Table of Contents
- Portland Microsite
- Unique Portland Experiences
- Portland International Airport (PDX)
- Food Service and Concessions at the Convention Center
- Help for the Local Community
- Securing the Representative Assembly
- Cybersecurity
- Immigration
- Emergency Phone Numbers and Medical Assistance
- Healthcare Facilities
NEA ANNUAL MEETING AND REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY – PORTLAND MICROSITE
Travel Portland, the 2025 Host Committee, and the NEA Conference and Facilities Management Department have teamed up to create a dedicated microsite for NEA delegates, staff, and guests. It is packed with helpful information on dining, transportation, and more to make your visit seamless and enjoyable. Be sure to download the Near Me Now app—it’s like having a personal guide to Portland in your pocket.
UNIQUE PORTLAND EXPERIENCES
Portland is proud to be a leader in the sports apparel industry and is excited to share a unique “Portland” experience with you – access to all of our Employee and Company Stores. Accessible by invite only, the Nike Company Store, Columbia Sportswear Company Employee Store, and Adidas Employee Store allow you to shop like an employee at 40% - 60% off. Plus, with no sales tax, your discount is even deeper. Happy shopping!
- Nike is pleased to offer one-time access to the Nike Company Store to all conference delegates and NEA staff from June 24 – July 6. The store is located just outside the city at 3485 SW Knowlton Road, Beaverton, Oregon, and is accessible via the MAX RED and BLUE Lines. Delegates and staff must present an NEA RA badge and a valid photo ID upon arrival. Please note that Nike requests that all guests refrain from wearing competitor brands when shopping.
- The Columbia Employee Store is located at 14100 NW Science Park Drive, Portland, Oregon. It offers discounts on all of its brands, including Sorel, Mountain Hardwear, and prAna. At the information booth, grab a physical guest pass. Each pass admits five (5) individuals.
- The Adidas Employee Store is closest to downtown and is located at 2701 NW Vaughn St, Portland, Oregon. At the information booth, grab a physical guest pass. Each pass admits five (5) individuals.
My People’s Market will also be located in the Oregon Convention Center on July 2nd and 3rd. This unique showcase of local artists, entrepreneurs, and creatives of color is a local shopping opportunity right outside the RA.
Portland International Airport (PDX)
The Portland International Airport, also known as PDX, is the largest in the state of Oregon and is located inside Portland city limits, 6 miles (10 km) northeast of downtown Portland.
PDX has just completed a decade-long, $2 billion renovation that has doubled the airport’s passenger capacity, while retaining the small-town comforts that make it so beloved.
For information on ground transportation, click here.
FOOD SERVICE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER
Each vendor and all vending machines located at the Oregon Convention Center only accept credit/debit cards and touchless payment methods. Examples of contactless payment methods include major credit and debit cards, as well as Apple Pay and Android Pay.
Most concession stands offer healthy food options and alternatives. All concessions offer gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options, which are marked on their menu boards. Those with strict dietary, medical, or religious restrictions should contact their State Coordinator for nearby options.
July 2–5
- Bento GO Cart: 11 am–4 pm | Hall B
- Dragon Boat Grill: 10 am–4 pm | Pre-Function C
- Ginkoberry Marketplace: 10 am–3 pm
- Mac and Cheese GO Cart: 11 am–4 pm | Hall B
- Orbit: 7 am–5 pm | Pre-Function A
- Port Strata: 11 am–3 pm | Exhibit Hall B
- Portland Roasting I: 7 am–3 pm | Pre-Function C
- Portland Roasting II: 7 am–3 pm | South
- Sandwich Grab & GO Cart: 11 am–4 pm | Hall B
- Stir: 7 am–3 pm | MLK Lobby
July 6
- Bento GO Cart: 11 am–4 pm | Hall B
- Dragon Boat Grill: 10 am–4 pm | Pre-Function C
- Ginkoberry Marketplace: 10 am–4 pm | Ginkoberry Concourse
- Mac and Cheese GO Cart: 11 am–4 pm | Hall B
- Orbit: 7 am–5 pm | Pre-Function A
- Port Strata: 11 am–4 pm | Exhibit Hall B
- Portland Roasting I: 7 am–4 pm | Pre-Function C
- Portland Roasting II: 7 am–3 pm | South
Please refrain from bringing large quantities of outside food and drink (group catering) into the Oregon Convention Center. This may be subject to search and confiscation by building security and is considered a violation of Oregon Convention Center policy.
In addition to concessions inside the convention center, food trucks will be stationed in the North Plaza, directly outside the Oregon Convention Center, offering additional food and beverage options.
Food trucks will be available from July 2 to July 6, with the types of cuisine rotating daily. The hours of operation will be from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. A variety of offerings will be available, including options that meet most dietary needs and restrictions.
Concession schedules are subject to change without notice.
OCC IS CASHLESS
To enable lines to move more swiftly, OCC concessions and the parking garage have transitioned to a cashless environment. Reverse ATMs are available in Pre-function B and the South Ginkoberry entrance near existing ATMs. These reverse ATMs are designed to receive cash and exchange it for a Visa card of equal value, providing a completely anonymous and fee- free service.
HELP FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
NEA Community Outreach Food Bank is back in Portland! This year, NEA has chosen the Sunshine Division as the recipient of this year’s proceeds. The Sunshine Division provides immediate food and clothing relief to Portland metro families and individuals in need.
Please consider donating money (checks payable to Sunshine Division or click here for online giving) or non-perishables like the following: Peanut Butter, Canned/Dried Beans, Cereal, Rice, Pasta, Dry Box Dinners (Ex. Mac & Cheese), Canned Soup, Canned Tomato Products, Canned Fruits & Vegetables, Canned Meat (Ex. Chicken or Tuna), Flour, Sugar.
Non-perishable food items can be dropped off at the food bank booth located in Hall A.
Contact [email protected] with any questions. If you would like to volunteer at the booth, sign up here.
SECURING THE 2025 NEA REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
The NEA conference and facilities management team will partner with the Oregon Convention Center, local and state police, third-party security firms, and the Portland hospitality industry to ensure the safety of our delegates, guests, and staff. They are at the forefront of all planning for the 2025 NEA Representative Assembly in Portland, Oregon.
While no plan is foolproof, risk mitigation becomes routine practice with the right plan in place. Below is an overview of the venues, with enhanced security presence:
Venues & Events with Enhanced Security
Oregon Convention Center
Events: Representative Assembly, the Conference on Racial and Social Justice
Hyatt Regency Portland
Events: NEA Governance
Additionally, the NEA Conference and Facilities Management team will play a pivotal role in facilitating communication between the planning team and the hotel for each pre-conference event, ensuring a seamless and secure experience for all attendees.
Security measures and presence:
- Unarmed Uniformed Security Officers
- Uniformed Contracted Police Officers
- Canine Units
- Host Committee Volunteer Badge Checkers
- Magnetometer Security Screening at the two main entrances of the Oregon Convention Center
- TriMet (public transportation) has increased security on the MAX Light rail to ensure safe travel for all. TriMet security includes:
- Four (4) officers will monitor the major downtown platforms during peak periods
- Two (2) additional train cars at 9:00 am and 9:15 am.
- Customized walking maps for each hotel to the nearest Max rail station
- The longstanding Downtown Portland Clean & Safe Program works daily to clean Portland streets while helping visitors or providing individuals with safety and social services assistance.
- Friendly, uniformed public safety coordinators are always nearby to assist and guide attendees between the Oregon Convention Center, hotels, and transit stops. To request a walking escort, call 971.710.4818. Service hours are 10 am—6 pm, with extended hours during events.
- Pre-Event Threat Assessment and Daily Live Monitoring by an Intelligence Firm
SAFETY & SECURITY TIPS
- For emergencies in the convention center, call “7849” from a house phone or dial 503.731.7838 to reach the OCC Command Center
- Familiarize yourself with your hotel’s evacuation plan and the closest exits from your room.
- Familiarize yourself with the emergency exits at the convention center.
- Never leave offices unattended.
- Never leave laptops or other electronic devices unattended.
- Be aware of your surroundings and other people.
- When away from the Annual Meeting events, remove your credentials badge.
- Never flash sums of money or expensive items in public.
- Do not place your purse on the back of your chair in public areas.
- Use the hotel safe deposit boxes for valuables.
- Travel in groups where possible.
- When using an automatic teller machine, use one in a well-lighted, populated area, preferably in the company of others.
- Regardless of how secure a convention center environment may appear, keep your valuables in a safe place where you can keep an eye on them at all times.
- Use security locks when in your hotel room.
- Never open your hotel room door to a stranger. Verify a visit by hotel personnel with the front desk.
- Beware of distractions set up by potential pickpockets on the street or in crowds.
- Carry money separately from credit cards.
- Carry purses close to your body and wallets in secure pockets.
- Avoid poorly lit areas.
Out and About
- Remove conference badges. Leave your conference badge and tote bag in your hotel room when you are not at the conference. These are signs that you are from out of town and may make you an easy target.
- Be observant of your environment. Use well-lit streets and areas that feel safe. Select routes that are the shortest distance between the host hotel and your destination, but avoid deserted areas. When using an automatic teller machine, avoid using it at night. If you must, use one in a well-lit, populated area, preferably in the company of others.
- Walk with confidence. To avoid being a target, communicate the message that you are confident, calm, know where you are going, and are aware of your surroundings.
- Safety in numbers. Travel in groups and avoid traveling by yourself. Make sure to check on each other periodically and agree on departure times.
- Avoid carrying all your cash and credit cards with you. Always leave enough cash and alternate credit cards if you have them in your hotel room safe to get you through the conference should your money or credit cards be lost or stolen. Do not display large amounts of cash or other valuable items to avoid making yourself a target.
- Pay Attention. Looking down and concentrating on a mobile device while texting or listening to music through earbuds can be a hazardous activity. Doing so while attempting to cross a street, get on and off an escalator, walk in a crowd, or make your way through an exhibit area can all be harmful to your safety and the safety of others.
- Practice Moderation. Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol. Alcohol reduces inhibitions and impairs the capacity to reason, a perfect formula to make you a target.
- Be Mindful When Encountering a Protest.
At the Hotel
- In an emergency, contact the state's conference coordinator immediately. They will work directly with hotel security and management to take necessary actions.
- Familiarize yourself with your hotel’s evacuation plan and the closest exits from your room. All hotels have evacuation plans posted on the back of the hotel room doors.
- Use the hotel safe in your guestroom for valuables.
- Use security locks when in your hotel room.
- Never open your hotel room door to a stranger. Verify a visit by hotel personnel with the front desk.
- Be cautious in sharing your hotel room keys.
- Never give a stranger your room number.
At the Convention Center
- If you see something, say something!
- Familiarize yourself with the emergency exits at the convention center.
- Never leave offices unattended.
- Never leave laptops or other electronic devices unattended.
- Regardless of how secure a convention center environment may appear, keep your valuables in a safe place where you can always keep an eye on them.
Are You Being Secretly Recorded?
Unfortunately, some right-wing activists have launched a secret recording campaign targeted at union members and leaders, and we urge you to be prepared for them to infiltrate the Representative Assembly, hotels, restaurants, and bars in the convention center vicinity. Activists using fake identities and secret recorders have used any number of harmful ruses to prey on situations where people believe they are among trusted colleagues or friends.
While their heavily edited and manipulative videos have been widely discredited for many years, their deceptive tactics and cyberbullying can cause significant personal hardship and even bring harm to our schools.
While you are at the Representative Assembly or even out socializing before or after, here are some tips to protect yourself and your association from unauthorized recording and unscrupulous smear tactics:
- Trust Your Instinct. If a conversation seems to be drifting to something you are not comfortable with, or you suspect someone is recording you, make your exit and notify Mike Misterek ([email protected]).
- Do not continue conversing with someone you believe may be secretly recording you.
- Make Sure People Are Who They Say They Are. These activists have been using false identities. All Representative Assembly attendees or guests should have credentials; look for these credentials, and if they do not have one, do not assume that you are talking to a trusted member. If someone with a badge engages in an unusual conversation that makes you uncomfortable, end the encounter.
- Be Wary About Individuals Seeking Assistance Without Details. Representative Assembly events are not the place to provide individuals with advice about employment issues that unidentified individuals may have.
- Walk away from ambush interviews – politely walk away if someone approaches you for an impromptu interview outside of an event. Avoid saying “no comment.”
- Limit members' access to RA and RA-related events. Meeting organizers should screen for delegates at the doors, and signs should be posted outside all events: Members Only.
DESIGNATED ENTRIES
To enter the Oregon Convention Center from the street level, please enter through the MLK Lobby entrance. NEA will also use the Ginkoberry entrance to alleviate congestion during the RA, Conference on Racial and Social Justice, and the HCR Awards. Non-entry doors can be used for exit only.
Cybersecurity
This is a friendly reminder to stay alert for phishing emails. Cybercriminals often use these tactics to steal personal information or install malware, putting both your security and our organization’s data at risk.
With upcoming events like the Representative Assembly, please exercise extra caution—be wary of emails that feature fake logos, urgent messages, or requests for personal details and payments. Always confirm event information through official channels, and never click on suspicious links or share sensitive information via email.
To stay safe, it is important to follow best practices for online security. Here are some tips to help you stay alert for phishing emails:
- Never click on suspicious links or download attachments from unknown or suspicious sources.
- Never share sensitive information via email.
- Check the sender’s email address and look out for suspicious or unexpected emails.
- Be extra cautious of urgent or threatening language in emails, as well as emails that request sensitive information.
- Always verify the authenticity of an email that seems suspicious. Contact the sender directly (by “known” phone or txt if possible) as a compromised email account may be monitored by the attacker.
Immigration
NEA's Office of General Counsel has drafted guidance, "Immigration Know Your Rights Information for RA Attendees."
Please click on this link to download the guidance: Immigration Know Your Rights Information for RA Attendees.pdf
IMPORTANT EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Police, Fire & Medical Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: 311 or 503-823-3333
Portland Street Response: 911
Mental Health Crisis Line: 503-988-4888
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
For life-threatening situations, immediately call 911. Life-threatening situations include an apparent heart attack, stroke, or other significant injury.
If you require non-life-threatening first aid while at the convention center, notify your manager and visit NEA’s Emergency Medical Service, Room A105.
In addition to the Emergency Medical Service Room, the convention center has two fully equipped First Aid Rooms: one located in the Pre-Function A Lobby and the other outside Exhibit Hall E. These rooms will be fully staffed throughout the Conference on Racial and Social Justice, the HCR Awards Gala, and the Representative Assembly.
The NEA Emergency Medical Service Room, 105, will be open July 2 – July 6 only.
HEALTHCARE FACILITIES AND PHARMACIES
OCC Locations
Hospital
Legacy Emanuel Medical Center – 1.7 Miles from OCC 2801 N Gantenbein Ave, Portland, OR 97227
(503) 413-2200
Open 24 hours
Urgent Care
Zoom+Care – 0.3 Miles from OCC
172 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 684-8252
Open 7 am – 5 pm
Pharmacy
Walgreens – 0.7 Miles from OCC
1620 NE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 493-2715
Open 8 am -9 pm
CVS Pharmacy – 2.1 Miles from Oregon Convention Center 939 Morrison St. Portland, OR 97205
(503) 290-5362
Open 8 am – 10 pm
Downtown Locations
Hospital
Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center 1015 NW 22nd Ave, Portland, OR 97210
(503) 413-7711
Open 24 hours
Urgent Care
ZoomCare - Pearl District
202 NW 13th Ave, Portland, OR 97209 (844) 966-6777
Open 7 am – 12 pm (6 pm on weekends)
Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy
939 Morrison St. Portland, OR 97205
(503) 290-5362
Open 8 am – 10 pm
Airport Locations
Hospital
Providence Portland Medical Center 4805 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97213
(503) 215-1111
Open 24 hours
Urgent Care
Concentra Urgent Care
12518 NE Airport Way # 110, Portland, OR 97230
(503) 256-2992
Open 7 am – 5 pm
Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy (inside Target)
9401 NE Cascades Pkwy, Portland, OR 97220 (971) 230-1931
Open 9 am – 7 pm (reduced weekend hours)
Vancouver, Washington Locations
Hospital
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center
400 NE Mother Joseph Pl, Vancouver, WA 98664
(360) 514-2000
Open 24 hours
Urgent Care
ZoomCare - Grand Central
2510 Columbia House Blvd Ste 107, Vancouver, WA 98661
(844) 966-6777
7 am – 5 pm (varied hours throughout the week)
Pharmacy
Fred Meyer - Pharmacy
2500 Columbia House Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98661
(360) 619-1700
Open 9 am – 8 pm (varied hours throughout the week)
