Good in the Hood: Manny Dempsey

With His Latest Good in the Hood Design, Artist Gets Ready for Morehouse College

If you’re a Portland resident, late June welcomes many great things: The beginning of summer, the solstice, and, alas, Good in the Hood, the beloved multicultural food and music festival in Northeast Portland that’s been inspiring and bringing together the local community in different ways since 1990. 

This year, Good in the Hood (GITH) will take over Lillis Albina Park for two days of glorious food offerings, music shows, good vibes, and a celebration of diversity and goodwill. There’s even a parade. All in all, an amazing time will no doubt be had by everyone who is lucky enough to go. 

Legacy Health will again be one of the sponsors of the event. And, once again, Legacy will be partnering with local artist Emmanuel “Manny” Calvin Dempsey, a gifted artist from North Portland. This is the third year that Legacy will be using one of Manny's t-shirt designs, and it marks a bittersweet moment: Manny will be leaving the Pacific Northwest in the fall for Morehouse College in Atlanta. 

In many ways, the association between Legacy and GITH has witnessed Manny grow up. Manny was just 15 years old when he first partnered with GITH, though he’d been making art since he was a toddler and had been studiously honing his artistic craft throughout the years. Drawing upon the vibrant life of North and Northeast Portland, Manny developed a whole universe of characters inspired by family and close friends. By 2017, Manny was accomplished enough to be one of the first child artists selected for the Portland Trail Blazers Gameday Poster Series. In 2019, Friends of Baseball asked him to create an interpretative image of Josh Gibson, one of baseball’s greatest players. These opportunities helped Manny spur his entrepreneurial skills. Manny has been working in both the worlds of advertising and industrial design in recent years. 

Through these achievements, Manny’s awareness and commitment to social and cultural awareness has evolved, too. His current design for GITH is another loving, feel-good homage to local community figures. It features a depiction of Paul Knauls, known alternatively to many as the “Mayor of Northeast Portland” and the “Mayor of Albina.” Knauls, who is 94 years old, is an iconic and beloved figure who once owned a nightclub where Legacy Emanuel Medical Center is located. Knauls will be participating in the GITH parade this year. His is a charismatic presence not to be missed. 

This loving homage is a fitting way for Manny to bid adieu before heading to Morehouse. His design captures the generous spirit of community love that GITH represents. Besides a lot of food and music, the two-day festival is a wonderful way for local businesses and organizations, including Legacy, to encourage community building and the sharing of resources. Legacy will, as usual, have its familiar health tent at the event where staff will spread the word about health and wellness education to those who are curious.

Learn more about Good in the Hood