A cross-cultural convergence of music, both traditional and groundbreaking, is the heart and soul of the Northwest Folklife Festival. With more than 800 performances, workshops, dances and family activities scheduled, the four-day festival will also feature Urban Indian culture, local Hip Hop, Folk Punk and a Northwest Independent showcase, along with much more.
The 37th annual Northwest Folklife Festival, Friday, May 23, through Monday, May 26, is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. While admission is free, visitors' donations make the Festival possible.
The entire program is available at www.nwfolklife.org. A new "Performers Search" function makes the weekend's schedule searchable by performer or by genre. Highlights include ...

The NAACP board of directors has chosen Ben Jealous, a former news executive and lifelong activist, as the organization's next president and the youngest in its 99-year history.
The 64-member board met and voted in Baltimore on Friday and plans to formally announce its decision on Saturday at a noon press conference.
NAACP national spokesman Richard J. McIntire confirmed the vote with The Associated Press early Saturday after the 8-hour closed door meeting....

Portland Fire Bureau estimated more than 70,000 people gathered in Waterfront Park to hear Obama speak.

After sharpening his attacks on Republican John McCain, Barack Obama is ready to lay a symbolic claim to the U.S. Democratic presidential nomination following Tuesday's round of primaries.
The upcoming primaries in Oregon and Kentucky should leave Obama less than 100 delegates away from reaching the total 2,026 needed to secure his party's nomination after an epic battle with Hillary Rodham Clinton....

Valerie and Mikala Thomas, from right in center, attend a metal working workshop hosted by Local 16 metal workers at the Women in Trades Career Fair held this past weekend at the NECA/IBEW Local 48 Training Center. The fair offered workshops in welding, electrical wiring, carpentry and metal cutting among many others.

On May 12, one of the only radio stations devoted to hip hop music in Portland will be no more. KXJM Jammin' 95.5 FM will be converting its format to sports talk radio.
Managers at Rose City Radio Corporation, the station's owners, declined to comment publicly until May 8, after The Skanner's publishing deadline.
According to DJ OG One, a nationally recognized DJ who worked at Jammin' 95.5, the station is currently running on autopilot – all live DJs and on-air personalities have been cut pending the upcoming format change. But losing Jammin' 95.5 means a lot more than a dozen or so out of work disc jockeys, it means local artists will have to try a lot harder to be heard in the Rose City, says OG One. It'll also leave a void for listeners.
"Are you frickin kidding?" posted "Robin" on the Jammin 95.5 Myspace page. "That sucks that you guys are going off the air. I guess I wont bother to listen to the radio anymore what does that leave us Z100 (no frickin way). Good luck to you guys!!!!!! I've listened to you guys since you started."...

New lending guidelines proposed by the Federal National Mortgage Association – also known as Fannie Mae – would permanently lock out some minority homebuyers by denying loans based on credit scores.
That's the message voiced by hundreds of affordable housing advocates around the nation....

On May 1, Tyrone Poole officially opened a 6,000 square foot childcare center at 1030 N. Lombard St., with a growing list of 20 children already enrolled.
Set up as a private business, Amazing Grace Women's Resource Center & Childcare Services nevertheless functions as a sort of social services agency – helping single mothers find employment, housing and education while providing low or no-cost childcare....

Dellicia McGee and Danisha McNair, both 15, perform a song at the All Ages Arts Night, Friday May 2nd at the Seattle Central Library. The duo participated in a Writing and Music Production Program with Arts Corp at Rainier Beach Community Center. The event featured art, music, hip hop dance, spoken word poetry and fashion created by teens.  Dozens of organizations that support young people were at the event, including Arts Corp, The Power of Hope, Youth Speaks Seattle and the Urban Wilderness Project.

If you've ever had problems with law enforcement, there is now someone in Seattle that wants to hear your story.
The Seattle/King County branch of the NAACP recently formed the People's Panel on Police Accountability to address issues and concerns about police accountability and inequitable treatment of minorities and the poor.
The NAACP declared a "state of emergency" in how minorities are being treated by the police after reviewing complaints to the organization, NAACP chapter president James Bible said.
"We've been deeply concerned about the interactions between people of color, the poor and law enforcement," Bible said. "With the numerous complaints we've received, we felt it was important to address this issue that's been affecting our community."...

In a city once known for its rock, Seattle is now looking to become a center for hip hop.
Starting May 18, Sportn' Life Records and Kublakai will be sponsoring a Northwest hip hop tour, showcasing Seattle's hottest hip hop acts....