By JULIANNA ROBIDOUX

Photos by Julianna Robidoux

Come Thru Black & Indigenous Market took place on Oct. 12 at the Redd East Event Space (831 SE Salmon St.), with musical performances to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Raceme Farm Collective and Black Food Sovereignty Council & Coalition organized the event that featured performances by vendors including song and drumming by 7 Waters Canoe Family and drumming by Black Futures Farm; Aztec dance by Yankuik Ohtli; a performance by Kiki House of Flora; and a music set by DJ Gila River Monster.

While the market has been a bi-weekly occurrence, happening every other Monday from 11 a.m. to 3 – p.m. throughout the summer, it will switch to monthly as the weather cools down.

The next Come Thru market will take place on November 9. at the same location.

Below are some of the vendors who were at the event along with information about their businesses:

Niedente Healing Collective

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Tula Sabes, founder of Niedente Healing Collective, took advantage of the market to connect with the community.

According to the collective’s Instagram page, “Niedente is culture made up of African spirituality, numerology, and many other pro-black practices that benefit the wholeness of oneself.” Niedente offers customers healing sessions, crystals, reiki classes, and healing sabbaticals.

You can find her business page on Instagram @_niedente_ with a link to her online shop.

Urban Orange

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Nichole Champion, owner of Urban Orange, shared a tent with Sabes. She said while growing up she always wanted to be a fashion designer, and was so determined she even settled on the name for her future business, Urban Orange, at the age of 12.

She made her debut at the market on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, offering hand-crocheted scrunchies, ear warmers, fingerless gloves and purses just in time for the cool fall weather.

Happiness Family Farm

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Chanel Igiraneza and Rosata Niyonzima operated a booth for Happiness Family Farm, which boasts culturally diverse vegetables grown locally and sustainably.

They deliver produce through Masafresh.com, whose tagline is “Bringing local farmers markets to you”. They regularly operate a booth at Come Thru and the St. John’s Farmers Market.

Atrum Arte

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Atrum Arte had an array of handmade musical instruments and wood carvings on display at the market, including topical portraits of political figures Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Kamala Harris.

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

As a family business, Astrid, Brent, and daughter Luciana Furstner work together to infuse their art, crafts, jewelry, and musical instruments with love and care. Some of their artwork is on display at Zumstein Bakery & Coffee Shop through the end of October.

Photosby Julianna Robidoux

Hab Sauce

Photos by Julianna Robidoux

Hab Sauce owner David Van Overeem and his wife Elizabeth sold their all natural hot sauce at the market. With award-winning hot sauce, they proudly displayed their People’s Choice World’s Favorite Hot Sauce of 2020 award from Old Boney Mountain Hot Summer Night international hot sauce competition.

Van Overeem generously gave out complimentary 2 oz. samples of their hot sauce to event goers waiting in line to enter the market.

Photos by Julianna Robidoux

Bishop & Sons

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Phillip and OJ from Bishop & Sons were selling out of their supply of homemade baked goods and sweet potato ice cream (yum!) before the market even ended. They’re a family-owned and operated business sharing responsibly-packaged family recipes with customers.

According to Phillip, the homemade pumpkin bread is their most popular menu item.

You can also find them at the Woodlawn Farmers Market in Northeast Portland every Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. through the end of October.

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Black Futures Farm

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

As regulars at Come Thru, Alwatan Kwele and Makayla Michael from Black Futures Farm also came through, representing the community farm located on the grounds of the Learning Gardens Lab at 60th Avenue & SE Duke Street.

Black Futures Farm is a project of the Black Food Sovereignty Coalition, a non-profit sponsored by Know Agenda Foundation. As a group of Black-identified / Diasporic and Continental-African people, they combine the best of ancestral farming practices with innovative farming techniques.

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Oracle Infused Wellness Co.

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Megon Dee, owner of Oracle Infused Wellness Co., also had a booth set up at the market.

With the tagline “Heal. Protect. Find Thyself.” Oracle offers customers a wide selection of cannabinoid-infused products, including CBD tinctures, oils, and salves. She used Come Thru as an opportunity to do some market research, giving market goers samples of different products depending on their ailments, like anxiety. She then asked them to return 10 to 15 minutes later, once the product had time to take effect, to tell her how they felt and recorded their testimonies.

7 Waters Canoe Family

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Lukas Anvus from 7 Waters Canoe Family, an intertribal canoe group, was selling canned Chinook salmon and fresh produce from their farm on Sauvie Island, raising money for a fundraiser for 7 Waters. They mainly sell at the Come Thru market, so you can find them at the next market in November.

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Alley Mezza

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Kal, owner of Alley Mezza, was selling food at the market. His food cart serves mezza from all over the Middle East & North Africa “down the alley”. Kal said he changed career paths and decided to follow his passion, establishing alley mezza this past March.

Located on SE Division Street & 36th Avenue, you can try his food truck with outdoor dining and to-go options. They’re open Thursday through Sunday, 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Insomnia Art & Culture

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Carmen Garnica, owner of Insomnia Art & Culture, had a wide selection of goods for sale at Come Thru. From earrings and purses to pottery and smudging herbs, Garnica had a full table of unique offerings for market goers.

Spring Water Ceramics

Photo by Julianna Robidoux

Dwayne Sackey, owner of Spring Water Ceramics had his beautiful handmade pottery on display at the market. Two-toned mugs reading “Vote Biden Harris” made a political statement among his selection of distinctive earthenware.

You can find other unique vessels like The Homie Mug, BLM Mug, and Black Lives Matter Bowl on his website, Dwaynesackey.com, and on his Instagram @dwaynespots.

Photos by Julianna Robidoux

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Julianna Robidoux is a local freelance writer based in Southeast Portland. Passionate about affordable housing and immigrant rights, she is a regular contributor to The Immigrant Story, a local nonprofit that amplifies the stories of immigrants and refugees.

Before graduating from PSU in 2019 with a major in international studies, she wrote her senior honors thesis on gentrification and displacement, focusing on the experience of the Eastern African community here.

When she’s not reporting on social justice issues, you can find her thrifting, enjoying live music or being overly competitive at bar trivia.

Contact Julianna:

Email: julianna.robidoux@gmail.com

Call / text: (603) 930-0641