Back from Summering!
Let's keep playing, dancing, listening - embracing the simple things!
As summer begins to wind down, I've been reflecting on the shift from one season to the next—not just in the world around us, but in how we hold and experience it. Summer often feels packed with events, travel, and visits from loved ones—fun, yes, but also a reminder to pause and savor the simple moments. Whether it's watching the sunrise, treating yourself to ice cream, enjoying a bike ride in the golden hour breeze, or discovering heart-shaped seaglass, it's these little joys that truly make the season special.
Living in Maine, it's easy to let the summer bucket list take over—island hopping, farm dinners, boat rides—but the truth is, bucket lists don’t expire. When we look back, we often realize that the simplest moments, the ones we didn’t plan for, are the ones that filled our hearts the most.
We’re entering a new, simpler season at held. In a world that often feels loud and complicated, I want held to remain light, welcoming, and genuine. As mentioned in our August update, our co-founder Tenaya is taking a step back, which means I’ll now be leading held solo. While our fall and winter events may feel a bit more streamlined, they’ll continue to offer the same spirit of fun and meaningful connection. You may notice the occasional typo (thank you for your patience—and please let me know if any links give you trouble!), along with some thoughtful updates rolling out in the new year. I look forward to sharing more with you soon.
Also, have ideas for held event topics you would like to see in 2026? I’m building out the events for the year and would love to hear from you - hello@heldportland.com
Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more
I’m excited to lean into this simpler season at held with an event that’s all about joy and connection. On October 23, we’re teaming up with Portland Community Squash, Palaver Strings, and Orange Bike Brewing for an evening of music, play, and female empowerment. Think good vibes, shared laughter, and the kind of energy that lingers long after the night ends.
We asked them each to share a bit more about their missions and how we, as a community, can help spread the word.
Sarah Stuckney, Development Director - Portland Community Squash
Can you tell us a bit more about the Portland Community Squash mission and programming?
Starting as a squash + education youth program in 2012, Portland Community Squash purchased a former synagogue in 2016 to grow into a multicultural and multigenerational community center. PCS offers 10 programs for families across Greater Portland, keeping access, equity, and cohesion at the center of every program and organizational decision.
2. How did you become involved with Portland Community Squash?
Since joining PCS ten years ago, I have played a key role in its growth from a start-up to a thriving organization. I have lead operations, staff development, fundraising, communications, and the implementation of the nationally recognized Theory of Change community center model. My favorite piece of the work will always be sitting and doing math homework with students and driving them home at the end of the day in a PCS van.
3. As a community, how can we help support the Portland Community Squash mission?
I think the best way to support the mission is to get involved in your local community - be it at PCS or somewhere else. If we can create relationships across lines of difference and create opportunities for everyone, our community and world will be able to solve problems, work together, and thrive together.
Maya French, Palaver Strings
What inspired you to create Palaver Strings?
Palaver was started by a collective of young music school and conservatory musicians in Boston as a means to explore individual artistic voice and autonomy in addition to the concept of activism through art and using music as a means of storytelling, reflection, and active communication around causes and concepts we believe in.
Can you tell us a bit more about the Palaver Strings mission?
Palaver Strings is a musician-led string ensemble and nonprofit organization based in Portland, ME. Founded in 2014, Palaver’s mission is to strengthen and inspire community through music. The GRAMMY-nominated ensemble’s recent engagements include concerts at Tanglewood, National Sawdust, and Carnegie Hall, and residencies at Rockport Music, Boston Center for the Arts, and Longy School of Music, where ensemble members offer master classes and graduate courses on music and community engagement. Palaver’s newest album A Change Is Gonna Come (Azica Records, 2024) features Nicholas Phan and Farayi Malek on new arrangements of American protest songs. In 2019, Palaver launched the Palaver Music Center (PMC), which now serves hundreds of students each year from our downtown Portland location. PMC seeks to generate a love of music, foster creativity, and hold space for shared dialogue with people from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. It encompasses five education programs: Early Childhood Music (ECM), Strings, Lullaby Project, Lifesongs Project and Community Music Classes.
As a community, how can we help support the Palaver Strings' mission?
Supporting live music/art by attending our concerts and inviting your friends to do the same. In a fast-paced and conflict-based time, we think it's more important than ever to make space to listen and reflect through art, and then share our experiences afterward. We also welcome many young students, ages pre-school through 2nd grade to join our Early Childhood Music and Strings learning program. Our goal is to have and celebrate the many unique young voices and backgrounds that make up our community.
Tom Rush, Founder of Orange Bike Brewery
1. What inspired you to create Orange Bike Brewing Company?
At age 54, after more than a year of misdiagnoses by three different doctors that included Lyme, Crohn’s, and even fears that my skin cancer had returned, I discovered, with the help of my nutritionist friend in Los Angeles, gluten was the root cause of my health struggles. As a lifelong craft beer lover, that realization was devastating — but it also lit a spark. I launched Orange Bike Brewing Company, Portland’s first dedicated gluten-free brewery, to prove that gluten-free beer could be world-class. With guidance from world-renowned brewer Alan Pugsley, we’ve already achieved that vision: in less than two years, Orange Bike has earned three national and international medals, placing us in the top 0.08% of breweries worldwide to reach this milestone so quickly.
2. What is coming up for Orange Bike Brewing this Fall?
Orange Bike will host several milestone events: the Gluten-Free Market & Expo on September 20, the Biking Expo and Portland Bike Party slow ride on October 3, and its Two-Year Anniversary Weekend on November 14. The brewery will also brew a new collaboration with the National Black Brewers Association, Brooklyn Brewery, and the Michael James Jackson Foundation, while expanding its fonio program with Chef Pierre Thiam’s Yolélé and Garrett Oliver to support small shareholder farms in West Africa.
3. As a community, how can we help support the mission?
The best way is simple: show up, spread the word, and ask for Orange Bike at your favorite bars and stores. Every pint supports our mission of brewing world-class beer while building a more just and inclusive business. Backed by the State of Maine and Maine Venture Fund, Orange Bike has also partnered with 11 academic institutions and 72 students, reinforcing its role as both a brewery and a community hub.
UPCOMING HELD EVENTS
To receive invites to held events, please sign up here and share with those who would be interested.
Leading the Way - October 23rd
Join us for an evening of music and squash lessons - the perfect combination - as we celebrate community and female empowerment.
The young athletes of Portland Community Squash will show us how to play, how to move, and how to lead. The students of Palaver Strings will teach us how to listen deeply and communicate through sound. Register here.
Seeing, Sensing, and Saying - November 20th
Step into the vibrant world of artist Grace Hartigan at the Portland Museum of Art and slow down with intention. Through guided creative writing activities led by PMA Museum Educators, you’ll experience the exhibition Grace Hartigan: The Gift of Attention in a fresh and engaging way.
Engage your senses as you write, imagine, listen, and respond to Hartigan’s expressive paintings and the poetry that helped shape them. Whether through a short story, a poetic line, or a collaborative exercise, this evening is about seeing deeply and expressing freely. More information here. Registration coming soon.
CLASSIFIEDS
JOB ALERT! Sarah Madeira Day Part-Time Studio Assistant
Artist Sarah Madeira Day is in search of a part-time studio assistant to help with printing, packing, shipping, and general studio operations. This role is ideal for someone who finds joy in organization and has a love for beautiful packaging. Pay is $20 - $22 per hour, with flexible hours to fit your schedule. If this sounds like you, she would love to hear from you. Please email info@sarahmadeiraday.com for more information.
ABOUT
Held was an idea that developed over a cup of coffee. Tenaya and Mary Beth are passionate about their community in Portland, Maine, and wanted to create something that made women feel supported and connected.
Life can feel overwhelming and isolating, and let’s be honest—building a sense of community can seem intimidating or out of reach. At held, we believe that being seen and feeling a true sense of belonging are essential to well-being. That’s why we create events that bring people together in a natural, inclusive, and inspiring way. More than just meetups, our gatherings are designed to foster personal growth, spark new friendships, strengthen existing connections, and redefine what it means to truly connect.
To receive invites, please sign up here and share with those who would be interested. We hope to see you soon!