News & Stories for Oregonians
Ella Pulscak recently turned 16. Soon afterwards she got her first dose of vaccine at a pharmacy in Gresham. Our conversation was edited for clarity and length. How was the experience? “It went really fast. They just made sure I knew what shot I was getting and told me about potential side effects. I’ve never freaked out much about […]
Greg Schatten is an IT professional from the Portland area. We spoke with him recently about his reasons for being vaccinated, what he’s looking forward to post-vaccination, and side effects. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Why did you choose to be vaccinated? I wanted to feel like I was being responsible and setting myself […]
The Right Reverend Diana Akiyama was born in Wheeler, Oregon and grew up in a Japanese-American community in Hood River. In 1989, she was the first Japanese-American woman ordained to the priesthood in The Episcopal Church. Bishop Akiyama was consecrated on January 30, 2021 at Trinity Cathedral in Portland. She shared her vaccine experience, and reasons for getting vaccinated: My vaccine appointment date and time were […]
We recently talked with Joe about COVID-19’s effects on the fishing industry, vaccination and TikTok fame. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. I’m the captain of a commercial fishing boat here in Newport. I fish squid and crab and tuna. When we got hit with COVID it was devastating to the industry. A lot of our […]
Jane Salisbury, pictured below right, a retired librarian who lives in the Portland area, shared her vaccine experience: I was born in 1953, and polio was terrifying for people in those years. I was sick as a child, hospitalized more than once, and my parents told me later that those were the hardest years of […]
For twenty years, Executive Pastor Edward Williams has helped Mt. Olivet Baptist Church fulfill its mission. He oversees the North Portland church’s operations, human resources, finances and strategic planning. Mt. Olivet, he explains, is Oregon’s oldest African American Baptist church. He shares his reasons for getting vaccinated: “I see COVID as a public health issue […]
Dr. Jessica Hart, a psychologist resident at Northwest Forensic Institute, got both of her vaccines at the Oregon State Fairgrounds. She shared her vaccination experience with us: When asked why getting the vaccine was important to her, Dr. Hart told us, “to protect myself, my family, my coworkers, and the individuals we evaluate through work.” […]
Brittany Dorris, a fifth-grade teacher in the Bethel School District in Eugene, shares her story: I received both doses of the Moderna vaccine at a vaccination clinic held at Lane Community College. The opportunity was provided to me by my school district to help vaccinate our school staff before the return to in-person instruction. I […]
Mary Richardson, a retiree from Portland, is a cancer survivor who lives in a multigenerational household and recently received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. She shares her vaccination story: I am a four-time cancer survivor. I had surgery in October and started chemotherapy in January. Knowing I am immunocompromised during a pandemic is beyond scary. […]
Jose Garcia is the director of New Horizons, a substance abuse treatment program, as well as the chair of the Hispanic Advisory Committee for the City of Hermiston. For 30 years, he’s been doing outreach with the Latino/Latina/Latinx and Cuban communities in Hermiston and Pasco, Wash. When it came time for him to get his […]
