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M ARTIN L UTHER K ING J R .
January 14, 2015
2015 special edition
Behind the Scenes of Don’t Shoot PDX
Activists join forces
in fight for change
BY M IKE B IVINS
P ORTLAND O BSERVER CONTRIBUTOR
The civil rights movement is at the
forefront of the national conscience with
the recent release of the movie Selma,
not to mention the never ending stream
of protests for police reforms over the
deaths of unarmed people of color at the
hands of law enforcement.
In Portland, a group of activists going
by the name of Don’t Shoot PDX has
emerged as one of the leading voices in
the cause. After attending one of their
recent meetings, I have a better under-
standing of how far too many Ameri-
cans get it wrong by looking at the
struggle for justice from the Hollywood
perspective. We have not come as far as
we should have from the days of Selma.
Don’t Shoot PDX is more than a
group of people who are concerned
about police brutality, poverty and the
root causes of both and how they dispro-
portionately affect the black commu-
nity. Don’t Shoot PDX is a movement
that brings people of all colors, and from
different community organizations, to-
gether to fight for change in the city of
Portland
‘Don’t Shoot PDX’ activist Teressa Raifford (center) and Malcolm Chaddock of
Veterans for Peace (right) meet with other activists emerging in the fight for
justice to end racial profiling and the shootings of unarmed black people by law
enforcement.
While they are not a legal entity, dis-
cussions have taken place about making
the organization into a legal entity, as a
measure to protect its members, affili-
ates and allies. The group meets once a
week to discuss issues plaguing Port-
land. The group also takes direct action
and organizes marches and discussions
that put our elected officials in a position
to acknowledge harsh realities.
Even the highest ranking elected offi-
cials are being held accountable. When
U. S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., held a
town hall meeting on Jan. 3 at Portland
Community College’s Southeast Cam-
pus, the group mobilized to confront him
and force him to have a dialogue.
Unpredictable turns are a hallmark of
the group’s activity.
In another protest, the activists put
their numbers behind a group supporting
a $15 minimum wage as a living wage.
“15 Now PDX” was scheduled to pro-
test at the McDonalds near Portland
State University but protested at a nearby
Subway instead. This unpredictable
movement can confound authorities that
might be trying to monitor the group’s
movements in an attempt to preempt
them.
Don’t Shoot PDX eventually made its
way to the original target, where another
activist group which goes by the name
“PDX Bat Signal” was waiting to shine
its beacon onto the building across the
street.
The PDX Bat Signal is run by a local
anonymous individual who has been de-
scribed as a fairy godfather to Don’t
Shoot PDX by Teressa Raifford, one of
the black community leaders helping the
Don’t Shoot PDX cause.
The same individual also provided the
public address horn that Rev. Jessie
Jackson utilized when he spoke at one of
their rallies, and has picketed with dis-
plays of “Don’t Shoot PDX” as well as
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