The Multiracial Family Center Update
This winter has been a productive one for the MFC.  Beginning with a meeting with the Mavin Foundation (www.mavinfoundation.org) in mid December the leadership team has been busy networking with organizations and individuals who can help us achieve our mission. 

Mavin, founded by Matt Kelly, is a Seattle-based organization that began its development with a magazine for bi-racial youth and young adults. It has expanded to include programs for transracially adopted youth and young adults and recently has added a cultural competency pilot program at several universities nationwide.

MFC’s Meeting with Seattle’s Mavin Foundation, December 2005 
From L to R: Karla, Amanda, Sara, Alfredo, Matt

As an organization that has successfully advocated for multiethnic people, Mavin is able to offer some great advice to us as a start-up nonprofit association with similar goals.  Matt, Alfredo and Amanda advised us to continue reaching out to similar organizations, to set reasonable short and long term goals and to be realistic about the manpower and financial support needed to reach our goals.  One thing they stressed was that celebrating each goal we've achieved is extremely important to keep us motivated and moving in a positive direction. 

In addition to meeting with Mavin, Sara and Karla also officially introduced MFC to the Northwest Adoptive Families Association during their January 12 board meeting.  Another exciting accomplishment this quarter came out of a meeting Sara and Mike had with Hertsel Shadian, and Erin M. Lillis on Monday, February 20.  As a result of that meeting the MFC is now a Pro Bono project of McEwen Gisvold LLP, who intends to help us acquire our nonprofit organization status (501c3) within the next several months. 

The leadership team is now shifting its focus to finding resources for Dance Around the World, our May 5 fundraiser and hopes to see you all there!

Presenting: Kaleidoscope
The Multiracial Family Center newsletter now has a new title thanks to an anonymous submission.  “Kaleidoscope” reflects the beauty of diversity.

                 Meet the Leadership Team!
The Multiracial Family Center’s Public Relations Director, Karla Signs, recently moved to Portland from South Orange, NJ where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication from Seton Hall University and interned at the leading New York Public Relations agency Lippe Taylor.  Tough she was born and raised in Nashville, TN, Karla decided to move west after college to serve as a publicity intern with AmeriCorps.  At AmeriCorps she worked on environmental and educational projects.  One such project was Explorando 2005, an environmental education festival for Spanish speaking residents of Portland’s Columbia Slough Watershed.
 
Karla fist learned about MFC while volunteering with the Community Language and Culture Bank’s Global Portland Festival with MFC founder Sara Sheets.  Since coming aboard Karla has helped with outreach efforts such as launching the website (www.multiracialfamilycenter.org), designing a brochure and representing the group at meetings with Mavin Foundation and Northwest Adoptive Families Association. 

Dance Around the World !!!

It's finally here, MFC's first fundraiser, Dance Around the World, will be held Friday, May 5, (yes we know it's Cinco de Mayo!) at 7 p.m. at Portland State University's Native American Cultural Center.

The program is being sponsored by the Portland State Pacific Islander’s Club who will perform Hawaiian and Tahitian dances.  The Vietnamese Student Organization and the Filipino Club Diabigan will perform traditional dances from their cultures as well.  

There will also be capoiera dancing (Afro-Brazilian battle dancing).  In addition to this the Argentine Tango and the Flamenco from Spain will be performed.  At this point it appears likely there will be Native American dancing and East Indian dancing during the program.  All in all there will be dances from Asia, the Pacific Islands, The Filipines, Africa via Brazil, South America, North America, and Eastern Europe.

Tickets will be $7.00 per adult, $17.00 per family, and $3.00 per student.  Tickets can be purchased by mailing checks or money orders to Sara Sheets/MFC Association, P.O. Box 6325, Aloha, Oregon, 97007.  If you are requesting tickets for a family please make sure to designate how many family members will attend.  Tickets bought at the door will be $10.00 per adult, $20.00 per family and $6.00 per student.

                                 THE FUTURE                                  
We are soon to start our planning for a multicultural education program for multiracial and transracilly adopted children.