Past to Present Lecture Series - The Vanport Mosaic

""Lost City, Living Memories: Vanport and its Legacy with Laura Lo Forti and LaVeta Gilmore Jones"" - The Vanport Mosaic is a platform for memory activism, committed to amplifying, honoring, and preserving the silenced histories of marginalized communities. Laura Lo Forti is the co-founder and director of Vanport Mosaic. Since 2014, she has led the organization’s oral history projects, curated exhibits, and public programming. Laura is a multimedia journalist, cultural organizer, and a “story midwife” supporting communities in defining how their stories should be told and shared. Her approach to community engagement and ethical storytelling has been featured at the Tribeca Film Festival, in “Collaborating for A Cause,” on Media that Matters, and at restorative narrative conferences. LaVeta Gilmore Jones, a proud Vanport descendant, is the daughter of former Vanport resident Beatrice Leola Cannon Gilmore and Rev. Rozell Gilmore, both now with the ancestors. LaVeta produces the annual Vanport Reunion and coordinates additional gatherings for Vanport residents and their descendants. She also serves as a public speaker with Vanport Mosaic, sharing stories that honor the community’s history and legacy and is a Vanport Mosaic Board member. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, LaVeta spent her career as a public school educator and later as an executive director and community organizer for a local nonprofit. She finds deep joy in celebrating life with her children, grandchildren, extended family and friends.