Street roots
July 5, 2013
SAUERS, from page 8
hope to raise awareness. The practice (of
the death penalty) is undeniably racist. The
statistics about it are awful and we are
actively involved in that campaign.
We continue our work with Winona
LaDuke and Honor the Earth. (Saliers, Ray
and LaDuke founded the organization in
1993). We have some more concerts to raise
money and awareness, particularly around
mining issues in the Midwest. We work on
justice issues in indigenous communities
and how that relates to all of us.
S.Z.: How do you walk that line o f the
social and political environment around you
where you live in Decatur, Georgia?
E.S.: It s a good question. When you live
in a state like Georgia, for all of its beauty,
politically and socially it can be quite
challenging for someone with my views. The
political differences can be quite extreme.
For me, it helps to have a lot of people who
are simpatico with my kind of thinking.
You know with the immigration bill, my
partner is Canadian and they won’t put
bi-national couples in the bill because it will
get completely shut down by the GOP.
Those are very difficult things to live with
when they come up because you try not to
take that personally. It’s not just Georgia,
it’s all over this country. I’m so excited
about the progress we’ve made. It is very
disheartening to think how far we still have
to go. But there is just a preponderance of
American views that are small minded.
S.Z.: What does poverty look like in the
South?
E.S.: There are terrible issues of poverty
all over the South. The South is primarily
agrarian, rural. But there is also urban
poverty.
I’m thinking about that book, “The New
Jim Crow.” It is really eye-opening about
mass incarceration and the war on drugs.
There are a lot of people in jail busted on
drug charges and it basically wipes out their
chance for any kind of mobility in life after
they get out of prison. They end up in the
numbers of people who are homeless or
experiencing poverty. Without the public
transportation piece, they have trouble
finding jobs outside of the impoverished
areas (where they might be living). It’s just
systemic oppression.
In addition, mental health outreach.
There are a lot of reasons why people end
up on the streets and homeless. There is no
reason, with all of our wealth and resources
in this country, that anybody should go
hungry or be impoverished to the point of
homelessness. There is just no
rationalization for it.
especially to make a living at it, my
gratitude runs really deep. And it is
completely tied to my faith.
S.Z.: The Supreme Court o f the United
States ruled against both DOMA and
effectively derailed California’s Prop 8. Where
do we go from here?
S.Z.: You are co-owner o f Watershed, an
Atlanta-based restaurant whose namesake is
one o f your songs. Portlanders love their food.
Tell me about your interest in foodie culture
and what role
Watershed plays in
your life.
E.S.: The Supreme Court rulings on
DOMA and Prop 8 are an historic victory
for civil rights in the U.S. Because my
partner is Canadian, our lives were
immediately changed. There is much work
to be done on LGBT issues, but I take this
moment to celebrate these important
victories.
S.Z.: Minnesota last month joined the
ranks o f the now 12 states that have approved
gay marriage legislation. The South, however,
is severely under-represented. Do you think you
will see a day when you can wed in your home
state?
E.S.: I don’t think I’ll see a day anytime
soon in my home state. It’s unfortunate, but
I believe that that’s the case.
S.Z.: What keeps you from marrying up
North?
E.S.: Not much, [laughter] I’m telling
you, We’re that close. We just don’t want to
rush into anything. If everything goes as
we’re planning, we will be married in
Canada. But our hope is that we can live in
the United States. We can’t stay in the
United States if my partner is unable to
work. It’s part of her freedom and her life,
to work, if she chooses to. So we face that
decision in the future.
S.Z.: You wrote a book with your father, A
Song to Sing, a Life to Live: Reflections on
Music as Spiritual Practice, that was
published in 2 0 0 6 , it discusses music as a key
aspect o f spirituality in our lives. Your
songwriting is so personal and quiet spiritual.
Can you talk about the connection between
your music and your faith?
E.S.: I believe in God, I call it God -
whatever this benevolent force is that has
guided my life and guides everything around
it and through it. I believe we are all in the
midst of a spiritual journey and that we have
access to great, great gifts and great
awareness and great ability to change, if we
are open to it.
Music is so powerful and mystical. It’s
power is beyond our comprehension. So
having been gifted to play music and
E.S.: In my
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memory, I can still
my partner Is Canadian and
taste things that I
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Many of my
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memories as a
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down by the €O R Those are
Being a very
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w ith when they come rap
have had a
fascination and
because yon try not to tafee
interest in foodie
that personally«
culture my whole
life.
I love sharing
food. I grew up
eating dinner with
my family, around the table and I was always
cooking with my friends. The communal
aspect of food is a deep aspect of my life.
I’m really proud of Watershed. When it
was in Decatur, it was the first farm-to-table
restaurant there. From the very beginning,
we really believed in the seasonality of food
and knowing where it came from. You don’t
get strawberries in the winter, you get
strawberries in the summer and peas in the
spring. You don’t get a perfect tomato until
the middle of the summer. And you wait for
it, you know?
The new Watershed is in a different part
of town and it’s bigger. Our chef, Joe Truex
is from Louisiana and he brings that
influence with him. We’re still farm-to-table.
We employ a lot of people. We recycle and
focus on not wasting food and trying to give
back to the community.
J
S.Z.: What is a favorite dish on the menu
right now?
E.S.: It’s a dessert. It’s a hot milk cake
with a caramel icing. It’s just mind blowing.
I love everything on the menu though.
S.Z.: Can we look forward to another 25
years o f Indigo Girls?
E.S.: If God is willing, I’m willing.
sue@streetroots. org
homeforward
hope, access, potential
Stephens Creek Crossing Public Housing Waiting List to Open
Tuesday, July 9 through Saturday, July 13, 2013
Home Forward is excited to announce that its waiting iist for Stephens Creek
Crossing 1 ,2 ,3 , and 4 bedroom subsidized apartments will be open from July 9
through July 13, 2013. Applicants must meet income guidelines.
Stephens Creek Crossing is a new apartment community being developed in
Southwest Portland near Capital Highway and SW 26th. It will have 109
apartments with income-based rents, and they will be ready for move-in in
January 2014.
Applications will be accepted online from any internet connected computer at
vm w ,homeforward.org beginning July 9 at 8:30 am. Call 503.280.3830 (TTY:
503.802.8554) or visit our website for locations where you can use a computer
and complete details on how to apply for this waiting list.