Renowned Advocate Erin Brockovich Comes to Portland

On April 2, 2016, the Eastside Portland Air Coalition (EPAC) hosted environmental activist Erin Brockovich at a community forum on air toxins in Portland. In 1993, Brockovich fought a successful legal battle against PG&E in California due to groundwater contamination from their use of hexavalent chromium. Since her major legal triumph, she has continued to advocate for communities who have been subjected to industrial environmental contamination. Concerns about toxins in the air, particularly from glass manufacturers, prompted Portlanders to push the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the federal Environmental Protection Agency to examine emissions affecting residents' health. Also speaking on the program are Tamara Rubin of the Lead Safe America Foundation, environmental / consumer attorney Robin Greenwald, and moderator Jody Bleyle of EPAC. This program was recorded by John Pacheco with help from PC Peri and produced by Allen Evans.

Eastside Portland Air Coalition (www.eastsideportlandair.org) sponsored streaming for the two-part show "Erin Brockovich: Environmental Organizing in Portland" (VB #99.10&11), find it at www.flyingfocus.org/Brockovichstreamingpage.html

Local Photographer Exhibits "The Black Portlanders Project"

In 2013, Intisar began work on The Black Portlanders(.com), an ongoing exploratory blog imaging people of diverse African descent in Portland. We think you will enjoy this program about a unique and rising young artist.

Reclaiming Our Lives from ALEC

Protests Mark 14 Years in Afghanistan, 25 Years in Iraq

Two recent Flying Focus programs covered marches and rallies organized in Portland marking anniversaries of unending US wars. The first, "End the Wars: 14 Years in Afghanistan" (VB #98.5&6) features the October 11, 2015 "Call Out for Justice: End the Wars" mobilization. The action connected many issues from police violence to the environment to the economy, and the US occupation of Afghanistan that began in October 2001. The two-part show features music from the Raging Grannies, Mo Mack and Love Bomb Go-Go. The first episode has speakers including Syrian American activist Sam Kahl, Adrienne Cabouet of Black Lives Matter Portland and Ary LaVallee, an Iraq War Veteran. On part two, participants march through the streets to Portland Police Headquarters ("Black Lives Matter!"), the World Trade Center ("Money for Jobs and Education, Not for War and Corporations!") and the houseless rest area Right 2 Dream Too ("Housekeys, not Handcuffs!"). About 40 organizations cosponsored the event. Media coverage included a KGW story that showed both the march and the aftermath of US bombs that hit a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan just days before. The show was produced by Dan Handelman from video provided by Mungen Cakes and PC Peri.

The second program, "25 Years Working for Peace in Iraq," (VB # 98.9) features not just the January 15, 2016 rally marking 25 years since the start of the "Gulf War," but also information about Flying Focus' first show ever, produced in early 1991 around issues raised by the war (?Peace Action Network?). The rally was organized by Portland Peaceful Response Coalition and Peace and Justice Works. Speakers talk about issues including that while the 1991 attack marked the first of three wars by the US against Iraq, counting the sanctions (1990-2003) and the continued occupation (2003->2011->2014...), the war has never stopped. This show was co-produced by Barb Greene and Dan, using coverage by PC Peri and John Pacheco. Thanks to a generous individual, this show can be seen streaming online at www.flyingfocus.org/GulfWar25YLstreamingpage.html.