Street Roots •
Feb. 17-23, 2017
We must organize, not demonize: Resist
’ve never really trusted or liked American
politics, even though I’m deeply engrossed
in them. Much of the reason I ended up on
the path I’m on was due to my own
circumstances with poverty, mentors that
influenced me over the ye,ars, and not being
able to walk away from people suffering.
I’ve protested. I’ve been arrested for civil
disobedience. I’ve played
the game. I’ve tried
shoving the issue down
people’s throats. I’ve
IR E C T O R 'S
compromised with
D ESK
powerful institutions that
my values didn’t align
By Israel Bayer
with knowing it would
—
jea(j t0 more g00(j for the
care workers, etc., don’t be afraid to take a
screenshot and find a way to report them to
their place of work.
■ Take the time to support minority-owned
businesses. Visit racistsandwich.com for a
listing of restaurants and grocery stores owner
and operated by people of color in Portland.
■ Join a racial-justice organization with your
membership and participation.
■ Seek out different opinion makers and
media outlets that highlight the perspectives
and voices of people of color.
■ Oregon is facing a $1.8 billion budget
shortfall. People of color and poor white folks
will suffer. Call your local legislators and tell
them it’s absolutely critical that they find a way
people I serve than my
to tax large corporations for doing business in
own political ideologies.
Oregon.
I can’t say a whole lot to convince anyone
■ Portlanders can make two calls! Portland
that any one person or political ideology is
correct I do believe in human beings and the
Democrats - Ginny Burdick and Rod Monroe -
world we live in. I do believe
stand in the way of tenant reforms
people can change, and it’s
in the Oregon legislature. Call
neither comfortable nor easy to
them both and voice your support
stand up and advocate for
fo3r tenant protections and banning
unpopular things, especially in
no cause evictions. Call Burdick at
We have a
the age of social media. It’s
responsibility to not 503-986-1718 and Monroe at 503-
much easier to simply give lip,
986-1724. It’s timé for change.
mock or avoid the conversation
give our country
■ There are 26 local
all together.
over to a racist
throughout the
We can’t stand back and not
leader and people jurisdictions
P o rtla n d M e tro a re a. E a c h o n e of
say anything about the ugly
w ho h a te th e n o tio n t h e m s h o u ld b e c o n t r i b u t i n g t o
racism and white nationalism
of govern m en t
solvingthe affordable housing
that is spreading like wildfire
H e lp in g p o o r
c risis. Call M e tro a t 503-797-1700
through our country.
S
D
Israel Bayer is thé
executive director o f
Street Roots. You can
reach h im a t
israel@streetroots.org
or follow h im on
Twitter @israelbayer.
W hen I w as a kid, in my
Page 3
Editorial
p e o p le . We h a v e a
and tell them we expect Metro
responsibility to
hometown in industrial Middle
leaders to prioritize affordable
America, I ran with some kids
stand np and work housing regionwide.
that identified with white
■ Donate your money to
lor a better
nationalism and Southern pride.
CAUSA Oregon at causaoregon.
tomorrow lor all
At one point, one of my peers
org. Beyond having to respond to
human beings.
told a black kid in my school
the harsh realities of anti
that I called him the “N” word
immigrant rhetoric and ICE raids,
which I never did or never
CAUSA is working to combat
would. Needless to say, that kid
right-wing activists who are
beat me down, literally. I didn’t
already organizing to put anti
blame him. The reality is
nothing I could say mattered because the
immigrant legislation before the voters in
people I was associating with were racists. It’s
Oregon. If you want to put your money where
something I’ve never spoken of and have been
your mouth is, CAUSA needs your support now
ashamed of my entire life. From that moment
more than ever!
on, though, I told myself I would never put
■ Become a recurring donor with Street
myself in that situation again. It was up to me
Roots. Social justice journalism is needed more
to educate myself. It was up to me to take
now than ever. Street Roots needs to increase
accountability for my own actions.
our capacity to provide in-depth reporting on
My point is we all have a choice. Love is so
the issues that matter in our community. We
much more powerful than hate. We have a
need your support to tell the stories of the
responsibility to not give our country over to a
racist leader and people who hate the notion of
people. Become a recurring donor today at
government helping poor people. We have a
streetroots.org.
responsibility to stand up and work for a better
■ Last, but not least Get out into the
tomorrow for all human beings.
streets. P rotest R esist at every turn. Organize
We are living in unforgiving and
- don’t demonize. Bring your kids. Invite your
unprecedented political times.
It’s overwhelming to know exactly what to do family and friends. Be engaged. Be active. Get
up. Stand up. Don’t give up the fight!
in the moment, especially for people who aren’t
Being able to help with any one of these
politically active. Doing nothing is no longer an
things will help move forward social justice
option. Here are a few things you can do today
to help move forward a racial justice in Portland efforts in our community. Whether you’re a
seasoned advocate o r new to political activism,
and in Oregon.
■ Report racism, especially racial slurs on
we all have things to learn. The reality is, for
social media, especially public figures or people
white people specifically, if we aren’t part of the
working with the general public. If you have
solution than we are part of the.problem. Stand
peers on your social media groups who are
up and be counted!
being overtly racist, such as teachers, health
If you would like
to have
that you’ve
written published
in our pages, or would
like to get involved as a
member of our reporting staff,
-"
contact Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl at
503-228-5657, joanne@streetroots.org.
We ask that all submissions include the
author’s name and contact information,
if available.
'
Street Roots
211 NW Davis S t
Portland, OR 07209
503-228-5657
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Advertising
Interested in advertising in Street Roots? ,
Contact Israel Bayer at israel@streetroots.org
Staff
Executive Director Israel Bayer
¡srael@streetroots.org
Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl
joanne@streetroots.org
C o le M e r k e l
co ie @ stree tro o ts.o rg
'
O perations D ire c to r Sa ra h B e e cro ft
Development D ire c to r Sarah C lo u d
Program A ssistant M e g h a n n V a n Pelt,
V e n d o r P ro g ra m D ire c t o r
'
Jesu it V o lu n te e r
Development Assistant Patricia Romero
Reporters Emily Green, Suzanne Zalokar,
Sarah Hansell, Leonora Ko, Jared Paben,
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Photographers Diego Diaz, Joe Glode
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Board of Directors
Chairman Brad Taylor
Vice-Chairman Rachel Langford
Treasurer Heather Stadick
Secretary Dan Jones
Directors Rich Rodgers, Michael Anderson,
Leo Rhodes, Sandra Hahn, John Brown, Marcus
Swift
Volunteers
Jan Bayer, John Barker, Stacey Heath, Anjali Rathore,
Zoe Klingmann, Dan Jones, Dennis Hogan, Monica
McKune, Susan Wolfe, Lucas Hawthorne, Thomas
Buell Jr, Jeanie Lunsford, Yasmin Amirsoleymani,
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Manning, Paul and Madeline Gefroh, Mary Anne
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Holden, Bridget Brown, Cody Travels, Bianca Butler,
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Gallagher, Jenny Farres, Evan Fifsick and Helen Hill. If
you're interested in volunteering with Street Roots,
please submit a volunteer application at streetroots.
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a t 503-228-5657