Hold Your Breath

How John Berry and Others Could Have Survived It was past two in the morning when the vintage buzzer to my apartment — the one connected by a single phone line from the top floor to the bottom — alarmed me awake. It has that sound of 1970’s television game shows. Very loud, and typically …

It Starts Today

Protests have dwindled in America since the onset and passing of the holiday season. This time of year has a way of breaking up our worst behavior, no matter what cultural persuasion we celebrate from. That is why it might be a good time to shift our focus from protest to discussion, and that discussion …

It’s Our Time!

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, …

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 …

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 …

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 …