Mija Andrade

“I’ve been an artist my whole life,” says Mija Andrade, who made national news in 1986 at Salinas High School in California, when she went to the senior prom with her best friend, another girl. “We had boy friends at different schools. When we were denied permission, we took it to court and won the case.” Andrade studied graphic arts at University of California, Santa Cruz and worked for a decade as a graphic artist in Monterey. She began to study massage therapy in 1994, a year before moving to Eugene with her then husband. “The licensing process was long,” she says, and for 10 years she worked at both graphic arts and massage.

09-29-pow-mija — Mija Andrade
Photo by Paul Neevel

“I began volunteering at MECCA in 2006 while recovering from an overuse injury from massage,” she says. MECCA (Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts) became her passion. She joined its board, taught classes and became executive director in 2008. “I started the Object Afterlife Art Challenge,” she says, “as a way to challenge artists to incorporate reused materials in art work.” The 8th annual Object Afterlife exhibit can be seen at MECCA, 449 Willamette, during the First Friday ArtWalk on Oct. 7. She left MECCA in 2013 for a position as resident artist with the Oregon Supported Living Program. “OSLP provides services to developmentally disabled adults,” she notes, “but the OSLP Arts and Culture Program is inclusive, open to people of all abilities. Attendance has tripled in three years.” Last December, Andrade became development director for OSLP. She is also a 14-year member of the ArtChics women’s art group, whose annual benefit art sale is set for Nov. 4-5 at OSLP A&C’s Lincoln Gallery, 309 W. 4th Avenue.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!