Portland observer., June 07, 2023, Page 6, Image 6

Page 6
June 07, 2023
Noted local photographer goes from documenting Black rodeo culture to producing a marquee event to celebrate Juneteenth in Portland
Black Rodeo Coming to the Portland Expo Center
Local photographer
produces a marquee
event to celebrate
Juneteenth
Portland-based photojournalist Ivan
McClellan has been going to Black rode-
os around the country, documenting the
unique culture, elevating stories of the
rodeo athletes, and developing lifelong
friends along the way.
What started as a curiosity – with his
first visit to a Black rodeo in Oklahoma in
2015 – quickly developed into a passion
project, both from a professional stand-
point, and a personal one of self-discov-
ery and appreciation of this element of his
culture about which he previously knew
very little. Attracted to cowboy culture as
a young boy growing up in Kansas City, he
was blown away when introduced to Black
rodeos as an adult.
Today, McClellan finds himself in a
position he’d likely never dreamt of –
that of large-scale rodeo event producer.
McClellan, along with Councilor Vince
Jones-Dixon of the City of Gresham and a
team of volunteers, is bringing rodeo back
to the Portland Expo Center. On Satur-
day, June 17, the inaugural Eight Seconds
Juneteenth Rodeo will take place there.
Doors open at 3 p.m. to explore food,
drinks and retail vendors, while the rodeo
action starts at 7 p.m.
The invitational rodeo will gather some
of the top competitors from across the
country with an emphasis on supporting
Black western athletes and educating peo-
ple on the cultural heritage of Black cow-
boys and cowgirls. The rodeo will be an in-
clusive educational and entertaining event
that uses lighting, music and top western
athletes to create a fresh rodeo platform.
It will feature a host of traditional events
– including barrel racing, bareback riding,
bull riding, mutton busting, steer wrestling
and ladies breakaway roping – combined
with a wide array of additional entertain-
ment, including a comedy show, music by
DJ O.G.ONE, cocktails and more.
McClellan created the Eight Seconds
project in 2015 to showcase his photos
and stories of Black rodeo athletes and
culture. The Eight Seconds project, char-
acterized by iconic photography portray-
ing the American West, quickly gained
widespread recognition and coverage
by national media outlets. According to
McClellan, the mission of the event goes
beyond the actual rodeo. In an effort to
create opportunities for young Black
Portlanders who want to learn the art of
horsemanship, there are five scholarships
for a year of horseback riding lessons
that will be awarded as a legacy piece of
this year’s rodeo, to inspire the next gen-
eration of cowboys and cowgirls.
“We think it will be a really inspiring
event, to see all these Black cowboys and
cowgirls come out in front of a crowd here,
inspiring youth and letting them know that
this is something that they can achieve in
their life if they’re interested,” he said.
Hard work aside, McClellan says the goal
is to make it an annual event, and anoth-
er signature Juneteenth celebration in the
Portland area to complement Juneteenth
Oregon. “We’re planning on doing it for
many years to come, evolving it and doing
it bigger each year,” he said.