Advocacy Continues for the Lone Fir Memorial Project

On April 4 2026, Multnomah County’s chair and commissioners read their apology on site for the first time.

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Background

Block 14 at Lone Fir Cemetery holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for Portland's Chinese American community. For nearly two years, the C.A.C.A. Portland Lodge has been working to secure an official apology from Multnomah County for the historic harm inflicted on the Chinese American community regarding the Chinese Section, Block 14, and funding for a community memorial.

Over the course of this long journey, much more has come to light about the individuals buried at Block 14 and the injustices they endured. Hundreds of Chinese American graves were desecrated, and nearly 3,000 ancestors were erased from public memory by the County's actions. Honoring ancestors is a core cultural practice, making these harms especially painful.

We hope to continue our advocacy work on this to secure funding for a community memorial. The memorial will restore dignity, preserve heritage, and reclaim the untold stories of early Chinese immigrants. It will serve as a place of healing, remembrance, and education, ensuring visibility and inclusion for communities long excluded from our shared history. This memorial must be completed with the care, accuracy, and dignity these immigrants deserve.

Our Progress

  • May 21 , 2025

    • Commissioners Brim-Edwards and Moyer co-sponsored an amendment adding $500,000 to support the memorial at Lone Fir Cemetery in Southeast Portland.

  • May 28, 2025

  • June 3, 2025

    • Commissioner Jones-Dixon proposed an amendment to close the remaining funding gap. (watch it here)

  • June 11, 2025

    • C.A.C.A were asked to submit a letter of support for this commitment. (read it here)

  • June 12, 2025

    • The County adopted its budget, allocating $1 million in FY 2026 toward the memorial and expressing intent to fund an additional $1.5 million in FY 2027.

  • June 26, 2025

    • The Multnomah County Commission will formally adopt an apology resolution, acknowledging historical injustices and committing $2.5 million toward the Chinese Memorial at Lone Fir Cemetery, at their budget meeting.

  • April 4, 2026

    • Multnomah County’s chair and commissioners read their apology on site, at Lone Fir Cemetery, for the first time after initially delivering it at a board meeting last June during the 5th Annual Qing Ming Gathering. This day was significant as it marked the start of memorial construction as well.

Next Steps

Construction of the memorial commenced in March 2026, a milestone two decades in the making. Ensuring full funding is now paramount so that every element of the design can come to fruition.

The County is scheduled to adopt its FY 2027 budget on June 4, 2026. However, the Executive Budget released by Chair Vega Pederson on April 16, 2026 does not include any funding for the Lone Fir Memorial Project.

Once again, our community must raise its voice to ensure the County fulfills its stated intent, and allocates the additional $1.5 million needed to complete the memorial as designed.

How You Can Help

Attend a Public Budget Hearing

  • The County’s public budget hearings, beginning April 29, 2026, are a critical opportunity to advocate for restoring funding for the memorial.

  • Please RSVP here to attend a hearing o submit comments.

    • We will share talking points and key information soon to help you prepare.

Upcoming Budget Hearing Dates

  • Wednesday, April 29, 6–8 p.m.

    • Multnomah Building Boardroom (501 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., Portland)

  • Wednesday, May 13, 6–8 p.m.

    • Mt. Hood Community College, Town and Gown Room (26000 S.E. Stark St., Gresham, OR 97030)

  • Wednesday, May 20, 6–8 p.m.

    • Virtual‑only 

      • More information available through the Multnomah County Budget Office

Your contribution and support truly makes a difference. Thank you.