It’s ok to be upset and feel scared today. We’ve been at these crossroads many times in the last four years. Peaceful protests that start with a simple and irrefutable statement, that Black Lives Matter. This statement is usually met with military grade retaliation, entrapment, arrests, and an increase in police spending.
At AIGA Portland, we want everyone in our community to be able to have open and honest discussions about what is happening in our city, how we got here, and what you can do to help those who are systematic targets of oppression.
Just 23% of Portland’s population isn’t white and the difficulties we face living here feel insurmountable. Several times a day, a Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color (BIPOC) will experience acts of racism. Some are big, a lot of them are small, and most of them are micro acts of racism that accumulate and manifest as crushing anxiety.
No matter what is happening in our cities, we arrived at these crossroads because our communities of color are pushed, pulled, and beaten into desperation. Across the globe a lot has happened in the last two months as we collectively combat a COVID19 and it’s enough to make anyone feel desperate at times. But BIPOC folks in Portland are also facing centuries of generational pain and a desperation that has lasted lifetimes, in addition to a global pandemic.
There is no “right” or singular way to protest the loss of life. Now is not the time to vilify and dehumanize parts of the community who are hurting the most. Now is the time to help those who have been on the ground for decades fighting for their lives and the lives of others. Below is a list of organizations, non-profits, and community groups who could use your monetary support.
Solidarity through Sacrifice,
Simon S Sotelo
Social Justice Groups
Community Groups
Resources & Guides
