On December 6th, to culminate the afternoon’s peaceful march through downtown Portland, Don’t Shoot PDX protesters regrouped in front of the Justice Building to establish goals and discuss ongoing strategies. Afterwards, the protest organizers handed off their megaphones to anyone who wanted to share their thoughts. Isaiah Spriggs stepped forward to deliver this poem. A Poem by Isaiah Spriggs, …
Author Archives: Hands Up Submit
Just Doing Their Job?
This personal narrative is one among many persons with first-hand accounts of being wrongfully accused, stopped, or physically threatened in a casual manner by police. It would take the media endless time to cover every story, but we encourage you to share yours for Hands Up Submit. This story was edited for clarity. Submitted by …
Breathe For Justice
Publisher’s Note: The creative expression below is to be interpreted in the area of slam poetry because the writer improvises from her emotional instinct. As a protester, the writer offers a serious look in to the perspective of the movement, the essential demands of it, and the undercurrent. Submitted by Bette Lee Those damn cops …
Beast
Submitted by Sean R. Ongley The weight at the top is not as light as the spirit from the bottom whose plight never stops. A stranglehold is not a class problem. Education is a class problem. Ignorance causes men to kill men in defense of some unseen monster. The beast within you is you. It …
This Land is Your Land
A Reworking of Woody Guthrie’s Revered Folk Song Submitted Anonymously Eastern island to western redwood Muddy waters in between them This land was made for you and me He walked a ribbon of road Endless skyway above Golden valley below His footsteps stumbled On hot concrete All around him voices chanted This land was made …
I Need Answers
Submission from Dizzy Wright A music video by Dizzy Wright featuring Nikkiya reverse the interrogation process and conveys a powerful message of police violence and the injustice suffered by African Americans everywhere as a result. I need answers.
Urban American Gothic
By Mefore Aday, Pacific City, OR This is a painting about how common fear and panic are effortlessly inter-weaved into our society. Our common thread in America is fear. We all fear something as human beings, fear of death is common among all of us. But fear of our protectors/rulers is a bit of a …
I Am Michael Brown
A Poem by Evan Wheeler of Philadelphia, PA Tears are running down my mother’s face Police call saying I was gunned down for a trumped up case My fears became a reality I was killed because of my race One thing for sure two things for certain people don’t frown Even though I am gone …
Black Friday
By Anonymous “Black Friday” depicts the contributor’s alternative view of Black Friday, the day popularly recognized as the unofficial kick-off to holiday shopping. Discounts abound, scenes in malls across America resemble near chaos as shoppers get caught up in the consumer craze. In recent years, the aggression between shoppers has made headlines as well as the soaring record …