Montavilla Farmers Market

The market was founded by a grassroots collection of neighbors who were inspired by visions of a fresh, local, food market in a shared community space within the growing SE Stark Street business district. This dedicated group opened the market in just 10 short months with a small amount of grant funds and a generous outpouring of donations from local businesses, friends and neighbors. The tireless energy of these un-paid visionaries and countless other volunteers allowed MFM to open its first market on Sunday, July 22, 2007 with 17 vendors and over 2000 visitors! The mission of the Montavilla Farmers Market is to provide a vibrant marketplace where our diverse community has access to high quality, local, healthy food. We create opportunities for our vendors and customers to support and learn from each other, which strengthens our local economy. The Montavilla Farmers Market values the following principles for our vendors, volunteers, board, and staff: Nourishment, wellness, and health Creativity, innovation, and an entrepreneurial spirit Celebration, gratitude, and recognition Montavilla Farmers Market is committed to working toward a more equitable, inclusive andanti-racist marketplace. We strive to create a safe, community-centric environment where people have access to local food that's relevant to their culture. We provide opportunities for small businesses by actively lowering barriers put in place by systemic racism and oppression. In addition, we seek to shift our internal positions of power to reflect the community we serve. This work is focused on changing both Montavilla Farmers Market and farmers markets system-wide. In our work towards these goals, we: Actively learn about and implement anti-racism in our work, hiring, recruiting, and policies. Seek partnerships and funding opportunities to implement equitable and inclusive projects/programs. Distribute materials and outcomes that can benefit all Oregon farmers markets. This work is ongoing. We acknowledge historic and prevailing systems of oppression in the food system and within our community.Feedbackis valued, and we are still aspiring to learn and implement more ways to listen and take action. This living document is intended to keep Montavilla Farmers Market accountable for our actions and policies. It is meant to guide market staff and board members to continually work towards a more equitable marketplace and food system. Our organization will continue to evaluate our goals and actions each winter before we open the vendor application. Montavilla Farmers Market takes place on stolen and occupied land with a history of genocide, ethnic-cleansing and the forceful removal of the Native Peoples. "The Portland Metro Area rests on the traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla, and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River creating communities and summer encampments to harvest and use the plentiful natural resources of the area" (Portland Indian Leaders Roundtable, 2018).  Today, there is a vibrant Native American community currently in Portland, representing over 380 federally recognized Tribes. The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde: Our Story Leading With Tradition: Native American Community in the Portland Metropolitan Area Making the Invisible, Visible: Portland’s Native American Community “Although it is now not readily apparent, Montavilla and east Multnomah County were once where many Japanese American communities lived and worked, played pool, attended Japanese language schools, picked strawberries, and played a significant and underrepresented role in Oregon’s agricultural industries and the development of the east Multnomah county area.” –East Portland Farmers; a digital collage by Lynn Yarne located at the APANO Orchards of 82nd Community and Event Space Members of Hood Sadaji Shiogi’s family picking berries. The Shiogi family