Flossin Magazine : Don't Count Us Out _ V20#1

INVISIBLE NO MORE FEATURE: /// GET DOWN WITH THE COUNT! #WECOUNTOREGON ///

CENSUS IS POWER CENSUS IS $$$

WATCH THIS COVER COME TO LIFE! (DETAILS ON PAGE 8)

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CONTENTS

Telehealth See page 14

9 Masthead Coronamotion- How our team of creatives navigated through a global pandemic and racial uprising.

20 Dr. Sebi and the Cure for all Diseases The man, the myth and the medicine that healed and captivated the world.

10 Letter From the Editor-in-Chief

21 I’ve got you under my skin

John Washington- Let justice roll down like a mighty stream: Thoughts from the desk of Father John, not Uncle Tom.

The strange story of Microsoft and it’s U.S. patents for using the human body as a conductor of data and energy.

HEALTH and WELLNESS

TRAVEL and LEISURE

14 Telehealth

VACAY During the Pandemic? Check out these recommendations from vacation stay experts at Vacasa:

Revolutionizing the House Call Dr. Natasha Bhuyan of One Medical talks about the power of primary care through the innovation of virtual visit with your doctor.

17 Contact Tracing Coronavirus? There’s an app for that.

18 We Have Agency Dr. Ayeesha Hankins guides us through the journey of self-perceptions and its power over our lives.

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22 Five Secluded Washington Escapes for Hikers When they go low, we go high- check out these amazing trails as a vacation getaway.

23 The Best Off-The-Grid Vacations on the West Coast for Outdoor Adventurers If ever there was a year to ditch the crowds, this is it. Check out these spots for an isolated adventure with friends and family.

HOT TOPICS 24 Revolutionary Road Musings from a lifelong protester on the front line of the struggle for justice and human rights.

26 Get Down With The Count Esperanza Tervalon-Garrett leads one of the most dynamic campaigns for the 2020 census in order to bring money, power and representation into hard to count communities.

29 Restorative Justice Will ODOT’s $800 million freeway widening restore Albina, or just repeat past injustices?

31 The Fight For Our Lives I Can’t Breathe- From the Coronavirus to viral racism, communities are rising up around the World and taking back their power.

CONTENTS

Get Down With The Count See page 26

EDUCATION and COMMUNITY

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

33 PCC- You Belong Here

42 Resource- Full

How Community College operates as an engine to uplift communities of color.

SDBA Navigators are utilizing professional peer coaching to help Black businesses build confidence and arrive at successful economic outcomes.

34 Investing In The Soul How a resource-full technology firm is helping historic black businesses in N/NE Portland restore their identity.

36 It’s Time To Make Moves PBOT Equity and Inclusion Manager, Irene Marion, reflects on the historic wounds and what it takes to create a truly equitable transportation system.

38 Coping With The Coronavirus

44 Represent How the tireless advocacy of Representative Akasha Lawrence-Spence and other Black leaders yielded $62 million for the Oregon Cares Fund for Black Relief and Resilienc

FASHION & ENTERTAINMENT

Germaine Flentroy, Cherrell Edwards and DJ OG ONE weigh in on coping with daily life in a global pandemic.

47 Pride And Style During The New Normal

40 Why Do I Vote?

Shalonda McNefee empowerment coach, creative healer & fashion designer shows us that the New Normal 4 Now can still be fashionable with her designer masks.

Black citizens share their poetic perspectives on the importance of voting.

48 Soul Chain Fashion Designer Mona McDonald is back in action with her newly inspired botanical summer wear.

50 Tik Tok Doctor Dances For Black Joy Dr. Jason Campbell cuts tension on the front lines of the pandemic, one dance at a time.

51 The International Anthem We All Need Now Finding our power and connection in a groove of uncertainty.

52 Riding out the storm with Andy Stokes Northwest King of Soul, Oregon Music Hall of Famer and now Governor for the Recording Academy Pacific Northwest Chapter, R&B Crooner Andy Stokes reminds us not to quit our daydream.

HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS 54 Joy is Power Finding Joy in times of trouble through the musings of Dr. Johnny Lake.

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ABOUT THE COVER

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EXPERIENCE

Search “Flossin Media” In the Google Play or Apple Store

Scan over page using the “Augmented Reality” feature in the app.

Immerse yourself in the AR experience

Flossin Magazine Volume 20 #1

ABOUT THE COVER

Don’t Count US Out-We are the People, Hear us ROAR, We are a Force too Big to Ignore.

Flossin first high-tech-style cover comes to life in augmented reality (AR). Designed and engineered by our Full Stack Creator Steven Christian, the fists of power are in honor of the #WeCountOregon campaign which is emboldening historically undercounted populations to take back their Money, Power and Representation through the 2020 Census.

In this issue, the Augmented Reality capabilities are activated on the following pages: Cover, Page 7 PDX Black Rose Ad, Page 10 Letter from Editor-inChief, Page 12 Energy Trust of Oregon Ad, Page 17 Soul District Business Association Ad, Page 24 Revolutionary Road, Page 26 Get Down with the Count, Page 32 Investing in the Soul, Page 39 Black Beat Podcast Ad, Page 42 ResourceFull, Page 44 Represent, Page 46 Black Resiliency Fund Ad, Page 52 Riding out the Storm with Andy Stokes, Page 55 MLK Dream run Ad and Back Cover.

OUR HISTORY

Flossin Magazine is Avaiable in Hard Copy and Online To request a Hard Copy please email info@flossinmedia.com To subscribe online please go to https://issuu.com/flossinmedia flossinmedia flossinmediaYouTube flossinmediatv

In 2004, a star was born. Flossin Media started out as a Black-focused magazine and morphed into a surround-sound multimedia marketing agency that is carving out a unique space on the starkly white landscape of Portland’s media scene.

We work to reinforce the perception of capability, significance and influence in Black, and other multicultural minority communities, by amplifying and empowering the voices, stories and successes of the historically under heard.

We are here to greenlight their endeavors through the power of Print, Video, Audio, Events, Grassroots Outreach, PR & Social Media Management and Marketing. Through our inspirational, motivational and educational platforms we seek to connect the disconnected back to their best versions of themselves.

In seeking to bring to light existing formulas for good living, we continue to strive towards and awakening, spiritual in nature, and to share this essence in Portland and beyond by highlighting the diversified lifestyles of successful people, especially people of color.

flossinmedia Flossin Media Publishing Office Headquarters: 6607 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, Portland, Oregon 97211 Mailing: PO Box 12185, Portland, Oregon 97212 Phone: 971-388-3117 www.FlossinMedia.com 8

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PHOTOGRAPHY: FLOSSIN MEDIA, JACOBSEN VALENTINE, JV STUDIOS PHOTOGRAPHY AND CREATIVE SPACES, ZAIM HASAN PHOTOGRAPHY LLC, SEAN MAY

Take your experience to the next level with the Flossin Media augmented reality mobile app. We mirror traditional images and text with digital content using our app to create a one of a kind experience that literally pops off the page.

FLOSSIN TEAM

John Washington

Fawn Aberson

In this state of turmoil, I know there is an opportunity for a greater commitment to my faith, which is driving me to my spiritual belief and practice. I’m seeking the balance to stay grounded and looking for a healthy spot to land.

I know I can’t stay at the crossroads and arrive at enlightenment at the same time. I have to choose a path if I’m to find the generosity, joy and love that we all seek.

There is a presence moving in my spirit, motivating me to an ongoing cadence of flash bangs, fence rattling, rally cries and drum beats. No Justice, No Peace. The earth has been cracked and I feel like we are in a significant battle for the soul of humanity. It is time for us to decide what is truly valuable and worth doing, and then do it..

Executive Director & Managing Editor

Art Director & Design Layout

t’s the end of the World as we know it and I feel FINE, thanks to the warriors and kindred spirits out there fighting the good fight.

Black Lives Matter!!

While industries are trying to adapt to change, the world is responding to injustice in real time. I am curious to see the outcome of how many will remain steadfast.

Hailei Aberson- Holford

Steven Christians

Brand Strategist Assistant & Contributing Photographer

Full Stack Creator

We are in a paradigm shift that is affecting everyone and every industry. This is really exposing the lack of equity communities of color have. I appreciate the fact that people are becoming hyper aware of these disparities, and are compelled to take on the fight with us. I hope we are stronger as a community at the end of this.

Change is going to come whether we want it or not. I am now able, for the first time in my life, to be selfish with my time, energy, and spirit and best believe I am taking advantage of it.

Edna J Waters

Marketing & Outreach Assistant We are all experiencing a time that makes us think critically. Layers of history and the interconnectedness of health and equity are unfolding disparities that cannot be ignored. Through all of this, I am motivated to be intentional in my actions and words in order to progress the health and wellbeing of the greater community. Right now we have the power to address the past and better the future in a way that breeds greater equality amongst the community without the continuation of disparity and discrimination.

Donavan Smith

Writer, Blogger, Activist It’s unfortunate that it took an impossible amount of events to get here. The times have nonetheless been heavy and cautiously inspiring at the same time. I’m staying tuned, paying attention, building where I know how; we’ve never seen the empire shaken quite like this, so anything, for better or worse could be ahead.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Dr. Ayeesha Hankins, PhD

Joe Cartwright

Dr. Johnny Lake, PhD

is an Educational Psychologist and the Founder and Capability Expert of Dr. Ayeesha Hankins LLC. Her business is dedicated to helping Black women build confidence in their capabilities, so they can have more, be more, and achieve more.

is Director of City Observatory, an urban policy think tank, and also serves as Chair of the Oregon Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers. He has lived in Northeast Portland for the past four decades.

is a nationally certified and internationally recognized educator and speaker in programs focused on equity, inclusion, leadership, diversity, community-building, cross-cultural interactions skills and ethics.

www.ayeeshahankins.com Author of We Have Agency, PG # 18

www.cityobservatory.org Author of Restorative Justice, PG # 29

www.drjohnnylake.org Author of Joy is Power, PG # 54

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CORONAMOTION-

Jamaal Hale

Michele Darr

Associate & Copy Editor, Activist

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The Flossin Team and our State of Consciousness during the uprising

CEO & Editor in Chief

FROM THE EDITOR

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

W

elcome back, Friends. Who knew that as we reached completion of the latest issue of Flossin Magazine, we would also be contemplating a broad range of life-altering changes in nearly every facet of our existence? Caught in between the rock of a global pandemic and the hard place of worldwide uprisings and protests stemming from unmitigated slavery, oppression, genocide and violence carried out against Black people in the U.S for hundreds of years, the structures, beliefs and overall status quo of this colonial empire have been swept up by a mighty river so profound and all-encompassing in nature, that there is no stopping what has been unleashed.

As a people, we are clear that there is no going back to the old ways of merely co-existing and obeying, without question, the dictates of our jailers. I am also finding myself at a place in my life where I’m doing a lot of soul searching and re-evaluation of my purpose as a citizen and leader in my community and in this country built by our Black Ancestors. It is at this juncture that I turn to my inner-guides, most notably Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who reflects and informs many of my highest goals and aspirations, particularly with regards to serving my people.

Often quoted by churches, spiritual leaders and revolutionaries alike, Dr. King motivated hundreds of thousands in the U.S. to protest peacefully against racism and racist power structures woven into the very fabric of this country since its inception. Lesser known, are the quandaries he faced during the later stages of his life, when his perspective and growing discontent led him to consider other strategies being used to attain the same goals.

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Actor/activist, Harry Belafonte, shared a memory about a conversation he had with his friend shortly before he was murdered. According to Belafonte, King said, “I’ve come upon something that disturbs me deeply. We have fought hard and long for integration, as I believe we should have, and I know we will win, but I have come to believe that we are integrating into a burning house.

I’m afraid that America has lost the moral vision she may have had, and I’m afraid that even as we integrate, we are walking into a place that does not understand that this nation needs to be deeply concerned with the plight of the poor and disenfranchised. Until we commit ourselves to ensuring that the underclass is given justice and opportunity, we will continue to perpetuate the anger and violence that tears the soul of this nation. I fear I am integrating my people into a burning house.”

I feel those words all the way to the core of my Being. Integrating and assimilating into the very white, racist structural realities hell bent on our destruction comes with no small amount of gut-wrenching uncertainty.

When I look around and see my Brothers and Sisters from coast to coast rising up to confront the viral pandemic of racist laws and enforcement that are the sum total of a 400-year cycle of oppression and genocide upon Black and Brown bodies and lives, I reflect upon what is considered an appropriate response to the horrific abuses we have sustained.

The toll extracted from Black America by the innumerable micro and macroaggressions we face in our uphill battle to achieve parity and equity in this country, cannot be underestimated. When a person’s entire life experience

“Black men in this country are the only men expected to approach conflict limited by the laws of the white establishment, which states that the rules of engagement are different for him.”

- John Washington , Ceo / Editor-In-Chief of Flossin Media

is a daily fight to stay alive in a society that targets and kills them with impunity, while socially and economically disenfranchising them, their very soul and nature of what it means to be human is violated. The eviscerating pain of families being ripped apart by “human services” that are structured to “help” but only if the family is broken and the Male is not in the picture, compounded by witnessing our children ruthlessly murdered in the streets by law enforcement, rips the bloody, tattered bandage from ALL of the wounds sustained over generations. In those moments where our Soul boundaries are breached, we can either erect psychological and emotional buffers against the ensuing and highly primal rage, carry out retribution against the perpetrators of our suffering, or tragically turn the “gun” on ourselves.

With it’s colonial boot on our necks and U.S. law dictating that we cannot respond in any way other than with passivity towards our tormentors, we most often implode. Black on Black crime is a potent example of such a visceral response to our collective condition. From a human standpoint, how is the community as a whole expected to respond when 400 years of oppression that has robbed us of everything, including our dignity, then strips us of the only thing that makes life worth living….our precious children? Think about it and think about it hard. What would YOU do??

Now I’m no hate monger nor do I advocate for a race war or a violent response to the wrongs committed against us. However, from my perspective, the male participants in ANY family have a role to play. In every war, the men most often possess a sword and a shield. Black men in this country are the only men expected to approach conflict limited by the laws of the white establishment, which states that the rules of engagement are different for him. We aren’t allowed to have a sword and are constantly admonished that we should remain “nonviolent” and “passive” in achieving our goals of living in freedom and equality. We are not allowed to physically defend ourselves against the invasion, against the persecution, and to add insult to injury, we are expected to stand there with our hands by our side or tied behind our backs.

the dynamics of a powder keg and the deplorable human condition which continues to light the fuse with righteous anger.

“And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened.... It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.”

The question of “What has America failed to hear?” must also be asked of those in the Black community who have assimilated, especially those who hold positions of privilege and power. The question I would pose of these people is “What have you failed to hear as you defend your disposition of complacency in this burning house?” In order to preserve our dignity as a people, we must have the opportunity to be equal in rank and prosperity and to live without having to watch our backs for fear of being killed like Ahmaud Arbery, who, while on a jog, was hunted down and shot dead by a white father and son. Like Breonna Taylor, who was shot 8 times, as she slept, by police who entered her apartment on a no-knock warrant. Like George Floyd, who was murdered on the street in broad daylight by a white police officer who knelt down on his neck until he died while three other police stood by and watched. And like countless other Black Americans lynched by the same power structures supposedly in place to “protect and serve” us all. I ask you again. What would YOU do? The bottom line is that I would choose death before I would stand down in the face of such grave transgressions upon myself, my children and my people.

Now I know that change never comes easy or without the joint efforts of individuals and organizations working together towards a common goal.

Towards this end, I and my staff are focusing our magazine lens on the efforts of those on the frontline of systemic transformation in our state and in our nation. In these pages, you will find We Count Oregon, a dynamic, BIPOC-led movement to make sure our Black citizens and other hardto-count communities are represented in the 2020 census. We examine the predictably disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black and Brown communities while remaining vigilant in calling into account the mitigating and, let’s face it, racially biased factors, systemology and historic abuse of authority by the US government since 1492, which have led us to a watershed moment in history with the Black Lives Matter movement.

In an effort to not lose sight of the opportunities embedded in the crisis, we are also shifting the narrative from the gloom and doom of our times by examining how patients and doctors are connecting through telehealth and by exploring mental wellness and self-reflection with Dr. Ayessha Hankins, who reminds us that we are our own best agents of internal change.

In the field of politics, we are highlighting leaders like Representative Akasha Lawerence Spence and her Black peers who are putting Oregon’s legislature on BLASK and who are working with the Black community to take economic power back into their own hands. To lend perspective on the importance of transportation justice, Irene Marion from PBOT takes us on a road-trip of Oregon’s highways and byways, by reflecting where we have come from and where we are going.

In closing, I want to emphasize that while I constantly seek to find redemption in the silver lining of the gathering storm, the dignity of this Black man will not be appropriated from me. I will never stop pursuing the fight for life, liberty and justice and I urge each of you to do the same. Our very lives and the lives of our children depend on it.

John Washington, Editor-In-Chief, Flossin Media #BlackLivesMatter

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ENERGY SAVER KIT OREGON There are simple things everyone can do to make their home more comfortable while also saving energy. You may already have what you’ll need to make these changes—or they can be shipped to your door.

HOME HEATING Your heating system is likely your largest energy expense, and there are several ways to prevent sending it into overdrive.

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Clean or replace your air filter. Dirty filters require the furnace to work harder. You can clean filters by vacuuming them or rinsing them with soap and water or order a new one to be shipped to your door.

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Lower the heat at night. You save about three percent on your bill for every degree you lower the thermostat. A smart thermostat can help make these changes for you. You can find coupons for smart thermostats and order one online at energytrust.org/save.

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If you have caulk handy or can order it online, use it to fill gaps between the wall and doors, windows, pipes, drains or fireplaces. These gaps can add up. You can lose just as much energy as if you’re leaving a window open year-round.

SAVE WATER, SAVE ENERGY •

More people at home means more laundry, more showers and more dishes. Heating your water is probably your second largest energy expense.

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Set the water heater to a maximum of 120 degrees. For every ten degrees you lower the water heater, you save about 3-5% on your bill.

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When doing the dishes, scrape food off the plate rather than rinsing.

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When doing laundry, use the cold setting for both washing and rinsing. Advancements in both washing machines and detergent allow cold water to be just as effective as hot.

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Switch to a WaterSense® labeled showerhead, which can save up to $55 a year in energy and water. Energy Trust offers discounts through retailers around Oregon – available online. You can also get one free by ordering an Energy Saver Kit online.

LIGHTING •

Lighting is also a great opportunity for savings. ENERGY STAR approved LED bulbs use 85 percent less energy and last about 15 times longer than standard bulbs.

S AV E M O N E Y, M A K E YO U R S PAC E M O R E CO M FO RTAB LE D U R I N G ‘ S TAY AT H O M E ’ O R D F LE O SRS I N

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TELEHEALTH The Return of the House Call-

How technology is shifting how we access our doctor, lowering medical cost and replacing sick care with health care.

WORDS BY | FAWN ABERSON

The onslaught of Covid-19 has impacted economies around the world, threatened everyone all at once, and is literally forcing “the masses” to consider not only their own health, but the health of others around the globe. With the hyper focus on how we are all feeling physically, adapting economically, interacting socially and professionally, the use of technology has been evolving us rapidly towards a “new normal”. Even more significant is that a greater part of this evolution will likely remain in play long after this pandemic has loosened its grip on our lives. Zoom, Teams and Google Chat virtual video meetings have been adapted and used by everyone from the White House to the Jenkins’ house, from the boardroom to the classroom, and yes, affected even patient/doctor visits. Virtual communication, 14

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although not new, has never been used so broadly by so many socioeconomic groups all at once.

As 2020 ushered in the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent rules of engagement, it also ushered into the spotlight a tele-health company called One Medical. Touted as the nation’s largest independent membership based, primary care provider, it is working to forge an innovative path leading patients to access primary care by conducting virtual visits with their physicians through online video and chat platforms. Although office visits are still available, the technology component of this care is paid for as part of the patient’s memberships. The cost is around $199 annually and it includes a phone app and access to services 24/7.

“We focus on how can we help people and engage and empower them in being more proactive about their health.”

- Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, Regional Director of West Coast Markets for One Medical.

similar partnerships with large hospitals in other markets. This trend is helping hospitals build their provider network, reverse the current system of economic rewards, and shift focus from sick care to one focused on preventative healthcare.

One Medical office spaces are generally small but “designer” in décor to make their members/ patients feel less anxious about seeing a doctor. However, a lot of what they are banking on is connecting with their patients through virtual video visits or chats as a way to cut costs for patients and employers by improving the primary care experience.

Doctors at One Medical are paid a salary rather than on a fee-for-service basis, allowing more time with patients and removing incentives to refer patients to specialists.

One Medical was originally formed out of a single practice established in 2007 by Dr. Tommy Lee, who was looking to make primary care more economically feasible.

Most practices in primary care struggle to make profitable margins despite the fact that the amount of money spent per person on health care is higher in the United States than in other countries. By 2017, One Medical had grown to 72 locations throughout the US and in 2018, the Carlyle Group, a private equity management firm, invested $350 million in the company. One Medical went public in January of 2020, filed under the initial public offering trading name, 1Life Healthcare Inc. Thanks to an expansion partnership with Providence St. Joseph Health, it grew into 8 more locations including Portland and Seattle and now has

“I joined the medical practice because I was looking to impact people’s lives and be intimately involved. Primary care seemed such a great avenue to do that. I joined One Medical because it’s a more innovative way of practicing medicine. We are a membership-based primary care practice and our goal is to transform health care for all by integrating this 24/7 virtual care with the in-person in-office care model. In addition, we also we have lab services in our offices.” Shared Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, family physician and the Regional Director of West Coast Markets for One Medical.

“We focus on how can we help people and engage and empower them in being more proactive about their health, and making health-care more accessible and convenient.” She continued. “We have same day/ next day appointments, we have an app you can use to do a video chat with a physician, access your health records or, get prescription renewals. Through virtual

care, we can help manage chronic disease such as diabetes and obesity, we can treat common issues like urinary tract infections and rashes and even look at muscular skeletal issues. One of the biggest things we are seeing patients for right now is mental health, which is a really important part of what we do in medicine.”

In early April of this year, One Medical also began to activate mobile testing sites to help diagnose the coronavirus in communities all over the country. These sites are intended to keep people who fear they may have the virus from overwhelming hospital emergency rooms and unintentionally further spreading the virus in spaces that are already struggling to get the personal protective equipment (ppe) they need to service critically ill patients. “ Testing is a national concern. At One Medical we thought it was important to be able to offer wide spread testing because it is an important component of the public health response to Covid-19 and in understanding the prevalence of disease,” stated Dr. Bhuyan. “We set up mobile testing because you actually end up using far less ppe than in the hospital, and you are able to swab and test a higher volume of patients. We are able to offer hundreds of tests to people in a place like Portland per week because people need it. The long and short of it is, the loss of life and our economy being shut down as long as it has, is because of a lack of adequate or available testing.”

She concluded.

Due to Covid-19, One Medical is also offering free memberships for front-line responders and essential workers for 30 days. Folks from these groups simply need to call the hotline at 1-888-0nemed1, or email essentialworkers@onemedical.com. For anyone else with Covid-19 concerns, or who F LOS S IN

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

would like to try out the virtual care features, t hey can also acti v a te a fre e 3 0 d a ys membership by going to www.Onemedical. com to download the app and then type in the code GETCare30. Dr. Bhuyan explains the process at One Medical as follows; “For those with Covid-19 concerns, once they have registered as members, they will connect with a clinician who will set them up at a mobile test site, most often the same day. When you arrive at a site, the entire test itself is less than 5 minutes. We use a nasal swab to get some respiratory secretions as a sample and send it to a commercial lab.

The turnaround time to get results is about 2-3 days. At the mobile test sites, what we are testing for is the actual virus and active infection; it’s known as PCR or RNA testing which looks for genetic components of the virus. Why this testing is more complicated than the other test is related to the swab itself and the availability of ppe for the health care providers. If you don’t have enough of either, you aren’t able to provide testing.”

In their office setting, One Medical staff is also offering the coronavirus antibody test which is a blood test that checks for prior infections a couple of weeks or months ago, keeping patients with respiratory concerns in separate spaces from non-respiratory concerns. They currently work with most h e a l t h c a re i n s u ra n c e a n d M e d i c a re , however Medicaid is still unavailable. “ We don’t want testing to be cost prohibitive, so if you don’t have insurance we won’t charge you for the testing.” She shared. “That said, in some cases the outside lab we send the test to may send you a bill separately as part of their fee, and that is generally around $51. 00.”

One Medical is also working with the local Health Departments in each state on reporting cases and critical data, but as always, mindful of the sensitivity of client patient confidentiality.

“Data sharing is a huge topic in medicine.

How do we honor and respect patient privacy, but at the same time, how can we act without knowing all the information?

Internally, our teams are thinking about this all the time.”

As testing sites across the country wrestle with these questions, what is emerging from the data that has been gathered, is that the prevalence of chronic diseases paved the path of destruction wreaked by Covid-19. This disproportionately impacted communities of color who are more likely to die if infected then their white counterparts. “ We re a l l y n e e d t o u n d e r s t a n d , w h a t are systemic issues that persist in our healthcare system that disproportionately impact different communities? The reality is, part of that is related to our infrastructure 16

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and part of that is related to our implicit bias that we know people in health care have.

This is such a big issue. What I distill it down to is, I know that my mission at One Medical as a clinician, and as a person of color, is making sure that we do reach and give quality primary care to all people, and that it is inclusive. That means we do talk to our patients about race and ethnic identity when we are treating them because part of this is also their family history, right? Another thing we touch upon is education. I am not talking about educating our patients; I am talking about educating us as providers. We need to understand what health disparities mean, and how implicit bias impacts how we deliver care. Starting with a diverse health care workforce is important and that is something we are always looking to expand, as is making sure we have clinicians of color and of diverse backgrounds able to serve those communities.” Stated Dr. Bhuyan.

For a Black person interested in pursuing a medical degree, the latter of Dr. Bhuyan’s statements implies yet another different, yet same, kind of struggle. Throughout history, it has always been a challenge for Black and other communities of color to enter the upper echelons of the medical field, starting with even being accepted into medical schools in the first place. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, active physicians by race/ethnicity are 56.2% White, 17.1% Asian, 5.8% Hispanic, and 5.0% Black. 13.7% of active physicians are of unknown race and/or ethnicity. Yet, as evidenced by the example of OneMedical and Dr. Bhuyan, where there is a will, there is always a way “For me, yes it is important to focus on Covid- 19 but also, let’s not forget what good primary care looks like. Good primary care needs to continue during and coming out of this pandemic. This pandemic is really pushing us to this new frontier of medicine, to see what we can offer virtually via telehealth options and safe access in order to make sure people get the care that they need.”

So as we move through 2020 with health at the forefront of our minds, it’s hard not to consider all of the underlying conditions that have perpetuated the Covid-19 pandemic, viruses of the past and even the bad health habits of humans in general. All can be traced to similar factors that have perpetuated chronic illnesses over the course of our lifetime. Human consumption o f b a d l y c a re d f o r o r m o d i f i e d f o o d , breathing of polluted air or living in toxic environmental conditions, lackadaisical or poor access to resources needed for good hygiene habits, and generally inadequate attention to our own immune systems and general wellbeing, are all common but controllable factors we could improve upon with either personal or collective attention.

If we choose not to focus on improving

these things, the bottom line will be that the economic and personal habits of us humans will continue to make the entire world sick.

It bodes the question: if we want to continue to move about this Earth with some sense of freedom and ability to make enough money, how might we do so with more respect, care for ourselves and others, and then make that an ongoing practice? Like so many things these days, the answer may lie in better technology.

Perhaps as we begin accessing primary care more frequently through technology, moderating our wellness will serve as an integrated part of fortifying our immune s y s t e m s a n d i m p rov i n g o u r p e r s o n a l behaviors. Maybe then we can spend less time treating our sicknesses and more time supporting our health.

“For me, yes it is important to focus on Covid-19 but also, let’s not forget what good primary care looks like.”

CONTACT TRACING

CORONAVIRUS? THERE’S AND APP FOR THAT!

WORDS BY | MICHELE DARR

S

eems that no matter what the need is, someone has an app to fill the gap. The novel coronavirus, or COVID19, is no exception to the rule. The most current and hotly debated proposal involves using smartphones for “contact tracing.” Contact tracing is described as working backward from infected cases to identify people who may have been exposed to the disease, so that they can be tested, isolated, and—when possible—treated. The process of interviews and background work are time consuming and labor intensive, and countries such as Singapore, South Korea and Israel have enlisted technology, including mobile apps, to help trace the trajectory of cases. This idea is now catching on in the United States with North Dakota and Utah releasing voluntary contact-tracing apps that track users’ location as they move about.

In the rush to curb transmission and spread of the disease, an article published on April 27th, 2020 by the Brookings Institute warned that “app notifications of contact with COVID-19 are likely to be simultaneously over- and under-inclusive”, the report stated. “Experts” in several disciplines have shown why mobile phones and their sensors make for imperfect proxies for coronavirus exposure. False positives (reports of exposure when none existed) can arise easily. Individuals may be flagged as having contacted one another despite very low possibility of transmission—such as when the individuals are separated by walls porous enough for a Bluetooth signal to penetrate. Nor do the systems account for when individuals take precautions, such as the use of personal protective equipment, in their interactions with others.”

HOW TO

Privacy is far and away the biggest concern amongst tech and government leaders alike. From excessive data gathering with little to no requirement of liability for personal information of users, to glitches and concerns over it being used as a tool of sophisticated surveillance, there are many reputable experts weighing in that the risks of this technology currently far outweigh the benefits. In the interest of safeguarding people’s health data, most of us can agree that it is paramount to develop the highest possible standards of safety and efficacy.

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

WE HAVE AGENCY: We Control Our Self-Perceptions ORDSW BY |

D r . YESHA HANKIS, PHD

O

ur self-perceptions influence the quality and direction of our lives. The messages reflected in the faces and voices of neighbors, bosses, or store clerks impact us. What others believe about us, influences what we believe about ourselves.

We can all recall a time when our confidence was shattered, or our selfesteem undermined by the words or actions of others. The battle for our self-perception is real. When Black men and women are brutally killed by the police without justice and our community is labeled as predisposed to COVID-19, it is hard not to let these realities affect how we see ourselves.

We must create our self-perceptions. This is not a simple or one-time task. It is ongoing and sometimes difficult. But it is something we can learn. To protect our identity, we must act as an agent. We must build our personal agency. Agency is our belief that we can exercise some degree of control over the quality and content of our lives. It is the conviction that we can override environmental influences and shape our future. Agency is part of our humanness. It is fundamental to who we are, and a skill we can cultivate.

There are four strategies to build our agency. The first is intentionality.

We set intentions for our future by envisioning our desired outcomes.

We decide how we want our lives to improve. The second is forethought. We use forethought by creating goals and defining how to turn them into reality. This includes making action plans that direct 18

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“We play a vital role in our ow n d ev e l o p m e n t a n d self-renewal, but to be an agent, we need other agents.�

- Dr. Ayeesha Hankins, PHD

our current behavior. It requires the consideration of what we need to do now to produce specific future results. The third strategy is selfregulation. It involves implementing our action plans and managing stressors and setbacks that arise. Managing our motivation is also key to self-regulation. The fourth strategy is self-reflection. It is the examination of the soundness of our thoughts, results, and effort.

Reflection on our action allows us to adjust our efforts to achieve our desired future. With consistent practice, these strategies become new habits. We start to operate as agents.

We have the power to control how we see ourselves. Our answers to questions like, “Who am I?,” “What do I deserve?,” “What is my value?,” and “What am I capable of?” matter most. Once we have made our own conclusions about us, then we can engage with other credible sources. Only certain people have the right to give us feedback on who we are or who we can become. We control who we allow to influence us. We determine who is credible and who is not. Credible people are competent. They have skills that we lack, and they can provide encouragement.

An individual that commands their self-perceptions is an example of a credible source. They are cognizant of the influence that others have on them and they act as agents. They create social environments, both real and virtual, that affirm who they are. They filter the news from the noise. They take control of their self-perceptions. They protect them and they can help others do the same.

We play a vital role in our own development and self-renewal, but to be an agent, we need other agents. As we continue to isolate at home, we must find other men and women who can build us up. I have outlined several strategies on how to build agency. Pick one strategy and start small. Consider how you can incorporate it into your daily life. Do you need help maintaining a positive self-perception? Or are there other areas of your life that you need to exercise a greater degree of control?

Find an agent to help you. Our personal agency enables us to work together via collective agency. We pool our knowledge, skills, and resources together and help each other grow.

COVD-19 has affected us all in a variety of ways. We are mourning our individual and collective losses. We are feeling fear and uncertainty. We are working through trauma. We are adjusting to a new normal at our jobs and in our homes. As we work to heal and thrive, I hope that we can protect the truth of who we are as individuals and as a community.

And remember, we have our capacity for self-determination. We can control the quality and direction of our lives. We can control our selfperceptions.

Dr. Hankins runs a consultancy that teaches Black women how to 10x their confidence and believe in their capabilities, so they can achieve more. Website: www.ayeeshahankins.com

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

THE CURE FOR ALL DISEASES WORDS BY | MICHELE DARR

I

n the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic and the seemingly irrefutable methods and practices of the medical/pharmaceutical industrial complex, the work of the late, great Dr. Sebi is more relevant than ever before.

Born Alfredo Bowman in Honduras on Nov. 26, 1933, Dr. Sebi came to the United States battling asthma, diabetes, impotence, and obesity. Failing to find relief via conventional doctors practicing Western medicine, he spent the next 3 decades studying herbal medicine in North America, South America, Africa, and the Caribbean. Based upon the simple premise that acid and mucus are the basis for all sickness and disease, Dr. Sebi’s methodology supports the human body’s natural ability to heal by creating an alkaline atmosphere in the body utilizing plant foods, minerals and herbs. According to the website, https://drsebiscellfood.com/ methodology/: “In Western medical research, diseases are a result of the host being infected with a “germ”, “virus”, or “bacteria”. In their approach to treating these “infestations”, inorganic, carcinogenic chemicals are employed….

By consistently utilizing the same premise and methods, they have consistently yielded ineffective results….in the 400-year tradition of the European philosophy of medicine, their approach in treating disease has yet to produce any cures.”

The website goes on to reveal the differences in the African approach to treatment that consistently lends favorably to healing from even the most virulent and, according to Western medical practitioners, “incurable” diseases.

In 1987, Dr. Sebi began advertising his treatment and cures for cancer, AIDS, HIV, herpes, diabetes, paralysis, and several other diseases in the Amsterdam News, the Village Voice, and the New York Post newspapers. Attracting the attention of the New York Attorney General, Robert Abrams, Sebi was ordered to remove the 20

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ads and when he refused, he was arrested on charges of practicing medicine without a license, selling products not approved by the FDA, and fraudulently claiming that he could cure AIDS and other diseases. Despite support from the American Heart Association and other credible medical groups, he was charged with fraud and a court date was set. After being implored to retain legal counsel, he chose instead to defend himself against one of the toughest prosecutors in the country.

also met untimely deaths, including Lisa “LeftEye” Lopes, Teddy Pendergrass and Michael Jackson. Most recently, rapper Nipsey Hussle, who had famously announced he was working on a documentary film about Sebi, was shot dead outside of his clothing store in L.A. In addition, since 2016, over 100 natural and holistic doctors and healthcare practitioners nationwide have also been murdered in cold blood or met unusually mysterious and/or violent deaths.

After a thorough and well-documented presentation before the court, the judge remained unconvinced, demanding that Sebi provide testimony from one of each of his patients who could testify that he or she had been cured of diseases deemed “fatal” by the established medical industry. He responded immediately by producing 77 patients and, after hearing their powerful witness about being cured of their diseases, the jury found Sebi not guilty. He was acquitted on all counts.

Far from anything that can be considered a conspiracy theory, is the hard, cold, capitalist reality that the holistic healthcare and healing industry is a looming threat to the multi-billiondollar medical/pharmaceutical industrial complex, whose cash cow is in sickness, not cures. Despite numerous attempts to neutralize and silence Dr. Sebi and others whose professions liberate us from the treadmill of disease and suffering, Dr. Sebi’s Cell Food continues to grow and thrive as do the practices of holistic Doctors bravely continuing to prevail and spread the word.

Sebi passed away in 2016 at the age of 82, renewing public interest in the good doctor and his life work. Several celebrities who attempted to introduce and publicize the Dr.s work before AND after his sudden and unexpected demise,

For more information on Dr. Sebi’s broad range of products and treatment options, visit https://drsebiscellfood.com

I’VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN WORDS BY | MICHELE DARR

It’s hard to deny the power that technology has over our lives these days.

There is literally nothing inanimate that cannot be digitally enhanced to interface with us on even the most subtle levels of human interaction.

From smartphones to smart tvs to smart cars and houses, we literally only need to speak commands out loud to invoke everyone’s best friend, Siri, to enable a myriad of devices that then spring into action and meet our ever-expanding needs.

It is common knowledge that cutting-edge technology has innovated and produced many solutions in the realm of medicine and healthcare. From pacemakers that monitor and control your heart rate, to cardiac monitors and other life saving devices, technology makes it possible to gather, record and transmit body signals to doctors who then read results and make appropriate diagnosis’ for treatment. It is clear that technology has a place at the table when it comes to treating patients and saving lives, so is it any wonder that in a global pandemic, tech giants are doing what they do best and touting digital solutions to the crisis?

While it is certainly true that technology can lend itself positively to the process of diagnosing and treating diseases and ailments, too much of a good thing can also open doors to other more dubious uses. For instance, tech-giant, Microsoft owns not just one, but TWO US patents designed to turn human beings into walking computers, with the texts of both reading like dystopian episodes of “Black Mirror”. Patent number 6,754,472 is “designed to use the human body as a conductor of data and energy and integrate it into the network so that software, information and programs can be transmitted through a person’s skin.” Patent number WO2020060606 effectively seeks to transform the cash economy into a labor-tracking system, where a person’s level of productivity determines their rate of compensation through a “cryptocurrency system communicatively coupled to the device of the user and may verify if the body activity data satisfies one or more conditions set by the cryptocurrency system, and award cryptocurrency to the user whose body activity data is verified.” Nowhere does it include or make allowances for those it labels “unproductive”....an unquestionably ominous omission in the shadow of a world history rife with the practice of eugenics, not to mention genocide.

How all of this is connected remains to be seen, however, it is more than a little alarming that Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently proposed to inoculate 7.8 billion humans with a COVID-19 vaccine they are rushing to develop within as little as 9 months (the rigorous and time consuming process of testing new vaccines for safety and efficacy in human applications usually takes 5 years or longer). This begs the question: Why the rush to a “cure” for a disease with a 99.75 percent rate of full recovery? What about tackling MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) a virulent and highly contagious type of bacteria that is resistant to several antibiotics and kills roughly 1 in 4 people who develop an infection?

Ebola? Anyone?

The number of questions running through my brain right now are innumerable however, the bottom line is that I’m highly skeptical of giving the world’s wealthiest tech company access to my brain and central nervous system. Once we are all physically connected to the Microsoft network, it is anyone’s guess how much autonomy we will retain, if any at all. I say it’s high time we put Gates and Co. on blast and ask more than a few more pertinent questions, wouldn’t you?

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TRAVEL AND LEISURE

VACAY DURING THE PANDEMIC? 5 Secluded Washington Escapes for HikersWhen they go low, we go high… check out these amazing trails as a vacation get away.

During the height of the pandemic, many parks and trails closed down across Washington.

Thankfully, the majority have now reopened to visitors, just in time for National Outdoors Month.

As temperatures increase and the sun begins to peek through the trees, it’s the perfect opportunity to get some exercise and reconnect with loved ones—while keeping a safe distance.

Vacasa’s travel experts hand-selected some of the best off-the-beaten-path destinations and trails in Washington for avid hikers. After all, what better place to enjoy the outdoors than the Evergreen State?

Port Angeles

Quincy

Drumroll, please. Olympic National Park has officially reopened! We’re pretty excited about it. And, it’s a quick drive from oceanside Port Angeles, dubbed “the epicenter of the Olympic Peninsula.” While you’re there, you can go chasing waterfalls—like Marymere Falls and Madison Creek Falls, to name a couple.

When you reach Quincy, you might feel like you were suddenly transported to Arizona or New Mexico. A picturesque town along the Columbia River Gorge, Quincy offers plenty of jaw-dropping views and high-desert trails bordered by sagebrush and tucked along rolling hills. Ancient Lakes will undoubtedly get your heart rate up as you explore miles of canyon and lakes.

Where to stay in Port Angeles • Downtown Cottage • Meadows Mountain Retreat • Sleeping Raven Woodland Retreat

Where to stay in Quincy • Columbia River Gorge Retreat Cave B Ridge • Sunset Splendor at Cave B Ridge • Tiny Home at Cave B Ridge

Gig Harbor A peaceful maritime village near Puget Sound, Gig Harbor is a true hidden gem, with dense forest encircling the downtown and a walkable waterfront. Enjoy the views of Mt. Rainier from nearly every angle in town, and check out dog-friendly woodland trails like McCormick Forest Park Loop that will make you feel like you’re in the Shire.

Where to stay in Gig Harbor • The Tides Retreat • Betty’s Beach House • Whispering Tree Due to ever-changing Covid-19 status updates, it is a good idea to check openings by not only State, but County. and if you’re staying in a Vacasa or other home, by Home Owners Associations. Depending on Covid-19 case spikes in different areas, travel accommodations and various amenities ( i.e. pools, hot tubs) could be impacted.

Leavenworth A stunning Bavarian village surrounded by mountain peaks, Leavenworth has a serious fan base. While Washingtonians flock to Leavenworth for its restaurant and beer scene, you might want to stay just outside of the main drag right now to enjoy its natural beauty in complete solitude. Most trailheads in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest have opened up, including the Enchantments, recommended for only the most experienced and confident adventurers.

Where to stay in Leavenworth • Hillside Hideaway • Forestside Lodge • Copper Top Chalet

Cle Elum Founded in the early 1900s, Cle Elum’s name translates to “swift water,” and for good reason. Just seven miles northwest of town sits Cle Elum Lake, where you can fish, boat, or stretch out on white sandy beaches. Cle Elum is home to some of the best trailheads in the state, including 4.2-mile Baldy Mountain and Davis Peak, which is decidedly more challenging but offers a big payoff—a 360-degree panorama view of more than 10.

Cascades peaks.

Where to stay in Cle Elum • 6 Acre Wilderness Retreat • Bill Hill Lodge • Creekside Cabin

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Photo by Riccardo Mion on Unsplash

SHARING INSIGHTS FROM VACATION STAY EXPERTS AT VACASA. INCLUDING:

The Best Off-The-Grid Vacations on the West Coast for Outdoor AdventurersIf ever there was a year to ditch the crowds, this is it. Check out these spots for an isolated adventure with friends and family.

Due to ever-changing Covid-19 status updates, it is a good idea to check openings by not only state but county and if you’re staying in a Vacasa or other home, by Home Owners Associations.

Depending on Covid-19 case spikes in different areas, travel accommodations and various amenities ( i.e. pools, hot tubs) could be impacted.

The majority of National Parks and coveted hiking trails across the U.S. closed down in recent months to slow the spread of COVID-19. Now, many are reopening to visitors—just in time for National Outdoors Month.

After sheltering in place, we’re all more than ready for a change of scenery and the opportunity to reconnect with loved ones. But, it’s critical to keep safety top of mind. Vacasa travel experts hand-selected some of the best off-the-beaten-path vacation destinations in the

country that you can drive to and avoid crowds, from east to west.

And, you can choose from Vacasa homes cleaned to CDC standards with private amenities in every remote destination that made the list.

So, take your old hiking boots out of the closet, dust them off, and load your backpack with essentials. Don’t forget your mask and hand sanitizer! Mother Nature is calling.

Snoqualmie Pass, Washington

Sisters, Oregon

Mammoth Lakes, California

An enchanting mountain village, Snoqualmie Pass is a hotspot during the winter but has plenty to offer during the warmer seasons.

Kayak along Snoqualmie River, or experience the dramatic beauty of Snoqualmie Falls, featured in the cult favorite ’90s show Twin Peaks. Mt. Rainier is open now, too, and it’s just two hours away by car—or 63 miles by foot, if that’s what you’re into.

Named after the three volcanic peaks outside of town, Sisters is nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, and reminds most visitors of the Old West. Check out the Sisters to Smith Rock Scenic Bikeway, and test your limits by traversing 40 miles of the Three Sisters Wilderness Area along the Pacific Crest Trail. If you’re feeling inspired by the best-selling book Wild, you can turn your hike into a months-long journey.

Yosemite National Park is now open, and it’s only a half-hour drive from Mammoth Lakes, a small town in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Yosemite is well known for its towering sequoia trees and roaring waterfalls, but Mammoth Lakes has a unique charm of its own. It’s home to geological wonders like Devils Postpile National Monument and the 101-foot high Rainbow Falls.

ABOUT VACASA

Vacasa homes to stay in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington Conifer Estate with Bonus Suite Hyak Duplex Cabin Snowdrop Summit Cabin

Vacasa homes to stay in Sisters, Oregon Tollgate Private Hideaway Sisters Tree View Sisters: Whychus Creek Craftsman

Vacasa homes to stay in Mammoth Lakes, California White Pines Mountain Lodge #7 Sierra Park Villas 36 H Woodwinds 1265

Vacasa is North America’s largest vacation rental management platform, caring for more than 25,000 one-of-a-kind homes. Founded in 2009 in North Portland, Vacasa employed 42 people but has since grown to more than 2,500 employees worldwide. Their goal is to provide guests with memorable experiences in unique vacation rentals. They employ local housekeeping and maintenance teams in every market where they manage homes, plus strong central support staff and 24/7 customer service.

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HOT TOPICS

Michele Darr - Live from the frontline

fight was rooted in my experience as a civilian and Mother living in Kuwait and Iraq in 1990 and enduring the horror and trauma of the US-sponsored war I witnessed first hand. There are almost no words to explain how that changed me and my perspective on my country of birth, especially when confronted by a dominant narrative that directly contradicted my lived experience and sociopathic power brokers that sought to silence my witness. Faced with the choice levied by my own Embassy and State Department to shut up and go home with my family intact or risk criminal charges should I choose to stay and fight back with the power of witness and media, my 20 year old self chose to take 9 family members and head back to the U.S. With a heart heavy from grief and guilt from not having what I perceived to be the courage to stay in Iraq and face the imperial demons head on, I spent the next 10 years battling major depression and suicidal tendencies stemming from PTSD, a battle I very nearly didn’t survive until 9-11, when I finally arose from the ashes of my life and made a decision to devote what remained to the arduous work of activism. My efforts have since largely been focused on the anti-war movement, Occupy Wall Street and since 2015, Black Lives Matter. The journey has led me to put my body and life on the line numerous times as a human shield, in 24-7 vigils, hunger strikes, countless protests and even a 4,500 mile trek for Peace across the US in 2007 on my bicycle with my infant twins and 11 year old daughter.

REVOLUTIONARY Y ROAD

WORDS BY | MICHELE DARR

ou’ve seen them in the news and in the streets. The unquiet ones, the unabashed ones, the unruly ones, the ones who are not satisfied to remain silent and accept status quo answers to life and death questions. Protesters and activists are simultaneously on the front lines and at the heart of the struggle to achieve a sense of justice, a sense of righteousness, and a sense that, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, we still have agency over our bodies and the quality of our lives.

They are out there on every knowable front of resistance to racism, tyranny, oppression, injustice, inequality and basically anything that threatens people, the planet and Life itself. We have covered and live-streamed their protests, most notably, the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Portland, Salem, Corvallis, Eugene and Seattle. We have found all to be hubs for an impressive network of individuals, groups and organizations who don’t just gather to protest, they arrive by the thousands prepared to provide for every conceivable human need that might arise including free food, water, shelter, medical and emergency medical, and more. Against a backdrop of chanting, music and percussionists keeping the heartbeat of the movement, artists and creatives have flocked and covered a broad swath of available surfaces in luminous, soulful protest art such as we saw at the CHAZ/ CHOP barricades in Seattle and at and around the JusticeCenter and Federal Courthouse in downtown Portland and Eugene.

As someone who has spent the better part of 2 decades as a foot soldier, organizer, journalist and reporter, I’ve found that behind every person that puts life and limb on the line for the betterment of humanity, there is often a story or watershed moment in their lives that changed everything. My overwhelming determination to join the 24

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“Our strategy should be not only to confront empire, but to lay siege to it,” wrote famed author and activist Arundhati Roy. “

Flossin Media has been one of the brightest lights of hope and inspiration on my path and if you have been following us, you know that we have been out there capturing the voices and stories of some of the most fierce, vibrant, loving, determined change makers of our time. In addition to being afforded the luxury of having a day job as a writer and activist, it has also been a profound gift to speak my mind and heart without being tone-policed or content-edited into oblivion.

This has been especially important to the longevity of my career as a frontline reporter and journalist because I’ve neither the patience or the willingness to mince words and won’t hesitate to call bullshit on a gaslighting narrative that negates accountability on the right OR the left wing of this crippled nation. As literally all life hangs in the balance, I feel it is criminally irresponsible to bicker and squabble over which sorry-ass tyrant was worse in the wretched, blood-drenched history of this country. The blatant and unbridled fascism that is becoming our new normal didn’t start with Trump and Co. and will not end with them either. The bottom line is that our collective condition will never improve here or anywhere else until we unequivocally dismantle their institutions of oppression by any means necessary.

enforcement and military troops. From exchanging phone numbers and contact information, to forming networks that regularly check in on each other, it is critical that we “stay together, stay tight”, for it is in our most vulnerable alone moments that we are most susceptible to being snatched and disappeared by these empirical forces that have been employing such tactics for hundreds of years around the globe and most recently witnessed on the streets of Seattle and Portland.

We who awaken to our purpose beyond passive obedience to the capitalist machinations of this dying Empire, know that our true power is in continuing to persevere and prevail while supporting each other at home and in the streets. In these times of kidnappings and disappearing of front-line activists, I cannot overemphasize how important it is be extra vigilant in looking out for each other. Most of us who regularly protest have joined in the chant “Stay together, stay tight” as a reminder to watch out for and protect one another when we are advanced upon and attacked by police and federal law

And I hear YOU still breathing, my Friends.The World needs you and your gifts now more than ever and you don’t have to be a front-line protester to make a difference. Anything done for the betterment of humanity, the earth and all of life, causes ripples that extend farther than you can ever comprehend, so stay strong, stay loving and stay true to fighting the good fight. Justice WILL prevail and we WILL overcome one day. See you in the streets.

“Our strategy should be not only to confront empire, but to lay siege to it,” wrote famed author and activist Arundhati Roy. “To deprive it of oxygen. To shame it. To mock it. With our art, our music, our literature, our stubbornness, our joy, our brilliance, our sheer relentlessness – and our ability to tell our own stories. Stories that are different from the ones we’re being brainwashed to believe. The corporate revolution will collapse if we refuse to buy what they are selling – their ideas, their version of history, their wars, their weapons, their notion of inevitability. Remember this: We be many and they be few. They need us more than we need them. Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”

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HOT TOPICS

GET DOWN WITH THE COUNT WORDS BY | MICHELE DARR

T

he Census 2020 fuse is lit and #WeCountOregon is working overtime to amplify the voices of communities of color to ensure they are represented. With the coronavirus pandemic commanding worldwide attention and threatening larger and larger swaths of the US population, accurate census information is critical, especially for Black and marginalized communities least equipped to cope with the fallout. Given that participation in the census heavily impacts the number of federal dollars that are allocated to provide basic goods, services and resources, community activists are now joining the struggle to engage every American in making the most of the decennial count.

An accurate count informs rescuers how many people will need their help in a crisis and gives health care providers the ability to predict the spread of diseases through communities, especially those populated with children, elderly and socially/economically vulnerable people. Despite the vast and tireless efforts of the US Census Bureau to count every single person living in the US, nearly a quarter of the population is still considered “hard to count”. Historically u n d e rc o u n t e d d e m o g ra p h i c s i n c l u d e minorities, people of color, immigrants, renters, rural communities, and parents of children under 5. Enter the #WeCountOregon campaign.

“We are really clear that the Census count is all about 3 things: Money, Representation and Power. In terms of leveraging our 26

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collective voices and staking a rightful claim in the apportionment of resources, the Census is one of the most democratic processes that we have in the United States,” passionately stated #WeCountOregon campaign manager, Esperanza TervalonGarrett, CEO and founder of Dancing Hearts Consulting, LLC. “#WeCountOregon is a BIPOC(Black, Indigenous, People of Color)-led statewide effort that gathered last February because we knew that reaching out to over a million people in Oregon was going to require something different to make sure that hard to count communities are educated and participating in the 2020 US Census,” she explained. “In 2016 alone, 13 billion dollars of our money came from the feds. That amounts to $3,200.00 every year over ten years for every person counted and that number is likely to increase as inflation and other factors in our economic systems shift. Literally, we are looking at millions of dollars for each person, and in hard to count communities, this money becomes a huge issue.”

In terms of representation and power, an undercount may also mean fewer seats in Congress or State Legislatures and for countless vulnerable communities, not being counted in the census risks leaving them unseen, undercounted, and underserved. “No matter where we are living in this beautiful state, we deserve to have our voices heard and having an additional person representing us in Washington DC really does mean that we have a stronger voice and are impacting federal policies which impacts all of our lives,” she continued. “Our organization

also felt that it was really important at this moment in history to tell a new story about Oregon and to remind people that Oregon is not just beautiful green forests and white progressive liberals, but is also filled with Black, Indigenous, Latin- Mexican, Chinese and Immigrant folks that for centuries have built our railroads and sealed our reputation for having some of the best fruit trees and fruit available in the country.”

She went on to explain why different tactics are needed to get an accurate count amongst the historically undercounted.

This included working with Open signal

w h o c re a t e d v i d e o m e s s a g e s f o r t h e #WeCountOregon campaign translated into different languages.“These communities are considered hard to count and require sophisticated methodologies because they require additional, in-person engagement to be counted, and just setting up a booth or tabling is not going to build enough trust that you need to take this census,” Esperanza explained. “We are actually going to be using phones, text messages and online engagement parties to reach communities where they live and reaching out to their networks in hard to reach communities using the framework they already have in place.

These partners include APANO, PAALF, PCUN, CAUSA, Latino Network, Forward Together, East County Rising, Unite Oregon, etc...and we plan to conduct a campaign that centers specifically on OUR communities, speaking OUR languages and uniting to literally proclaim, We Count, Oregon!!”

Despite ongoing improvements in technology and data collection processes, the 2020 Census is not without insufficiencies and built-in racist, classist landmines. “Houseless communities have traditionally been counted through a very strange, terrible, classist, racist system where they would actually go

out and say ‘there are 6 people living under this bridge and I think they are x...y...z.’ “said Tervalon-Garrett. “The Census Bureau has since been receiving a lot of feedback about the process and with houselessness on the rise, people now have a couple of options for being counted. Once the stay at home orders get lifted in counties, they can walk into one of our Census Assistance Centers or CAC’s, follow the required social distancing measures and work with a staff person to access computers and take the census online to report themselves. Once it is safe to do so, that is definitely a process that we want CONTINUED ON PAGE 54 F LOS S IN

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to be supporting people to engage in.” For a list of CACs you can go to the www.WeCountOregon.com website and connect with one of the partners listed by checking their websites or calling prior to visiting any physical locations to see if they are open. There is also an option to call in your census data by dialing 1-844-330-2020. It takes only a few minutes and various language options are available.

With the census going online for the first time ever, another looming threat has arisen in an area of utmost concern to many, cybersecurity.

As in prior decades, the process will start at your mailbox. In past years; Americans would fill out a paper form with information about the people living in each residence, whereas now through Oct.31st, most families will be asked to submit their information over the internet. A digital census may be cheaper for the country and easier for some, but it creates insurmountable barriers for others and carries with it risks similar to the debacle we recently witnessed in Iowa, where an unusable app turned the country’s most watched caucus into a cautionary tale. The Census 2020 will be wise to take heed and learn lessons. ”It’s important to know that your data is actually protected under US Title 13,” Tervalon-Garrett stated reassuringly. “Under Title 13, it is illegal for anyone to share your census data with ANYONE, including debtors, creditors or law enforcement. It is meant to be totally black box, however, I think it is really important that #WeCountOregon is acting with integrity and being honest with folks when we say there are incidents in the past 10 years where census data was being used to identify large communities of folks. We saw that after 9-11 in New York when Muslims and Middle-Eastern communities were targeted and brought in for additional questioning, so to be completely honest, the risk of taking the census is aligned with the risk you take at putting your picture on Facebook.”As if that weren’t enough, concerns about questions being asked and access to Censusdata have also reached a crescendo in some communities. “Every 10 years, the Census aims to count every person in the US. Whether you are acitizen or non-citizen, whether or not you live in a home, whether or not you own a home, are on a lease or staying with other people, if you live here, you are supposed to be counted,” Tervalon-Garrett stated resolutely. “This also includes undocumented people. In a time when 1 in 9 people in the US are living with undocumented family members, it’s important to

“Beyond the 2020 US Census, #WeCountOregon and its project partners have pledged to continue to network together to carry out other vital work on behalf of undercounted and uncounted communities.”

know that we do not ask for social security numbers and do not have a citizenship question anymore after a Supreme Court case that was resolved last summer,” she explained. “As for fear-mongering tactics being used by the current US Administration, we actually think the anecdote to that is participation. If someone tells you that we are best off if we don’t count, we have to put that on its head and say well, what is actually possible if we do count?’

As the next hot topic on the collective table, redistricting (reapportionment) is a process allocating Congressional seats by the Federal Government to the States based upon changing demographics. With only a handful of seats necessary to shift a party’s power in Congress for a decade, the need for an accurate 2020 Census count becomes critically important as does the fact that the counts are also used by state and local governments to shape legislative, county, city, and school board seats. Tervalon-Garrett is passionate about engaging participation on the issue. ”While some people think this is about partisanship, this is actually about Democracy. Oregon is up for 6 congressional seats and after census, we want to make sure that we have the proper representation that relates to the population of the State,” she stated resolutely. Reflecting on her driving force, she concluded by sharing some of her deepest motivations for carrying out her mission. “I’m doing the work that is my vocation, the work that God has called me to do, the work that my ancestors have called me to do which is making sure we have resources, infrastructure and leaders. If we can get at least 10% of people we engage with to stay involved in being a part of this change-making moment in history, we will literally be creating a more democratic Oregon and more democratic United States.”

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HOT TOPICS

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE:

Will ODOT’s $800 million freeway widening restore Albina, or just repeat past injustices?

What destroyed the Albina community? What will it take to restore it?

For decades, Portland’s segregation forced nearly all its AfricanAmerican residents to live in or near the lower Albina neighborhood.

In the late fifties and early sixties, the construction of Memorial Coliseum, urban renewal and finally, the I-5 freeway, all triggered the neighborhood’s decline. Everyone now acknowledges that the construction of the I-5 Freeway through Albina was a classic example of institutional racism.

Today, we’re being told by ODOT, the same agency that built the freeway through the neighborhood in the first place, that its $800 million Rose Quarter widening project will somehow make amends for that injustice. But will it? The big question going forward is how to right that wrong. If we’re seeking restorative justice, what will it take to make a viable neighborhood?

It was the cars, not just the freeway that destroyed Albina It wasn’t so much the freeway that undermined the health of the neighborhood, it was all the cars the freeway attracted. In 1962, the Oregon State Highway Department carved Interstate 5 through the heart of this neighborhood, directly demolishing more than 300 homes which it did not replace. The indirect effects of the freeway, and its attendant traffic were equally, if not more, devastating. By injecting a flood of cars into the area, the freeway led to the collapse of the local neighborhood. In the aftermath of freeway construction, I-5 turned the bustling Albina neighborhood from houses and shops, to a collection

WORDS BY | JOE CORTRIGHT

“Most of the decline in population in Albina happened years after the freeway was built.” of car dealers, gas stations and parking lots. Even then, we knew freeways killed neighborhoods: James Marston Fitch wrote in The New York Times in 1960: “The automobile’s appetite for space is absolutely insatiable; moving and parked, it devours urban land, leaving buildings as mere islands of habitable space in a sea of dangerous and ugly traffic.”

Most of the decline in population in Albina happened years after the freeway was built. The flood of cars undercut neighborhood livability, and the population steadily declined in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. As people moved away, many African-American-owned neighborhood businesses that served local residents closed up shop. ODOT claims its proposal to spend as much as $800 million is supposed to revitalize the neighborhood. However, the flaw is that it widens the freeway--pushing it even closer to other uses like the Harriet Tubman Middle School F LOS S IN

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and funnels even more cars not just onto the freeway, but onto local streets, like Vancouver, Williams, Broadway and Weidler. In addition, ODOT would cut back the corners of major intersections to enable cars to drive even faster on these streets, and would put in a confusing, diverging diamond interchange that has cars driving on the left-hand side of a two-way street.

Capping a small segment of the freeway does not create a neighborhood.

ODOT claims that by building “caps” over the freeway—really just extrawide overpasses for Broadway and Weidler—will somehow magically heal the neighborhood. But again, the problem is not just with one or two blocks, but about giving over the whole neighborhood to transient uses (like the Moda Center and Convention Center) and the demolition of housing and neighborhood- sized streets.

The construction of I-5, combined w it h t he Memorial Col i s e u m , obliterated the dense street grid that underpinned Albina.

Creating two blocks of buildable land, sitting directly over the noise and pollution of the widened I-5 freeway and surrounded by fastmoving traffic on arterials and freeway-on-ramps, is a pedestrianhostile environment that no one will want to linger in and a place where no business will thrive. The one example that freeway advocates point to, is a cap over I-80 in Reno, which houses a Walgreens drugstore and its parking lot; a transient, car-oriented use, not the hub of a revitalized neighborhood. A freeway cap is no place for parks, sidewalk cafes, restaurants or grocery stores.

It’s just another desolate off-ramp, designed for the needs of outsiders and travelers, not local residents.

A neighborhood for the people who live there, or people driving through?

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police, and weeks of demonstrations in Portland and across the country, the nation is now involved in deep introspection about the embedded roots of institutional racism. It has taken four decades to begin to reverse Albina’s population decline, and now ODOT is planning to deliver a fresh dose of cars. Public relations messaging to the contrary notwithstanding. the Rose Quarter “Improvement” Plan plainly prioritizes cars, but it disadvantages people walking, biking, taking transit, or just hanging out on the streets of this neighborhood.

People and investors are hardly blind to the pecking order in these places. Widening I-5 privileges the interests of peak hour car commuters from Clark County (75 percent white and with average incomes of $82,500) over the kids who attend Tubman School (twothirds kids of color; half on free and reduced price lunches), and others who live in the neighborhood (fewer than half of workers drive alone to work: most walk, bike or take transit, according to census data).

If we want to want to make amends to those whose neighborhood was devastated by the I-5 freeway and its car-dependent development pattern, the last thing we want to do is widen the freeway that caused this problem. And freeway covers, no matter how elaborate or expensive, won’t replace the housing lost or the damage done to the fabric of the entire Lower Albina area.

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Towards real restorative justice Attention freeway builders! Want to make up for dividing the community and destroying neighborhoods? How about replacing the homes you demolished and paying to clean up Tubman’s air?

Despite the high-minded rhetoric, widening the freeway repeats the same errors made a half-century ago and makes the neighborhood’s livability worse. If we are serious about redressing the historical wrongs done here, we could do much better. Before they do anything to the roads,ODOT should be fixing the past damage it has already done, but never lifted a finger to correct: Replacing housing and cleaning the air at Tubman.

If it really wants to make amends for the extensive damage freeway building did to North and Northeast Portland, and fulfill its pledge of “restoring” the neighborhood, a good place to start would be by replacing the housing demolished to build the Minnesota Freeway in the 1960s.

The average price of single family homes adjacent to the freeway (which is no doubt negatively affected by noise and air pollution) is about $424,000. If ODOT were to build 330 or so homes to replace those lost in the 60s, the total cost would be approximately $140 million. If it looked, ODOT could find plenty of local partners for the projects like the Williams Russell PWG or PCRI’s Pathway 1000 Initiative; both committed to putting Black Portlanders back into the neighborhood through affordable housing and homeownership.

The other lingering racist legacy of I-5—one that this project would worsen—is the poor air quality at Tubman Middle School. Portland State scientists warned that it was “unhealthy” for Tubman students to have recess outside. Portland Public Schools spent more than $12 million to install air filters on the school building to make the air safe for students to breathe. It is monumentally unfair that cash-strapped Portland Public Schools have had to spend millions that could have been used to pay for schooling, while ODOT and motorists paid nothing. Tubman parents and Portland Public Schools have raised serious concerns about the freeway widening, which would move the road and traffic even closer to the school building. Like thousands of other Portlanders, the school board has asked ODOT to prepare a fullscale environmental impact statement, one which would fully disclose the project’s health and environmental impacts and fully consider alternatives. ODOT has refused to do so.

If it wants to genuinely show that it acknowledges the devastating impacts of its decades of freeway building, ODOT could start by demonstrating its good faith by having a meaningful conversation with the community about what is needed to achieve a lasting revival of the neighborhood. They should be looking at the entire neighborhood (not just the freeway right of way and overpasses) and start working with a wide array of community groups who are currently working on restorative justice programming in the area. The time is right.

WORDS BY | MICHELE DARR

FIGHT FOR OUR LIVES

HOT TOPICS

“I Can’t Breathe”- Ringing in the new year of 2020 with a global respiratory pandemic, COVID 19 dominated our attention and as many of us fought for our breath and our lives, the virus and subsequent need for social distancing took hold of our daily routines. School, work, meetings, and celebrations moved to our screens.

“I Can’t Breathe”. As a captive audience, we all became first hand witnesses to a second viral pandemic...and one that is sadly all too familiar. Unable to look away, we witnessed a grisly procession of high-profile, yet all too common murders of unarmed Black civilians at the hands of racist police officers: Ahmaud Arbery, who was chased down and killed in Glynn County, Ga., on Feb. 23, Breonna Taylor, who was in the comfort of her own bed when police entered her apartment and shot her dead in Louisville, Ky., on March 13 and Tony McDade who was gunned down by the police in Tallahassee, Fla., on May 27. By the time that the life of another unarmed Black man, George Floyd, was snuffed out in broad daylight on a street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, we had had enough. As the world watched in horror, Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd, handcuffed and lying face down in the street, begged for his life, crying out the fateful words, “I can’t breathe”. 2 other police officers aided in restraining him and prevented bystanders from intervening, breathing life into a dormant human conscience. A third and far more productive viral pandemic rose from the ashes…...the pandemic of righteous outrage. The World rose up in epic and historic proportions and as of the date of this publication, mass protests have only grown in size and intensity.

Whether or not you were caught in the cross-hairs of one of these viruses, you are lucky if your daily routine is only slightly impacted by their presence in our midst. Far more ominous is that the fallout for millions of non-white Americans cannot be underscored. To the degree that inherently racist systems continue to negatively affect marginalized Black communities in matters of policing, healthcare

and in literally all systems across the board, it is equally urgent to also stay informed and vigilant when it comes to the undeniable presence of those same systemic problems within most popularly marketed “solutions” to the problems, particularly COVID 19. Most media coverage has predictably been touting vaccines, with most manufacturers pledging to roll out their “cures” by year’s end. Yet these goals can hardly be justified when not yet one has met even basic benchmarks, let alone been subjected to double blind placebo trials and human testing, processes which generally take 5 years or longer to thoroughly and safely complete. History is rife with examples of the hazards and deadly consequences that result, most often in poorer, more isolated parts of the country and the world, when the process is rushed, so what is the justification and who are the authorities from which it comes?

“Realistically, if we’re going to return to normal, we need to develop a safe, effective vaccine. We need to make billions of doses, we need to get them out to every part of the world, and we need all of this to happen as quickly as possible,” said billionaire Bill Gates, CEO of tech-giant, Microsoft in an article he published in Gates Notes on April 30th, 2020. One might plausibly wonder why a software mogul presumes himself, and is arguably presumed by others, to be an eminent authority in the highly subjective realm of medicine and vaccines, when he himself holds no more medical degrees than Donald Trump. He goes on to dismissively state in his article that while Anthony Fauci, who sits at the helm of the Center for Disease Control stunningly predicts the likelihood that a vaccine could be ready in as little as 18 months, Gates diverges, loftily announcing that a suitable vaccine could be ready for distribution to 7 billion people in as little as 9 months.

“Development usually takes around five years,” Gates says without any noticeable trace of irony. “Once you pick a disease to target, you have to create the vaccine and test it on animals. Then you begin testing for safety and efficacy in humans.”

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the first human experiments? History shows it likely won’t start at the top with rich, white people but at the bottom with those most vulnerable being the first in line to be test subjects.

“Realistically, if we’re going to return to normal, we need to develop a safe, effective vaccine.”

One might find it profoundly disturbing to read the words of someone with no medical degrees or authority other than being a techno-giant and one of the wealthiest people on the planet, pronouncing that a vaccine he funds for production will be developed and distributed to billions of humans in one 5th the time of any vaccine in history. Others in the upper echelons of the medical field have expressed similar concerns and exercised their authority in curbing some of Gates’ more empirical plans.

As the White House’s loudest voice on racial disparities in healthcare and on the heels of his February, 2020 proclamation that the flu was of much greater risk to Americans than the Coronavirus, AfricanAmerican Vice-Admiral and Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, explained in an interview on live XM radio that the Coronavirus Task Force has effectively sidelined the Bill Gates/CDC/WHO predictive contagion model, and is now working with the real data.

“What the American people need to know now is we actually have real data, and so we’re tracking that data, not the fear-based, overinflated data Bill Gates wants us to believe,” said Dr. Adams. “In those inflated, ‘fear-based’ models, the deaths of millions worldwide and hundreds of thousands in America were touted. These were used as the basis for what many experts have termed a ‘grossly disproportionate response,” Adams shockingly revealed.

His stance is far from surprising when considering that by the CDC’s own admission, several existing vaccines, including the latest flu vaccine, cannot boast even a mere 50 percent rate of efficacy and success in treating or curing their target malady. However, Gates remains undeterred by the potential for alarm and questions arising from the ranks of the billions of humans for whom he plans to administer this latest vaccine by year’s end. “Our foundation is the biggest funder of vaccines in the world, and this effort dwarfs anything we’ve ever worked on before. It’s going to require a global cooperative effort like the world has never seen. But I know it’ll get done. There’s simply no alternative,” Gates stated resolutely.

Wait. No alternative? Says who? What about the time it should take We the People to ask pertinent questions and get satisfactory answers to why there is such a sudden and all-encompassing push to administer a global vaccine in record time, to billions of humans, purportedly to ward off and create immunity to a virus with, currently, a 99.75 rate of recovery? And why aren’t the same efforts being applied to treat and cure diseases with a much higher rate of mortality? Will this vaccine be mandatory and if so, what measures will be employed to enforce distribution? Who are likely going to be the first human recipients of said vaccine, and which areas and neighborhoods at home and abroad will likely be chosen to host 32

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These questions and countless others need to be raised and answered before we go any further down this very slippery and possibly irreversible slope. Not only does the magnitude of damage that is potentially possible from rushing towards the “Cure” to COVID-19 affect every human alive right now, history and experience painfully demonstrate time and again that there are certain humans who are even more vulnerable and susceptible to abuse and brutal methods of enforcement. The ongoing forfeiture of a growing number of our civil rights through systemic channels and policing disparities are literally the result of centuries of racist, classist, sexist programming and manipulation. It didn’t happen overnight and will not change overnight either.

The bottom line is that no one is coming to save us here and It isn’t going to be easy to hold the line against forces bent on subjugating us using divide and conquer tactics. Throughout this often tragic story, though, there is more than a glimmer of hope and in the end, one undeniable truth remains. A people that have survived and refuse to cede defeat in the shadow of abduction, relocation, and a 400-year reign of terror and slavery over their bodies, will never allow anyone to lay claim to the Soul that drives them onward through the storm, nor will they be overcome in their bid for ultimate freedom, rising high above anything that threatens their existence or legacy on this planet. As Tupac Shakur so eloquently penned, “The question I wonder is after death, after my last breath When will I finally get to rest through this oppression? They punish the people that’s askin’ questions And those that possess steal from the ones without possessions The message I stress: to make it stop, study your lessons Don’t settle for less, even the genius asks his questions Be grateful for blessings Don’t ever change, keep your essence The power is in the people and politics we address Always do your best, don’t let this pressure make you panic.”

In other words, stay woke, stay focused, stay together and stay tight. Don’t let the merchants of death divide and conquer us, rather, let us rise up together and become the heroes of our own story. We have come too far to do any less and we owe it to future generations to do our utmost to ensure that they have a future worth claiming.

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY

PCC YOU BELONG HERE

In Portland, and in communities across the nation, there exists a resource specifically engineered to empower people to reach their life goals: community college. And what’s more -- community college is the engine that can lift communities of color.

The benefits of education are many, both personally and professionally.

Acquiring an education can reduce poverty and boost income; promote equality in the workplace and in the wider society; improve one’s health; make one a more aware and engaged citizen; and help contribute to the overall economic growth and health of one’s community.

But first, you have to go to college; and once you’re there, you need to succeed. Community college makes the first part easy – it’s the section of the higher educational system with the fewest, and lowest, barriers to entry.

The second part, success, is trickier. Many students of color can feel like a fish out of water on a college campus. The atmosphere can be alienating, the processes and procedures can be confusing, and the expectations can be intimidating.

For African American students, who feel the weight of history -- and the present -- perhaps more than anyone else, community colleges offer specific programs to support academic and life success. For a range of reasons, many black students can feel as if they don’t belong on campus. At PCC Cascade, students can receive guidance and mentorship from people who look like them, who have shared similar experiences, who understand

their burdens, who have heard that little voice inside whisper, “You don’t belong here.” They can study alongside fellow students who are struggling with the same issues in an atmosphere of mutual support.

This culturally responsive support has been proven to instill a sense of belonging, remove barriers to academic attainment, and make the difference between success and failure for literally thousands of students.

It is also the key to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and building generational wealth.

Community college can give you the marketable skills you need to be your own boss by preparing students to develop a plan for getting a small business off the ground, improving efficiency, getting connected with sources of startup capital, and marketing your product or service in an effective way. If you’re interested in being a welder or a medical assistant, a web designer or a lab technician, or any other of a range of good-paying jobs, community college can help you get there in two years or less.

For African Americans and other people of color, perhaps more than anyone else, the bridge to a better future is education -- and no part of the higher education spectrum is more affordable, accessible, supportive, or close to home than community college.

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EDUCATION & COMMUNITY

Pictured: John Washington and JD Hodge co-host community listening session at Instrument HQ

“It was really the human element, how they take care of their people that drew me to Instrument and I am seeing that literally manifest. You know how well a company cares about their people during a big crisis you did not even plan for. It is the same care we give to our clients and why they are still with us.”

Not as common are tech firms that prioritize community engagement, and perhaps that is some of the reason why there has been such a disconnect between technology and under-resourced communities. The team at Instrument is committed to changing that.

“Everyone is starting to wake up to the fact that women and minorities were left out, pushed out even of the fast moving rocket ship of Silicon Valley and the innovation world,” JD stated. “We know that the most innovative ideas are not going to happen from a bunch of the same people from the same place with the same mindset. It is going to come from a melting pot of ideas that are coming from all different backgrounds, points of view and experiences. We have been vocal advocates of trying to cultivate diverse points of view so we can be innovative because it feels like that is a responsibility of ours and also it’s a way to do our job better, just straight up,” stated JD.

INVESTING IN THE SOUL

How the technology firm is working to help a historic Black business district in N/NE Portland reinforce their cultural identity.

Community Climate and Culture

WORDS BY | FAWN ABERSON

“We met with the developer of our building back in 2013 in consideration of being the anchor tenant so we were a part of the design discussion. We all agreed that we didn’t want a building that was this one giant box or big behemoth structure that fills a hole. We wanted to create a community oriented space with a courtyard in the center that could be a place for gathering and events.” Shared JD Hodge, Founding Partner and Chief Creative Director of Instrument.

The result was three buildings with a shared courtyard to encourage tenant and community integration.

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Instrument internal culture mirrors the stylish, chic corporate climates that tech-style companies have come to be known for, i.e. bring your dog to work, coffee or beer breaks, health care that covers acupuncture and etc. It’s a culture that helps keep employee morale and productivity on a high vibe.

Pictured: Jessica Hartley

Headquartered since 2015 in a modern, fourstory, secured building complex on North Williams avenue, and smack dab in the middle of one of Portland Oregon’s most starkly documented gentrified business districts(once referred to as “Black Broadway”) resides a creative team of technologists at a company called Instrument. With over 200 employees strong and a client roster that includes onepercenter corporate firms like Nike, Intel and Google, they “use the power of design and technology to solve complex problems and transform businesses.”

Jessica Hartley, VP of Strategy, felt immediately at home when she joined the company last year.

Her feelings were reinforced when Covid-19 hit and in the span of just one weekend, 200 employees relocated to home offices

During the same time period Instrument’s owners were discussing design and expansion (2013-2015), the Black Lives Matter movement was born out of the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of a Black teenager, Trayvon Martin. Black communities across the country became highly charged and vocalized and Portland was no exception.

Not only was the social justice movement a mounting concern, the economic and physical foothold of the Black community in inner N/ NE became a major topic of contention with the City’s office of urban renewal, Prosper Portland (then PDC). As wealthy developers were digging in, the heightened demand for equity from the marginalized Black community historically rooted in the area dug in even deeper, demanding to be included in the boon of prosperity, rather than casualties of displacement. The struggle of Portland’s Black community to have a space and place that fosters generational wealth creation (home, land and business ownership) is well documented. These burgeoning issues did not escape the leadership at Instrument.

“From the onset, we were asking ourselves how we could integrate into the community, make relationships and what could we bring as a benefit.” added JD. For their team, this meant immediately reaching out to their next door neighbors, a predominately Black-attended Church and the Kairos elementary school. They also engaged

Considering the current state of racial relations, it was an invitation from the Executive Director of the SDBA, John Washington, in 2019, which may have been a divine intervention.

Mr. Washington’s invitation proposed that Instrument work with the Black leadership in N/NE Portland to help revitalize the district’s moniker, “The Soul of Portland” aka “The Soul District”, an identity given to this inner N/NE Portland area in the mid-1990s as a symbol of Black cultural pride and community resilience.

JD describes his initial reaction to this request.

“John seems to have a sense of openness to work with anyone who is down for the cause and also wanted to help me on this journey.

Also, I got a sense he was moving this project forward, that seems to me his M.O., a reverence and a clear awareness of the past while moving forward, and that felt like an invitation for us to step in and be involved and be welcomed in some part of the journey.”

When JD brought the opportunity back to his team and asked for a show of hands from those who wanted to be involved, he received a strong show of support from staff, including Jessica Hartley.

“My husband will tell you that my hand is permanently raised,” Jessica laughed.

“Wherever I go , whether it is the organization or a new city, I am all about leaving where I am planted better than when I came into it. I think there is something really powerful about the story of the Soul District.”

This incredible infusion of support represents a huge game changer for the SDBA who has been working to build good will in the community for this campaign for nearly a decade. As one of the few areas in Oregon where Black people could rent or own homes and businesses, seek medical attention, worship or gather socially, The Soul District has been a central area to Portland’s Black community since before the Civil Rights era. Today, it represents the highest density of Oregon’s Black community, although it is a shadow of what it was in terms of Black property ownership and economic development. Calculated, and many would say systemically racist, choices made by decision makers holding persuasive City and State governing positions from the 1940s

well into the 2000s, slowly splintered and displaced a once cohesive footprint of Black harmony. More than physical separation, these insensitive development decisions triggered a pattern of psychosocial stressors that still today dramatically impact the Black Oregonian’s perceptions of their own capability, significance and influence.

“Both historically and present-day, there are spaces that were never made for Black involvement in our City and or State,” stated John Washington. “Be it intentional or unintentional, systemic practices of racism in Oregon have fed the perceptions of fragmentation within our Black communities.

Unethical displacement practices have created long-standing obstructions in our quests to rise in health, education, wealth and the amassing of influential representation at decision making tables. Despite all of this, however, we still rise.”

Pictured: JD Hodge

with other N/NE groups like Benson High School, Open Signal Community Media and the Soul District Business Association (SDBA).

They offered the use of their super-hip, hightech, creative design headquarters to hold events for Black-empowerment programs like Green Lighting BLM Youth Media Project and Pitch Black. They prioritize staff volunteerism in community events like the MLK Dream Run and Juneteenth and they foster relationships between their staff and community, hosting regular sack lunch listening sessions so that community speakers can share their history and their projects with their team.

The resurgence of the Black influence in the Soul District identity is growing more evident each day. The Black community is unifying around Black-led developments projects like Pathway 1000, the Williams & Russell PWG and Albina Vision; all strategic plans to elevate Black wealth creation within the district. You also see Black inspired and created artscapes on the buildings of the businesses and you see Black families and Black-led community-based organizations gathering for cultural community events or to simply stand in solidarity with one another.

“The Soul District identity is already being elevated organically and now is the time to give it the polish it so richly deserves,” Washington points out. Over the past six months, Instrument has been assisting the SDBA with organizing the brand rollout strategic plan. This consists of documentation and historical storytelling, creating district identity markers and touchstone designs, integrating community partnerships and developing fundraising strategies to cover associated costs.

“Our Mission is to try to shape a better way of living using technology. We feel like the best businesses are profitable because they solve problems that shape a better way of living

for everyone. When businesses are out to benefit only the one percent, themselves and their shareholders, then they are missing the boat, because it is short term thinking that’s not going to last. Our North Star is picking clients who believe in this too, and then we go this journey with them. When we feel we have a positive impact on the lives of people, it motivates our employees and this is what creates businesses that are profitable,” shared JD. While money will be an important part of making the Soul District identity project come to life, the folks at Instrument know that they are part of the bigger picture in helping the community get there. Hartley added, “The knowledge, experience and expertise we [Instrument] can leverage for this project, that’s our currency…getting together, and making that personal connection. It’s this brain space knowledge that will help to reach those million dollars and give this project a foundation that will pay dividends in the future.”

Will the relationship example between the Soul District and Instrument be a trend for technology firms going forward? Washington shared his perspective.

“To some degree, technology set the precedent in a lot of the gentrification and other issues we are seeing today. Those who got out of the gate first were generally young white cats [men] who had the means to figure it out and then run into millions of dollars. But they forgot to, or didn’t want to, integrate with others. They are just now starting to realize what kind of impact that had, because you can’t have a great society if you are leaving a portion of it behind.

The community work that Instrument is helping us with is an example of what that should have looked like coming out of the gate.”

For the team at Instrument, it is already something deeply entrenched into their company philosophy.

“Technology has been this thing that makes our lives better, more convenient. Historically, though, people have been using it for things like organizing family photos and making it easier to get to a San Francisco Giants game.

When we use technology and think about who really needs it and not just how it can make my life a little more convenient, we can actually change people’s lives,” JD concluded.

This article was written from an interview recorded on the Black Beat podcast. To listen to the interview in its entirety, you can use the augmented reality feature activated on this page as described on page 8 or go to https://anchor.fm/blackbeat/episodes/AConversation-with-Instrument--Black-BeatPodcast

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EDUCATION & COMMUNITY

IT’S TIME TO MAKE MOVES WORDS BY | DONOVAN M. SMITH

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ortland is on the move, Irene Marion’s goal? To make sure Black Portlanders are not just along for the ride, but actually helping to steer the vehicle. For the past year-and-a-half, Marion has been serving as the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) Equity & Inclusion Manager to help direct the Bureau towards better addressing the needs of communities who’ve traditionally been overlooked and silenced by local government. The Bureau oversees about $13 billion in infrastructure management alone, with millions more being funneled into maintaining, upgrading and adding infrastructure in response to the not-so-secret population boom happening in the Rose City.

Marion, a northeast Portland native, says that as the City builds, it must account for historical wounds it has contributed to inflicting and forge more pathways towards truly equitable transportation.

Last year, she was a key voice as the Bureau was forming their citywide pedestrian plan, PedPDX, and was instrumental in deepening its understanding of safety from Black perspectives.

What emerged was Walking While Black, the Bureau’s report on four culturally-specific organizations leading focus groups on their constituents’ pedestrian experience. The report is now being used to guide other transportation projects PBOT is undertaking.

Marion has also helped navigate hard conversations in Black communities. When a decades-old bikeway plan was proposed to 36

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be built along one of the lifelines in historic Albina, she helped to mitigate concerns that ultimately resulted in project relocation more in alignment with the goals of those communities.

We sat down with Marion to discuss her role at the Bureau, the future of transportation and its implications for Black Portlanders.

F: What’s surprised you about the way transportation functions since working for your Bureau?

Irene Marion: We’ve had a lot of policy priorities as a community and our historic standing Black organizations have to be focused in the right way, especially in the places where we feel the most crisis.

When you look at a household budget, transportation is usually among the highest costs. Whether you own a vehicle, bike, use public transportation or traveling on foot, there’s an expense associated with the way we have to move ourselves and our families.

F: What was the impact of the “Walking While Black” report, which informs the City’s master pedestrian plan?

IM: It has definitely been a pivotal body of work for us. The Bureau was doing a lot of cool things to do outreach on the project to get community input on for the pedestrian master plan, but they had a moment where they just realized their data was showing them

some of what those differences were, and how your Bureau responded to them?

IM:The neighborhood associations, business associations, bike advocates and others were really interested in where the bikeway infrastructure went because of how it served their needs. When we looked at the map and the other institutions on 7th ave., it included; Albina Head Start, Irvington Park, King Elementary School, Beatrice Marrow-Cannaday apartments — all spaces where a lot of Black Portlanders grew up [in and still live]. After careful deliberation, we moved the bikeway to 9th but will still address the safety concerns everyone has on 7th.

F: The Rose Lane project is going to create transit only lanes for buses. What impacts may it have for Black and Brown communities?

IM: We’re experiencing an unprecedented amount of congestion.

The Rose Lanes is important to that because we already know that people of color disproportionately ride transit compared to other riders. What folks will start to see is smaller, red painted areas that move buses out of the congestion. This means less travel time for commuters.

F: We’re in a Census year now -- can you speak to its’ importance for investment in Black and Brown communities and transportation?

IM: Census data is the primary data that we’re responding to. PBOT has an equity matrix -- that data is not up to date, and our teams use the Census tool to understand who is living where, what languages they’re speaking, the average household income, etc… and that information helps inform our outreach strategy. they hadn’t done the right type of outreach to Black Portlanders or that folks weren’t responding based on the type of outreach they had been doing. One of the first things I notice coming into this role was that, as an agency we didn’t have any deep, or really any relationships within the Black Community. There were no Black organizations engaging with us on a regular basis, there were no Black people on our public advisory boards and Black people weren’t even calling us to complain about potholes. So I jumped on the opportunity to connect and create a space where we could center Black voices and spaces, and partner with Black organizations to really hear from folks. In the space, I heard a lot of things that didn’t surprise me but being able to document these in a formal focus group setting, and generating a report that is then actionable for our teams; this has become important for us to do.

F: What direct infrastructure came out of the concerns that were raised during that report?

IM: Lighting was a huge theme from the pedestrian plan in general, but especially in East Portland in those really large arterial streets.

F: Can you talk a little bit more about why data collection is important for government equity work?

IM: From an equity perspective, we’re really trying to hone in on how we can use data to better inform our approaches. It’s not just what shows up in the numbers or the surveys, its focus groups [and] different ways that we‘re hearing from people that help us to understand how they’re living their lives so that we can better respond to their needs.

F: The 7th vs 9th avenue “Neighborhood Greenway” was an example of differences in community wants. Can you talk about

F: Bureaucracy is large and overwhelming. How are you staying sane and culturally focused when you need to? And what’s your message to folks who may be apathetic about the whole thing?

IM: There are other equity managers in the City of Portland I stay really closely connected with and that’s kind of my venting and healing space. We’ve made racial equity commitments at the City and PBOT and it’s my job to make sure that everybody knows that it’s their job to do that work. I can write it into their work plans and hold them accountable which helps clarify what it should look like.

I’m lucky that we’ve got really great teams that are doing it in ways that I can trust.

Want to learn more about the Portland Bureau of Transportation, how to join a committee or focus group, or just report a pothole that’s been terrorizing your neighborhood? Give them a call at 503-823-5185. To hear more from Irene Marion, email her at Irene.marion@portland.oregon.gov.

“From an equity perspective, we’re really trying to hone i n o n h ow w e c a n u s e data to better inform our approaches.”

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EDUCATION & COMMUNITY

COPING WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

Some community perspectives

I

can’t cook. Unless we’re talking about some real basic concoctions that add up to a meal more or less. I’m not proud of this for my 28-year-old self.

Cherrell Edwards-El was determined to make sure her daughters didn’t end up like me. In her quest to teach twins Olivia and Gracie, 11, the culinary craft, they stumbled into a business.

“From us posting pictures of what we baked, people were saying they would pay for some,” she says. After months of salivating inquiries, Yummy Treats LLC was born. “I’m not a conceited person, so it takes a lot of people telling me the same thing multiple times before I get the confidence in it.”

Now with a small menu of freshly-made personal and bite sized peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, breakfast burrito bites and strawberry pizzas, she says business is booming.

While “The ‘Rona” threatened to take the wind out of her young business at the start of 2020, an unlikely supporter helped her survive the time — inmates.

The Lifers Club at Oregon State Penitentiary wanted to support small business in the wake of COVID-19.

“They placed the first large order I’ve ever had,” she says; 100 pies, plus delivery and tip. “This is not something that was funded by the prison. This was funded solely by the inmates who get paid bare minimum on their jobs and they saved their money.”

Now propelled in part by their support, she’s operating out of a commercial kitchen.

With dreams of distribution in large chain stores like New Seasons and Fred Meyers, Cherell’s core motivation remains the same — her daughters.

DJ OG One

STILL SPINNIN’

Cherrell Edwards-El

YUMMY TREATS, A HAPPY ACCIDENT

WORDS BY | DONOVAN M. SMITH

W

hen you bring people together for a living, a world running on “social distancing” presents quite a conundrum. But as a veteran in the music game, Portland Trailblazer DJ OG One knows as much as anyone that ‘the show must go on.’

As a man whose job it is to keep stadiums hollering, and dancefloors sweaty, the Governor’s ban on large gatherings meant loss; he had to figure out how to adjust.

Losing nearly $7,000 in the days following the ban, he quickly shifted his business online. While the Trailblazers agreed to pay his salary through the year, he knew he could not rely on that income alone.

“One of the things that became apparent is I can still make money, ” assures DJ OG One. Now, instead of clubs and birthday parties, you can catch him spinning on Facebook and Instagram live. “It’s a way for people to enjoy what I do in public, [but] now they can do it in their personal space.”

His professional development company, Leadertainment, has also shifted things online, offering workshops like “How to Get Your Music to DJs” to the public for a small fee. While online workshops weren’t part of his arsenal before, he says he’s appreciative of the opportunity to give people the knowledge they are seeking with more collective downtime.

“This crisis has given me creative options now. So I can add these to my business platforms to have more diverse options for serving my clients,” he says.

While he’s adjusted for now, and will continue to do some things online, he says he has no idea what happens for him when the show lights cut back on.

Will people want to grind on the dancefloor?

“I would really like for this to be a business that my daughters can see go from our kitchen into a factory. My hope is that they see that you don’t have to just go get a job but that we can begin to create jobs.”

Will people high five a stranger when Damian makes a buzzer beater?

Meanwhile at press time, this writer still was not able to cook.

But one thing’s for sure, a little virus isn’t going to stop his music.

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Questions that remain unanswered.

Germaine Flentroy

MANAGING LOCKDOWN WITH YOUR KID

O

ne of the most dusty parts of quarantine is the lack of options.

Even as an introvert whose not hopping at every chance to be outside, I did like going some places. Not to be hyperbolic, but there’s a reason why social isolation is used as a punishment in jail.

Germaine Flentroy understands this. The co-founder of a direct service organization in East County, Flentroy has seen already high-tensions of many families he works with sear and boil over as COVID-19 constricts around their basic needs.

Parents and kids alike are restless in lockdown, with the added weight of keeping pupils on course for school.

Flentroy understands. “Bottled up energy is going to come out one way or another.” The answer, he says, is innovate.

A father to three elementary students himself, Flentroy transformed his complex to a playground: hallways are now track, bike racks and jungle gyms -- that and socially distanced park visits. He shares footage of his family’s enterprising online to encourage others to remain active, even with limited options.

“You still have to keep your kids on a schedule. My motto is either you’re going to tell the kids what to do or they’re gonna tell you what to do,” he says.

The key to him is to keep going.

“Another goal of mine is to stop smoking. I think it’s going to take a lot of your mental [capacity] to get through this. You keep your mind active, and I think everything will be okay.”

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EDUCATION & COMMUNITY

WHY DO I VOTE?

Black citizens share their poetic perspectives on the importance of voting Damon Isiah Turner Age: 46 I vote because I have cousins and Aunts in the South from the Silent Generation and recently departed from the Greatest Generation - that I have heard and learned oral history from of not being able to vote decades ago.

I vote because my mother - from the Baby Boomer Generation - when I was a kid, took me to the exact spot in front of the Lincoln Memorial where she watched the “I Have a Dream” Speech on August 28, 1963 at the March on Washington when she was a kid.

I vote because I observed - being from Generation X - what various American cities looked like when there was “White Flight” to the suburbs due to issues of public safety, race and urban blight in the 1980s and 1990s.

Hailei Aberson-Holford Age: 25 I vote because less than 60 years ago, as a black woman I wouldn’t have been allowed to.

I vote because I have privilege.

I vote because I know that despite my own successes, some of my community still struggles.

I vote because I grew up aware that we had a Dream and believe together we can make a change.

I vote because my siblings and future children need me to try.

I vote because if I don’t vote, I feel silenced and we deserve to be heard.

I vote because I am hopeful.

Name: Sommer Martin Age: 34 I vote because folks who came before me died so I could vote. What a slap in the face to not exercise this right.

I vote because I don’t want anybody making decisions for me. Period.

I vote because my voice is just as important as the next person.

I vote because my vote can directly impact the greater good of my community.

I vote because I want to curve the effects of white supremacy and corruption in our current government.

I vote because I want to see a better America.

I vote because I love Portland and I want it to be a loving, welcoming, and inclusive city.

Richard Gilliam Age: 58 I vote despite Jim Crow, I vote cause I know; I vote like a boss, I vote or I’m lost; I vote like Obama, I vote for my Momma; I vote cause I can, I vote as a Man! 40

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I vote because I observed what various American cities looked like when their grown children returned to American cities in the 2000s and 2010s in the form of Gentrification and displaced many long term residents.

I vote because I have observed what can happen constructively and collectively first hand when my State Representative, State Senator, County Commissioner, City Council Member, Mayor, Congressperson, Senator (and other Senator) - are thoughtful in their approach to public policy.

I vote because I care about fully committing to Participatory Democracy not only for the past, but for Generation Y (Millennials), Generation Z, and Generation Alpha - because authentic leadership, having credible and verifiable information about issues, and ensuring that every American citizen has the accessibility to vote in their Constitutional Republic - matters.

I vote because I can.

Samuel Miller Age: 63 I vote because in our world there are so many challenges and opportunities to RISE UP and let the world know that we STILL matter.

I vote because in order for us to continue to strive for the dreams and hopes for our families and ourselves, we need to insure that the civic leadership in our city, state, and federal government share ALL our ideas for our future.

I vote because to sit in the sidelines and hope that “everything” is going to be okay is both delusional and short sided.

I vote because we can little afford the “status quo” or the apathetic behaviors of our past. Our leaders...on every level MUST bring more than rhetoric and empty promises to our population.

I vote because my voice matters and because I want our children’s future to be filled with something other than empty promises.

More Equitable Solar.

Black communities do not have fair access to solar power, despite the climate crisis disproportionately hurting black communities.

The Oregon Community Solar Program is different from traditional solar.

Anyone can subscribe to a large, off-site project with many other people.

This means you don’t have to own your home, or even live in a house. You can even take your subscription with you if you move.

If you have a lower income, you can experience additional protections and benefits:

Sign Up Today!

• Up to 10% annual savings on your electricity bill • Easy intake appointments • No sign up fees or termination fees Community Energy Project was born out of N/NE Portland, and have proudly served this community for over 40 years. As the Low-Income Facilitator for the Oregon Community Solar Program, our role is to inform low-income participants about this exciting new opportunity in order to decide if community solar is right for them.

For more, visit www.orscp.org To learn more about the low-income program, visit www.CommunityEnergyProject.org or call us at 971.544.8719 F LOS S IN

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

RESOURCE FULL

How the Soul District Business Association is utilizing professional peer coaching to help Black businesses build confidence and arrive at successful economic outcomes through effective systems navigation. WORDS BY | MICHELE DARR

Pictured: Sam Miller stand with Edward Stevens, Sr. from Overnight Pressure Washing Services

reached out and offered me a job. Since then, I’ve worked for several large franchise dealerships and a year and a half ago, I decided to start my own company. We’ve gotten a lot of accolades for the way we have conducted ourselves and our business because we value the integrity of the process as much as the profitability of the process. We also deeply value our front line team members and we are vested in protecting them so that they are able to do their jobs effectively and honestly in a way that is laced in integrity and deep value for our customers.”

As a man who tirelessly works to uplift his community, Sam reflected on his motivation for reaching out to and helping others, especially people affected by the blight of racism in countless systemic ways.

W

hen we hear the words “black on black...”, 10 times out of 10, people are likely to default to the word ‘crime’ as the word that ends that statement. We would like to challenge our readers to shift for a minute and reframe the narrative. Who and what can you think of that exemplifies Black on Black support? How about Black on Black empowerment?

The mainstream media sells us on the exceptions rather than the rule when it comes to defining what it means to be Black in America.

In an effort to take back the narrative of their rich and broad cultural and social identities, it is an honor to spotlight the contributions of Black business people who go out of their way to change the rules for engagement and uplift their entire community in the process. Sam Miller and Towanda Perry are two such people whose efforts shine as beacons of hope to others trying to navigate inherently racist systems and surmount built-in roadblocks to their success.

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and 42

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verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. If anyone personifies this quote by the late, great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it’s Sam Miller, who is a paragon of service to others in the community he has called home for decades.

“Media presents people of color in three different lights...we are athletes, bad fathers, sons or we are criminals,” he said sadly. “I grew up in the segregated south in the 60’s with an entire class of people considered to be less worthy, not because of what they had done, but because of how they looked. There are not a lot of profiles of men in our community who get up every day and do their best for their families and community.”

Having worked in the new and used car industry for 28 years, Sam shared his own story of getting a foothold as a business leader in Portland.

“I’m the owner of The Portland Car Company, a virtual automobile dealership, offering people options on how to buy and sell new and used vehicles. I got into the industry via a friend who

“I made a pledge to myself and my parents, rest their souls, that I would always be leading people to a better place. We heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often speak that he had a dream and we understood what he meant and why he said that. I remember thinking that every person has a dream for themselves, their home, their family, and every person wants their children to feel safe. We have a population in Portland with no one speaking to their dreams, so I and my wife do what we can to make a difference, We do food drives that have generated thousands and thousands of pounds of food, have done outreach to make sure that children know that people don’t have to be an athlete to be worthy of respect, that heroes can look like everyday business people who work every day, making sure things get done for family and community.”

Sam’s deep value for people extends far beyond his business ethic and charitable contributions.

Through the Soul District Business Association’s peer mentorship and support program as one of the Navigators for the N/NE Community Development Initiatives a partnership with Prosper Portland, he is known far and wide for his generous donations of time, networking, resources and expertise that he shares with other minority business owners throughout the community.

Addressing the historic dearth of collaboration amongst Black business owners, he revealed: “Black businesses often don’t collaborate well together and the reason is that they don’t know how. When a lot of people with limited opportunities vie for a tiny sliver of pie, they get competitive and don’t want to share their “recipes” for success, lest they lose ground themselves,”

he sighed. “The solution is to get the leaders of these small companies to understand that there is a much better chance to succeed if we all work together than if we work separately. This is not about our egos being fed, this is about our families being fed. The partnership between Prosper Portland and the SDBA’s Navigator program takes all the best practices from all the companies that they represent and they share that information and knowledge with whoever steps up and asks for it. If you have a problem, there is a good chance that others have faced the same problem and have a remedy for that to share.

The more people and businesses share their common problems and solutions, the more capable everyone is in uplifting each other and others seeking to build and grow.”

Statistically, the prognosis is grim for minorities at every stage of business ownership in the US. While 20 percent of all businesses fail after a year, in the Black community in Portland, it is 50 percent. After 5 years, across the US, 50 percent of all black businesses fail and in Portland it is 80 percent. In the shadow of these overwhelming odds, meeting and joining forces with Sam Miller was a total game-changer for one minority business in particular in Portland, Oregon.

“I have always had an entrepreneurial Spirit,” proudly stated Towanda Perry, owner and founder of NW Affordable Autos. “I own my own business so I can be here for my kids because I always knew if I was self employed, I could be available to them, whether it was at school or at daycare.”

After owning a beauty salon owner for 17 years, she, her boyfriend, Mom, 2 sons, 2 daughters and grandkids took a vote and launched their dream to enter the used automobile industry as a family. After selling 3 cars, they decided to rent a space on Mcloughlin Blvd. where they operated their business before relocating to a less expensive space on Portland Hwy. Less overhead and less risk meant that she could fulfill her calling to help others by providing affordable, reliable vehicles to low income, credit and access challenged people.

and line by line, go over how to run a successful business. We have already spent a couple hundred hours together at this point because I love to watch her be something she didn’t think she could be. As such a wonderful person in the community, so many people owe her a debt of gratitude for helping them get into reliable vehicles and has often done that at her own risk to ensure that their needs are met. She and her son, Anthony and brother Jeff are truly amazing and the fact that she listened and follows our advice so far, I believe that she is going to be one of the more successful used car franchises in Portland.”

Towanda’s determination is hard won and born of her own experiences as a single mom and a Woman who prevailed despite hard times, incarceration and soul crushing tragedy. “My son was 18 years old when he was murdered out in Gresham in a double homicide in 2008,” she remembered. “He was in a gang and so when he and another gang member saw each other, it was a shootout. They both died and another young man who was with them survived and was given a 10 year sentence. About 9 months later, we lost my son’s grandmother to cancer and 2 years later, we lost my daughters father in

Pictured: Towanda Perry NW Affordable Auto

Pictured: Sam Miller SDBA Navigator Chair

“Putting as many people into reliable, dependable transportation at an affordable price is my driving force. There are many times where we can make more on a car than what we wind up selling it for, but at the end of the night I want to go home with a clear conscience that we didn’t overcharge anyone. I want to know that the car I sell has been one that I and my grandchildren have personally been in, or my daughter or son.

If I can help you, then I consider that to be my greatest success at the end of the day.”

June 2011.” Beyond the difficulties she has had to surmount on a personal and familial level, navigating the minefields of systemic racism posed even greater obstacles to overcome.

“My biggest challenge has been as a Black female entering into a world that is predominantly white and non-female oriented. One of my other challenges is having a criminal background and trying to access the funds and resources that are needed to function and operate.”

After meeting and connecting with Sam Miller and the Navigator program through an SDBA networking event her brother attended, Towanda found the support and resource-fullness she needed to take her business to the next level.

“Towanda was struggling in a lot of areas and that’s because the rule books on how to run a successful business have a lot of missing pages for us in the Black community,” shared Sam. “Access to information is certainly a huge challenge when we are left out of a lot of the inner circles of conversation. I was able to sit down with her

“If there is one person who has made the biggest difference in helping put our business on the path to success, it’s Sam Miller,” Towanda remembers with a huge smile. “We do exercises in budgeting, marketing, and financing. He has shared his connections with me, shared people who he buys and sells cars with, auction stuff, giving us insight and detail on how to draw more customers to the lot, how we can advocate more effectively for our customers, just a ton of support, leading and guiding us in ways that are helping us meet our needs. It’s been so valuable that he has become my right hand guy.

To do all of that, I couldn’t put a price on that.”

“DL Hughley says you cannot be a man until you see one,” Sam concluded. “I’ve seen so many people’s lives transformed by the support they have received from the partnership between the SDBA Navigator program, Prosper Portland and the people who need support. I thank God every day that I’m able to be part of the solution.

Being in a position to help someone change their life and open doors previously closed to them so they can look their children in the face and say to them “we are going to be alright” is the greatest gift I receive from the work we are doing together. I will continue to do this and as long as my limbs and lungs will carry me.”

“ The more people and businesses share their common problems and solutions, the more capable everyone is in uplifting each other.”

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

would seem that fate may have placed Representative Akasha Lawrence Spence in this gap for a reason. Not only is she a Representative of District #36, which spans from Portland’s SW Waterfront, Chinatown, upper SW Hills and parts of Multnomah Village, she has also taken up the movement of her broader Black community as one of the leaders who helped to shape an internal collective known as BLASK.

Pictured: Oregon Representative Akasha Lawrence Spence

The Black Ask, aka BLASK, was shaped by over 60 Black organizations with strong leadership coming from Representative Lawrence Spence, Nkenge Harmon Johnson, President & CEO of the Urban League of Portland, Jesse Beason, President & CEO of the Northwest Health Foundation and Joy Alise Davis, Executive Director of PAALF. BLASK was formed to create a Black focused measure they would eventually call “The Oregon Cares Fund for Black Relief and Resiliency”. It was created to ensure that the Black businesses, Black led organizations and Black individuals were fairly represented during a special Legislative session that divvied up nearly 1.4 billion in CRF money that the State wanted to use to help those who had been underserved in the initial 2 trillion in Federal dollars issued out in March.

REPRESENT

WORDS BY | FAWN ABERSON

How the tireless advocacy of Representative Akasha Lawrence Spence and other Black leaders yielded $62 million for the OCF for Black Relief and Resiliency.

At a time where economic turmoil and radical civil unrest are boiling over and long-term racial discord is twisting thorns of insecurity into the souls of the American people, there is something about Representative Akasha Lawrence Spence’s role in politics that denotes a bit of destiny.

Amongst the 60 leaders in the Oregon State House of Representatives tasked to oversee districts of around 63,850 citizens over a twoyear election cycle, Representative Lawrence Spence is one of only two African-Americans along with Representative Janelle Bynum.

Additionally, of the 30 State Senate seats in Oregon, only two of those are filled by African Americans, Senator Lew Frederick and Senator James Manning.

However, Rep. Lawrence Spence wasn’t elected for this job as per usual, she 44

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was appointed by Multnomah County Commissioners to replace former state Rep. Jennifer Williamson, D-Portland, who resigned in December of 2019 to run for Oregon Secretary of State in the 2020 election--a race she ironically dropped out of abruptly in February. Currently, Rep. Lawrence Spence will continue as appointed until January of 2021, having chosen not to run in the general election.

It is most certain that upon acceptance of this appointment, Rep. Lawrence Spence, like any of us, couldn’t possibly have predicted the massive domino effect that was about to impact the systemic world order of health, economic and racial justice. Subsequently, the fallout of each of these dominos is hitting the Black community in particularly menacing ways and at a time when Black representation in positions of influence is so crucial, it

BLASK organizers anticipated that passing this measure might be a heavy lift, but the group was fiercely united in making sure the Black community had a seat at the table and not the “per usual” crumbs. Also, Oregon had already awarded a culturally responsive funding for the Latinx Leadership Network earlier this year, a package which included “fully funding the proposed Oregon Worker Relief Fund, which is critical to the financial security of undocumented workers.”

In mid-July, Rep. Lawrence Spence teamed up with Rep. Bynum, Sen. Frederick, and Sen. Manning, to introduce this measure as a $62 million dollar ask that would go directly to the Black community through a funnel process between a venture nonprofit firm called the Contingent and the Black United Fund.

The measure passed with the full support of the Governor Kate Brown, House Speaker Representative Tina Kotek and others from the Oregon State Legislature Joint Emergency Board, only 3 nay votes were recorded, all coming from Republicans. Rep. Akasha Lawrence Spence sent an emotional message to the BLASK collective, post award announcement that read in part, “I am overwhelmed by the work that we all put in to get us here, by the time we spent convening and I am honored to be a part of this movement with you. In some ways, many, this is only the beginning, we have so much to do get this money into the hands of Black Folks statewide.”

The power in representation BLASK earned may never have gotten the traction it needed in the Oregon State Legislature had it not been for the addition of Representative Lawrence Spence to the ranks, serving to strengthen the political push with her peers and her community. In hindsight, she herself admits that she was resistant to the appointment initially, but calls out two emotional triggers that had resurfaced from several years back that prompted the calling to represent. The first was the tragic and sudden death of her mother and the second was witnessing the displacement of modest food cart owners to make way for a WaldorfAstoria luxury high-rise.

“In college, my first degree was in political science and anthropology, I was always interested in the theory of the states. When we are born, we tacitly consent to being governed, but what does being governed mean? For me, it is a contract. They do certain things and we have a certain responsibility to hold them accountable. So when my mother passed away suddenly from health issues I felt could have been correctable, it changed the trajectory of my life. I began to look around and think about the ways our government and our health care system was not being held accountable to us.”

Around the same time as her mother ’s passing, she was frequenting an active food cart hub in downtown Portland. It was a popular space where people from different cultures and socio-economic status would gather and interact. Many of the owners operating these carts had come to the city as fleeing immigrants, leaving behind professional practices in search of a safer life.

They had leased spaces on a vacant lot near the center of town and for decades, brought the flavor of their homeland into a receptive community. When the property sold to a high priced developer, they were given their marching orders.

“I understand what wealth does for a person and a community. It gives you time.

Time to show up and time to run, because running for political office is a full time job.”

This isn’t the Representative’s first bout in the political arena. As self-described, she started off as a “young and yes, to some degree, cocky,” campaigner for a variety of politicians near her native home of Brooklyn, New York, including Senator Chuck Schumer. But over time, she grew disillusioned by bi-partisan politics and compromises, and left to pursue architecture.

“I thought, ‘what are we compromising here?’

Are we compromising people who need you to continue to fight for them? Or are we compromising so that something gets done that is better than nothing? I couldn’t reconcile the compromise at that point. I felt there were other ways to get the job done

and to do good work. That’s when I got a degree in architecture.”

She made the move to Oregon seven years ago, and today, everything Rep Akasha Lawrence Spence focuses on centers around economic justice and her steadfast belief that you can’t have environmental or social justice without it. She used this defining value when launching her architect design firm, The Fifth Element, where her company works as “a conscientious real estate developer, fortifying small businesses through property ownership”. As a self-described civic activist, she also started a meetup group called “Melanated”, focusing on bringing women of color together for individual or collective betterment based upon three defining pillars: civic engagement, financial empowerment and community stewardship.

Early in her architecture career, she played a defining role in winning a bid for a development expansion project of a local high school. However, the project could only be built with legislature approved funding; leading her to the realization that everything leads back to politics.

“What gets built and the way we build it, where money comes from, what projects we decide to fund and who gets those projects, everything, everything, everything is political.

And the moment that we think we can get away from it or disassociate from it, we have taken ourselves away from the decision making and where real power exists.”

Being a political representative comes with its fair share of sacrifices, including financial.

Representative Lawrence Spence takes home a modest stipend of $26,000.00 to do the job: poverty wages in most urban cities. So, while working diligently in the public sphere, she also manages her private business and shares her musings on politicians who have

“They were completely displaced and seen as no longer valuable to the space, although they are the ones that had added the value.

So, I was angry because my mother died, and she didn’t need to. That it was a failure of our healthcare system. And I was upset for these small businesses that had no right or recourse to stop that development from happening to them because they didn’t own anything. It really sparked in me the question of, ‘who gets to decide?’ The institutions that we consent to be governed by are there to help us. Schools, police, elected officials don’t do that unless we insert ourselves into the conversation. But I don’t want a seat at a table that is inept, corrupt, and inequitable.

I’d rather sit on the floor than at your table.

For me that was my awakening and why I decided to take this position. ``

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the luxury to focus on and hold longtime political positions.

“I understand what wealth does for a person and a community. It gives you time. Time to show up and time to run, because running for political office is a full time job.”

As the top two contributing factors impacting minority representation in America, time and money undeniably have an adverse effect on the equity of the playing field, especially considering the diversity of its citizens.

For now at least, Black Oregonians are grateful to have her representation which means an extra foothold in a crowded space.

“America is the richest country in the world, but people go to bed hungry. And it is not because we don’t have abundance: we have so much, but it is hoarded, right? I mean, at first, we didn’t have money for anything such as free college or free health care, and then THIS happened and all of a sudden they found trillions of dollars. So now we’ve seen America naked and the government showed us their cards. We know what they are capable of and we know that they have been BS-ing us all this time. They had the ability to allocate this money and mandate it for XYZ, but were “scared” and didn’t see everybody as worthy, because that’s the real thing right?

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This is why the rallying cry of “Black Lives Matter” is a real one, a visceral one, because we were told that we were not people at the inception of this country, that we were 3/5th a person. How do we get to a place where we have our own and we are not genuflecting and going on our knees to the government asking to be seen as worthy, asking to be seen as full people?”

The devaluation of Blacks in America has unfortunately been one of our country’s ugliest characteristics. Programmed to believe that their Lives only amount to the lowest common denominator, the narrative imposed upon the Black American psyche for centuries can only be seen as a blatant maneuver to emasculate the Black male through brutality and has taken a toll on the Black family structure across the country. Looking ahead, the ability to fortify BLASK as a coalition that is impenetrable by governmental infiltrators will mean that Black Oregonians will have to galvanize, help each other to unpack the baggage of generational trauma and most importantly, recognize their capability, significance and influence inherent in moving forward as a coordinated force to claim their rightful place at the center of the economic power core. Rep Lawrence Spence offered a closing response to this perspective, ”It goes back to the history of this country

which has us believing that there is nothing scarier than an educated and powerful Black man that is able to take care of his community.

Consider the White Nationalist going to our Capitals with assault rifles. If that were us [Black], we wouldn’t have lived to tell that tale.

While they are seen as patriots and willing to die for America, it is US who have died for it.

The foundation of our country is built with the blood, sweat and tears of OUR ancestors.

For them, nothing is scarier than Black people who have power and are ready to take hold of themselves and our community. That’s why I advocate for wealth. We don’t want to rely on someone to feed us. There is something powerful about having a Black doctor where I don’t have to explain certain issues; or a Black shopkeeper who is not going to follow me around the store; or for someone Black who may have been incarcerated, to be able to reenter into a community that looks like them and who are more than ready, willing and able to give them a second chance because they have the means. Ownership and Wealth will enable us to have school curriculums that are representative of our legacy and our history and not an erasure of our contribution. And also not having us believe that our history starts at slavery, but reinforcing that we have a long proud legacy. We are the first people, right? One of the wealthiest people in the world at one time was King Mansa Musa, an African Man.”

FASHION & ENTERTAINMENT

PRIDE AND STYLE DURING THE PANDEMIC

“So when everything was cancelled, I was a little relieved and kind of happy that I could sit back, breathe and do nothing,” she says.

Pictured: Shalonda McNefee

photography by Jacobsen Valentine

Shalonda McNefee- creates cultural fashion line for global pandemic

At the start of 2020, none of us knew that we’d be talking about fashion-forward virus-wear (well, maybe save for y’all’s President).

With money shifting, and the economy bleeding uncertainty, she obliged and began sewing.

Shalonda McNefee, surely didn’t. The seasoned fashionista had her year planned out — a new clothing line, youth workshops, and some flights… and then, enter COVID-19 stage left.

In turn, she birthed “The New Normal”, a new line of masks that’ve been flying off of the digital shelves since May.

The “new normal” came knocking hard, and while she did answer, she didn’t exactly come running to the door.

“That’s not my lane” she told us on the PDX Black Rose Podcast in the early days. But a month and hundreds of orders later, she says making her African-style masks has been one of her best decisions of the year.

Why the pause at joining the chorus of others cashing-in on the world’s latest fashion statement? She was actually welcoming the break.

As a woman whose business, Sistas LLC, is centered on healing, it’s unsurprising that she saw the break as a chance to ground herself.

“So when everything was cancelled, I was a little relieved and kind of happy that I could sit back, breathe and do nothing,” she says.

Her bold, kente-styled design usually reserved for dresses and garbs have found a new home in the cradle of our global pandemic.

Now, she spends her penchant for healing,by toiling away at her office from home and shipping her offerings of protection out into the world.

Orders have come in from all around the country: California, New York, the Midwest and they’re all riding the train of the new normal for now.

She’s not sure when exactly COVID-19 will pass, or when she can get back to some of her other passions, but for now, like the rest of us, she’s riding it out and helping us all do it with a little bit of style.

With Shalanda’s Mask Wear online at: www.newnormal4now.com

But what’s a kid if they don’t crowd your space a little bit, right? Her son told her to do more, and more specifically, do masks.

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SOUL CHAIN Fashion Designer Mona McDonald is back in action with her newly inspired botanical summer wear. “Fleur de Soul Chain” Soul Chain’s humble beginnings started with Mona McDonald, Sister Phyllis Black and best friend Jill Jackson in October 2001. The first store was located at 2324 NE Alberta St. in Portland, Oregon, a district called “Soul of the City,” Which also served as inspiration for naming the business. Combined this with their first run of crochet stitches or “chain” and “Soul Chain” was born.

Mona McDonald shares a little of her business journey with us today.

“The store name was transformative on so many levels. I also realized “Soul Chain” connects with my childhood.” Shared McDonald “I learned to crochet from my beloved mother. A passionate and creative woman, my mother instilled in me a passion that would lead to discovery beyond measure. I didn’t realize it then, but those crochet lessons were actually life lessons. Whenever my mother picked up her crochet hook or knitting needles, it was out of necessity to cope, be resourceful, express joy or sadness, which manifested in beautiful works of art. I inherited that gift from her, bless her soul. I can hear her saying ‘Mona, you will figure it out.’ As my confidence grew, I started to believe I could do any damned thing. Soul Chain exists today because of my mother’s loving spirit and ingenuity.”

McDonald will never forget the day she had her first sale. It was an off-the- shoulder, basket weave stitched sweater with a matching hat that sold about three hours after being displayed in the window.

“That first sell meant lift off, but I knew that the real work was about to begin. Needless to say, I learned quickly that beyond my creativity I had to master other elements of running a business, like marketing, pricing, and customer service.”

For this, McDonald turned to the Portland State Business Outreach program that assisted her with a business plan and other needed resources. Within a year Soul Chain relocated to NW 23rd Avenue. We

secured small and large wholesale accounts which included Made In Oregon.

“By then, I had become a Sole Proprietor.” Explained McDonald. “My accounts grew to include New Seasons Market, Timberline Lodge, and a myriad of high end boutiques throughout Oregon were added to my wholesale buyer portfolio.” This helped her earn the “Best Distribution Award” from the PSU Business Outreach program.

Another milestone came when she sourced a manufacturer to secure the account with Costco. “My cotton crochet sun dresses were featured in their Road Shows two consecutive seasons in 2010 and 2011. That led to the decision to close my brick and mortar store and do wholesale only.” Shared McDonald. A personal tragedy sidelined McDonald and caused her to step back from activity, but now she is ready to reemerge and, like her newly inspired botanical fashion line, come into full bloom.

She recently graduated from the “Anchors” program with Micro Enterprise of Oregon and in 2019 received her Bachelors of Arts Degree from Portland State University with a minor in Business Administration.

“I’m pleased to say, after a very long hiatus, Soul Chain has relaunched!

I have expanded my line to include woven fabrics. Even though I’m a small minority owned enterprise, I continue to grow and expand my brand. The first phase is filling special orders while Soul Chain’s website is under construction. Reflecting on my journey, my business model today is to be more nimble in order to appeal to an evolving, virtual consumer marketplace, yet still accessible for custom work.” McDonald concluded It is with this attitude the McDonald is stepping out on faith using a solid business plan, and the creative acumen to succeed.

“I’m pleased to say, after a very long hiatus, Soul Chain has relaunched! I have expanded my line to include woven fabrics.”

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Pictured: Soul Chain owner and designer Mona McDonald

“ F l ow e r o f S o u l Chain” is fashion inspiredby the Black Iris; a bouquet of pure organic bliss; symbolic of life, love, joy, confidence, gratitude,and tranquility.”

The first in the bouquet is “LBD”… my take on the little black dress. It symbolizes renewal of life.

The Tiger Lily dress symbolizes confidence and enthusiasm. Bird of Paradise is simply a joyful jumpsuit. There was no telling what harvest may pop up from the garden of my imagination!

Heliconia became pleated pants; Banana Leaves grew into a swim wrap.

This iteration of my collection is full of Life! It stems from the gait of the person that wears it.

Which flower are you?

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FASHION & ENTERTAINMENT

a lawyer or a businessman or businesswoman one day.”It’s a smart tactic. TikTok has become the latest cool place on the internet, and everybody seems to want it. Carrying the tradition of so-called “Black Twitter”, melanated creators are again helping make TikTok the house everybody wants to party at.

Songs like Megan The Stallion’s “Savage” and Drake’s “Toosie Slide”, which premiered on the app are helping seed that trend.

Their catchy lyrics and accompanying dance challenges, are part of what have helped propel the Wuhan-based imprint to become a $75 billion company Meanwhile, Campbell is seizing the audience. The doc speaks out. Whether on Tik Tok, Instagram or penning an article, he speaks up for Black life.

DOCTOR DANCES FOR BLACK JOY

In his most recent op-ed for the Seattle Times, he spoke to the disease that continues to construct us the most: racism.

“When one watches the video of George Floyd on the ground with another man’s knee pressed into his neck, it is nearly impossible for these words not to haunt one with a distinct level of truth and accuracy,” he says. “Irrelevant of profession or walk of life, we deserve an America that gives us the benefit of the doubt or at least an America that allows us to breathe.”

But as we have done for centuries, Campbell does not let the darkness overshadow his joy.

He continues to dance. He continued to share. He continues to work.

WORDS BY | DONOVAN M. SMITH

J

oy can be hard to come by during a pandemic, especially inside of a hospital. But one doctor is cutting through the tension from the frontlines, one dance at a time. His name is Jason Campbell, but nowadays he’s better known as “The TikTok Doc”.

The Oregon Health and Science University resident physician, anesthesiologist and occasional writer has been uploading smiles to the world via the popular app TikTok to the elation of millions.

There you can catch him shimmying, sliding and stepping in his scrubs to everything from house music to Drake. Often the 31-year-old doctor is joined by his colleagues, leading them in amateur choreography that’s helped him rack up more than 4 million views in the few months since he joined the app.

“The main reason I started this was because I wanted to reach the youth, and to connect with the African American youth,” Campbell said in an interview with Good Morning America. “I thought that if I could meet them where they’re at with dance, then they could meet me where I’m at one day with medicine, [becoming] 50

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“The main reason I started this was because I wanted to reach the youth, and to connect with the African American youth.”

THE INTERNATIONAL ANTHEM WE ALL NEED NOW: WORDS BY | DONOVAN M. SMITH

W

e’ve all been waiting for the needle to drop, on this so-called “new normal”. And while the world waits with the baited breath of Nate Dogg on the final words of “The Next Episode”, there’s been a covert glue keeping us together in the meantime: music.

All you have to do is look. Or better yet, listen.

If you’ve been one of the millions of people that have tuned into the Verzuz battles since quarantine, you’ve gotten a glimpse into what I mean. Hosts, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have managed to turn Instagram Live into a global stage, one where two legends face off in a friendly battle of hits. From the comfort of our homes, we’ve all gotten a free ticket to the likes of Ludacris vs. Nelly, Erykah Badu vs. Jill Scott, and Babyface vs.

Teddy Riley (versus the WiFi), amongst others.

Many of these battles have had laughably frustrating connection issues, which further begs the question: why have we been tuned into these things anyways? All the artists are doing is pressing play on songs, on a two-person split screen through often shaky connections, that barely do these classics justice.

The answer is the same reason Italians were hanging from their windows and balconies joining in song together in the early days of their lockdown-- connection.

In a moment where the undeniability of our collective actions being linked to each other was cemented, music acted as a bridge. As it always has.

The $26 billion a year live music industry was devastated by this pandemic. It’s felt even deeper locally when staples like Good in the Hood and Juneteenth decided to forego their annual summer gatherings this year.

For communities that have been economically plundered and scattered throughout this state, gatherings act as a particular kind of soul food.

There’s something innately spiritual about music. Bob Marley said “when music hits you feel no pain.” Researchers have even confirmed there’s a part of our brains dedicated to processing it.

miraculously her ability to perform.

In another case, scientists at Berns University aged cheese to the tune of different genres of music to see if it had an affect on its taste. The results?

Cheese exposed to music had a milder taste than samples that weren’t.

Even more interesting, blind taste-testers seemed to prefer the cheese that had been exposed to hip-hop.

However, strumming underneath has been a different song.

The Imagination of John Lennon, Sam Cooke belief that a change in fact gon come. Bob telling us to get up and standup for our rights are just some of the backdrops to our movements. And that’s just in the history of recorded sound, an era that began in 1877.

From early Americans tilling the wealth of this country lifting their voices to the tune of freedom, to the streets of Ferguson and Baltimore erupting with Kendrick Lamar’s proclamation of “we gon’ be alright,” music hasn’t stopped connecting us.

And with calls for a “new normal”, doesn’t it seem like the perfect time for an anthem? I’m not saying we need another “We Are the World” moment, but after the industrialized world took a pause, all while hundreds of thousands of lives were claimed in mere months, a global rallying cry seems like the perfect medicine.

Who knows when we’ll be able to safely enjoy each other’s company again. Safety is relative anyway. White “supremacy” has been one of the most destructive and insidious killers the world has ever known long before the disparities of COVID-19 highlighted, again, the need for a “new normal.”

If this virus has taught us anything, let it be that the same old song cannot continue. Not if we truly value life.

And if an anthem does emerge, let it be Justice. And when it plays, let us listen. And come together, like our lives depend on it every day. *Mic drop*

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RIDING OUT THE STORM WITH ANDY STOKES the Black Governor of Music WORDS BY | FAWN ABERSON

In 2018, Andy Stokes was riding on the high C of a three decade long professional music career after releasing the first single, ‘Best Day Ever’, off of the EP, Now. Inspired by his newly-wedded wife, the song was an instant hit. As the first Northwest artist to debut in the top 30 on both Billboard Adult R&B and MediaBase UAC charts, ‘Best Day Ever’ remained there for an impressive 25 weeks, climbing all the way to #11. The single was followed up by a second successful release from the same EP called, ‘We On Da Flo’, a collaboration with superproducer DJ Battlecat and superstar Snoop Dogg.

“Let me be the poster child to all you musicians out there. Don’t ever give up on your dreams, it’s going to be hard, but it is all about your passion,” laughed Andy Stokes during an interview he did with Flossin Media in January of 2020, which aired on the PDXBlackRose Podcast Series.”

During our interview, the “Northwest King of Soul” and Oregon Music Hall of Famer shared a storied depiction of growing up around the world, courtesy of his military father, who consequently instilled in him his deep love of music and performance.

“Every Saturday afternoon while mom was cooking up something in the kitchen, my dad would pull out the records and I’d be in the room trying to dance like James Brown, while singing into a broom handle.”

Throughout the interview, Andy spoke often and lovingly of his parents who supported him through his life. In his teens Andy didn’t take music seriously at all instead following the athletic route he was sure would lead to a professional career in football. He got close, playing College ball at Oregon State and then making a run at the pros, however, he didn’t make the cut. Disappointed, he recalls his mother assuring him that he was made for something more than sports. And she was right.

dance floors full of adoring fans. Although no longer a resident, he is still one of the City’s favorite sons, a love he acknowledges as mutual.

“Wherever I go, I let other performers know that we have some of the best fans in Portland and the Pacific NW.” With the popularity and money generated by the ‘Best Day Ever’ single, Andy and his wife were able to launch their own Independent Record Label called New 5 Records, getting both attention and respect from other indie and major labels. In January of 2020, Andy was nominated for, and subsequently awarded, Governorship on the Board of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Recording Academy (PNWCRA), which covers Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. Andy is bringing a much needed and diverse voice and perspective to a Chapter that had been lacking active Black representation in previous years.

Since then Andy has been surfing on the high waters and low tides of all the turbulence that can come with a professional music career.

He’s formed and split from bands with highly acclaimed and skilled musicians; He’s been signed and cut from a major record label, headlined at music venues and festivals all over the world and his vocal ability is on par with the likes of Pebo Bryson, Charlie Wilson, George Clinton, Bruno Mars and John Legend.

At the onset of 2020, Andy’s future was as bright as it has ever been.

He had shows booked around the world, he was set to release a new single that promised to get people once again groovin’ on the dance floor, and he was still basking in the glitz, glam and glow of the 2020 Grammys, which he attended as both an artist and as an official representative of his Chapter. Then seemingly, in one fell swoop, the coronavirus swept the globe, slamming shut the doors of live music venues everywhere.

In Portland, Oregon during the ‘90s and early 2000s, his high energy, funkdafied musical performances created packed clubs and crowded

“Just as it is for every performing musician, the closing of venues has been devastating for me. I live to perform—not performing hits my ability to

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make a living, and fundamentally impacts who I am.”

For their part, the PNWCRA has been working feverishly to help the music community during this crisis by compiling a comprehensive list of resources where local musicians can find helpful information to get them through these unprecedented times. They have participated in coalitions and focus groups with other community leaders to help inform local government response in support of artists and venues.

In addition, they worked with State employment agencies to host a webinar on unemployment and pandemic assistance specifically for the creative community, which typically has unique circumstances that make the process more complicated to navigate. They have also rallied the creative community to lobby for the CARES Act, to ensure key provisions were included to help music professionals.

Like so many performers during these strange days, Andy refuses to let the virus kill the music. To glance at his, and so many other performing artists’ social media profiles, you come across impromptu virtual concerts delivered from their bedrooms, porches, or as in Andy’s case, the sidewalk and street. And we, the fans, are turning out in record numbers online and doing what we can to get down with the music while keeping our distance from each other.

As performing Artist, Andy used his downtime for introspection, “I am truly blessed to be in a place in my career where I can ride out the storm. I have actually been really busy. My day starts out with a bike ride because I gotta keep up the routine! Then I spend a few hours working remotely with my writing partner on new music, and I gotta tell you, we

have been killing it! Then I spend some time on my piano creating music and my wife keeps me busy with ‘projects’. The slow-down has given me the gift of time for reflection and that has let me attain a new depth of creativity which I’m not sure I could have reached without the quiet.

So, while I am itching to perform for my fans, I am appreciative of the blessings that have revealed themselves to me. Make no mistake though, when this is over – look out!”

You Can Listen to More of Andy Stokes story and download his music at: www.andystokesmusic.com

“Just as it is for every performing musician, the closing of venues has been devastating for me.”

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HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS

JOY IS POWER Finding joy in times of trouble, the musings of the Dr. Johnny Lake

Photo by Elizeu Dias

WORDS BY | DR. JOHNNY LAKE

“The word that love is stronger than hate and goes beyond death is a great disclosure to one who has found that when he keeps open the door to his heart, it matters not how many doors are closed against him.”

-Howard Thurman

be embraced in all circumstances. We can cultivate joy in good times and in times of trouble. It can be challenging to find joy. But love and caring for ourselves and others, helping those in need, and demonstrating gratitude and thankfulness are ways to increase your joy.

Joy is power. African Americans have faced difficult times in America for generations and still found joy in good times and in times of trouble. Do not forget our African Americans ancestors. Study African American history. It is a central part of America’s history. They survived enslavement, segregation, Jim Crow laws and more, while being incredibly resourceful and creative.

They were able to find joy underneath very oppressive conditions and left a powerful history of their presence, resilience and contributions in America.

They contributed art, philosophy, law, technology, science, religion, and many other contributions, including an original American music form, the blues, rooted in African American spiritual and work songs.

The first step towards joy, is providing for ourselves, those who depend upon us, and our community, as our ancestors did. I remember the field days and family reunions that were celebrations of African American families and community. Knowing and celebrating our history is an important step to joy. African Americans have endured much and received many blessings and miracles, but not always the answer in the way we think. Recognizing how we have faced challenges in the past, we have nothing to fear for the future. We have many models to learn from and emulate. We have faith and know that our efforts will benefit us and those we love and cherish. This powerful faith in self and love for others is at the core of the spiritual connection to joy. The opposite of joy is fear while the opposite of happiness is unhappiness. Do not fear. The doors are open wider now than they have ever been in the history of the United States for African Americans. Can we get through them? Our ancestors say yes we can!

African Americans come from strong people who made it through hard times and hard places. A people who found joy in their struggle and overcame difficult challenges, who found peace and showed love in the midst of turmoil and hate. Despite the burdens they faced, African American communities developed a powerful culture that, not only survived, but embraced joy and love in good times and in challenging times.

Here are five things that can increase the joy in your life:

Joy in times of trouble, is a spiritual gift based on our choices, and our relationships to a higher power or deity and to others close to us. True joy is informed by deep faith, love and commitment to ourselves, to our families and community. Joy is divine. African Americans demonstrated the true meaning and spiritual power of faith, trust and belief in “things not yet seen” or demonstrated. In the darkest times, this faith resulted in a type of spiritual power that could not be denied and opened many doors.

1.

Meditation- tap into your heart rather than your head, your intuition rather than your thinking. Listen more closely to what brings you joy.

2.

Practice daily expressing gratitude, thankfulness and appreciation for things that bring you joy.

3.

Cut down on social media- Limit social media. It influences what we ‘should like/do/have/buy’ and may bring us lots of “things” but often does not bring us joy.

Joy may not always be about oneself, but can be about others’ contentment also. Joy and happiness are wonderful feelings to experience, but are different. Joy is cultivated internally, despite external circumstances or situations one may face. It comes when you make peace with who you are, why you are and how you are. Feeling spiritually connected to a deity or to a people brings joy. Joy is not tied to external circumstances, but can

4.

Be present and be responsible. Treasure and nurture your meaningful relationships and friendships. Reach out to the less able or less fortunate. The best use of any privilege or resource is to use it to help others. This brings tremendous joy.

5.

Learn more about African American history and culture. Share with others.

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