernandez and read by Susana Bribiezca. English translation provided by Mariana Valenzuela.

Adelante mujeres, you can fight
Adelante mujeres and give all your strength
Adelante mujeres do not stop, you are here
With Adelante Mujeres a better world will come
To give to your family all prosperity.

Adelante mujeres, go on and you will triumph
Making true your wish of finishing school
And to show the world that, although poor,
Great you will be.

With Adelante Mujeres we fight to improve
And to change the world.
Children, men and everyone good will be
And we will live without violence in our homes.

And when you become a professional, remember
That Adelante Mujeres taught you to talk
Through all roads without falling.

So moving was this poem that after Susana finished reading, one audience member stood up and encouraged the whole room to recite it together. An inspired scene, indeed.

Adelante!

Adelante Volunteer Spotlight - Barbara Rodriguez

2011-11-28T10:11:00.000-08:00

As we kick of the holiday season at Adelante Mujeres, we are giving thanks to our community of supporters! In the spirit we'd like to highlight the work of one of our stellar Adelante Volunteers, Barbara (Bobbie) Rodriguez. Bobbie has been involved with Adelante Mujeres since the very beginning, serving on the Board of Directors and in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) classroom.

AM: You were recently awarded Portland Monthly Magazine's Light a Fire award for Extraordinary Volunteer for the work that you've done with Adelante Mujeres. What did receiving this award mean to you?

BOBBIE: It was a wonderful chance to be able to showcase the extraordinary things that Adelante Mujeres does in the community. I was very touched and appreciative to receive this award and at the same time I know that I am just one of a group of very dedicated volunteers who give many hours to the various programs of Adelante Mujeres.

AM: From your time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador to nearly a decade of service with Adelante Mujeres, the evidence suggests that you've always had the volunteering spirit. What was your very first volunteer activity?

BOBBIE: My first volunteer activities were at Coe College during two summers when I volunteered on the Navajo Reservation at Cornfields, New Mexico and near Ponce, Puerto Rico doing physical work projects and getting to know the community.

AM: Your professional career was spent as a kindergarten teacher - how have your professional and volunteer careers overlapped and influenced one another?

BOBBIE: I think that they were always interrelated. A kindergarten teacher gets to know the whole family of the child in their class. The parents are partners in their child's learning, so encouraging them to volunteer in class and to read with their child at home helps strengthen their child's learning experience. I valued the volunteers who helped me in the classroom over the years and understood their importance and the wealth of their experiences. I hope that I, in turn, can bring my experience as an educator to my volunteer work.

AM: What types of activities and tasks are you involved in as a volunteer with the Adelante Mujeres ECE program? Have these changed/evolved over the years?

BOBBIE: Over the years I have helped prepare materials for classroom activities and have really enjoyed getting to know the wonderful ECE staff.

As a volunteer with the Early Childhood Education program I have been involved in the Champions program and as a reading pal for children getting ready to enter kindergarten the following year. As volunteers we plan in pairs to work with the children each week.

Before that I worked on creating materials for the the Raising a Reader book bags that go home with the children every other week. The activities help the parents become more involved in their child's education and give them an opportunity to read and do an activity about one of the stories in the book bags.

Last year another volunteer, Jeanie Plumb, and I planned a workshop regarding transition from pre-school to kindergarten for the ECE staff. We had fun sharing activities for parents and children and the expectations of the neighboring school district's kindergarten programs.

AM: How would you describe the children you work with each day in just a few sentences?

BOBBIE: Every time we go to the classroom it is a joy to see the children eagerly asking their teachers "Do we go to read today?" That makes it all worthwhile!

Adelante Mujeres votes NO on the Forest Grove School Board Recall

2011-10-19T14:57:00.000-07:00

A recall election is being held on Tuesday, November 1 to contest the positions of Terry Howell and Anna Tavera-Weller on the Forest Grove School Board.

Tonight, the evening of Wednesday, October 19, community members against the recall will convene at 5pm in the Rogers Room at the Forest Grove Library, and will canvas local neighborhoods to encourage supporters of Howell and Tavera-Weller to get out and vote against the recall.

Bridget Cooke, Executive Director of Adelante Mujeres, has drafted this note to urge all Forest Grove residents to show their solidarity with Howell and Tavera-Weller by voting against the recall:

Sometimes we need a recall. We elect citizen representatives in good faith, hoping they will guide the community forward as best they can. We trust their wisdom and believe they will take seriously their responsibility and the power we’ve given them. When they blatantly abuse that power, we need to step in to prevent further damage.

Right now two members of the Forest Grove School Board are up for recall, Anna Tavera-Weller and Terry Howell, and ballots are sitting on kitchen tables. It’s up to all of us to decide if they should stay or go. We can start by asking if they’ve misused their authority, if they’ve personally benefited from decisions they’ve made, if they’ve neglected their duties, been absent from the process. If the answer is “Yes”, then by all means we should vote them out. From our assessment, we think the answer is “No”. We don’t believe their service merits the boot.

At times we’re too quick to lay blame and too slow to exercise empathy. We’d prefer not to walk in another’s shoes. We think Mr. Howell and Ms. Tavera-Weller deserve the right to respond to complaints expressed by some. They have not been derelict in their duty. And many, we included, applaud the courage and generosity they’ve shown in serving on the board in such trying times.

However, we also think that Anna and Terry need more of us to be more engaged. The Forest Grove School Citizens Advisory is proving that parent engagement can get traction with the District (Parents push back….10/12 News Times). People do listen when spoken to.

At Adelante Mujeres, the non-profit I direct, we view education as a life-long process. All of us, not just children and youth, are gaining new skills with each passing day. Elected officials are no exception, and they need our input. No doubt about it, the School Board didn’t do everything perfect, but with $7,500,000 to cut, could anybody have come close to perfect? How about we put down our arms, and begin to labor and learn together to find our way out of our educational and fiscal crises?

Let’s pick up those ballots on our kitchen tables, vote “NO” and then get on the phone to start a conversation with Anna and Terry. They do want to know what we’d like to see in our school district, and while we’re at it, let’s call the other members of the School Board as well.

Bridget Cooke, Executive Director-Adelante Mujeres

Nods to Adelante Mujeres

2011-10-03T12:34:00.001-07:00

A round of applause for Adelante Mujeres programs and staff for the following accomplishments:

The La Esperanza Farm, managed by Adelante Agricultura, was officially certified as an organic farm by Oregon Tilth back in July, but the news came out to the community through the Forest Grove News Times on September 28. Congratulations to the families who farm on La Esperanza Farm, and to the program staff for all of their hard work and to their commitment to sustainable, organic values! Stop by the Forest Grove Farmers Market for its last two weeks, October 5 and October 11 to pick up some of this certified organic produce; and join us for a Farm Party Work Day on Saturday, October 22.

At a beautiful banquet last week, Adelante Mujeres Executive Director Bridget Cooke, along with Adelante Chicas Program Coordinators Araceli Ortiz and Leticia Aguilar, accepted the THIRD PLACE award of the 100 Best Nonprofits to work for in the state of Oregon. This is the third year that Adelante Mujeres has been recognized by the awards program, put on each year by Oregon Business. The 100-Best recognizes stellar non-profits who work hard to serve their communities and to provide a great atmosphere for staff. See what makes the other finalist organizations great, and why we in particular love working at Adelante Mujeres in this video .

HOORAY ADELANTE!

Farewell to the great Gina Bell

2011-09-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

By now you have heard through the Forest Grove grapevine, or through last week's Oregonian article, or from the lips of the great Gina Bell herself ... she's hanging up her jersey as Farmers Market Manager (and her myriad other roles) at Adelante Mujeres and will be moving to a position at Portland Development Commission.

Last May, Gina turned 33 and used her birthday party to honor her all-time favorite sports star, Scottie Pippen (the #33 jersey for the Chicago Bulls). I think Gina phrased it something like this "I've waited my whole life to turn 33 so that I could host a Scottie Pippen-themed party."

There's something about superstars, those athletes or musicians or superheroes, who set themselves apart from the already elevated ranks of their peers. They are the visionaries, the team leaders, and the game changers.

You could say that Gina Bell has similarly distinguished herself at Adelante Mujeres. Over the past six years Gina has led the development of the Forest Grove Farmers Market into an outlet for community collaboration and economic opportunity. Her commitment to equal food access has made her a pioneer in creating socially and environmentally just food systems, and she has encouraged the expansion of this trend around the state of Oregon as a member of the Oregon Farmers Market Association board of directors.

Her work has encouraged Forest Grove to be a more unified and equitable community and has made a profound mark on each of us. And we are all eager to hear of the good work she will soon be doing in her new position at PDC, certain that it will follow her personal trademark of leadership and advocacy.

Like her idol, Gina leaves behind her an unforgettable legacy. So, as sad as we are to see her go, it seems symbolically fitting that Gina retires from Adelante Mujeres in her 33rd year.

Maybe we'll even induct her as the first member of the Adelante Mujeres Hall of Fame.--

Farewells and tributes from Adelante Mujeres community members:
"Gina's confident and upbeat personality has been a real inspiration to me since I started at Adelante Mujeres. She will be sorely missed." --Anne Morse, Adelante Agricultura

"Gina put her heart and soul into the farmers market, and that's why it's the best farmers market in the world" --Jesse Nichols, interim Farmers Market Manager

"Gina ha sido una presencia muy importante en Adelante Mujeres, una persona con quien ha sido un placer trabajar y a quien, en lo personal, se va a extrañar mucho." --Arturo Villaseñor, Programa de Educación para los Adultos

"Gina has demonstrated admirable dedication and devotion to Adelante Mujeres over the years.There is no doubt much of the success of Adelante Mujeres, particularly the Forest Grove Farmers Market belongs to Gina. She helped guide the organization with compassion, discipline, and a fabulous sense of humor. Her work has left an indelible mark on the community, she will be missed." --Kate Jackson, Adelante Mujeres Development Director

Adelante Mujeres at the 2011 BALLE Conference

2011-06-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Last week Adelante Mujeres attended the 9th annual Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) conference in Bellingham, WA. Thanks to a generous scholarship from conference sponsor RSF Social Finance, an Adelante Mujeres team member was able to attend the conference to represent the organization and the community Forest Grove.

Adelante Mujeres joined finance professionals, community organizers, non-profits, entrepreneurs, and journalists from all over the US and around the world who came to share best practices and innovations in creating a sustainable economy through the lens of this years' topic "Place Matters".

Considering the common needs and opportunities for us all while recognizing the unique character of each place, the BALLE community spent the four days of the conference examining three topics very important to our work here at Adelante Mujeres: agriculture and food systems, access to capital, and community organizing.

Our motivation for attending the conference was to learn relevant information and best practices for a number of new Adelante Mujeres initiatives. The first is our capital initiative, the Capital Exchange Project, which rallies community support around emerging small businesses and creates an alternative source of capital to the micro-entrepreneurs we work with. And the second is our new food systems project which will expand the support we provide to small agricultural and food-based businesses.

Our take-aways?

1. We have inspiring peers. Entrepreneurs from all-over the Portland metro area attended the conference and we form a network of strong voices to support the local small business community. (Check out Supportland, GO!, and Independence Gardens).

2. Securities laws matter. Those blazing new trails out of the traditional capital structure and towards more community-oriented finance schemes - beware! Securities laws may put out the spark if we don't inform ourselves about them and make sure we're covered. So we'll consult professionals and resources like this blog post by Jenny Kassan of the Sustainable Economies Law Center.

3. Food systems are more than just the dinner table. They are a complex web of value chains and distribution channels, and they are governed by cultural expectations, government regulation, and ecological capacity. At Adelante we are poised to fill critical gaps in our local food system, and there are great guides to advise us along the way, like the La Montanita Coop of New Mexico.

4. Big things are coming. Speaker and author Naomi Klein emphasized the point that it is time for a major paradigm shift in our economy and society, and her message was echoed time and time again by other conference presenters and attendees.

As Clayton Burrows of Growing Washington wisely urged, "start small but start something". Whether sewing the humble seeds of school gardens, reinventing the way cities are built, or empowering people through education and enterprise (as we do every day at Adelante Mujeres); there is a growing movement to shift the way our economy functions.

Following the lead of the mantra of the 2011 BALLE conference: the place is here, and the time is now!

Buy Local Survey!

2011-06-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

Adelante Mujeres has been working as part of a committee of local business leaders to formulate a campaign that will encourage Forest Grove residents to frequent local businesses, rather than shop outside the area. The committee believes that increased local sales will improve the economic health of the city and will lead to a greater variety of businesses that want to locate in Forest Grove, and seeks input from the community and from local retailers on how to formulate and implement the buy local program.

The committee encourages Forest Grove residents and retailers to help guide the planning of this campaign by filling out short online surveys designed to collect information about the needs and opportunities within the community. One survey is designed for local residents and consumers, it can be found online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/consumers_forestgrovebuylocal

Another survey is designed for local business owners, it can be found online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/business_forestgrovebuylocal

Alternatively, printed copies of the surveys will be available at Bank of the West, City Hall, the Chamber of Commerce, the offices of Adelante Mujeres, BJ's Coffee (in the shopping center next to Safeway), and at the Forest Grove Farmers Market. Results will be tabulated at the end of June.

"We hope to have many returned surveys", says committee member Kati Mayfield, "We want to put together a buy local program that will entice shoppers and produce great results for local businesses".

For more information about the program and the work of the Forest Grove Buy Local Committee, or to obtain copies of the survey in Spanish, please contact Kati Mayfield by phone at 503-992-0078 x 301, or email at kmayfield@adelantemujeres.org.

Adelante Empresas Biz Class Success!

2011-03-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Last week marked the end of the winter term of the Adelante Empresas Small Business Development Course, and on Tuesday we celebrated the great attendance and boisterous participation of each member of the class.

The class, geared towards Latino entrepreneurs wishing to improve their business management skills in order to begin their own small business or grow an existing one, met each Tuesday for ten weeks, from 6-8pm in Forest Grove. Class attendees included entrepreneurs involved in the restaurant industry, farming, cleaning services, web design and electronics repair, among others.

Eduardo Corona, Adelante Empresas' Business Development Coordinator, led the ten-week class and developed the curriculum that took the class through the foundations of creating a business plan for and initiating an environmentally and socially responsible enterprise. Thanks to Eduardo's sharp understanding of the in's-and-out's of business management and regulation, combined with his intimate knowledge of Hispanic customs and cultures, each lesson delivered accessible information to individuals learning to navigate the business sector in the United States.

This relevant subject matter, not to mention the jokes Eduardo had on hand to crack even the most tense or tedious topic, created a loyal attendee base -- on Tuesday, Adelante Empresas celebrated its largest-ever cohort of graduates: 18 entrepreneurs!

Congratulations to Empresas staff for such a great course, and most importantly to the businesses that will be valuable and productive assets to the local economy!

"When I first began the class, I would not have known how to answer these questions about my business plan. Now, each Tuesday when I get home from the class, I have vivid dreams about my business all night. I can feel it, I can touch it, and I can see how to make it real." -- Max Salcido, entrepreneur

Dia Internacional de la Mujer--International Women's Day

2011-03-08T15:50:00.000-08:00

It is that time. Each year, we look forward to spring, rebirth, and the celebration of a fruitful season to come. March surprised me this year—I think I am still living sometime in October 2010. But once again we are celebrating International Women’s Day and coming off a successful and fun Fiesta of Hope!

A few weeks ago at dinner a friend of mine who hails from Bosnia excitedly explained that on March 8th there is this holiday in which women escape from their daily lives and celebrate being women. She was encouraging our group of women friends to take off for the weekend and celebrate our womanhood. I inquired, “Are you referring to International Women’s Day?” She was so excited that I knew of it. I’m sad that not more women know about it. March is Women’s History Month. Here at Adelante Mujeres we celebrate the importance of women today and all month we recognize women as a powerful, inspiring force.

International Women’s Day continues to inspire me. It gives me inspiration not just to celebrate but also to rise up again and again for the struggle of women-kind. Now celebrating its 100th Anniversary, International Women’s Day was named by the United Nations to commemorate women’s struggle. Today we must remind ourselves that another world is possible and without the ideas, courage, strength and organization of women that world can’t exist.

International Women’s Day is an occasion marked by groups of women all over the world. This is the day when women on all continents, often times separated by borders, and ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economical, and political differences, unite in celebration and can look back to see a tradition which represents ten decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.

Today is the day that tells the story of ordinary women making history; rooted in the ancient struggle of women wanting to participate in society in a way equal to that of men.

Also, I want to celebrate all the men. With your support we can make a world equal for all. Big love to all the women out there, thank you for your presence, for your courage and for being proud to be women.

Fiesta of Hope

2011-03-02T08:40:00.000-08:00

Agh, what am I doing writing a blog when I should be selling tickets, putting the final touches on our awesome silent auction items, printing bid sheets, verifying the color of table clothes and giving out volunteer jobs?!

Well, I wanted to take a quick minute to share with you what we have in store (if you act fast you can still snag tickets-$50 call 503.992.0078).

A Fiesta of Hope is in its 5th year. It is held annually in March in honor of International Women's Day. We celebrate our program participants and women everywhere with lots of fun and dancing, food and wine! Bon Appetit is our caterer and they put out a spread fit for a queen. Featuring Chef Micah Cavolo and his staff the menu focuses on seasonal and local food! Elk Cove Wine has once again generously donated their award winning Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris for all to imbibe. Captured By Porches, a family brewery in St. Helens, has donated 2 kegs-one to drink and one to raffle!

We'll also be showing a short video featuring two project participants where you'll learn more about their amazing stories of survival, forgiveness and success!

We'll end the evening with a DANCE PARTY -- grooving to the salsa beats of La Descarga Cubana!

Hope you can join us in honoring women everywhere especially those in our little corner of the world.

2011-02-18T17:07:00.000-08:00

During an Adelante Mujeres staff and board retreat a few weeks back, we at Adelante determined that one of the organization's primary goals for 2011 will be to increase our visibility in the community by increasing volunteer opportunities within Adelante Mujeres programs.

This means creating more volunteer projects to engage individuals from Washington County and the greater Portland area to join Adelante Mujeres staff and participants as we empower local Latino immigrant families through education and enterprise.

Because this initiative means bringing more community members to work in our programs, we want to reach out to you, the community members, to learn about the ways you envision yourself getting involved with Adelante Mujeres. What are you most passionate about? Which of our programs best applies to your interests? What experience/expertise do you offer that you think we could benefit from? What would you hope to gain/learn from volunteering with Adelante Mujeres?

Over the next few months we'll be doing a spotlight series of each Adelante Mujeres program and their diverse projects. As you learn more about the work we do, we'll look forward to receiving your input and hearing about the ways you would like to become involved with us.

And, if you're interested in learning more and in joining us for a good time, we invite you to our annual Fiesta of Hope fundraiser. Email info@adelantemujeres.org for more details, and see next week's post for a reflection on last year's event.

Time Out for Bloggy World

2010-07-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
We are taking a short time out from our blog as I've not been to keep up since I've taken on more responsibilities at Adelante Mujeres. It is my hope that early 2011 I will be able to start back up. In the meantime you can check our website or stop by the office for updates.
Take care, gina

We need your VOTES-please help!

2010-06-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

Adelante Mujeres has been selected as a finalist for a Green Grant Award by the national nonprofit Green America. Adelante Mujeres is a nonprofit in Forest Grove, Oregon whose mission is to provide the holistic education and empowerment of low-income Latina women and their families.
Based on hundreds of nominations of projects across the country, Green America staff selected 10 top projects that benefit people and the planet in local communities and is asking people to vote for their favorites. Adelante Mujeres is the only project based on the West Coast that was nominated. People can vote at http://www.greenamericatoday.org/greengrants/index_voting.cfm through July 19.
Green America will award four Green Grants to local projects in the United States that support its mission of creating a socially just and environmentally sustainable economy. Green America will provide one Grand Prize of $2,500 and three First Prizes of $1,000 in late July. If Adelante Mujeres is selected for a grant, the funds will go towards a restoration and farmscaping project at La Esperanza Farm, a collective farm managed by Adelante Agricultura, the sustainable farming program of Adelante Mujeres. For more information on Adelante Mujeres, please visit www.adelantemujeres.org.

Breakfast. Lunch. Supper.

2010-05-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

I heart my job. Yesterday I got to go shopping, pick up a truck, sing in the rain, celebrate the sun, and spray paint (legally) the sidewalk. All for my job. Yep, they pay me to do this! How could I not love it?
The Farmers Market is back in full swing and since the weather has now decided to cooperate my spirits are high. I have high hopes of remaining dog-bite free this season and even though it's early, I'm already enjoying the benefits of a weekly shopping habit at the Market.
For Breakfast: I enjoyed delicious bread, baked fresh before the Market, from Bigfoot Bread Company. I dipped it into runny, bright yellow-orange yolks from the eggs I purchased from Natalie at My Little Sister's Farm.
For Lunch: I have some asparagus, drizzled with olive oil to roast in the oven (but I've been snacking on them raw all morning), and MORE BREAD! Plus I’ll gnash on some fresh Hoods (strawberries) from Crawford's and a yummy pumpkin cookie from Mago & Carmen’s Cookies.
For Dinner: So, dinner is a long ways off but I’m already dreaming about more bread, which will most likely make an appearance on my dinner table. But I’ve also got plans for those spring onions and salad greens I got from the Amaro Brothers.
Hello Market Season. As the weather improves there will be even more goodies to get. And EAT!
Hope you’ll join us on Wednesdays from 4-8pm in downtown Forest Grove!

La Esperanza

2010-05-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

The preparation of La Esperanza farm has been a learning process for Adelante Agricultura. Over the past months we have slowly, painstakingly worked our way towards establishing the basic infrastructure necessary to transform our newly leased land into a working farm. Nothing will prevent us from reaching our goal, not the incessant spring rain, nor the invasive reed canary grass, nor the difficulties in renting a tractor and setting up an irrigation system. I will admit that we have had to scale back our grandiose visions of being in production by late May or early June.
We are fortunate to be working with a group of farmers who are well versed in the challenges of agriculture. They are hardworking, practical folk that already understand that this year is about preparing the soil and working to establish their individual farms for next year’s growing season. This summer we are also fortunate enough to be able to add another member to our staff. The Sustainable Farming and Conservation Educator is a position that will be offered through a partnership with NWSA AmeriCorps. Part of their job will be to focus on habitat restoration and farmscaping at La Esperanza.
For Adelante Agricultura, many challenges lie ahead, but our vision of creating a healthy working farm remains unchanged. In Spanish, “La Esperanza” means “Hope” and for both our program and for our participants who named the farm, this farming opportunity represents a desire to transform themselves into successful small-scale farmers. Let’s celebrate that hope! Here’s to La Esperanza!

Adelante Agriculture Students Visit Gales Meadow Farm

2010-03-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

On a fine Sunday in early March, students from Adelante Agricultura, the sustainable farming project of Adelante Mujeres, spent the afternoon visiting Gales Meadow Farm in Gales Creek. Farmer owners Anne and Renee Berblinger have been assisting with farming curriculum for Adelante Agricultura for the past few years. The farm visit was an opportunity for the students to see and ask questions about an operating small-scale organic farm. They were able to view newly germinated seedlings in hoop houses as well as overwintering crops of garlic, onions and kale in the fields. Anne and Renee also showed the students some of their innovative methods, such as the use of roof-top solar panels for all the farm’s electricity needs and the use of recycled materials such as shower doors and wooden pallets to raise seedlings off the ground to make them easier to reach and to protect them from slugs. They also pointed out plants that are commonly identified as weeds, such as chickweed, that they sell via direct marketing to chefs in Portland. It was both inspiring and sobering to see the farm and to hear how the Berblingers have been able to establish their small farm over the years. They gave an honest answer about the need for start-up capital to invest in a farm. As Renee mentioned, about 80% of small scale farmers have off-farm income to supplement their farming operation. However, they also said that if one is hard working and passionate about organic farming that earning a living from a farm was definitely a possibility in Oregon. Hard working and passionate about farming, are two qualities our students have in abundance and the farm visit to Gales Meadow Farm was an excellent motivation as we prepare for the 2010 growing season.

Poetry

2009-12-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

Blog by Gina…
Last week was a busy week. At least for me. We had a staff party with United Way to celebrate our goal to have 100% staff giving! We had a social event in which a potluck was followed by a trip to Theater in the Grove’s production of Cinderella, starring our very own Kristi Van Nostran as Joy, the ugly step sister. It was hilarious and fun was had by all. But most importantly, this week we went to the Center for Gender Equity’s BRIDGE program Year End Celebration at Pacific University. The Bridge Program allows Adelante Mujeres program participants to study literature with Professor Nancy Christoph at Pacific.
To be honest, I went because of the food. I hadn’t packed a lunch, wasn’t thrilled about my take out options and I was hungry. Plus, I like to support and interact with the students as much as time allows. I sauntered over to Pacific, my old stomping grounds, up the stairs of Marsh Hall into Taylor Auditorium. It was different from how I remembered but nice to be back. A PowerPoint presentation was set up, welcoming the guests and students. Martha Rampton addressed the crowd, explaining the long time partnership between Adelante Mujeres and the Center for Gender Equity. Bridget spoke as well, to thank Martha and CGE but also to encourage the students as they nervously fiddled with papers or hair in their seats. Then Nancy took the microphone. She is wonderful. She was my favorite professor at Pacific. She does incredible work, especially with the women of Adelante Mujeres. Watching her, listening to her speak about the journey though several short works of literature and poetry with the women over the past 12 weeks, I remembered what a great teacher Nancy is. I felt happy to know that she was sharing her gifts with the students of Adelante Mujeres. What I wasn’t prepared for were the gifts the students had to share with the crowd.
They had written 1-2 poems each week of the class and Nancy asked them to share their favorite two. Oh me, oh my, we had a room of very talented poets. There were odes to tables and sofas and food, there were poems dedicated to sons and teachers, there were poems about motherhood, immigration and love. And they were good. I was brought to tears a few times, so were many of the students presenting. They really had opened up to the process and shared their innermost thoughts and feelings and what came out was in the form of beautiful poetry.
I hope to be able to share with you some of the poetry in the near future but I am still working on permission.
Please know these women have extraordinary talents that have been hidden or gone unrecognized because of little formal education, language and cultural barriers, gender bias, isolation and time. Given the opportunity, through their studies at Adelante Mujeres, these women will continue to thrive.

Exciting Day in the Office

2009-12-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

Blog by Gina...
Today was an exciting day in the office. I don't know what it is about December, maybe the promise of an extended break from this chaos, but everyone's spirits were high. Lupe's birthday was yesterday and to celebrate she treated us to a delicious lunch of mole. Mmmmmmmmm! Plus, all of the office staff were present! Which can drive us crazy (visualize 900 square feet and 10+ people working; one phone line, loud talkers; meeting with program participants...)! But that alone was exciting because we've suffered a string of injuries and illnesses and the office has been feeling a bit bare lately. That's not even the most exciting part though! Today, we signed the lease to our farm. OUR FARM! Several acres of farmland for Adelante Mujeres’ program participants. With a LONG TERM LEASE! Access to WATER! So our Agriculture program can not only provide classroom agricultural and small business training but also on site practice and access to land so interested folks can start their small scale farming enterprise! Our project participants will grow market produce on the land and use the Forest Grove Farmers Market as an outlet for that produce. We take the land over on January 1, 2010. Have I mentioned what high hopes I have for 2010?
We will have a lot of work to do to get the land ready-any interested parties should contact us about volunteer opportunities and work parties. Hooray!

Adelante Empresas

2009-11-16T15:04:00.000-08:00

Blog by Gina...
Today Adelante Mujeres sponsored the Forest Grove Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Students from the Adult Education class prepared a delicious meal of tostadas followed by yummy flan. As the auditorium filled with Chamber members the students dished up plates and greeted the business community. After introductions, Ali Brown, Adelante Empresas Coordinator, started off the program by explaining about Adelante Mujeres and all of our programs. Then she introduced a few of the entrepreneurs working with us and they addressed the crowd. First Gabriela Perez spoke as representative of the Cleaning Wizards. Gaby explained how she has always wanted to own her own business and now she is doing just that. With this added income she is able to help cover everyday expenses for her family and save some for her children’s education. It was touching because I could tell how proud she is! Concepcion Giron spoke next and she got a bit choked up as she explained that her business was started by her husband, who was recently in a fatal car accident. She went on to say that she is persevering and will be successful with Adelante’s help. Hector of Hector’s Car Detailing was the last to address the crowd. He explained how Adelante Empresas has helped him gain clientele and grow his business. After working for years for other companies he thought “I can do this for myself” and with Adelante Empresas help, he has.
Their stories are more powerful than anything we can explain, they are stories of resilience and struggle and overcoming barriers that many of us can’t even imagine. Sitting at the Chamber lunch, listening to the stories, I felt proud to be an employee of Adelante Mujeres. Proud of what we have accomplished and what we have inspired others to accomplish; who we have set on the path to empowerment and all that they are doing now!

Oh, yeah, the Adelante Mujeres blog!

2009-11-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

Blog by Gina…
So you are wondering-where have you been? Is this blog doomed to social media oblivion? No, no and emphatically no! We have had a few bumps in the road but Adelante Mujeres is back, from travels, illnesses, injury and serious lack of time, to update our blog much more frequently. This is my promise, to each and every reader. All six of you!
The last time I posted was in June. In July, I fell in love. That is my only excuse and I’m sorry that my bloggy time was spent making googly eyes at a man. In August, I was mauled by a dog while visiting a farm. He took a few chunks out of my leg and after lots of stitches, crutches, infections and MONTHS of resting, I am still not yet fully healed. But I am close. This concludes the excuses portion of our blog. Please read on…
Being that it has been such a long time I thought I would update you about what has happened. This is a long one, so pop some popcorn and get cozy.

The Forest Grove Farmers Market celebrated the autumn harvest and our last market day on October 14, 2009. It was a great season and I was sad to see it go. Having missed several weeks because of the dog bite I felt that the Market should still be going on. The staff who filled in (and did a wonderful job at that) may feel differently.
Top Successes of the 2009 Season:
--Secured two significant grants to help fund the Forest Grove Farmers Market (and other Adelante Mujeres projects). The grants allow us to increase outreach to new customers-especially low-income shoppers!
--Vendors donated over 1735 pounds of food (much needed fresh fruits and veggies as well as gluten-free goods, meat, and other treats) to the St. Vincent DePaul Food Bank of Forest Grove during the 2009 season!
--$11,297 worth of tokens were used to purchase goods at FGFM during 2009 as well as an additional $1,450 in matched EBT tokens were spent!
--We greatly increased the number of EBT shoppers/EBT dollars spent at the FGFM-In 2009, we had 117 shoppers using SNAP dollars, spending $6,343 (a 422.5% increase from 2008 which accounts for almost ½ of all token sales)!
--Our “Shopping on a Budget” class series as well as “Cooking on a Budget” demonstrations were very popular. The classes and demonstrations helped the low-income community, market shoppers in general, as well as added to vendor sales by encouraging shoppers to purchase and cook with locally produced goods!
Now we are busy working with a committee of vendors, planning the 2010 season and everyone is very excited about it. There have been some rumblings about the Forest Grove Farmers Market moving off of Main Street. For the record, we are working with the City and downtown merchants to renew our mutually beneficial contract and I’ll keep you posted.

In October, Adelante Mujeres was named one of Oregon Business Journal’s Top 100 Non Profits to Work For! (See our blog post from June 16, 2009.) We ranked fifth in the small non profit category and scored 7th overall out of 100! Over 200 non-profits participated and we are very honored to be among the top 10! You can see the entire article here.

On November 1st we celebrated our annual Día de los Muertos Celebration. Day of the Dead started as a small celebration within Adelante Mujeres as a way for the Adult Education students (mothers) to share with their children a little bit of their culture. Soon volunteers and other community members wanted to come and it has morphed into a huge gathering of the Forest Grove community. It was held at Pacific University and we served delicious tamale dinner, the women made altars honoring famous Latinas and Mexico en la Piel dance troupe kept us entertained. It was a fun night and we look forward to next year! Pictures are coming soon.

That's all I've got in me for right now. But welcome back to all of our readers! Thank you for your continued support!

Wise. Latina. Woman.

2009-09-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

We made a wonderful discovery when we realized that diverse experiences do lead to diverse perspectives. While some are aghast at Sonia Sotomayor’s expressed hope “that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,” others perceive a refreshing, reverberating tone. If it is wisdom we are looking for, then let’s call on the richly varied experiences of all those around us. The sorry absence of so many voices has beyond doubt impoverished our vision. Remember that until recently it was assumed that the best candidate for any well paying job was always a white male. In truth we have come a long way! Now let us focus on inclusion, rather than exclusion.

Ms. Sotomayor rightly recalls the beneficent forces that propelled her forward. Yet few wise Latinas have been so fortunate. For most the doors have not been opened wide. There are fissures, cracks in the windows, the slow dismantling of patriarchal prejudices as we search for new forms, like the ancient gathering trees of Guernica, Spain offering shade and room for all. Native peoples attest to the wisdom of age and the wisdom of diverse opinions through wisdom councils of the elderly and wisdom circles wherein everyone is listened to and the accumulative wisdom fills the center and points the way. We need Arthurian round tables to bring in the silenced and unheard, and deference to those who up till now have spoken little.

Still, some tables are built for nine. Who than shall be seated? Whose experience will help us understand the degradation of poverty? Whose stories will tell us what war feels like? Whose history will reveal how bitter the taste of discrimination, how limited the horizon circumscribed by a millennia of belittling? And who will give us hope and speak to the resilience we need? Today we call forth the many wise ones we’ve relegated to the kitchens and laundry rooms, fields and back alleys, back staircases, back, back, back behind white privilege. The core of our work in Adelante Mujeres could be described as giving voice lessons. Education, Empowerment, Enterprise – varieties of voice lessons to allow a new music to ring forth.

Thanks so very much for joining us in this endeavor.

100 Reasons

2009-06-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

Blog by Gina…
We are participating in Oregon Business' 100 Best Non-Profits survey. We hope to win. But if we don’t, that’s okay. We’ve compiled a list of reasons, in no particular order, why Adelante Mujeres is, in our minds, the best place to work:

Office babies. Or babies in general who appear at our office, our staff meetings or other places. Adelante Mujeres understands that babies and women go hand in hand and one without the other is unnatural. So everyone is welcome and accommodated.

Our Leader. She hugs us when we get to work, genuinely cares about our non-work lives (or lack thereof) and treats everyone as equals throughout the organization. She inspires us and helps us to see our own potential. Errors to her are only learning opportunities and she isn’t just a boss but a friend.

Snacks. At every meeting. Always. We are not talking chips and salsa; I’m talking empanadas, tamales, mole, tostadas, etc. Food is culture and we embrace that.

Office dogs. First there was Nellie, the blind dog. Then Mozzie and his protective growl. Now there is Morgan, visiting all the way from New Mexico.

The Forest Grove Farmers Market. Fresh Oregon Strawberries – need I say more? Adelante brings these and many other great produce, craft and food vendors to downtown Forest Grove every Wednesday from May to October.

Our Board of Directors. They are community members and friends and guide us on our way. They are a governing force with a unicorn and rainbow coating. We trust them to guide us and they trust us to do good work. Their dedication to Adelante Mujeres is commendable and each year they get better and better.

Carpool. Bike. Public Transit. It is all encouraged and hours are flexible so we can commit to travel with the environment in mind.

Spanglish. The official language of Adelante Mujeres! Our bilingual staff flows in and out of Spanish and English and loves to make up new words such as “coche-piscina’ for a literal translation of “carpool” or “planta de huevos” for “eggplant”. We crack ourselves up. Plus, we are constantly learning – everyone speaks Spanish but we all learned it in different places so our word choices vary. The Guatamaltecos use different vocabulary than the Paraguayans and the Mexicans have their slang that I’m trying so desperately to learn. Everyone adds to Adelante’s language official.

Project Participants. We would not be who we are without the amazing women, men and children who make up Adelante Mujeres. They have become a part of our family and will forever have a place in our hearts. Their courage and determination are an example for us all.

Please help us add to our list-we can easily get to 100 reasons we love Adelante Mujeres with your help!

What's a "woman's issue"?

2009-06-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

"Every issue today is a woman's issue -- the defense of our country, our economy, education, healthcare, and protecting the environment. To get more women into public office, we must get more women involved in politics. What people don't realize is that even a small amount of time volunteering can make a difference. Can you make a few phone calls? Can you lend your home? Help write press releases? Work for what you believe in, whether it’s on a local, state, or national level."
--Nancy Pelosi in Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters

I Will Survive. I Will Survive.

2009-06-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

Blog by Gina...

As long as I know how to farm I know I'll stay alive...

This past week I have had the opportunity to put several miles on my car, enjoying the back roads of Washington County, Oregon, while visiting the farms of the vendors who sell at the Forest Grove Farmers Market. This week, I was reminded more than ever that farmers, as a group, are survivors.

In February, we were informed the land we have called “home” for the past four years was no longer available for us to use. We had the unfortunate task of telling 5 families who had put in countless hours of work, love, care, sweat and blood to improving the land so they could grow food on it, that the land was no longer theirs to cultivate. It was the beginning of the planting season and really poor timing. This was the year that our long term participants were ready to plant early. This was the year that on opening day of the market they were going to have the best booth-full of spring’s abundance. Instead, they were forced to leave their land and to either quit or continue on their own while Adelante Mujeres looked for new land to “house” the program.

I just visited the home of Nicolas and Norma Amaro in Hillsboro and they chose to survive. They made a deal with their landlord to cultivate the plot of land next to their apartment building. The plot of land is the future site of another apartment building but with the economy in shambles it is now a thriving garden. In the middle of Hillsboro, along the train tracks, they grow strawberries, kohlrabi, chard, fava beans and squash, tomatoes and cucumbers and carrots. Nicolas gives the tour while Norma quietly pulls weeds. Eggplants and chiles grow out of a compost pile. They have a miniature hot house and fruit trees in pots, unwilling to desert them if they are again forced to move, and all of this has happened since mid-February, when they had no place else to go. Now they are taking what they started at their house and are transplanting it to the plot Adelante Mujeres’ arranged for them at the Community Victory Garden. As Nicolas explained their operation, I was reminded of how it is so easy to give up and yet so amazing when people choose not to.

It’s inspiring to me because I wonder what I would do if I was told the land that I had been working on for the past 4 years was no longer available to me. Would I continue and put into practice all of the things that I had learned over the past years or would I quit? Would you quit or survive? It is easier to quit? Is it perhaps a cultural or a class issue? Are those who have been surviving all of their lives more likely to keep up the fight? Do those who have had fewer struggles in their lives find it easier to quit when faced with a challenge? I wonder what I would do. How about you?

I know what the Amaros have done. They have survived. They can be found each week at the Forest Grove Farmers Market selling a wide variety of produce, cultivated with lots of love and the spirit of survival!

Bienvenidos Adelante Empresas

2009-06-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

Blog by Ali...

Last week I was sitting in the office having a bit of trouble concentrating because of booming laughter and lively discussion coming from a meeting in our front office area. Our office is a small place, crowded with staff, volunteers and project participants. We joke that when someone is conducting a meeting, everyone is basically a part of it. At times this can be distracting but that day I was happy to be a part of the meeting while comfortably seated at my desk.
One of Adelante Mujeres’ newest volunteers, Allison, along with Idolina, Gabby and Mago (The Cleaning Wizards) were sitting at the table discussing their green cleaning business, Gabby’s baby boy, and Allison’s future wedding. The bulk of their conversation was serious although at times they would get distracted. They talked about how to work better, as a team, to clean houses; the importance of setting savings goals to make sure they will be able to purchase liability insurance for the coming years; and how to improve their pricing method. This meeting is one of many meetings facilitated by Adelante Empresas, the newest project of Adelante Mujeres’ Micro Enterprise Program. Adelante Empresas is a small business cooperative for Latino entrepreneurs. Through the cooperative, business owners have access to comprehensive business support services and marketing through our new website, e-newsletter and the contacts of other participating business owners.

It is has been truly amazing to watch this project blossom from a brainstorming session in Bridget’s office and meetings with the Cleaning Wizards to watching Allison work with the Cleaning Wizards and having the website up and running. I look forward to sharing more stories of our businesses in the future. For now, to learn more about participating business owners or to hire a business like the Cleaning Wizards, check out our website at http://www.adelanteempresas.org/.

A Letter of Gratitude

2009-05-26T12:24:00.001-07:00

Blog by Gina (sort of)…
We received this letter from a parent of one of the participants of Adelante Chicas, our young women’s support network. Adelante Chicas is completing its second year of work in the Forest Grove School District and has over 150 girls enrolled in the program to date. Activities continue throughout the summer.

To the Staff of Adelante Mujeres and Adelante Chicas-

I would like to thank all of you for everything that you have done for our families. Because you have the time and dedication to be with our girls, you have taught them values such as how to respect themselves and others, how to rid themselves of fears they may have, and above all, you have taught them how to be young women who are confident, trustworthy, and who will be helpful when others need their help. We as parents try to do our best to help our children and with your help we will succeed in having responsible children, who are able, noble, full of love, help when needed, and most importantly, young women who are conscientious that there is a higher power that is the basis of their success.

Thank you,
Proud parent of an Adelante Chica participant

Opening Day at FGFM. Theme Song: Buckets of Rain

2009-05-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Blog by Gina...
Well, I am sitting here, still shivering from our first market. Opening Day, in the past, has been a joyous, exhilarating experience. One, after which, I glow, knowing ahead of me lies 22 weeks of farmers, friends, and fun. But this year, with dumping rain, wind and just plain cold, I only wanted a warm bath and to crawl into bed. A sore throat is creeping in and I have zero excitement for the mess of wet we hastily loaded into the storage trailer in the dark rain.
One die hard customer, who hasn’t missed a market in 2 years, tried to cheer me up by saying, “Well, it can’t get any worse.” She was wrong-at that moment the wind picked up and it rained harder. I was not sufficiently dressed for 8 hours in the pouring rain. Even the most prepared wasn’t prepared. It would have been impossible. One vendor said, “Oh, this is where the term “drowned rat” comes from.” And that is what we were, drowned rats.
But the music played and we unveiled 5 beautiful tables with murals painted on them. We worked with local artist Eduardo Tecum, son of our Micro Enterprise Program Coordinator, Alejandro, and the women of Adelante Mujeres and Adelante Chicas. The tables highlight immigration and development in Washington County and are a gorgeous addition to the Market. Looking forward to blue skies for Forest Grove Farmers Market: Take II.

A Wedding? Teeth Cleaning?

2009-05-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Blog by Gina…
I’ve posted a picture to show the glamorous life of Market Managers. Don’t I look like I am having the time of my life?Earlier today it was bright and sunny so I took on the daunting task of scrubbing clean the chairs we use on Market Day. I lined them up in neat rows, like I was preparing for an outdoor wedding behind our office. I had my SOS pads, a hose and the sunshine on my side. I began to scrub away and I was enjoying myself, shedding layers and feeling a great sense of accomplishment. I would suds the chairs and a thick blue film would cover them and quickly begin to dry. It reminded me of getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist’s office. As it started to dry and get chalky I would bring out the hose and spray the muck and soap away. The spray that was slowly soaking my clothes didn’t bother me. That was until the clouds rolled in over the coastal range and covered the sun with pillows of rain. Soon it began to pour. I moved quickly for shelter but all of the chairs, my whole setup, was already ready already. I had to finish. So I scrubbed under the shelter of a tree, the water from the hose feeling cold now, the wet socks and jeans that I’m wearing began to feel uncomfortable. I scrubbed through it. This is training for Market season. I can’t just pack up and go home when it starts to rain. What would my vendors think? Where would our faithful customers get produce? The world doesn’t stop just because it’s raining. At least not in these parts. At our market, we have busier days when it is raining than when it is really hot. It cracks me up that Oregonians prefer the rain to the heat! Are you willing to brave the weather to shop at your local farmers market? I hope so…

Forest Grove Farmers Market-Hoy en 15

2009-04-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

Blog by Gina…
Last night we had a vendor meeting for the Forest Grove Farmers Market. The meeting’s purpose; to meet and greet new and returning vendors, review rules, and plan for the upcoming season; also officially marks the end of my free Wednesdays. From now until October I will be busy on Wednesdays. So don’t invite me to your party, summer concerts at the zoo, or something really awesome that I will feel badly about missing, because I have to work. It’s a good thing that I love my job-who doesn’t want to manage a farmers market? They pay me to be outside, interact with people and promote local farms and produce. Well, now that I’ve spelled it out, I can think of a few people who might not want my job, but it’s perfect for me!

I will admit the meeting was a bore. It was wonderful to see everyone in person again after several months of communication over email and phone but the rules and rules and rules that markets abide by and have to discuss are a bit dry. I like to geek out on food safety guidelines and food handling procedures, but most of the vendors just want to sell what they’ve been working on all winter. They have lovingly placed seeds in the ground and cared until they sprouted; taken something raw and developed it into something delicious; formed sugar, milk, butter and cocoa into delicious candies; and crafted, with their hands, aromatic soaps and beautiful jewelry. They have seen their product through, from start to finish, and now they want to share it with the community, not talk about clean knives and hand-washing stations.

The 2009 Forest Grove Farmers Market will be our fifth season! We have some great projects that we are looking forward to sharing and you’ll get to read more about them very soon. In the mean time, you can put your cloth bags in your cars, strap on a basket to your bicycle and head over to your local Farmers Market. They’re in season right now!

Earth Day Cleanup

2009-04-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

Blog by Gina...
We just got back from a day at the A.T. Smith House where the Adult Education and Early Childhood Education students, staff, volunteers and Friends of Historic Forest Grove celebrated Earth Day with a site cleanup. Annie and Bridget held class with the students to explain what Earth Day is and how it fits into our program and the greater community. One of Adelante’s values is Respect the Mother Earth. We met on the historic property and had a delicious potluck lunch, which provided us with lots of energy for the task at hand. We were to clean up the property, overgrown with blackberries, an invasive species here, and hiding large chunks of brick, cement and asphalt. Not as easy task but these women know how to work. As the young ones criss-crossed the property, picking up garbage (perhaps more dandelions than anything), the students and staff cut, chopped, raked, wheel-barreled and lugged debris to a large dumpster. The event was a SOLV event and part of a statewide cleanup/Earth Day celebration. We worked in the sun (no complaints here) for a few hours. The kids eventually took naps in the lawn around the house and we took water and wellness breaks. The site looks great although there is still a lot of work to be done. Despite our sunscreen and hats we all left with sun-kissed cheeks and lots of lovely scratches up and down our arms. A little reminder of our commitment to our Mother Earth.

What will you do for Earth Day? Do you celebrate everyday? What do you value?

We Welcome You to Bloggy Land

2009-04-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

Blog by Gina...
Welcome to the Adelante Mujeres blog. In case you’re curious, in Spanish Adelante means “rise up, move forward;” Mujeres means “women.” We are a non-profit organization in Oregon dedicated to holistic education, empowerment and enterprise development of low-income Latino families. This is our first attempt at blogging so please be patient as we figure it all out. Our goal is to share with you what is happening at Adelante Mujeres – what each program is doing, share student stories and give you, our friends and supporters, an inside look at what is going on.

I’m Gina Bell. I’ve been a part of Adelante Mujeres for 4 years now, first as a volunteer and now as an employee. Often I will be the voice of this blog, but I’ve invited the participants in our Adult Education program, Adelante Chicas and Farmers Market vendors to share their stories. Please comment and let us know what you think.

We just got back from a weekend at the coast. It is our annual beach trip with the students in our Adult Education class. It is an all-women weekend. No husbands, no kids, which is not generally the case for most of our students. It’s a very fun time. We stayed at a lovely house on the beach, somewhere between Salishan and Depot Bay, Oregon. We couldn’t have asked for a nicer weekend. It was sunny and 67 degrees and there were whales to be watched and waves to be jumped albeit very, very cold waves.

We arrived Friday night and after eating a satisfying dinner we headed down to the beach to have a walk around. The air was crisp and the moon and stars shone bright. We returned to the house, giggled a lot and slowly people began to retire to different corners of the house to sleep. A group of women, with teenaged energy, stayed up until the wee hours of the morning telling jokes and sharing stories. I was not one of them. I woke up early to watch the sun rise and I got to watch as the entire house began to stir and the jokes and the stories once again began.

The best thing about the weekend is the complete lack of a schedule. Everyone is free to do what ever they please. It felt like a big sleepover. Mayra braided my hair as well as Guadalupe’s and a few others. Berta had her makeup kit out and was giving makeovers to Josefina and Rocio. Some of the women were in the kitchen, others read and caught up on homework, many ventured out for a long walk along the beach and a hike up the rocky cliff. Maria and Araceli managed to get caught by a wave and were soaked! My cheeks were sun-kissed by the end of the day and I felt very relaxed. Saturday was one of those glorious days that last forever. We fit in naps and games and beach time. We played Truth or Dare and I learned a lot about my co-workers and the students! We watched the sun set over the Pacific and snapped pictures.

Then it was dancing time. Bridget, Annie, Kristi, Ali and I took lessons from the students. We moved chairs and couches out of the way to make a huge dance floor. We danced to ranchero, salsa, meringue and Spanish country. I’m not much of a dancer but I discovered if your partner is good you can fake it. That’s what I did. We eventually got around to making dinner and eating and then we headed down to the beach for a campfire. Once again I was amazed at how many marshmallows the students could eat. Or rather, were willing to eat. Plus, many of them had never had a S’more before, so I was happy to introduce them! The campfire was great and we chatted and sang songs and enjoyed a starry evening on the beach. Slowly, people trickled away, up the hill, in the house, to their corners, and soon the house was silent.

Sunday morning we ate a delicious breakfast and then started cleaning the house: bedding into the washing machine, dishes done, bags re-packed and then set a plan for the rest of the day. Some students were anxious to get back – they missed their kids and husbands. Others weren’t ready to leave the coast so soon. Two cars headed back to Forest Grove mid-day and two carloads headed to Depot Bay to go whale watching and explore the town. We enjoyed the afternoon which led into the evening. Eventually we pulled away from the beach and headed back to Forest Grove.

I collapsed in my hammock upon arrival home – an exhilarating weekend with the students! For me, this weekend is one of the most rewarding parts of my job – getting to interact with the students as friends, without the distractions that children, husbands and school bring into the picture.

So what do you do to relax and get away? Where would you go if you had a weekend and no requirements or responsibilities?