The DEIA Committee has reached out to the Belmont Business Association to see how we can partner together for the upcoming Belmont Street Fair held on Saturday, September 11th, 2021. The DEIA Committee’s initiative is to help support local BIPOC businesses who would like to participate by providing financial aid for booth participation. The committee plans to help build a stronger awareness of the different Black and Brown owned businesses that support the thriving Belmont strip. We like how the Hawthorne Business Association has developed a cultural calendar to host events for the businesses along the Hawthorne strip and we want to create something similar for Belmont. The DEIA committee would appreciate any suggestions on actions we can take as a developing committee to help uplift and support our BIPOC community. The next meeting will be Tuesday, August 3rd at 6:30 p.m. Virtual meeting details will be posted on the SNA website on July 30th.
Civic Engagement
One of the things I love about Sunnyside is the way so many of us have stepped up to support a sustainable future. We ride our bikes. We recycle. We plant backyard gardens. We install solar panels. We shop at farmers markets. While all these are important, I know it’s not enough. That’s why I also volunteer with Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) to try to make a real impact on climate change.
I build political will around the importance of carbon pricing by asking members of Congress to support the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. This bipartisan policy places an increasing price on fossil fuels at the source, and returns net proceeds to all households. Every month you would receive a dividend check to spend as you choose.
Why put a price on carbon? It is the single most effective solution we can implement to curb emissions. In fact, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen said, “We cannot solve the climate crisis without effective carbon pricing.” Why am I asking you to help me pass a price on carbon at the national level? We are running out of time and this policy would reduce carbon emissions by 50% in just 10 years and help us get to net zero by 2050. For our livable future, let’s all work for change on the local and federal level. For more CCL information, contact me at [email protected]. I hope to see you at our next CCL meeting on August 14th.
SNA July Notes and August Plans
Board Election Results, Hybrid Meetings Starting in September
The Annual SNA Board Election was held as planned on July 8th, in the Southeast Uplift parking lot at 3435 SE Main St. The candidate pool was strong and competitive, with many more excellent candidates than open positions. Please keep in mind that you can fully participate in SNA efforts without joining the Board.
Andria Robbins was elected for one year, finishing the term for Board position 5. Matt Lembo, Hannah Wallace, Vincent Dawans, and Ben Wyatt were elected to two-year terms for Board positions 6-9. Sincere thanks to departing Board members Christy Portman, K.C. Hoffert, and Lorraine Henriques. We hope to still see a lot of you at SNA meetings and events. Welcome new Board members Andria, Ben, and Hannah. As always, thanks to returning members Matt and Vincent.
A big shout-out of appreciation is due to Matchu Williams, SEUL Neighborhood Association Liaison, for conducting the election and tallying results.
Beginning in September we hope to hold the General SNA meetings both in person at 3534 SE Main St. (SEUL) and online via Zoom.
The officers, chosen by the board, will be announced next month.
Cat Tales: Ham, the Klepto Cat
“Have you seen my running shoe?” my neighbor Dana Buhl asked me recently. I hadn’t seen it but my husband and I had noticed some curious items turning up in our yard—some red camellia flowers (we don’t have a camellia bush) and a red ball of yarn. Two weeks later, Dana’s 15-year-old daughter spotted one of their dog’s chew toys in the back of our mutual neighbor’s backyard. Charles Aguilar and his fiancé Brittany Peralta, who moved into that house six months ago, have four beautiful and playful cats. So I texted Charles asking if they might be missing some yarn. He said “No, but I wouldn’t be surprised if my ‘lil white cat got it from somewhere and brought it to your yard. He brought us a crow, a mouse, and a random shoe recently.” Then he texted a photo of Ham, the cute white cat that I’d noticed prowling through our backyard.
Dana was amused to learn that the culprit was a feline (though sadly, she was not reunited with her shoe because, not knowing whose it was, they’d tossed it). I started stashing my running shoes inside. But, unwisely, I left my Crocs out. A few weeks later, I couldn’t find either of them. I searched our house, to no avail. Finally, desperate, I texted Charles. “I’m missing my Crocs. Has Ham brought you any?” He shot back, “Yes, we have a black Croc!” A few days later, I spotted the other in their backyard. I jokingly said he should post something on Nextdoor about his klepto cat. “I’m thinking about it. I have a pair of Nikes here now. Black with a grey swoosh,” Charles typed.
Charles says Ham’s stealing habit began when he was an indoor cat—with their daughter’s Barbies and sandals. He’d find them hidden in weird places around the house. “I’d do laundry and there’d be a Barbie in the laundry basket,” he says. Ham, who is just one year old, has one blue eye and one yellow, giving him a rock-star air. “He’s got a lot of personality, for sure,” Charles says. But Sunnysiders—especially if you live in the westernmost quadrant of the neighborhood—keep your shoes inside!
This is a new regularly-occurring column in the Sunnyside Newsletter. To submit stories about your or a neighbor’s cat, email Hannah at [email protected] Cats must live in Sunnyside.
Sunnyside Piazza Update
We have postponed the restoration project for painting the Sunnyside Piazza on Yamhill St. and 34th Ave. until September 2021. We are looking to create a new design that is led by community involvement. Further details to come in August. You can contribute towards the restoration of this beloved landmark by donating to the campaign’s GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/sunnyside-piazza or via the SNA website homepage. We’re trying to raise $1,500 to cover our expenses. Follow the Sunnyside Piazza Facebook page for up-to-date details and ways to get involved.