Civic Circuit: February 2025
Black History Month... A Day Without Immigrants... Lunar New Year... Portland Winter Light Festival... Everybody Reads: Solito... Commemorative Observances... And more!
Dear Readers,
In honor of reaching 100 paid subscribers, I’m launching a new monthly feature: Civic Circuit! At the beginning of each month, I’ll send out a round-up of local events, volunteer opportunities, and commemorative observances to keep you connected, engaged, and entertained.
I don’t know about you, but every January, I trick myself into thinking winter is almost over—then February hits, and it feels like it will never end. We’re in the midst of a cold snap with snow in the forecast, so I need some extra incentive to head outdoors. I’m happy to say that Portland is definitely delivering this month!
For February, I’ve focused on events celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion, ways to connect with friends and neighbors, and opportunities to get outdoors—whether you get glowed up to walk or roll in a Portland Winter Light Festival procession, go fly a kite, or learn how to cultivate native plants and eliminate invasive species!
Confession: I’m a sucker for holidays and commemorative observances! They break up the monotony of daily life, connect us to traditions, and create opportunities for discussion, connection, and action. I’ve gathered enough for you to celebrate something nearly every day this month!
But Civic Circuit isn’t just about fluff. Remember, community building is a powerful defense against fascism. Historian Timothy Snyder warns that democracy depends on strong local institutions and social networks. Authoritarians know this, too—which is why they systematically attack public institutions, non-profits, academics, and the media.
A recent New York Times opinion video, How Tyranny Begins, highlights how governments in Russia, Singapore, El Salvador, and the U.S. are undermining civil society. Using harassment, surveillance, defunding, and threats of imprisonment, they seek to weaken organizations that advocate for human rights and hold those in power accountable.
By showing up for each other—whether through civic engagement, shared traditions, or collective action—we can do good, have fun, and fight the power!
Let’s dig in!
With Love, Hope & Solidarity
Chloe
✊❤️🔥
A Day Without Immigrants: An Annual Protest With Urgent Relevance in 2025
Today, immigrant communities and their allies across the U.S. are participating in A Day Without Immigrants, an annual protest demonstrating the essential role immigrants play in the U.S. economy and society. Businesses closed, workers stayed home, and thousands marched in cities nationwide, making it clear: the country cannot function without the contributions of immigrants and highlighting the fact that the majority of Americans oppose mass deportations and favor providing pathways to legal status for undocumented immigrants.
The movement began in 2017 as a direct response to Trump’s first administration, protesting his harsh immigration policies and mass deportations. Now, with Trump back in office and ramping up efforts to criminalize and deport immigrants, the protest takes on renewed urgency. His administration is attempting to invoke the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to fast-track mass deportations without due process, and it has already moved to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 350,000 Venezuelans, leaving countless families in limbo.
This year’s A Day Without Immigrants serves as both a reminder and a warning—without immigrants, our economy suffers, our communities weaken, and millions of lives are disrupted. As history repeats itself, the stakes have never been higher.
Lunar New Year 2025: Welcoming the Year of the Wood Snake
Lunar New Year celebrations are in full swing from January 29th to February 12th, marking the arrival of the Year of the Wood Snake in the Chinese zodiac. This festive season is observed across East and Southeast Asia, as well as in communities around the world, with traditions that include family reunions, fireworks, feasts, red envelopes (hongbao), and lion dances.
Portland’s celebrations include events at Lan Su Chinese Garden, which will feature traditional performances, calligraphy demonstrations, and the return of the Wishing Tree. The city’s annual Lunar New Year Dragon Dance Parade will also bring vibrant energy to downtown.
Lunar New Year is about new beginnings, renewal, and community, making it the perfect time to gather with friends and neighbors, enjoy cultural traditions, and reflect on the year ahead.
Black History Month 2025: Honoring Labor and Legacy
Every February, we recognize Black history—not just to celebrate, but to reflect and reckon with the past. This year’s theme, “African Americans and Labor,” highlights the profound impact of Black workers—free and enslaved—on the nation’s economy, culture, and civil rights struggles.
From plantation fields to factories, domestic work to the fight for fair wages and workplace rights, Black labor has shaped every aspect of American life. Founders of Black History Month, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) underscores how work—whether paid or unpaid, skilled or unskilled—has been central to the Black experience. This theme also sheds light on the barriers African Americans have faced, from exclusionary labor laws to ongoing wage gaps, while recognizing the resilience of Black workers who have fought for fair treatment, union rights, and economic justice.
Black History Month isn’t just about looking back—it’s a call to action. As debates over labor rights, racial equity, and economic justice continue, the lessons of history remain urgent. Honoring the struggles and triumphs of Black workers means not just celebrating their contributions, but pushing for policies that ensure fairness, dignity, and opportunity for all.
Upcoming Black History Month Events in Portland
All February – Black History Month at Multnomah County Libraries
Libraries across Multnomah County will host talks, workshops, and events throughout the month. Visit the library’s event page and search “Black History Month” to see what’s happening near you. While you’re there, check out their curated reading list tied to this year’s theme, African Americans and Labor.
All February – Cascade Festival of African Films
The nation’s longest-running African film festival returns, showcasing a month of free screenings featuring films from across the continent.
All February – Through The Trees Collective: Community Events
Through The Trees Collective will host Black History Month gatherings throughout the city and beyond, including a BIPOC Youth Game Day at Lloyd Center and a tree planting at Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Washougal.
All February – Celebrating Black, Black History Month with the 1803/Fund
This year, Black-serving organizations across Portland are coming together to celebrate Black, Black History Month with a pop-up museum at The Horizon Enterprise Building in Old Town, hosted in partnership with Creative Homies. The 1803/Fund, which is sponsoring the museum, describes the project as an opportunity to “hold space in [Old Town], one of the first neighborhoods where Black folks settled in the city.” While Albina is often recognized as the historic heart of Black Portland, the railroad brought Black families to Old Town in the late 1800s, making this an especially fitting location to honor the past and present.
The lineup of exhibits is truly impressive, showcasing Albina’s jazz, soul, and gospel legacy, Afro-futurist portraiture, and the lived experiences of Black Portlanders through photography. A retrospective on Isaka Shamsud-Din, one of the Pacific Northwest’s most influential Black artists, offers insight into his decades-long career, and interactive exhibits curated by Oregon Black Pioneers explore the fight for Black rights in Oregon, from the state’s early exclusion laws to 20th-century activism. As the 1803/Fund puts it, “This is an everyday practice in our community, but we double-down in February.”
If you’re looking for a way to engage with Black history, art, and culture this month, this is a must-visit and don’t forget to check out their events and activations!
The museum will be open from 10am to 4pm, Wednesday through Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sunday, all month long. It’s located at The Horizon Enterprise Building in Old Town (433 NW 4TH Avenue, Portland, OR, 97209). Enter on 4th.
February 6th | 5:30pm–7:30pm – Oregon’s Black History: 450 Years in 45 Minutes
PCC – Cascade Campus, Terrell Hall Hosted by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, presented by Mariah Rocker, come learn about the 450-year history of Black pioneers in Oregon in just 45 minutes – it’s a fast-paced journey you won’t want to miss!
February 6th | 6:30pm–8:30pm – Black Journeys Film Screening and Conversation
OMSI Empirical Theater, Portland Zachary Stocks joins Taylor Stewart of Oregon Remembrance Project for the Oregon Public Broadcasting presentation, Black Journeys: Exploring Oregon’s Black History, the legacy of racial injustice and paths forward, showcasing the films from OPB’s “Oregon Experience” history series: “Oregon’s Black Pioneers” and “The Road to Sunrise.” Followed by Q&A and panel discussion.
February 8 | 3pm–5pm – WomenFirst Black History Month Celebration
Join WomenFirst at Curious Comedy Theater for an afternoon of African dance, food, and raffle prizes at this free community event.
February 8th | 12pm: Create tree-foraged hand brooms this Black Heritage Month! Join Urban Forestry in celebrating the reopening of the North Portland Library as we provide a creative workshop in honor of Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neale Hurston.
February 9th | 12pm: Create tree-foraged hand brooms this Black Heritage Month! Join Urban Forestry in celebrating the reopening of the North Portland Library as we provide a creative workshop in honor of Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neale Hurston.
February 11 | 6–8:30pm – Film Screening: Walking Through Portland with a Panther
The Oregon Historical Society hosts the premiere screening of a new play about Kent Ford, co-founder of Portland’s Black Panther Party chapter. The event includes a discussion with Ford and the filmmakers. Admission is free.
February 20–23 – NW Black Comedy Festival
More than 40 Black comedians from across the country will take the stage at Curious Comedy Theater for four days of stand-up, improv, and storytelling.
February 20–Mar. 1, 2025 - Biamp Portland Jazz Festival includes artists spanning the full breadth of jazz. Artists who are driving the evolution of jazz figure prominently alongside NEA Jazz Masters and Grammy Award Winners.
February 21–23 – Rose City Blues Festival: Honoring Black History Through Dance
This year’s festival explores Black artists’ contributions to music and movement, with live performances, workshops, and lectures celebrating the roots of blues dance.
Portland Winter Light Festival
February 7th-15th, 2025: Get ready to be dazzled as the Portland Winter Light Festival returns for its 10th anniversary! This free, citywide event transforms Portland into a vibrant tapestry of light, art, and innovation, brightening the winter nights with stunning installations and performances.
This year's theme, A Light For Tomorrow: A Technicolor Future, invites attendees to explore how light, creativity, and innovation can shape a brighter future. The festival features illuminated art installations, interactive experiences, and a mesmerizing kinetic fire sculpture, The Super Knebula, which uses symmetry and optical illusion to create a flowing, breathing effect.
Anchor sites at Pioneer Courthouse Square, World Trade Center Portland, and the Electric Blocks will showcase large-scale interactive artworks and performances on Fridays and Saturdays (February 7–8 and 14–15) from 6–10 p.m. Throughout all nine nights, discover hundreds of pop-up installations in windows, unexpected spaces, and fun locations across the city. Don’t forget to look up—some displays can be found on rooftops and top-floor windows.
Whether you’re a longtime Portlander or visiting for the first time, the Portland Winter Light Festival offers a unique way to experience the city’s creative spirit. Bundle up, bring your friends and family, and immerse yourself in the luminous wonder that awaits.
A Few of My Favorite PDXWLF Events & Workshops
February 7th & 8th | 3pm–6pm Glow Up Workshops: Get ready to light up your February at a Glow Up Workshops! These family-friendly craft sessions are the perfect way to brighten your day!
Feb 8th Illuminated Bike Ride: Dress up your bike & yourself, and join us for a ride!
February 7th & 8th | 5pm–8pm: Glow Up Workshops Get ready to light up your February at a Glow Up Workshops! These family-friendly craft sessions are the perfect way to brighten your day!
Feb 15: Little Luminaries Procession: A magical evening stroll designed just for the little ones!
Feb 15: Lantern Procession: Join Risk of Change for a vibrant lantern procession filled with light, music, and movement.
Everybody Reads 2025: Solito by Javier Zamora
Multnomah County Library's Everybody Reads 2025 selection is Solito by Javier Zamora, a gripping memoir of his 3,000-mile journey from El Salvador to the U.S. as a nine-year-old, traveling alone through deserts, detention centers, and dangers no child should face. Zamora’s story is a deeply personal immigrant narrative, but it also speaks to the present moment in powerful ways.
El Salvador is once again in the headlines, as President Nayib Bukele’s mass incarceration policies—hailed by some as a crackdown on crime—have led to sweeping human rights abuses. The Biden administration has condemned the brutality, yet the U.S. has its own history of migrant detention and abuse. Under Trump, children like Zamora were separated from their families and packed into overcrowded detention centers—facilities that remain a point of contention today. Meanwhile, Trump’s 2024 campaign openly promises mass deportations and expanded detention camps, raising the specter of policies even harsher than before.
Solito reminds us that behind every statistic is a human story—a child, a family, a future shaped by the policies we enact. It’s a timely read, offering a look back at the dangers many immigrants have faced and a warning about what may come next.
Get your free copy at any open library while supplies last. Available in Spanish or English. Explore the project guide or check the events calendar for information. From January to March 2025, you can attend events surrounding the book and its themes. Everybody Reads will conclude with “An Evening with Javier Zamora” on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 7:30pm at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Tickets are available from Literary Arts.
Parks & Recreation Volunteer Opportunities
Get outside, make new friends, and help tend our community treasures, whether it planting native species or removing the invasive ones.
February 5, 2025 | 9:00am: Forest Park Stewardship Event
February 8, 2025 | 9:00am: Forest Park Planting Stewardship Event
February 8, 2025 | 9:00am: Powell Butte Second Saturday Volunteer Event
February 8, 2025 | 9:00am: Powell Butte Nature Park Volunteer Trail Work Event
Neighborhood Association Meetings
There are at least 75 active Neighborhood Associations in Portland! Find out which one you belong to here and check the calendar for upcoming meetings here.
Commemorative Observances
For more information on these and other commemorative observances, visit National Day Calendar!
Weekly Observances:
Secondhand Wardrobe Week (Second Week of February) – Declutter your closet and refresh your wardrobe—donate, swap, or thrift secondhand fashion!
National FFA Week (Week of February 15) – Celebrating the Future Farmers of America, a youth organization dedicated to agricultural education, leadership, and career development. Support the next generation of farmers—our food depends on them.
National Acts of Kindness Week (Week of February 17) – A week dedicated to making the world a little brighter with small, meaningful acts of kindness. Kindness is contagious. And in such an ugly time, when so many of us feel hopeless, let’s be sweet to each other.
National Invasive Species Awareness Week (Week of February 24) – Learn how to protect native ecosystems by identifying and removing harmful invasive plants and animals. If only this worked with fascists.
Daily Observances:
February 4 – International Day of Human Fraternity – A United Nations observance promoting interfaith and cross-cultural solidarity in the pursuit of peace and justice.
February 7 – National Send a Card to a Friend Day – A perfect excuse to revive the lost art of snail mail and send a handwritten note to someone special.
February 8 – National Kite-Flying Day – Go fly a kite—literally! A joyful way to get outside and embrace the wind.
February 9 – National Pizza Day – Whether you’re a classic cheese purist or a pineapple-on-pizza defender, pizza was made to share!
February 12 – Hug Day – A simple yet powerful way to show love and appreciation (with consent, of course!).
February 13 – Palentine’s Day – Valentine’s Day isn’t just for romance—celebrate the friendships that sustain you.
February 14 – International Book Giving Day – Gift books to friends and family (especially kids!) and donate to organizations spreading the love of reading.
February 20 – World Day of Social Justice – A global day recognizing the importance of equity, fair labor practices, and human rights.
February 22 – World Thinking Day – Created by the Girl Scouts and Girl Guides, this day encourages young people to think globally and take action for a better world.
February 23 – National Banana Bread Day – A great excuse to finally use those bananas in your freezer. Bake, share, enjoy.
February 26 – National Letter to an Elder Day – Write a heartfelt letter to an elder in your life to strengthen intergenerational connections.
February 27 – World NGO Day – Celebrating the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) fighting for justice and equity is especially important at a time when they are under attack.
February 28 – National Pancake Day – Whip up a stack for friends, family, or just yourself—because pancakes are always a good idea.