Meet the Performers/Artists for the 2023 Forum!
Andres Mendoza
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Andres Mendoza is a Multi-Media artist, published author, poet, and essayist. Growing up in Los Angeles, early childhood meant facing the realities of marginalization and gang warfare. Moving to Oregon years later, at age 17 he faced several Measure 11 charges and was sentenced to serve over 6 years in the Oregon prison system where he would eventually participate in restorative justice circles. Through reading and writing, he has decided to challenge marginalization by writing about personal experiences humanizing those marginalized. He has been featured in Portland Monthly. His book, "American, Us.", has been sold in Powell's City of books
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Book Reading/Spoken Word: Using performative arts and audience engagement, Andres takes the readers into his journey through the streets he grew up on where he faced oppression, racism, and prejudice. Through the journey a sense of self-awareness is felt, the need to make reparations on the same streets he once stomped on.
Sophia Solano
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Sophia Solano (she/her/ella) is an artist, activist, and community organizer who has been studying and practicing restorative justice since 2013. In 2014, she discovered her love for dance by joining a belly dance class two blocks off-campus at Creative Enterprises Studio in Forest Grove. In 2017 she earned her B.A. in Philosophy: Ethics, Society, and Law from Pacific University, and this year she completed her M.S. in Conflict and Dispute Resolution through the University of Oregon's School of Law. Her primary dance forms are flamenco, butoh, and belly dance, and she has taught, choreographed, and performed within all three disciplines. She gives thanks to her father, guitarrista and impresario Jos Solano, for her identity as an artist along with her many beloved mentors, including Rafaela de Cdiz, Mara La Manzanilla, Ivn Espinosa, and Joan Laage. Her work in all fields incorporates body politics, liberation movement, interdisciplinary studies, and abolitionist theory.
AGUADILLA (a dance) is an investigation of the cycles of life that are shared between all beings. The piece seeks to achieve a reintegration of the human body into its environment through elemental embodiment. Water connects every living thing on the planet through its repetitive movement and transformative impact. It can also be so powerful as to destroy human engineering and other superficial structures. Literally translated, aguadilla means a dunk under water.
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Megan Johnston, Dr. Bre Haizplip, LPC, LMH
Megan (she/her) is a dispute resolution professional with 17 years of experience in nonprofit management, program and partnership development, and dispute resolution. She is currently Association Manager for Resolution Washington, Washingtons statewide association of nonprofit dispute resolution centers. Megan has experience collaborating to develop restorative justice programs and is committed to equity learning and growth. In her free time, Megan plays Celtic music on the folk harp and is offering that experience to the Northwest Justice Forum.
Dr. Bre (doc bree) is an equity consultant, evolution coach, author and speaker with a powerful presence. As a healer and teacher, her purpose is to share enlightened ideas that inspire insight that changes everything. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 17 years of experience as a clinician, psychology professor, and equity executive consultant. Dr. Bre focuses on empowering individuals for healing-centered social change that creates sacred spaces for intersectional healing as a catalyst for positive social change. She connects with and affirms participants throughout her offerings, supporting individual and community healing.
Dr. Bre (doc bree) is an equity consultant, evolution coach, author and speaker with a powerful presence. As a healer and teacher, her purpose is to share enlightened ideas that inspire insight that changes everything. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 17 years of experience as a clinician, psychology professor, and equity executive consultant. Dr. Bre focuses on empowering individuals for healing-centered social change that creates sacred spaces for intersectional healing as a catalyst for positive social change. She connects with and affirms participants throughout her offerings, supporting individual and community healing.
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Healing Meditation and Harp Music: Mindful Restoration and Evolution - Take respite through guided meditation and live harp music. This brief session will support individual healing and re-energize participants to carry forward social healing and restorative justice goals. Join equity consultant and counselor Dr. Bre and dispute resolution professional and amateur harpist Megan Johnston to relax and gather strength to evolve ourselves, our work and our society through trauma-informed and equity-intuitive restorative practices.
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Stephen Fowler & Jane Backen
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Stephen Fowler (he/they) is a Black activist, justice advocate, community educator, and performing artist from Portland, Oregon. Convicted as a teenager, sentenced to 7.5 years in the Oregon Youth Authority, Stephen used his time to educate and expand his understanding of self-worth, potential, and purpose using art forms. Stephen is now committed to educating organizations, school districts, community members, teachers, parents, and students about the radical practice of restorative justice for collective liberation. Stephen is a Consultant, Mediator, Race Talks Facilitator, Owner of Be The Solution LLC, and Director of Restorative Justice for The Insight Alliance. Jane Backen has been interested in language and communication for many years. Sometimes that looks like... writing poetry, practicing restorative justice, being playful with her partner, listening to loved ones share their hopes, fears and dreams, singing loudly while driving ("Spirit" by Beyonce), and sometimes that looks like sitting silently in a mossy forest. Jane works with Multnomah County Juvenile Department as the Restorative Justice Coordinator and envisions living and loving in a world where folks are connected to, and deeply supported by, community. |
RJ is Love (spoken word poetry performance, original content) - This is a love poem dedicated to restorative justice and the significant relationships we have in our lives.
Lisa Fitzgerald
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Lisa is a program coordinator at the City of Beaverton, Center for Mediation and Dialogue. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law school, where she represented low-income clients through the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau and served as President of the Harvard Mediation Program. When she moved to Portland in 2017, she piloted the New Avenues Legal Clinic, where she served homeless youth. She is passionate about the opportunities that arise when we take a relational approach to addressing conflict and harm. When she isn't working, Lisa enjoys songwriting and performing around town.
Socials: instagram.com/lisajfitz and youtube.com/lisajfitz1 |
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Forgiveness, an original song by Lisa Fitzgerald. To put together this piece, Lisa reflected both on harms she has caused and harms she has suffered, and the role of forgiveness in healing.
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Angela Quigley
My name is Angela Quigley. I have spent the majority of my life in the Willamette Valley. Art has always played a role in how I express myself. The past four or so years I’ve been working with Acrylic Pour Painting. It has allowed me the freedom to create paintings that have helped me heal from trauma and depression. I try to see the balance in life and learn from my past experiences. I hope my art will inspire others to try something new or different to express themselves. The possibilities are endless! Art Pieces - Angela's art will be available for enjoyment (and purchase!) at the Forum.
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