Diversity Rules Magazine

3 Diversity Rules Magazine February 2019 Joey Amato is the publisher of Pride Journeys, the premier source for LGBT travel. Joey publishes destination reviews in addition to lifestyle content that is both insightful and engaging to LGBT readers. Joey has spent the major- ity of his career dedicated to the LGBT community, having contrib- uted to numerous publications around North America. In addi- tion, he owns Agency33 Public Rela- tions, a full-service firm specializing in LGBT outreach. For years, my former boss at South Florida Gay News would rave about Portland, Oregon. He loved the free- spirited nature of the community as well as the abundance of outdoor ac- tivities available outside the city. Af- ter years of seeing Norm and other friends post breathtaking photos on social media, I thought it was time to give Portland a try. When I first arrived, I got the feeling that I was in a smaller version of Se- attle, but as I spent time in Portland, I quickly discov- ered that it had a life of its own. I did however speak to some locals and they told me the city has been go- ing through a bit of an identity crisis as of late as they try to compete with Seattle's economic boom, mostly driven by Amazon and other tech firms. But, why try to be Seattle? Just be Portland. e entire downtown area is pretty much walkable, with many of the city's main attractions located within a few miles of each other. What was obvious from the start were the abundance of rainbow flags scattered throughout the city. I think it's safe to say that Port- land may have the highest concentration of rainbow flags per capita than any city I have visited thus far. My first stop in Port- land was e Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holo- caust Education. Be- ing of Jewish decent, I found it fascinating that this particular attraction would be located in Portland. I wasn't aware of the city's extensive Jewish community. e museum explores the leg- acy of the Jewish experience in Oregon and teaches the universal lessons of the Holo- caust. e museum features rotating exhi- bitions that showcase Jewish contributions to world culture, issues of Jewish identity, and the forces of prejudice. ey also offer an extensive program of films, lectures, and concerts throughout the year, which cover a wide range of topics relating to Jewish art, culture, and heritage. Not too far away is Lan Su Chinese Gar- den, one of Portland's greatest treasures and a very interesting site to visit. e garden came about as a result of a collaboration between the cities of Portland and Suzhou, China. Lan Su was built by Chinese artisans from Suzhou and is one the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China. Once in- side the garden's walls, you'll feel as if you've traveled through time. e garden's name can be loosely inter- preted as Garden of Awakening Orchids. If you have time, visit the Teahouse to enjoy a cup of Chinese oo- long paired with an assortment of steamed dumplings or noodles. Portland has no shortage of gay bars and clubs, but as I was told by a local member of the community, it is surprising there aren't even more options given the high LGBT population in the region. e main establishments in the area include: Scandal's, Crush, Portland - Con't on page 7 Pride Journeys Portland, OR By Joey Amato

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