I am so sad to learn of the recent vandalism attacks on Cafe Soriah and other restaurants. Although the exact motives of these acts are not known, there is a common thread of restaurants serving food considered to be of non-European origins.
The owner of Cafe Soriah, Ibrahim Hamide is a dedicated peacemaker and brings genuine goodness to our community, working for justice and to remind us all of our shared humanity. As a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ, I am grateful for all the ways he has enriched our congregation. From being a spiritual leader in our Peace Village summer youth camp for over 10 years, to annually talking with our 9th-grade youth in their Faith Explorations class (formerly Confirmation), to being involved in Adult Education, Hamide has given generously of his time and heart.
To the vandals of all of these restaurants, I say, “Please stop these senseless acts and allow the wonderful Eugene community that Hamide has helped us build, embrace you.”
I am grateful for Hamide and all he does for us, as well as other restaurant owners and for the diversity of food choices they share with us. There is no place for xenophobia in Eugene.
Jennifer Sherlock
Eugene
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!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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