Whitney Gomes, Author at Bridgeliner

(23 posts)

Meet the Three Abdis Who Run St. Johns

Next time you head to St. Johns to watch Blue Collar Wrestling or grab lunch at Mama San Soul Shack, keep an eye out for the Abdis. Abdinasir Hussein is a junior at Roosevelt High School and one of the best distance runners in the state, and his younger brothers Abdiaziz and Abdirizack are hot […]

Health + Fitness / April 19, 2019

How Maurice Rahming Is Changing the Face of Construction

MEET THIS CHANGEMAKER: Maurice Rahming saw his way out of poverty through the trades. Growing up in affordable housing (known then as “the projects”), Rahming’s family couldn’t afford for him to go to college. Instead, he opted for technical school, and Mr. Hall, a master electrician, saw Rahming’s potential in the electrical trade and helped […]

Changemakers / April 18, 2019

The Place in Portland Where Pro Wrestling Is Still Going Strong

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: St. Johns / Portsmouth THE PLACE: The North Portland Eagles Lodge hosts Blue Collar Wrestling every Sunday night, and for just $10, you can snag a seat to watch the action. Blue Collar Wrestling is now eight years old, and its marquee matches have featured WWE stars like Roddy Piper and The Honky Tonk […]

Neighborhoods / April 10, 2019

Meet The St. Johns Restaurant Where East Meets South

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: St. Johns THE PLACE: Fusion cuisine reigns among Portland’s foodie culture. But there’s only one place in St. Johns you can eat southern collard greens and korean kimchi harmoniously: Mama San Soul Shack. St. Johns has been historically lower income and more ethnically diverse than other parts of Portland. Mama San Soul Shack […]

Drink / April 3, 2019

How the Pearl District Became the Pearl

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The Pearl District THE PLACE: In the early ‘90s, the Pearl District (then known as the River District) was a sparsely populated neighborhood “as rugged as any in the Pacific Northwest.” There were warehouses and railroad yards and other symbols of the area’s industrial roots, but the industries themselves — lumber and manufacturing […]

Community / March 28, 2019

From Peru to Portland: Andina Serves up Authentic Cuisine in the Pearl

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The Pearl District THE PLACE: It all started with a a Peruvian chemistry teacher and a Peace Corps volunteer from Portland. After John S. Platt and Doris Rodriguez de Platt fell in love in Peru, they moved their family to John’s hometown of Portland. Decades later, they collaborated with their son Peter to […]

Arts & Culture / March 19, 2019

Portlanders run away and join the circus—without leaving town

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The Pearl District THE PLACE: The Circus Project began as a training company to help youth experiencing homelessness, but it now offers classes to both beginners and future pros. Located inside a converted warehouse in the Pearl, the Circus Project is currently spearheading “The Voice Project”, a year-long program that allows local youth […]

Community / March 13, 2019

Go Ahead: Eat This Raw Cookie Dough, Portland

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The Pearl District THE PLACE: Remember sneaking cookie dough batter from the mixing bowl as a kid? Or maybe… more recently? Now there’s a spot where you dig into dough guilt-free. The Cookie Dough Cafe is the dream of sisters Julia Clark and Joan Pacetti, who discovered a way to omit the eggs […]

Food / March 6, 2019

For Timbers Army, Portland’s Providence Park Grows Up

MEET THIS CHANGEMAKER: Chelsea Grassinger from Allied Works Architecture is leading the stadium expansion at Providence Park, where the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns play their home matches. The new configuration will include 4,000 additional seats, three elevated decks, and a 160-foot rooftop canopy. WHAT SHE’S DOING: Providence Park is locked in by streets and […]

Changemakers / March 5, 2019

Portland has Big Housing Problems. Brett Schulz is Thinking Small

MEET THIS CHANGEMAKER: Brett Schulz. Brett develops projects for non-profit organizations and affordable housing complexes. He is currently working on two major projects: 1) Jolene’s Cousin Series – a part SRO/part market-rate apartment building with commercial space below that has been funded by private donors and crowdsourced funds, and 2) A Homeownership program partnership with Portland […]

Changemakers / February 27, 2019