By Lisa Cohn
This summer, tens of thousands of Oregon residents had their power shut off when high winds and hot temperatures threatened to ignite fires from electrical equipment such as utility poles. This was by far the largest series of “public safety power shutoffs” implemented by Oregon utilities.
During such events, homeowners and businesses tend to fire up …
By Lisa Cohn
Here’s a story I wrote for PDX Parent Magazine about kids feeling anxious about climate change. It provides some tips for dealing with kids struggling with eco-anxiety.
I really enjoyed interviewing Jack Canfield, co-creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series about his latest book, “I Can Believe in Myself.”
We talked about the importance of helping kids get out of their comfort zones–and how they benefit. He explained how parents can turn negative statements into positive ones. And Canfield discussed his experience as a …
It wasn’t enough for Prasenjit Tito Chowdhury to enroll in a prestigious U.S. engineering program, then land a job at Intel, one of Oregon’s most well-known employers.
No, after coming to America, the native of Bangladesh wanted more than simply working each day to pay his bills.
“I wanted to be a citizen of the community,” he says.
And he …
“I hope there is a pathway to citizenship that gives us finally our freedom to live our lives the way we choose,” says Azucena Javier-Marquez, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient.
“I’m hoping that they finally stop playing with our lives.”
Read the story here:
Being a single mom has its challenges. But being a dating single mom is even more difficult. I’m often caught between my date or boyfriend and my son.
Here’s a story, “Warning: My Son Will Roast You,” recently published in a dating issue from Beyond Words Literary Magazine.
“I am the tugboat, you’re The Queen Elizabeth,” my boyfriend, Rick, told …
By Lisa Cohn
My latest piece for The Immigrant Story is about Xiomara Torres, an inspiring woman who entered the US as an undocumented immigrant and, after a long journey that took her to the Oregon foster care system, became a Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge. It was an honor to meet Torres and listen to her story…I had to …
I began writing for The immigrant Story about a year ago after attending one of the nonprofit’s first exhibits, which paired profiles of immigrants and refugees with beautiful photos by Sankar Raman, founder of The Immigrant Story.
In the past year, The Immigrant Story’s audience has grown substantially. Stories, released every Saturday, attract up to 50,000 reads per piece. Last …
Portland, Oregon has teamed up with three partners to create public landmarks where people can gather and charge their phones during natural disasters that cause power outages.
The hope is that the landmarks will become as well-known as other Portland landmarks, including the Portlandia statue, the city’s fountains, and its wildlife statues. That way, residents will know just where to …
By Lisa Cohn
I’m excited to be writing for The Immigrant Story, which aims to contribute to today’s conversations about immigrants in the US.
Sakar Raman, a photographer from Portland, created the project. He provides beautiful photos. Volunteer writers pen the profiles.
In addition, Raman organizes events that allow people in Portland to learn more about immigrants.
Read my story …