REPOST FROM ALANO CLUB

Mindfulness helps us develop self-awareness, remain calm in conflict and develop opportunities for authentic communication. In this workshop, you’ll learn about an emerging mindfulness intervention that focuses on self-compassion practices. Learn what the research says about how self compassion builds resilience and emotional well-being and cultivates positive states of mind. The focus of the workshop will be on the science of Mindful Self Compassion and its relationship to mediating the body’s threat defense system along with mindfulness practices and tools designed to help you respond to difficult moments and stress in your life with kindness, care and understanding.

Objectives of the Workshop:

• Understand the benefits of self-compassion

• Improve your ability to stay present during difficult conversations

• Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism

• Handle difficult emotions with greater ease

• Cultivate positive states of mind like gratitude, kindness and compassion

No previous experience with mindfulness or meditation is required to attend.

Instructor

Jill Goldsmith, J.D., M.Div., is a mediator, neutral, trainer and coach, consulting with organizations and individuals to develop strategies for resolving difficult situations with clarity, trust and compassion. Jill works with groups, guiding them to foster partnership and collaboration for the teams to move forward productively. Jill is a trained teacher of Germer & Neff’s program, Mindful Self Compassion (MSC), Self Compassion for Health Care Communities (SCHC) (UC San Diego) and of Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) program. Jill is also an ICF Certified Coach and an affiliated teacher with the Right Use of Power Institute. Jill has been a mediator since 1998, attending the University of Washington Mediation training (1998) and Pepperdine’s Mediating the Litigated Case (2025).

This workshop, like all Alano programming, is FREE and open to all.

Repost from the Japanese Gardens

Enjoy a free koto performance by Mitsuki Dazai at 1:15pm at the Cathy Rudd Cultural Corner in the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center.

Artist Bio: Mitsuki Dazai

Mitsuki Dazai is a graduate of Tokyo’s Kunitachi College of Music, studied koto with virtuoso Kazue Sawai, and received her koto instruction certificate at Sawai Koto Institute. She moved to Oregon in 2002, served as a guest lecturer, and toured throughout the US, Europe, South America, and Japan.

In 2010, Dazai was featured on Oregon Art Beat and released two CDs — Autumn, Music for Solo Koto (2007) and Far Away…Romances for Koto (2010) with Grammy-nominated composer Michael Hoppe. She also appears on Shanti Samsara: World Music for Environmental Consciousness, produced by Grammy-winning Ricky Kej. In 2016, she performed at the 21C Music Festival in Toronto.

About the Koto

The Koto is a thirteen-string plucked zither introduced to Japan in the 7th century. It has been part of the Gagaku court ensemble for over a thousand years and was popularized in the Edo period (1600-1868). It is now one of Japan’s most prominent musical instruments, with a wide range of techniques and sound textures. Learn more about the Koto.

** Repost from Tomorrow Theater**

Event Runtime: 120 min. Release Year: 2025

TICKETS $15

Doors 3:30 p.m.; Event 4 p.m.
Select Showtime to Purchase Tickets

Click here to learn more about accessibility at the Tomorrow Theater. 

THE EXPERIENCE

Join us for a special Mother’s Day edition of Self-Care Sunday, with our friends from woo-woo! We’ll hold a moment of self-care before a screening of the beautiful film Every Little Thing, which chronicles one woman’s quest to save every injured hummingbird in Los Angeles. Before the film, join us for a 20-minute Metta Bhavana (roughly translated from Pali to English as “cultivating loving kindness”) meditation.

Join Sunny as she guides us on a 20-min journey of compassion-as-a-way-of-life. Life spins us up, down, forwards, backwards and all around – just like the hummingbird. It’s through our own struggles that we can begin to empathize with others and it’s through awareness of our own suffering that we can take baby steps on the path of liberation for all beings. This practice is accessible to all and will be done mostly in a seated position. No meditation experience necessary.

** Repost from Hoyt Arboretum**

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, this workshop offers a nurturing space to explore the connection between art, emotional well-being, and self-discovery. Through gentle nature-based practices and intuitive art making, participants will explore how creativity can be a tool for resilience, empowerment, and self-care. We will create a mixed-media self-portrait or “Empowerment Collage” using poetry fragments, photography cutouts, and colors to celebrate your inner landscape.

• Space is limited; please register online

• Registration closes Saturday, May 10th at 4:00pm

• Class reminder & details will be emailed closer to the program date

About the instructor: Clara-Julia Peru is a poet, photographer, artist, and nature guide from Marseille, France. After a career in fine dining and event planning, in arts management and higher education, she currently tailors creative and seasonal workshops.  These workshops support a variety of educational, environmental, and health organizations that promote sustainability, artistic expression and wellness. She guides her participants with trust, respect, and self empowerment thanks to her skills in Emotional Focus Therapy, in MHFA, and as a Wilderness First Aid instructor.

When: 4/25/25 at 5pm

Location: Quest Center Multnomah, Room 201

Fee: No Cost

Open to: All Quest Center clients and staff

To Join: Contact Alex at 503-849-2708 or call 503-238-5203 and ask for Alex

Movie: Death Becomes Her

Pizza & Beverages provided!

The time has come again to skate on into National Trans HIV Testing Day at Oaks Park Roller Rink! The annual event celebrates our Trans community and includes FREE admission into Gay Skate Night from 7:00-9:30 p.m. on Monday, April 21st, and cost-free, confidential HIV and STI testing provided by Multnomah County for anyone interested. Come celebrate community and skate or try! All are welcome!

Questions? Email Justine DaCosta at jdacosta@quest-center.org. 

As we aim to secure National Transgender HIV Testing Day (NTHTD) Gay Skate at Oaks Amusement Park as an annual event, we need would love your support! 

Consider a donation to NTHTD HERE!

The 2025 edition of Tag! is just about here! Tag! returns to the historic Hollywood Theatre on April 5-6 with 42 new short films from regional and international queer directors. 

Tag! is excited to announce the winners of the first-ever festival awards offered in collaboration with our community nonprofit partners Milagro and Quest Center for Integrative Health. Winner of the Milagro Award for Hispane/Latine Creativity is the film Eu não sei se vou ter que falar tudo de nuevo, a narrative short submitted by Vitória Fallavena about a gay man sharing news of his engagement with his mother who suffers from dementia.

The Quest Center Award for Resilience in Recovery is Bindweed from Juliette Leach, a story of learning self-care and finding community support. Finally, the Festival Director's Award goes to Dolissa Medina for Viejito/Enfermito/Grito, a look at the HIV/AIDS crisis through traditional Mexican dance performance. 

Festival Passes Available Here!

The 2025 edition of Tag! is just about here! Tag! returns to the historic Hollywood Theatre on April 5-6 with 42 new short films from regional and international queer directors. 

Tag! is excited to announce the winners of the first-ever festival awards offered in collaboration with our community nonprofit partners Milagro and Quest Center for Integrative Health. Winner of the Milagro Award for Hispane/Latine Creativity is the film Eu não sei se vou ter que falar tudo de nuevo, a narrative short submitted by Vitória Fallavena about a gay man sharing news of his engagement with his mother who suffers from dementia.

The Quest Center Award for Resilience in Recovery is Bindweed from Juliette Leach, a story of learning self-care and finding community support. Finally, the Festival Director's Award goes to Dolissa Medina for Viejito/Enfermito/Grito, a look at the HIV/AIDS crisis through traditional Mexican dance performance. 

Festival Passes Available Here!

March 31st is Trans Day of Visibility!

Give $10 or more today and you could win a $500 gift card from our hometown icon, Powell’s Books. That is soooo many books (though you can never have too many books, right?)! Take your winnings to the famous flagship store on Burnside and wander all nine color-coded rooms, or you can head to one of their smaller locations to shop, or even shop online.  BGD details here.

If You’re 35 or Under: Powell’s Books will be giving out an additional $500 gift card to a donor under the age of 36. That means you have two chances of winning!

Give $10 or more to Quest Center’s Give Guide Campaign 11/20 and you could win a $500 gift card from Backyard Bird Shop.
That’s a lot of squirrel-proof bird feeders! Spring is just around the corner, win this shopping spree and your garden will be spiffed up and ready for the songbirds. BGD details here

PLUS!!! If you donate $10 or more to Quest Center’s Give Guide 11/20, you’ll also be entered to win a year-long membership with the Bird Alliance of Oregon.
A membership comes with incredible perks such as; members-only discounts on classes and trips, a 10% discount on purchases in the Nature Store, a year-long subscription to our bi-monthly magazine The Warbler, and more! 

Do your friends always crack up at your jokes? Now’s your chance to sharpen those skills!

Donate to Quest Center’s Give Guide campaign TODAY 11/13 and you’ll automatically be entered to win a Level 1 Class ($275 value) from Kickstand Comedy!

CLASS DESCRIPTION:
Get your feet wet by finding the fun in the spontaneity and collaboration of improvisation. Whether you’re looking for a fun way to improve your teamwork and communication skills or are serious about developing your voice as a comedic performer, this class equally honors both of these goals (and might even push you to expand those goals). Students will learn the power of agreement, honesty, and spontaneity to build a successful scene and have fun doing it.

**Offer expires 12/31/25 and is based on mutual availability**

PLUS!
Splendid Cycles is back! Donate $10 or more to Quest Center’s Give Guide today 11/13 and you’ll be entered to win a 2024 Orbea Kemen 40/Kemen 40 Mid from Splendid Cycles.

You’ll be taking the long way home with this e-bike:

• Shimano STEPS EP8 e-system, Shimano Deore gears and Shimano brakes for a smooth safe ride

• 540WH battery, which means it’s up to the task whether you need it for your work or school commute or just to zip around town

• The Orbea Kemen retails for $3,599

• Splendid Cycles' staff will fit you to the right size and style frame (Step-over or Mid) so you'll have a bike you'll enjoy for many years

BGD details here

Donate $10 or more to Quest Center’s Give Guide Page today for a chance to win a Central Oregon getaway!

This prize includes: 

• A half-day tour for two from Wanderlust Tours, a local Bend tour operator committed to fun in the outdoors, sharing the natural and cultural history of Oregon, and protecting our beautiful corner of the world. Choose from their lava caves, canoeing, kayaking, or snowshoeing tours. 

• After your tour, head over to Wall Street Suites for a relaxing one-night stay a stone’s throw from the Deschutes River. Psst: You’ll find Wall Street Suites ranked second on Oregon Business Magazine’s 100 Best Fan-Favorite Destinations in Oregon. 

Attention all humans! Stop what you’re doing: It’s Give!Guide kickoff day and we are going BIG right out of the gate.

Donate $10 or more to Quest Center TODAY to win TWO P-1 level tickets to the Billie Eilish concert on Sunday, December 8, at the Moda Center! Remember: every donation you make is a chance to win!

Jupiter NEXT Hotel, located just one short mile from Moda Center, has contributed a one-night stay to this amazing prize package so you can skip the post-show traffic. This package also includes a $100 gift card for Hey Love, the lush, vibrant, “feels like vacation” restaurant inside Jupiter NEXT. 

Note: Tickets are non-transferrable. Winner must confirm name and email for tickets by November 8, 2024.

More details here.

Quest Center’s Nutrition Program Coordinator Heidi Nestler is an organizer of The Portland Fermentation Festival!

The Walk for Recovery is Oregon Recovers largest annual fundraiser. Each of the six Walks are designed to raise money, build community power, and promote pride in recovery. 

If you are intersted in walking with Quest Center, please reach out to your Quest provider.

Learn More about the Walk for Recovery

For nearly 40 years, CAP has held an annual walk to celebrate life, reduce HIV stigma, and remember those lost to HIV and AIDS. Started as "From All Walks of Life" in 1985, AIDS Walk Northwest (formerly AIDS Walk Portland) continues to provide a unique opportunity for the community to to gather and rally all of our communities together to raise awareness.

This year, join the Quest Center for Integrative Health AIDS Walk team to help us raise money to continue providing life-changing HIV Services. As a CAP NW Community partner, Quest Center will retain 60% of all funds donated to AIDS Walk through the Quest Center page!

We walk not only to remind people that we’ve all been affected by HIV and AIDS somehow in our lives, but also to remind our community that HIV continues to impact millions in the United States who need organizations like CAP to continue to live happy, healthy lives. AIDS Walk Northwest is our most public-facing event, with thousands of walkers in Oregon & Washington who walk with the financial support of their friends and family from across the country.

Join us for a free meal, community support, and information on Substance-Use and Behavioral Health Resources available in Multnomah County.

From True Colors:

The Pathfinder Networks' End of Summer Peer Bash on Thursday, September 5th from 12-3PM (flyer attached). This event is in honor of Recovery Month and in support of peers and peer providers for their tremendous dedication and effort in the journey of recovery.There will be speakers discussing their recovery paths, opportunities to connect with resource providers, raffles, games, prizes, and a photo booth. There will also be a fully catered taco truck lunch served by Garcia's Taqueria & Antojitos, which will include carne asada, chicken, fajita veggies, vegan rice and beans along with the traditional accompaniments.

Overdose Awareness Day is a day when we come together to honor the lives of those we have lost, to grieve together and to stand to prevent overdose loss in the future. Please join in remembrance at Outside In on Friday August 30th, 2024 at 6pm.

For more information and registration, visit miraclesclub.org/soul-stroll

To join, sign-up in-person in the Quest Center milieu or talk to your peer/counselor

Register here to join

Quest's annual Community Day is coming up on August 10th from 10am-2pm in the Quest parking lot, and we have some really exciting activities planned for the day! 

 Always Here Bookstore, a queer and neurodivergent-owned bookstore that carries queer books for all ages, is sponsoring a book swap to ensure that our community members can freshen their personal libraries just in time for those end of summer days at the river. Book lovers, start scouring through your collection and pick out some titles to swap at the event! 

 It wouldn't be Community Day without the beloved plant swap, and this year's will be sponsored by our favorite neighborhood plant store, Birds and Bees Nursery. We recognize this event is taking place in the height of summer, but fret not, there will be plenty of shade and a water mister running to help keep us and the plants cool. Plant parents, start propagating your cuttings now to have some cuties to contribute! 

 It wouldn't be Community Day without free grub, and we are doing this year BBQ / Potluck style! We are planning to fire up a couple of grills with both meat and vegan options to ensure there is something delicious and filling for all! We'd love for you to bring a side dish to add to the mix, store bought or homemade, we are sure it'll be delicious! Brew Dr. Kombucha is providing cold refreshments to help wash it all down. 

 Fifty-Licks Ice Cream is parking up from 11am - 2pm to provide free ice cream to help us beat the heat! This is a true Portland delight you won't want to miss out on. 

 We have secured a very special activity that the kiddos (and let's be honest, adults too) will love. BALLOON ANIMALS!

 All of the Quest programs will be represented with a fun activity to help let folks know what we do and how to get involved. Additionally, community partners from Project Red, True Colors, Sunshine Division and Multnomah County will be at the event to provide valuable community resources! 

We are so excited to celebrate the collective achievements our community has made in health and wellness with you all. A reminder this event is free and open to all, so please invite your family, friends, and whoever else you think might enjoy attending. We hope to see you  there!