Division Midway Alliance hosts first ‘Holiday Bazaar’

Discover why this Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative District presented a special outer East Portland marketplace and who were at the tables vending …

In the Mill Park neighborhood, at the Division Midway Alliance Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative District’s Holiday Bazaar, it’s Philicia Robinson showing and selling her line of goods from her company, Phlavours XXII.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

The special gathering that was taking place on Saturday afternoon, December 6th, in the Gethsemane Lutheran Church’s Community Room, was the first ever “Division Midway Alliance Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative District (DMA) Holiday Bazaar”.

During the four-hour sale, the vendors were displaying many local handmade items.

DMA Executive Director Lisha Shrestha speaks with Alma Trinidad and HK Ouanesisouk of Golden Swan Beef Jerky – which is a sweet-and-spicy Lao-style beef jerky known as Seen Savanh or Seen Hang.

“We have seven vendors at our market today,” remarked DMA Executive Director Lisha hrestha.

“We have been organizing this for our community, to celebrate the spirit of the Holidays,” Shrestha told East Portland News.

“The community had reached out to us and said they would like to have something celebratory around this time of year,” explained Shrestha. “Also, our team – Board Members, and volunteers – said we should do something that supports our small businesses here.

Continuing the DMA’s Holiday Drive for Kids, which distributes backpacks to kids who need them, here’s Scott Brumitt of Evergreen Community Partners.

“While this is the first year that we’ve held a Holiday Bazaar; it’s actually the fourth year we’ve had our ‘Holiday Drive for Kids’ – in which youth can get free backpacks in which there are school supplies, along with a warm hat and gloves – one of the other ways we are supporting families.”

The local vendors at the Holiday Bazaar included:

Golden Swan Beef Jerky
MonAmir Accessories
Holiday Glass, Keychains & More
Nayku Paperflower
WomenSew Global Foundation.

By the way, at one table, guests were invited to play a “DMA Trivia Game” – with chances to win vouchers to spend at the bazaar, adding to the fun.

Shoppers enjoy the afternoon as they browse the DMA Holiday Market.

Visitors to the sale also learned that the DMA was partnering with the IRCO preschool program, who were organizing kids’ activities.

This first Holiday Market of its kind proved successful – so, now, they expect to host another such bazaar next year.
Meantime, you can learn more about the Division Midway Alliance Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative District by visiting their website: CLICK HERE.

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