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Mike Sweeney

When I worked with Obo and Susan Addy to bring their performance aesthetic into my classroom, I attended the remarkable collaboration with Portland Taiko. That ecstatic celebration of the worlds of percussion living in Portland made a deep impression. In addition, Portland Taiko became family as Kelsey Furuta joined Portland Taiko AND married my nephew Brian Sweeney! And Portland Taiko represents the connections of Japanese and other Asian connections deeply entwined in my identity as a “Portlander.” When asked to join the Board, I accepted, realizing that there is so much to learn, so many new peoples’ stories to heard and that the performance culture of Portland Taiko does indeed celebrate and create this city’s identity.