Where do you call home?

Note: The watercolor painting represents a map of my childhood home and neighborhood. Growing up in the Sellwood neighborhood–across from the Sellwood Park–was a real blessing. I like to think I had an enormous backyard.

I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. I have many fond memories of my home on Lambert Street in Sellwood. My childhood home was located across the street from Sellwood Park, the Willamette River Waterfront Area, and the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Growing up, I spent most of my after-school hours and summers exploring, playing, and hanging out in that expansive backyard. I was especially keen to walk my dogs along the Willamette River Waterfront.

• My parents and grandparents were also born and raised in Portland. My great-grandparents immigrated from Italy, Germany, Norway, and Poland. Born of meager means, they came to the United States looking for expanded opportunities.

• It wasn’t until grad school that I learned that my home sits on land formerly belonging to the Clackamas and Cowlitz tribes. While I didn’t have time during this project to learn much more than this, I would like to spend time post-graduation learning about these early inhabitants of my childhood home. Additionally, I aim to connect that legacy with the current Indigenous communities that exist in the area and how I can support their efforts to stay connected with this land. It is an area very dear to my heart and one that I imagine has great significance to many others.