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Media, Rowan, and Aki

Hi, good to sit here with you. The sun in on my back and this water in my glass feels refreshing- I tend to have a water bottle with me- now that Achillea and Rowan are here it is usually in a metal container. A short 5 years ago there were many heavy, ornate, and simple flip top bottles. Various concoctions of floral water, teas, treasured glacial spring water captured where it danced from the earth, from a rich garden and apothecary to anoint and nourish the jars I took everywhere. A pandemic, 4 homes (being sold as a renter during gentrification) in less years, family loss, thee most amazing twins that made me mama have a way of shifting ones flair- I love to see how those ways of walking with beauty will rebirth.

We currently live in a sweet community about an hour north of San Francisco in Sonoma County- wine country that was once dominated by apple orchards. I was lucky enough to have lived in SF until my late 20s. The diversity and cultural experiences shaped me in ways that fueled my love of exploring. I love transitions, thresholds, transformation of nature, ourselves and our spirit. I only left my beloved City to move into a proper co-housing community in the East Bay city of Oakland!

After several years a wonderful opportunity to move into a rural village surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Pt Reyes National Seashore became my home for 20 years. I could walk to the beach with my dog, hike to the wilds of Pt Reyes from my door- it was a dream come true and a continuation of connected communal living I had sought my entire life. There so many ways to enjoy a beautiful day- with young twins perspective is key, a bit of nature, good food, a sweet smile and eyes to share it with is one of my favorite. So is a day adventuring in the City- live music, book stores, performances, and good food!

If I had leisure with abundant sustainable resources, it would be to find the discipline? Method? Practice? Frame of mind? Of effortless equanimity. It seems I have one or the other- time to do as one wishes is marvelous and ever changing- right now i am a practical mama- if i had more time i would develop economic sovereignty for myself and my family.

I love to learn! I am learning to ask more questions in life- it is fascinating and fun to go to school- take a course, learn. I really love the apprenticeship model and mentors. I would love to learn more languages- I love thinking in another language, I loved working in another culture, land, language- it was exhausting yet i love how it changes my perspective, the way it changes my thinking. I love the cultural exchange and would love to learn another language, culture and their food!

Rebecca (she/hers)
I grew up in Detroit but have lived in the SF Bay Area for a long time. A perfect day would be an invigorating hike which doesn’t involve a long car ride nor crowds of humans, accompanied by one or a small group of friends. I wish that I had more time for books, podcasts, exercise and time in nature. I enjoy many foods & cuisines so it’s hard to choose a favorite but I really appreciate seasonal produce from the farmers market. And I love bread! I would like to learn to successfully complete small home repairs and improvements and also increase my very basic command of Portuguese.

Rick (he/his), Lisa (she/her), Elijah and Albany
Rick enjoys the quiet of natural settings and the beauty of diverse communities. He loves hiking, backpacking and fishing. He also enjoys reading, browsing in bookstores, and traveling. He is more of a quiet generalist, but enjoys working with groups, wordsmithing, tinkering, and delving into topics around spirituality, ending racism and climate change. Lisa loves hanging out with her family/friends – hiking, traveling and learning together. One of her favorite interests is policy work in the legislature. She enjoys playing flute with classical/Irish ensembles and loves traveling abroad. She is committed to using her white privilege to end systematic racism.

Our son, Elijah, is inspired by innovation, beautiful engineering, fine cars, history, current events and amphibious pedal vehicles. Our daughter, Albany, just started college out of state in August 2021. She is inspired by space flight, science, social justice, the environment and more. She also loves dogs/cats, surfing and traveling. We work daily to honor them and their paths.

Camilla
I grew up in Oklahoma, and have lived in Chicago, the Bronx, Minneapolis, Washington, DC, San Francisco for 50 years, and now Portland.

My best kind of day is any day spent in a peaceful, sunshiny place—beach or mountains—with friends.

I have always wanted to learn to play the piano, ever since I was a little girl!
My favorite foods are mashed potatoes and fried chicken.

I would love to learn from a historian about the ways is important to what’s happening in our democracy today.

Megan and Xavier
We are a mother-son team who are native to Portland, Oregon. Megan is a proud mother and advocate for autism awareness and a co-owner of a small business handcrafting elderberry products – roserootpdx.com. Xavier is an awesome, friendly, and intelligent young man who is incredibly knowledgeable and talented when it comes to music, audio engineering and music production. He enjoys his free time as a part time Youtuber, practicing voice acting, playing bass and video games.

     

Alicia (she/her), Gary (he/his), and Neva
Hi! I’m Alicia and this is my daughter, Neva. Originally from Iowa, I’ve been in Oregon since 1990 and in Portland almost that entire time. I love to ride my bicycle long distances, surround myself with beautiful things (art, music, or nature), and eat, drink, and be merry with friends. I am looking forward to more time to paint and I would love to have a mentor to teach me more about color, materials, and technique.

Neva is a Portland native whose interests are wide ranging from watching baseball, eating Fritos and listening to opera. She has a love for delicious food, the outdoors, excitement, and music and looks forward to hosting Friday night pizza and dance parties in the community room.

Gary is Neva’s dad, is a rare Portland native, and has an incredible memory for movies, music, and randomly interesting topics. You will have to catch him dancing, it’s an amazing treat to behold!

We are the original Founding Family of CPC. I also founded the nonprofit, Our Home, Inclusive Community Collaborative.  OHICC is working to support getting the CPC community off the ground as an inclusive and diverse community. At this time, my family can’t live at CPC (nonprofit regulation stuff that we can talk about if you are interested), but we are and will continue to be an active part of the CPC community. You’ll see me at CPC meetings as a relentlessly committed supporter wearing my  OHICC Mission Member hat.

Brian (he/his/him)

Hello! I am Brian. I was born in Portland and raised across three continents as a military kid. I’ve been back in Portland, off and on for the past thirty or so years and consider this city to be my home. I enjoy traveling, cooking, writing fiction, making wood and linoleum block prints, and playing the drums. I have worked as a nonprofit consultant, specializing in grant writing, grants research, marketing and communications for the past several years, and am looking forward to living in community and collaborating on tremendous community meals. I’m a part of Alicia, Gary, and Neva’s family team and work with OHICC to support the CPC community.

 

David (he/his), Adara, Corwin, and Abby (she/her)
Abby: I grew up in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, the most rural corner of a rural state. After living a lot of other places in my late teens and twenties, I had moved back for good when I fell in love with someone on the wrong side of the country, and I’ve made Oregon and Southwest Washington home since 2004.

A perfect day begins with a crossword puzzle in a quiet house, and ends with a good novel in bed. In between, I would walk in a beautiful place, preferably treed, preferably with a great conversationalist or two. I would eat good food, play a board game or two, and not think once about laundry, dishes or dirty floors.
I have taken a few baby steps into making inks from plants (oak galls, lichen, beets, flower petals), and I would love to have more time to devote to this.
I love all food. But really, I’m a sucker for a good bowl of homemade soup with crusty buttered sourdough.

I love learning from anyone with a deep knowledge base in what they love. I love to be surprised when someone else’s passion lights me up for something I never thought I would be interested in. I am not a great student, but I like to think I’m still open to learning new things.

David: I grew up in SW and NW Portland.
My perfect day would be spent on the banks of the Deschutes River in central Oregon with a fly rod, with the steelhead biting. I would love to learn the art of chainsaw sculpture.

If you value your shortbread cookies, don’t leave them anywhere near me

I would love to spend more time in the woods with a skilled tree-faller, learning how to precisely land a tree.

 

Mary and Lily

I grew up in Soldotna, Alaska, on a 100 acre homestead that my Chicago parents acquired in 1947, when WWII veterans were offered land out west. I now live in Forest Grove, Oregon, with my daughter Lily, who was born in Galway, Ireland, where I lived for 19 years.

My perfect day would start with a pot of Barry’s tea with milk and a good novel, in bed. I would read and doze as long as I wanted. Then I would swim in the sea, write for a few hours, make a pot of soup and a loaf of soda bread and invite friends over for a very late lunch. Then we’d play some cards, take a walk, and go to a concert, outside. Maybe have a fire on a beach after that.

I love poetry. I love writing. I love facilitating groups. I love being involved with the Blessing Box and Community Fridge program in Forest Grove’s UCC; we have fed many people. I love music. I would still like to learn more about everything, really. Ladybugs, calligraphy, alternative energy, emotional intelligence, how to stop wars from starting. Democracy, piano, comedy, patience.

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