Spring 2017
Many years ago, when I was working as a feature writer for the local newspaper, I had an opportunity to do an in-depth story about a Hood River girl’s Quinceañera, the traditional coming-of-age celebration for Latino girls when they turn 15. Along with our staff photographer, I spent the entire day of the event with my story’s subject, Brenda, from soon after she was awoken at dawn by a Mariachi band serenading her from the orchard outside her family’s house until after 10 p.m., when the dancing at the Expo Center was still going strong. In between were hours of preparation, more hours at a traditional ceremony at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and then the party—attended by hundreds of people—that started in late afternoon and went on joyfully into the night. Through it all, Brenda and her family welcomed us into their fold with open arms.
That day left an indelible impression on me, for the sheer force of love and merriment all around, and for the incredible effort by so many that went into this beloved tradition of celebrating a girl’s transition to womanhood. Perhaps most striking of all, it offered me a glimpse into a completely different culture and community from the one I lived in—albeit in the very same town.
It’s been more than 15 years since Brenda’s Quinceañera, but the same disconnect still exists in our community. Writer Kathy Watson explores this issue in her story, “The Invisible 30 Percent,” beginning on page 50. Latinos make up nearly one-third of the population of Hood River County, but as Watson aptly points out, most of us have little interaction with them. “We don’t know how they live their lives or even how we might get to know them better,” she writes. Watson introduces us to some Latino community leaders, who share their stories, aspirations and fears—and the challenge of honoring their heritage while also finding a place for themselves in the social fabric of Hood River.
Cate Hotchkiss writes of a different kind of disconnect in her story about three Gorge residents who pursue long-distance bike touring (page 42). They disengage from their day-to-day lives for weeks on the road (or trail), but they find a profound connection with other cyclists and the world at large on their inspiring adventures.
Other stories in this issue include a piece on a grassroots effort to restore the beloved Tilly Jane hut on Mount Hood (page 56); a story about longtime landscape designer Marion McNew (page 20); and a preview of the annual Gorge Artists Open Studio Tour (page 60). There’s a lot more in these pages, too. Welcome to springtime in the Gorge!
—Janet Cook, Editor
