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Frank Bain (from left), Jason Washington and Bernard Brandon are members o f a black bicycling group stepping up to promote a “ Take Back the S treets” event in north
and northeast Portland as a peaceful response to a surge in violence on city streets.
Stepping
Community bike ride a call
for peace now and beyond
by
D onovan M. S mith , T he P ortland O bserver
Hop in your seat, put rubber to the pavement and ride.
You’re invited to help take back the streets as the longtime
Northeast Alberta Street non-profit Community Cycling
Center hosts a public bike ride in response to a surge in
violence by local youth and other young men.
The upcoming “Take Back the Streets” rally is the brain­
child of two active north Portland residents DeMarcus
Preston, 44 and Jason Washington, 44. They are members of
a local group which explores the cityscape regularly by way
of biking.
After a rash of summer violence that saw two young men
killed in separate incidents within a week of each other, one
in outer southeast Portland and the other in New Columbia
of north Portland, they brought their idea to the cycling
center. The fatal shootings of Andre Leon Coggins Jr., 24,
and Hahrachio “HB” Branch, 26, have served as grim high­
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>
lights to a summer that has seen its fare share of gunfire.
For Preston, a former gang member, it’s about stepping up
to make the community better.
“I’ve seen friends and family killed. I’ve been lucky
enough to make it out, and I want to help others do the same,”
he said.
Within a month, Preston and other members of his bicy­
cling group, joined members of the cycling center to turn their
idea into an event with a budget. A Facebook posting after
just 12 hours saw over 100 people expressing an interest in
attending.
The cycling center’s director of programming, Zoe Pillafas,
calls the effort a model for true collaboration.
Thanks to some funding from Metro, a host of resources will
continued
on page 5