PORTLAND
CHANGING POLITICS
INSIDE: •EMBODY •KATE BROWN: WHY WE NEED TO VOTE! •LGBTQ VETERANS •FINDING TIGER LILY • PROTESTS CONTINUE OVER POLICE CONTRACT’S • SEXUAL ASSAULT IS NO LAUGHING MATTER • #NODAPL
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By Karah Frank, Special for PQ Monthly
Editor’s note: Karah reached out to PQ Monthly to share her truth and healing from their perspective as a mixed race, Nimiipuu/white, queer femme, poverty class, trauma warrior, and student. Karah loves lively conversations on dismantling the white heteropatriarchy, karaoke, and spending time with her family and friends. In light of one Presidential Candidate’s track record, who brags about sexually assaulting women, we decided to give Karah’s words the priority of this months page 3. The cycle of abuse has to STOP. We are calling for a time of personal healing – the game of duality is over! In Judith Herman’s now foundational text on trauma, she outlines the process of psychological domination. The final stage in this process is known as Total Surrender, where the victim becomes utterly complicit in their own abuse. Herman explains the necessity of this - in the mind of the abuser - using a quote by George Orwell, “We are not content with negative obedience, nor even with the most abject submission. When finally you surrender to us, it must be of your own free will. We do not destroy the heretic because he resists us; so long as he resists us, we never destroy him. We convert him, we capture his inner mind, we reshape him. We burn all evil and all illusion out of him; we bring him over to our side, not in appearance, but genuinely, heart and soul.” It is necessary for the justification and continuation of the abuse cycle. The perpetrator insists on total loyalty; mind, body, and soul. During the abuse I thought of nothing but trying to calm you down and save you from the
inevitable consequences of your actions. Even as you repeatedly mocked me, daring me to call the police, exploiting your knowledge of our shared convictions against a biased justice system and the prison-industrial complex, calling the police was the furthest thing from my mind. Instead of calling the police, I tried begging you to stop, being sweet and soothing, yelling or acting angry, pretending to be asleep, and even playing dead at certain points in the hope, not that I wouldn’t die, but that you would not get into trouble. Back then, my devotion to you was so complete, I would have gladly died if it would lessen your distress. The many times you strangled me to the point of unconsciousness that night, what kept me alive was knowing how much more trouble you would be in if I died. In the end, instinct and my will to protect you allowed me to fight for my life. When the police arrived, you politely let them in and surrendered yourself. Reports describe you as calm and collected. My memory of those initial moments is fuzzy. I do remember screaming and crying hysterically, being terrified out of my wits of any physical contact with the officers, hiding in the corner of the bed pulling out the chunks of hair you ripped from my scalp, and repeatedly pulling my torn tank top up to avoid being exposed. I was decidedly uncollected, and not a bit calm. Police snapped photo after photo of my injuries – my face, neck, back and even the inside of my mouth because you had shoved your fingers so far down my throat trying to muffle my screams that it was bleeding. After about 25 minutes, I was finally allowed to put on pants and was given my eyeglasses, which, as you know, I am nearly legally blind without, making the experience all the most terrifying as I could not gauge the officer’s reactions or facial expressions. Throughout this process, I repeatedly defended you. From the moment the police arrived - despite being in a state of shock - and through the days and months that followed, I went around being the rabid, loyal defender I had become after years of lying for you, hiding, and justifying your abuse to myself and others. As an indigenous woman, I believed it was my job to protect you from state violence. I was terrified of the police harming you that night because you don’t have the passing privilege I do and terrified throughout our relationship that if you were ever caught you would be treated unfairly. This seems ironic now, as you will probably barely serve an entire month in the county on work release as per your plea agree-
ment – an agreement which is so lenient because of all the advocacy work I did for you. Entirely enmeshed, totally dependent on you for what morsels of emotional validation you allowed me, I did what anyone that far gone would do. For months, I honestly felt like my life depended on your safety and protection from the consequences of your actions. The Prosecutor can attest to this. I aggressively defended you; I minimized and omitted many of your actions that night and the many nights that preceded it. Trying to protect you, I investigated effective defenses, poured out enormous amounts of emotional support and labor on your behalf, and even hired someone to be a support person for you since I could not be in the same ways I used to due to the no contact order. I researched and vetted your DV treatment facility as being trauma informed and made sure you would be allowed to continue seeing your therapist because I believed him to be culturally responsive. Though the state presses all charges regardless of a victim’s wishes in this state, I did everything I possibly could to protect and defend you. This was because, as I learned later, all I could feel was the unnaturally strong attachment which occurs through a process known as “trauma bonding.” When a victim is brought to the brink of death through strangulation or other means repeatedly and then at the last moment their abuser allows them to live, the abuser simultaneously becomes assailant and benevolent savior. Neurologically, the brain changes profoundly and creates new pathways to survive these extreme circumstances. Despite seeing a chiropractor 2 to 3 times a week for several months to correct the injuries to my neck and back I sustained when you thrashed me around the bed and dragged me around the apartment by my hair. Trauma bonding from over a year of this type of abuse ensured I could think of only one thing; how to get back to you. It ‘s hard to describe the physical pain that a victim - that I - went through when a trauma bond is broken. Body-based, involuntary, physical sensations of unmitigated impending doom - as if I had just slipped off a cliff and was falling to my certain death - dominated my days and nights for months. I cannot put into words the anguish I felt. This was, I discovered, only the beginning of my suffering; merely the necessary precursor to more well-known trauma symptoms. After about 5 months, I heard vicariously SOME WORDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT page 4
A SMATTERING OF WHAT YOU’LL FIND INSIDE: Embody: In The Small Hours Of The Morning... Page 4
Celebrating our LGBTQ Veterans........................... Page 18
Protests Continue............................................... Page 9
Finding Tiger Lily: A Review...................................... Page 19
Governor Kate Brown: Why We Need To Vote! Page 10
Dakota Access Pipeline (#NODAPL) UPDATE........ Page 20
Calendar of Events............................................ Page 12-13
Sexual Assault Is No Laughing Matter.................... Page 24
New Faces Of Oregon Politics.......................... Page 14
AND MUCH MORE! OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • 3
SOME WORDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT
that you had come back to the top of your abuse cycle - as you had time and time again. You began to Continued from page 3 blame me for your abusive behavior, paint me as the primary aggressor, exaggerate your injuries, attempt to isolate me from support, and obsess over or completely invent whatever petty offenses you believe I visited on you during the course of our relationship. You became self-obsessed and cognitively distorted events until they were unrecognizable from the original occurrence. What you previously so vehemently apologized for suddenly never occurred, or else, was my fault anyway. It was the naming and realization of these patterns and the slow dissolution of the trauma bond that allowed the wrongness and severity of what you did to me to sink into my body - little by little. For two months now, the full weight of what my body and brain endured that night, and many others have hit me full force. I can still feel what you did to me that night; not like it’s “emotionally distressful” but like right now, standing here in my body I can feel the acute sensations of being strangled, drowned and a sharp pain in my neck that never goes away. I never told the police that as you choked me on the living room floor, you simultaneously poured soda water onto my face. That was the single most terrifying moment for me because, as I discovered while being strangled slowly to unconsciousness actually isn’t that painful, drowning is incredibly painful. The aspi-
rating carbonated water burned my mouth, nose, and throat. Carbon dioxide levels rise, and the lungs burn as well. The body becomes confused, awkward. There is no graceful way to die from drowning. I am sure I looked ridiculous floundering around, sputtering and gasping underneath you – because you laughed gleefully at me while doing this. I am unsure if the police got pictures of the living room that night, but if they had, they would have noticed a squished up 42-ounce bottle of Crystal Geyser Berry flavored water at the entrance to the living room – that was why that was there. When I have flashbacks, which are frequent, that is the moment I most often return to. You now claim the injuries you inflicted on me that night were in self-defense. Unclear how one waterboards another in self-defense. Because my job provides no paid time off or sick leave, I find myself feeling like I am drowning or cannot breathe in the middle of facilitating groups, going to the gym, seeing friends, or literally whatever I am doing. What you did to me is never, not with me. Your hands around my throat are never, not with me. The pain from being punched in the vagina repeatedly while you screamed “this is mine” is never. Not. With me. Each day I endure the full gambit of trauma symptoms. Hypervigilance, anxiety, agitation, sensations of dread and impending doom, sleep disturbances, lack of a baseline of calm and comfort, tension, neck pain, headaches, flashbacks, nightmares, gastrointestinal disorders, trust difficulties, fear of betrayal, relational issues, irrational fears
and intolerance for a change among other things. All of this suffering because in your words to the officers that night, you “needed to prove a point.” I know this phase won’t last forever, though I am told it can last many years. I will never be the same. You have caused me irreparable harm. The three of us are here together today because we know the truth about who you are and what you’ve done, no matter what you claim to the judge. There is another woman that could not be here today: your ex-wife. She was able to detail similar graphic stories of abuse over more than a 5 year time period. You also abused your son, which is the truth of why you do not have shared custody of either of your children. You are a serial abuser of women and children. Women are sacred. You have violated and betrayed me, your tribe, and the values of the people. Take responsibility and end your suffering. Find peace in honesty. All I ever wanted was your healing and happiness. I listened to you, protected you. I thought if I could give you the pure love and kindness you lacked growing up, if I could be good to you long enough, you would stop hurting me and realize that I wasn’t worthless, as you insisted time and time again. But I am free now. After years of prioritizing your every emotional, spiritual and physical need, I refuse to give you any more of me. I won’t protect you anymore. I will leave you with some of the words you used to terrorize me the night of your arrest: “No one is coming to save you, this time.”
Gay Skate with PQ at: Oaks Park Roller Skating Rink Always the 3rd Monday of every month from 7-9pm
MONTHLY 4 • OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016
THE THEME FOR NOVEMBER IS: UNIFORMS
THE THEME FOR DECEMBER IS: WINTER HOLIDAYS!
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VOICES VOICES
COMMUNITY
EMBODY IN THE SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING By Sossity Chiricuzio
My ancestors have been haunting my dreams. There are ones I know, but also ones I don’t recognize. Speaking the Sicilian I never learned, reading runes I can’t translate, wearing faces only familiar in their pain or sorrow or laughter or rage. They want me to remember someone, or find something, or go somewhere. They want me to know who they are, or who I am. The dreams are only tangentially realistic, and the way they play out is unsettling at best. Tasks made impossible by the lack of one small thing; houses that climb upward through too many floors; babies belonging to nobody but suddenly mine to guard or raise or save. Usually an enemy to hide from, to out run, to survive. They end abruptly, leaving debris and questions in their wake like a storm. They blur into each other, changing pace and theme and cast until I suspect they must be a dream, but I fear the consequences of opting out. I keep trudging the unknown streets, carrying the unknown child, searching for the unknown item of vital importance. How much of this is my internal anxiety, and how much what I absorb from the ferment all around us, is a math I can’t work out. It feels like an examination of where we are by those who didn’t make it to this particular moment of huge change and shattering loss. A cycle the world keeps repeating, but which feels increasingly weighted with all the times we failed to fix it yet. The ancestors come to me, my dreams are full of questions and tasks, I wake still uncertain. My high school sweetheart, who ran away from high school so he could come out as gay. Who went back in the closet so he could join the military because it was more secure than the streets. Who got kicked out when the closet didn’t fit anymore. Who died of AIDS-related complications in the company of a family who wouldn’t even say his name. He visits me often these days. I try to explain how things are now, how far we’ve come so quickly, and how close we are to sliding back one hundred years. How potent and powerful and helpless and hopeless we feel. How we are trying to grow into all that we can be, and scared of it, all at once. How we still don’t have a common language. How we still adore each other. How we still tear each other down. His face is fading, but his disappointment is clear. I try to explain how the struggle to survive becomes ever more universal. How so many kinds of hate still stain everything we are trying to build. How that stain is still so often blood red. How we’re all afraid we’ll
get left behind. How we sometimes can’t stand to stay. How we are targets of ever increasing vibrancy in a world still selling the myth of normalcy. He already knows that last part. The queer afterlife is very crowded lately. My grandmother comes to me, despite her church. Perhaps it is only wishful thinking that she has shed the filters that made me an abomination rather than a beautiful warrior, but I lay my head upon her knee all the same. She doesn’t joke about her vote canceling mine out. She doesn’t take my photo down from the wall. She weaves me a shield the shade of our eyes and kisses my forehead. She hands me the shuttle, but has me hold it like a sword. The midwives come to me. The witches come to me. The crones of all genders come to me. The flames and stones and barred windows are reflected in their eyes. Also the beauty and possibilities, but harder to see. So many generations, so many centuries, and we still live under the heel of ego and profit and control. Still shaking defiant fists. Still fear running roughshod and cocksure over us. Where I am and how I prepare for sleep seem to matter very little. This world is a nightmare-generating machine. In the small hours of the morning I wake myself and my sweetheart with a horrible shouting sob. My brain won’t let me remember why. I find salt on my pillow every week. I sit up later, read more kids books, lay down a blanket of smoke thick enough to float away on and still. More salt. More sorrowful faces. More impossible tasks that are nonetheless absolutely vital. The symbols that litter this landscape are cuttingly obvious. Piles of straightened coat hangers strewn across a room that reeks of no choices. Books made of ash and ignorance. White hands that fold as if in prayer but never wash clean. Trees made of wire where no apple will grow. Water that chokes and burns. Bones of every shape and size, stacked out to the horizon in monuments to greed and hate. Is this an exact description of my dreams, and is such a thing even possible? I am only sure of the taste in my mouth, and the ache in my heart, and the knowing in my gut. I am only sure that our collective consciousness is laboring to carry our collective sorrow. That even those that cry ‘lies!’ the loudest know we are killing everything around us. We are on the brink of extinction, or at least that of our souls. We have no more time to linger in the endless indulgence of self. My mind knows, asleep or awake, that the alarm is ringing sharply. It won’t let me rest.
Sossity Chiricuzio is a writer and columnist based out of Portland, Oregon. She is a regular contributor for PQ Monthly and focuses on social justice, communication, community, and changing the world. You can reach her at sossity@pqmonthly.com or follow her online @sossitywrites. pqmonthly.com
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LOCAL NEWS
PROTESTS CONTINUE OVER POLICE CONTRACT’S EFFECTS ON POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY By Olivia Olivia, PQ Monthly
A n e w p ol ice contract that was pushed through by Portland City Council has s p a rk e d s e ve ra l nights of marches and arrests, pitching local activists against Mayor Charlie Hales and other elected officials. At the heart of the matter is a controversial aspect of the new police contract – namely that officers would be allowed to review body camera footage before writing police reports. Protestors say this would compromise the content and purpose of the body cameras, enabling officers to review and potentially purge footage that portrays them in a negative light. Protestors demanded that City Council takes their concerns seriously – City Council’s response was to exclude the general public from their meetings twice in one week. On Wednesday, October 12, the City Council voted 3-1 to approve the new contract with the city’s police union, leading to an explosive protest outside and outcry from the public that they had been denied public comment on the unpopular decision. Ten people were arrested, trains and bus lines came to a standstill downtown, and the same police who stood to benefit from the City Council’s decision pepper sprayed the crowd while dressed head to toe
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in riot gear. Protesters have threatened to sue the mayor over their exclusion to these otherwise public meetings. As the council voted, chants of “Shame on you!” rang outside. Protesters from Portland’s Don’t Shoot PDX group gathered in tents and camped in front of City Hall walked away with more unresolved concerns – and more demands. On Friday, at the beginning of one of the worst storms the Pacific Northwest has seen in recent years, protesters gathered and marched to Mayor Charlie Hales’ home. By Friday night, nearly a dozen tents pitched on the mayor’s yard. Protestors were threatening to sue the mayor over their exclusion to these otherwise public meetings, Hales and other council members defended their actions saying that the city aimed at lowering response times for emergency calls in the city. JoAnn Hardesty, President of the Portland Chapter of the NAACP, also attended the meetings, upset by the mayor’s decision to exclude the public even if she disagrees with individuals in Don’t Shoot PDX or the tactics at hand. She blamed Hales for preventing public testimony, calling the decision “totally unacceptable.” Although various local organizations and protest groups disagree with Teresa Raiford – who founded Don’t Shoot PDX with white male residents Hart Noecker and Jessie Sponburg – almost all agree that the contract between the City and the Portland Police Union is a devastating move for communities of color.
Only four years ago, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Portland, alleging improper use-of-force by the Portland Police Bureau against members of a protected class. After an 18-month-long investigation was prompted by the high number of deaths at the hands of the Portland Police. The Department of Justice came to the conclusion that linked pattern between the victims was that they all dealt with mental illness – but the victims, including Kendra James, Keaton Otis, Aaron Campbell, Darryel Ferguson, James Jahar Perez – represent another protected class. While African Americans make up between 6 and 7 percent of the Portland population, they are consistently stopped, arrested, convicted, and killed at much higher rates. The overrepresentation of Black residents in what the DOJ labeled a mental illness problem has remained a sore subject with activists, who claim that the issue may have been misdiagnosed. Gregory Robert McKelvey, a 23-year-old law student, and activist who organizes with Don’t Shoot PDX, issued an open letter to Mayor Charlie Hales, stating that he showed up to testify at City Hall and felt that he had been denied access to that right, along with so many others. “We wanted to be in Council chambers, but within just a few minutes you moved the meeting and locked out the public,” he writes. “We were not PROTESTS CONTINUE p age 11
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • 9
NEWS
FEATURE
GOVERNOR KATE BROWN: WHY WE NEED TO VOTE! PQ Monthly Staff
With the resignation of John K it zhaber in Febr ua r y 2015, t hen Secreta r y of State Kate Brow n under Oregon’s constitution automatically succeeded him as Governor of Oregon. If elected this Fall, she will be the first openly LGBTQ elected governor in the entire nation. W hile in office for the last 18 months Governor Brown has made huge strides in improving a multitude of issues in Oregon. Some of her accomplishments include: Making community college more affordable, increasing Oregon’s minimum wage; creating the nation’s first “motor voter” program making voter registration easy by automatically registering voters at the DMV. Making access to birth control easier in Oregon; banning gay conversion therapy; ending profiling in Oregon law enforcement, and passing a law expanding background checks for gun ownership in Oregon to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. PQ Monthly had a chance to speak with Governor Brown recently about her election campaign and other important issues. PQ: Why should the LGBTQ community elect you as their governor? Brown: I’m working to cultivate a culture of inclusion and building an Oregon where each person can thrive. We are living in divisive times, and it should be our practice as government, as policymakers, and as community members to celebrate people’s diversity, not shun it. It is an important part of my history, both personally and politically, to have been an early and outspoken advocate for equality. I have fought for civil rights for my entire public career – as a State Representative, as a member and a leader in the State Senate. As your Governor I was proud to sign a bill banning conversion therapy, and another that made Oregon the first State in the Nation to help LGBT veterans upgrade their unfair discharges from the military – discharges based on discrimination, not merit. PQ: Why is it important for people to get out and vote this year in particular? Brown: I believe your vote is your voice and every vote matters. More voices are heard when more votes are cast. I dare to dream, that one day the American electorate will be comprised of every single eligible voter in the country. I am proud to say that, between our first-in-the-nation automatic voter registration and vote-by-mail, this dream has begun to take shape in Oregon. At the same time, America is facing some serious challenges. We are a country where many full-time workers are living and raising 10 • OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016
children in poverty. We are a country where women are earning less than men in the same jobs. We are a country where laws are created to deny certain rights to people because of their gender identity or their race. We are a country starting to think twice about whether it’s safe to gather in public – at school, on a college campus, at our places of worship, in a movie theater or a dance club. These are complicated problems in times of great uncertainty. But of one thing I am quite certain: Donald Trump is completely uninterested in the real issues Americans face every day. The skill set that makes for good reality TV does not necessarily translate into the role of Leader of the Free World. We as Americans – Republicans, Democrats, independents – deserve better. We have a unique opportunity in this election to stand for what’s right and stand against the vision held by the loudest voices in the room. PQ: You’re a huge advocate for improving our educational system. How would you propose finding a sustainable way of funding education in Oregon? Brown: Oregon needs stable and adequate revenue for essential services like education and healthcare. For more than 30 years, lawmakers have struggled and failed to address the issues in our tax system, and as a result of their inability to do so, we have shortchanged generations of Oregonians. That’s why I’m supporting Measure 97. Sustained investment is necessary. Our reliance on income taxes to fund schools and other services means we are whipsawed by the whims of our economy. We can’t prepare our students to be successful in a global economy if we aren’t able to continue to invest in education. When I talk to business leaders, they want an educated and skilled workforce. With stable and adequate revenue we can sustain investments in early childhood education, increase the graduation rate, and give more kids the hands-on experiences and skills that employers want. PQ: Transgender rights falls under Title IX which seems to continually be evolving. How do you see our government supporting our transgender youth as they navigate any systemic discrimination? Brown: I am working to ensure all Oregonians are able to live freely and with dignity in our state, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. Under my leadership this year, the Oregon Department of Education issued guidance to school districts to create a safe and supportive school environment for every learner, including LGBTQ students. This a positive step forward to making schools a safe place, free from discrimination and harassment, and ensuring every student has equal access to educational programs and activities. GOVERNOR KATE BROWN page 11
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KATE BROWN
PQ: LGBTQ youth have a nationally higher statistical rate Continued from page 10 of dropping out of school and a higher rate of bullying. Do you see more accurate ways within your power as Governor to support LGBTQ youth? Brown: It is my vision that all Oregon students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, have access to a seamless system of education, from cradle to career. A healthy and well-funded education system is key to giving every Oregon child the opportunity to thrive and contribute positively to their communities. We must shrink the opportunity gap that starts early and makes it harder every year for students to catch up. We’ve started that work with a historic investment in education in 2015, particularly early childhood education, the ELL program, and in applying an equity lenses in policy making. But, there is much more to do. As mentioned in previous answers, under my leadership this year, the Oregon Department of Education issued guidance to school districts to create a safe and supportive school environment for every learner, including LGBTQ students. This a positive step forward to making schools a safe place, free
from discrimination and harassment, and ensuring every student has equal access to educational programs and activities. I was also proud to sign a bill banning conversion therapy, and another that made Oregon the first State in the Nation to help LGBTQ veterans upgrade their unfair discharges from the military – discharges based on discrimination, not merit. PQ: How has your gender and/or sexual orientation framed or influenced the public? Brown: My role as the first LGBTQ governor in the country affords me and our community with a unique opportunity. I learned, as a leader in the State Senate, when I was instrumental in passing both the Oregon Equality Act (banning discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation or gender identification) and the Oregon Family Fairness Act to fully recognize domestic partnerships that our community actually thrives. When we all have a seat at the table. I will continue to use my office to fight against discrimination, and also hope to be a mentor and role model for LGBTQ youth who may be struggling. PQ: From Oregon’s worst mass shooting to extremists occupying the Malheur Wildlife Refuge to some of the most severe forest fires and droughts in Oregon history, you’ve
had quite the year and a half as governor. Yet some opponents continue to say you lack the leadership and strong head needed to govern. As a woman do you still feel you are held to a higher standard? Brown: I have often been underestimated. But, that hasn’t stopped us from making unprecedented progress in my time in office, despite the many challenges we have faced. In just the last year and a half we have: Led the passage of one of the country’s first Family and Medical Leave laws as a State legislator. Wrote Oregon’s Motor Voter Law as Secretary of State, oversaw its passage and signed it into law as Governor. Created an online database to make campaign contributions completely transparent and accessible to all Oregonians – the most significant campaign finance reform in our State in a generation. Forged a coalition to raise Oregon’s minimum wage so that no one working full time in this State has to live in poverty. Signed the law making Oregon the first State in the nation to completely eliminate coal power. We still have more work to do, and I am looking forward to doing it together with all Oregonians.
PROTESTS CONTINUE
rather than vision and does not reflect the will or voice of the community,” said JoAnn Hardesty in a statement. “There are many things wrong with this contract. The Portland City Auditor’s Office wrote of their concerns with the voting process as well. “We are concerned that the veil of secrecy has enveloped the proposed contract,” the public statement read, “and its creation stands to do long-term harm to the City’s efforts to build a stronger police accountability system.” Notably, their statement also points out that the current collective bargaining agreement with the Portland Police Association does not expire until June 30, 2017. The Auditor’s Office did show praise for
one aspect of the contract, which will remove the 48-hour restriction on interviewing officers in administrative investigations. “The Auditor’s Office has consistently maintained that the 48-hour rule undermined the community’s faith in the City’s police accountability system. In officer-involved shootings, outside experts hired by the City have noted that the delays in obtaining contemporaneous officer accounts of critical incidents have led to lengthy and diminished community confidence.”
allowed to testify, and new were not given a voice. The only thing we were allowed to do was be beaten. I handed out waters and snacks to Continued from page 9 your officers. I felt bad for them. It must feel wrong to be ordered to beat children out of City Hall. I also care about them. I care about you. I care about our entire city.” He ended with a common refrain echoed as the City of Portland has undergone investigation for its police brutality. “I just want justice,” he said. “[The contract] reflects the narrow focus on money
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Today, that community confidence appears to be far from where city officials might want it to be.
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • 11
CALENDAR
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26
October LGBTQ Self Care/Community Care Night. The LGBTQ+ community is invited for a monthly night of self care, community care and open space. “We recognize that self care looks different to each person and so the space will be open for LGBTQ+ folks to use in any way.” A safe space and all-LGBTQ event for Sharing food (potluck!), stories, emotions, ideas, projects, skill shares, resources, consensual hugs, respect, support, actively listening, uplifting and supporting marginalized voices. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Anarres Infoshop and Community Space, 7101 N. Lombard St.
GET
OUT! Want more? We’ll give you everything. Head over to pqmonthly.com and check out our online calendar of events, submit your own events, and send photos for your event. Also, remember to carefully examine our weekly weekend forecast — with the latest and greatest events — each Wednesday (sometimes Thursday), online only. --MATT PIZZUTI, CALENDAR EDITOR PQ MONTHLY
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22
Blow Pony’s annual Homoween party! With Kim Chi from Ru Paul’s Drag Race season 8, Tammie Brown, Wolfgang X, the Drag King troupe Man Up, and Visantos. 2 levels with bars and seating. $18. Doors open at 9 p.m. at the Bossanova Ballroom, 722 E. Burnside.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23
Shine with Q, a brunch benefit and celebration. Join us for our annual all ages community brunch-with a room full of friends to raise support for Q Center and to raise a toast to you. When we talk about shining, we know our collective light shines the brightest. Let’s celebrate it together! 10:30 Registration & Mimosa Bar & Reunion! (yas!) 11:30 Program & Awards (costumes may or may not be involved), 1:30 Tea Dance! (nods). Tickets $50, discounts available. Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront, 1401 SW Naito Pkwy.
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EVERY SUNDAY
Drag Brunch: Testify at Stag with Alexis Campbell Starr. From 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. every Sunday, Starr brings you the city’s hottest drag performers, drink specials (5 for $5 mimosas, $5 American Harvest Bloody Marys), and tasty brunch. Be there promptly at 11, children—it’s a sell-out crowd. Stag, 317 NW Broadway. Superstar Divas. Bolivia Carmichaels, Honey Bea Hart, Topaz Crawford, Isaiah Tillman, and guest stars perform your favorite pop, Broadway, R&B, rock, and country hits. Dance floor opens after the show. Check out the newest and freshest Diva hits, plus a variety of diverse talent. 8 p.m., CC Slaughters, 219 NW Davis. Free!
DANCE
IT OUT
EVERY MONDAY
Family Home Evening. A weekly, post-work lounge party every Monday night at Vault, featuring DJ Orographic (Bridge Club, Queerlandia) and occasional special guests (Sappho fills in now and then). Jens Irish serves you happy hour all the live long night. 7 p.m.-11 p.m., Vault, 226 NW 12.
EVERY WEDNESDAY
Amateur night at Stag PDX, though they won’t look like amateurs, trust. Hosted by Godiva Devyne, come gawk at the pretty dancers. And talk some shit with the Devyne Ms. G. 9 p.m., Stag PDX, 317 NW Broadway. 12 • OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016
trees and crow plants that wou crucial biodive for wildlife. Gat greater Portlan your support fo local ecology a unruly vines. M ter at bit.ly/2dt to 12 p.m. at H 4000 SW Fair
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27
Voices for Racial Justice. Leaders from Black Lives Matter and Latino immigrant rights groups form common brown-and-black front and talk about the role of white allies on providing accompaniment, looking towards for the struggle for racial justice and immigration reform in 2017. Organized by Don’t Shoot Portland and Voz Hispana Cambio Comunitario. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 330 SE 11th Ave.
Halloween H projector at thi Cat Hoch. Late
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29
No Ivy Day. No green thumb? No problem! Gather in Hoyt Arboretum, for Portland Parks & Recreation’s annual citywide effort to remove invasive ivy. Once treasured as an attractive ornamental plant, English ivy has gone rogue in Portland’s city parks and green spaces, overwhelming
EVERY THURSDAY
Hip Hop Heaven. Bolivia Carmichaels hosts this hip-hop-heavy soiree night every Thursday night at CCs. Midnight guest performers and shows. Remember those midnight shows at The City? Bolivia does! 9 p.m., CC Slaughters, 219 NW Davis. Free.
FIRST SATURDAYS
Hard Yes presents: Yes Please! Yes Please is a monthly queer dance party for the dark, dirty and fabulous who just wanna dance. The party also features guest performers from Portland and beyond plus resident DJ Sappho alongside a rotating lineup of guest DJ’s providing you with a healthy dose of: House, techno, deep disco and hard f*ggotry. Cover $7. 21+. 9 p.m. at Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St. Sugar Town. DJ Action Slacks. Keywords: Soul, polyester. Great place to find the ladies, to mingle, to get your groove on. 9 p.m., The Spare Room, 4830 NE 42. $5. Pop Rocks! 80s music aficionado DJ Matt Consola (Bearracuda) is hosting a very special 80s anthem night at Euphoria Nightclub. The space will be enhanced with an 80s theme featuring dancers, games and an official Dungeons & Dragons Gaming Table, visuals, rad 80s movies, drink specials, a photo booth, coat check and special guest DJs. 10 p.m., Euphoria, 315 SE 3. No cover. Pants Off Dance Off. Come get bold and bawdy at Crush Bar’s monthly clothing-optional dance event, a bar-as-you-dare safe space to break character without risking your day job (no cell phone photos allowed, folks!) Come early—the place gets packed and space is limited. $5 cover after 9 p.m. with a clothes check for $2. 1400 SE Morrison St.
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firming space for music and mingling. Correction: Bi/Pan/Fluid/Q 8 p.m., Crush, 1400 SE Morrison.
SECOND FRIDAYS
Slo Jams is a Queer Modern R&B & Neo Soul Dance Night at Local Lounge. DJ II TRILL (TWERK) and DJ MEXXX-TAPE lay down everything from Mary J // Jagged Edge// Keyshia to Badu//Lauryn Etc. 10 p.m., Local Lounge, 3536 NE MLK. $5.
SECOND SATURDAYS
Hot Flash: Inferno. (Second and Fourth Saturdays) In the heart of Portland is where the women are—dancing the night away and burning up dance floors the second and fourth Saturdays of every month at Trio. Welcoming all women, queers, and their allies. DJ Lauren joins Wildfire, and thi night features dancers from up and down the I-5 corridor. 6 p.m p.m., Trio, 909 E. Burnside.
CALENDAR SPONSORED BY
SECOND TUESDAYS
Bi Bar—every second Tuesday at Crush, and it’s an open, bi-afpqmonthly.com
wding out native uld provide ersity and food ther across the nd area to show or our treasured and yank some More info/registE26w. 9 a.m. Hoyt Arboretum, rview Blvd.
injustice, inequality and discrimination. The 2016 Collins Lecture will present emerging and inclusive theological and social perspectives on race, justice and reconciliation. It will engage the community in reflection, dialogue and ongoing action toward a just and inclusive future for all Oregonians.” Tickets for lecture only start at $25. More info/purchase at emoregon.org. 1 to 5:30 p.m. seminar, and 7 to 9:30 p.m.lecture at Concordia University, 2811 NE Holman St.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9
OCTOBER 31
Hocus Pocus party! The 1993 film Hocus Pocus plays on is Halloween rager featuring sets from Wampire, Fog Feather and e night dance party after the show; enter to win door prizes if you come wearing a costume. $10. Doors open at 8:45 p.m., show starts at 9 p.m. at The Liquor Store, 3341 SE Belmont St.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3
ure: Redeeming the Soul of America: Race, Justice and ion. “In the midst of growing polarization and divisiveness in our nation, people of faith are called to address issues of racism,
is m.-10
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12
Bearracuda! It’s a knock down, dragged out bear night! Join us for a huge night for Matt Bearracuda’s birthday at Bossanova Ballroom. Hosted by Glen Alen, featuring Drew Droege as Chloe Christeene, special guest Miss Rahni NothingMore, DJ Matt Consola, DJ Matt Stands, DJ Freddy KOP, sexy, furry go-go’s, circus acts, laser light show and projections. 7 before 10 p.m., $10 after at Bossanova Ballroom, 722 E Burnside.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21
¡Concientízate! 2016 featuring Alejandro y Maria Laura. Presented by Cascade AIDS Project, a no-cover event with free food (veg/vegan friendly), entertainment, education and testing. A Celebration of Latin@ art, culture and music will commemorate National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. Come celebrate Latinx culture, heritage and pride with music from Alejandro y Maria Laura (Perú), Clara Grun (Nicaragua), Colectivo Son Jarocho de Portland, With a blessing from Aztec Dance group Mexica Tiahui and a special performance by Chinelos Orgullo Morelense. 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at the Bossanova Ballroom, 722 E Burnside St.
Pride Preview
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27
THIRD MONDAYS
Queer.
t
An Evening with David Sedaris. Reading and signing. Tickets start at $32.50. Wednesday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway.
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FEATURES CALENDAR
Bump, grind and crash into your favorite queer friends at Gay Skate. Look for our publisher, who’s always handing out copies of PQ. And, you know, you’ll probably get a date. Every third Monday. Food drive for Take Action Inc. 7 p.m., Oaks Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way. $6.
THIRD TUESDAYS
Beareoke PDX is BACK! Invite all the bears & chasers you know who karaoke. Free! 9 p.m. at Scandals, 1125 SW Stark St.
THIRD WEDNESDAYS
Comedy at Crush: Belinda Carroll and a slew of locals rustle up some funny. Special guests, and Crush’s signature cocktail and food menus. Donations, sliding scale. (Comics have to eat and drink, too, so give!) 9 p.m., Crush, 1400 SE Morrison. Queens of the Night: Alexis Campbell Starr. That’s all you need to know. But there’s more: she always welcomes a special slew of talented queens for a night that takes Hip-Hop from beginning to end. 8 p.m., Local Lounge, 3536 NE MLK. Free.
THIRD SATURDAYS
Burlescape! Burlesque & boylesque wrapped in a taste of tease! Zora Phoenix, Isaiah Esquire, Tod Alan. 9 p.m., Crush, 1400 SE Morrison. $10. We’re featuring all of Zora’s events online, so get on the net. Undergear: Eagle Portland’s monthly underwear, jock, mankini, etc., fetish party every third Saturday. Free if you arrive before 9 p.m. or if you use free clothes check upon entry after. After 9 p.m. arrivals who do not check clothes must pay $5 entry. Clothes check and raffle prize provided by Cub Cleaners. Eagle Portland, 835 N. Lombard. Stranger Disco. An always-packed North Portland favorite queer pqmonthly.com
dance party on North Williams; DJs Stormy Roxx, Vera Rubin and Sappho. 21+, $10, starts at 9 p.m., District East, 4306 N. Williams Ave.
FOURTH FRIDAYS
Twerk. DJs ILL Camino and II Trill. Keywords: bring your twerk. The city’s longest-running queer hip hop/R&B party—where artists, deejays, performers come to mix, mingle, and move on the dance floor. We promise you you’ll move all night long. 10 p.m., Killingsworth Dynasty, 832 N Killingsworth. $5. Club Kai-Kai. A crazy, cozy, packed dance party for queers at Saucebox. Club Kai-Kai (at it’s most basic) is an experimentation of nightlife, performance, and your gender preference. If you have questions, we don’t have answers; we just have a space for you to Kai-Kai. $5 cover, 21+ at Saucebox, 214 SW Broadway. Blow Pony. Check out the classic PDX party’s new venue. Here’s your raunchiest, fruitiest, grittiest, freakiest most fabulous packed dance party. 9 p.m., Bossanova Ballroom, 722 E Burnside St. $7.
FOURTH SATURDAYS
Judy on Duty. Lesbian hardcore. Judys, Judes, and cool ass freaks. Dance it out. DJ Troubled Youth. Organized by Ana Margarita and Megan Holmes. 10 p.m., High Mark Water Lounge, 6800 NE MLK.
LAST SUNDAYS
Sabbathhause Discotheque, gay night is back at Aalto lounge and it is bigger and more queer than ever before. Featuring some of the best deejays and performers around and hosted by night hawk Chanticleer Tru. 8 p.m.,
Out in the Night: A benefit screening for Gender Justice. Presented by SJF, this ground-breaking documentary follows four black lesbians who were violently and sexually threatened on the street in New York City. After they women defend themselves against the attacker, they are charged and convicted in the courts and in the media as a “gang of killer lesbians.” After the film will be a discussion led by community organizers working at the intersections of the criminal legal system, gender justice, and racial justice. The event is free—RSVP online at bpt.me/2603894. 6:50 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. at Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton St.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Club Nitty Gritty: Pre-Election Dance Party. Dance to vintage soul, RnB, the Blues, and other gritty grooves as DJ Action Slacks reminds you to get out the vote! Shake off some of the negativity of this campaign season, find common ground on the dance floor, and get excited to vote against bigotry on the November 8th election. Door proceeds help support the youth programs of the Sankofa Collective Northwest, Formerly PFLAG Portland Black Chapter. $5, 21+, 9 p.m. at the World Famous Kenton Club, 2025 N. Kilpatrick St. OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • 13
FEATURE
NEW FACES OF OREGON POLITICS
Editor’s Note: Back in 2004, El Hispanic News was in the audience at the Multnomah County building, when the historic decision in favor of Marriage Equality was made and championed by County Commissioners Maria Rojo de Steffey, Lisa Naito, and Serena Cruz. Next to us in the audience was one of Oregon’s most influential human rights advocates Roey Thorpe who at the time was Executive Director of Basic Rights Oregon and she shared with us: “When people of color particularly women of color get elected democracy wins.” Here’s to those brave enough to make a difference! #ThankYou - By Melanie Davis, PQ Monthly
ERIC ZIMMERMAN Meet a Portlander who probably needs no introduction, Eric Zimmerman who is running for Multnomah County Commissioner District 1. He has dedicated his life to public service, serving with distinction in our armed forces and currently as a senior leader at Multnomah County. Now Eric is running for County Commission to ensure children, families, seniors, and our returning veterans receive the support they deserve. Eric grew up in the Portland metro area. His dad was an attorney and his mom a public school teacher at Portland Public Schools. Even at an early age, Eric was committed to giving back. He served as the student representative on the North Clackamas School Board, helping bring more diploma options for students who struggled with traditional learning systems. When he started at the University of Portland, he joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and after graduation entered the U.S. Army and Oregon Army National Guard as a Second Lieutenant. In 2009, Eric was deployed to Iraq serving as a platoon leader with distinction, earning the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Action Badge.
After serving overseas, Eric returned to work at Multnomah County. He soon joined a group of dedicated employees at the County, working to expand job opportunities for returning veterans. Through this endeavor, he began working for County Commissioner Diane McKeel, rising to become her Chief of Staff. Their office has been an active leader in the County’s work on economic development, anti-human trafficking, veterans housing, and improving services for those experiencing a mental health crisis. Eric continues to serve in the Oregon Army National Guard, holding the rank of captain and overseeing an Oregon-based unit of the Guard. In this capacity, he led the effort to make his unit a national leader in preparing for the lifting of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, as well as the restriction on women serving in combat units. In September 2015, Eric deployed to Northeast Oregon to fight the wildfires ravaging our state. Eric holds a BS and MBA from the University of Portland. He has been civically active in the community, serving on the Board of Governors for the City Club of Portland. In his free time he enjoys camping and exploring the Oregon wilderness. He lives in Southwest Portland with his dog. To help Eric Zimmerman win the race for Multnomah County Commissioner District 1 you can get involved and learn more at www.ericzimmerman.org
JANELLE BYNUM Meet Janelle Bynum who is running for State Representative 51 a noted swing district. House District 51 encompasses the cities of Happy Valley, Damascus, and Boring in Clackamas County, Gresham in Multnomah County and unincorporated parts of those two counties, including East Portland. A mother of four children and a
small business owner, Janelle Bynum, works hard. It’s what her parents taught her to do. The daughter of teachers, her parents taught Janelle that education was the key to a better, safer world. When drug violence threatened her inner-city neighborhood in Washington, DC, Janelle put that ideal into practice. She earned scholarships and put herself through school, earning her Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and her Master’s degree in Business Administration. Today, Janelle and her husband, Mark, live in Happy
Valley with their children. Janelle operates her family’s small business, running two restaurants in our community. In her restaurants, Janelle continues to embody those ideals taught to her early in life, mentoring her employees, providing scholarships to continue their education and encouraging them to dream big. To help Janelle Bynum win the race for State Representative, District 51 you can get involved and learn more at www.janellebynum.com
PAUL CARLOS SOUTHWICK Meet Paul Carlos Southwick, who is running for State Representative, District 37 which serves the West Linn/Tualatin/Stafford/Rivergrove/Durham area of Oregon. The legislature passes laws concerning a range of issues including public education, the environment, civil rights and affordable housing. It also sets the state budget. As an attorney with experience in business litigation and civil rights litigation. Paul understands how to bring people together to resolve their differences and get things done successfully. Additionally, he has testified before the state legislature as
14 • OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016
a youth advocate on a strong bill that will protect minors from harmful therapy practices. When PQ Monthly asked Paul how his office can better fulfill in the diverse communities of Oregon, he said: “All of the major issues facing the legislature have a tremendous impact on diverse and underrepresented communities. These include school funding, affordable housing, healthcare, climate change policies, transportation funding, police accountability, and prison reform and immigration policy. Too many in our communities aren’t heard from and aren’t considered on these matters.” PQ Monthly then asked Paul: When elected, how can your office will better serve these community needs? “A deliberative body can only be as wise as the sum of its members’ experiences. In other words, state representa-
tives need to actually represent the state. That means that the legislature needs a greater diversity of its membership, including people who bring different perspectives, and new, innovative ideas, based on their race, ethnicity, age, gender or sexual orientation. It also means that the legislature needs to make much greater efforts to speak to and hear from all Oregonians. We need to ensure that both our policies and our politics are inclusive.” House District 37 will be one of the closest races in 2016. To help Paul Carlos Southwick win the race for State Representative, District 37 you can get involved and learn more at www.paulsouthwick.com/#involved OREGON POLITICS page 15
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TERESA ALONSO LEON M e e t Te r e s a Alonso Leon, who is running for State Representative, House District 22 which is located in Marion County and encompasses the cities of Woodburn, Gervais, Keizer, and Salem. In her own words, Teresa has made it very clear why she is running: “I am running for the Oregon House because I want to be a voice for Continued from page 14 working families and all the community members that make up House District 22.”
OREGON POLITICS
Teresa’s who is currently a member of the Woodburn City Council, also works for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission in the Office of Community College and Workforce Development, as the state’s High School Equivalency and GED Administrator. When PQ Monthly asked Teresa how her office can better fulfill in the diverse communities of Oregon, she said: “As an elected official, I will make it a priority to work in collaboration with all members of our community. So
pqmonthly.com
“Outdoor” Paradise + Gardeners Dream In Rose-City!
we can deliver on Oregonians’ top priorities by investing in our schools, improve high school graduation rates, help small businesses create good-paying jobs, and make sure all working Oregonians have a fair shot.” PQ Monthly then asked Teresa: When elected, how can your office will better serve these community needs? “As an immigrant and the first Latina to run for House District 22, I understand firsthand the challenges our families face or have faced because I have experienced them. I will work hard to support or create policies that create change by making our systems more inclusive and better equipped to support the needs of our growing, diverse communities. As a legislator, I will work hard to advocate on behalf of working families and be a vocal advocate about the many contributions diverse communities have made to Oregon.” “As a Purépecha from Michoacán Mexico, I feel blessed to run for elected office and to have the opportunity to be an example to underrepresented communities that a woman from humble beginnings can run for office and work for the well-being of all communities.” To help Teresa Alonso Leon win the race for State Representative, House District 22, please visit www.ElectAlonsoLeon.com, or call the campaign headquarters (971) 216-1532. You can also follow her on Facebook at TeresaAlonsoLeonforHD22 or on Twitter at @AlonsoLeon4HD22. OREGON POLITICS page 16
Rare oppty! 3 levels of livability! Nearly 4000sf with huge fenced yard & garden area. 5 bdrms, 4 bths, 3 frplcs, 3 decks, 100 x 100 lot. Daylite bsmt w/rec & workout rm. (ideal for 2nd living space). Hurry! $855,000. Sue Coon, Realty Trust Group, Inc. 503-416-2001
Find us on Facebook facebook.com/pqmonthly
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • 15
LOCAL
TAWNA SANCHEZ communities of Oregon, she said: “We face apparent disparities when it comes to pover t y, school achievement, fair housing access, racial profiling, and other issues. These issues are being debated today in our Legislature, and there are too few voices speaking from experience about the struggles in our diverse communities. Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of families from this district. They know I always have an open door and an open heart for their needs. We need to bring an eye for equity to how we teach our kids, reward and support our workers, help those who need it, and care for our elderly.”
OREGON POLITICS Continued from page 15
Meet Tawna Sanchez, who is running for Oregon House of Representatives, District 43 which serves the North/Northeast area of Portland, Oregon. As a legislator, one serves the public by establishing laws to protect the public. Additionally, they decide state spending on schools, social services, transportation, public safety, and other priorities. Tawna plans on bringing her extensive experience to this office. For 20 years Tawna has lived in the district and been a leader at the Native American Youth and Families Center. She has worked with families – on early learning, K-12 and college readiness, affordable housing and homeownership, elder care, and dealing with domestic violence. When PQ Monthly asked Tawna how her office can better fulfill in the diverse
PQ Monthly then asked Tawna: When elected, how can your office will better serve these community needs? “I am fortunate at NAYA to work with people from all ethnic and social backgrounds. Frankly, the needs of our communities of color are not prioritized in the legislature and too often impacts on our communities are overlooked. As the first native woman to serve in the Oregon legislature, I would carry with me the knowledge that I am there to speak for those who feel they don’t have a voice in the process. People without lobbyists or contribution checks. People who may not even be able to vote. I will never stop fighting for the people of this community.” “I have the experience in effectively represent the diverse people of this District. That is why I am supported by leaders like Carmen Rubio, Gale Castillo, Lee Po Cha, Vanessa Timmons, Matt Morton, Nichole Maher, and Tom Potter.” “Democracy is a powerful engine for change and we can make a difference.” Help Tawna Sanchez win the race for Oregon House of Representatives, District 43 www.tawnasanchez.com or email her at tawna@tawnasanchez.com.
DIEGO HERNANDEZ Meet Diego Hernandez, who is running for State Representative in House District 47 which serves District 47, East and SE Portland, Oregon. The experience Diego will bring to the legislative branch of Oregon is his passion for working on more equitable legislation and budgets and his commitment to meet the needs of the district constituency. Diego also brings a diverse set of experience to this office. He’s been a community organizer on environmental justice, renters rights, and racial equity issues, and currently, holds Masters in Social Work. He is a former high school and middle school teacher who has also served on a school board since 2013. Additionally, Diego Hernandez was the first Latino ever elected to the Reynolds OREGON POLITICS page 17
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FEATURES
OREGON POLITICS Continued from page 16
School Board in 2013. Diego is currently the Co-Executive Director of Momentum Alliance, a nonprofit he co-founded five years ago, which develops young civic leaders. When PQ Monthly asked Diego how his office can better fulfill in the diverse communities of Oregon, he said: “There are many issues that my district faces. Historically, East Portland has been neglected and not provided the right infrastructure and public investment needed to live safe and healthy lives. I will be an active advocate in fighting for East Portland to get its fair share. We face tremendous challenges in our communities, from the affordable and stable housing to safe routes to school, a fully funded public education system, safe and secure public spaces, protecting our seniors, low wages and many more issues that I hope to address and to work on.” PQ Monthly then asked Diego: When elected, how can your office will better serve these community needs? “I am a product of East Portland, and I’ve faced many of the adversities our community currently faces, so I have a sense of urgency to do something about
pqmonthly.com
it. I am committed to racial equity, and I will make sure that our communities of color and immigrant communities have a strong voice in Salem.” To help Diego Hernandez win the race for State Representative in House District 47, please go to www.diego4oregon.com Haven’t met these candidates because you have been overly gas lit by the Presidential campaign? Well on October 22, 2016, from 3 to 5 pm at the Enso Winery Color PAC is hosting a ticketed event. According to Jesse Beason, a Color PAC board member;“We’re strongest when our elected leaders reflect the full range of talent and lived experience that Oregon has to offer. But right now our government doesn’t look like the people it represents. Color PAC is committed to finding people of color deeply committed to community who understand root causes and offer solutions.” Beason further added; “We have the chance to make the Oregon legislature look more like who Oregon really is. We’re joining with candidates and elected leaders of color to celebrate that chance and to raise money for the three candidates that need our help the most!” For more on this event, please go to colorpac.org/represent
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • 17
FEATURE
CELEBRATING OUR LGBTQ VETERANS
By Suzanne Deakins, PQ Monthly
Recently I watched a movie about Alan Turning. The British mathematician, who invented computer science and helped to decode Nazi communicate during WWII. The heartbreak of the story is that after having helped to defeat the Nazi regime (and save an estimated 14 million lives), he was convicted of indecency because of his homosexuality. In this, he lost his security clearance in the military and was dismissed from his professorship. Ultimately he committed suicide. This scenario is not uncommon to those who have served in the military. We have summarily discharged (separated) many with dishonor because of their sexual preferences and identification. Suicide and disaster are familiar to this group of individuals who have served our country. A less-than-honorable discharge leaves veterans without many of the services they should have, it also leaves a sense of shame and fear of reaching out for help. Until this past year discharged service personnel did not have an advocate or a way around these inhumane regulations. In 2015 Oregon became the first State to create a position of an LGBTQ Veterans Coordinator. Meet Nathaniel Boehme, a third generation Air Force LGBTQ veteran himself, still currently serving in the Portland Air National Guard, who has been chosen to build the bridge between veterans who are in our LGBTQ community and the military and veteran services. He is traveling throughout Oregon, speaking and meeting our veterans in our community who have been isolated and fallen under the radar of humanitarian action. Nathaniel writes about his work: Oregon is a state made up of a diverse veteran community that spans five eras of service and four generations. And now to better serve you, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Veteran Coordinator office is available to answer your questions and assist with a variety of services. My position has been created to assist members of the LGBTQ community in 18 • OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016
Oregon who served in our nation’s military with a variety of things up to and including: 1. Correction of military records: a) Discharge upgrades for veterans separated under the auspices of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT); b) Official name changes on DD214 and VA health records; c) Removing DADT-related language from military discharge records 2. Assistance with veteran services and benefits (VA and other) for Oregonians who may be leery to connect with mainstream veteran-serving organizations: a) VA health care; b) Service-connected compensation; c) Pension; d) Home loans; e) Homelessness services 3. Promotion and support in creating a community and culture of inclusion for ALL veterans - regardless of sexuality or gender identity 4. Liaison between veteran and LGBTQ-serving organizations; 5. Creation and sustainment of LGBTQ veteran events, speaking engagements, email list, and more in the State of Oregon 6. Advocacy for legislative changes in Oregon to better serve our LGBTQ community (veterans and non-veterans alike) Here’s a little background on Nathaniel: I am an OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) veteran, third generation Air Force, still serving in the Oregon Air National Guard, and I identify as a cisgender gay man. I have been working with veterans and their families in crisis, specifically experiencing housing instability, for over four years in Portland, Seattle, and most recently Los Angeles. I hold two bachelor’s degrees (Sociology and Psychology) with a minor in Women and Gender Studies from Utah State University, as well as an M.A. in Sociology from Washington State University. I am currently working on a Master’s in Social Work at Portland State University. My partner and I are very excited to be back in Oregon, and I look forward to serving my fellow veterans and the LGBTQ community. Partnerships with multiple stakeholders are critical to involvement and success with the veteran and LGBTQ-serving community. I’m offering my services to attend any regularly scheduled events or meetings; I’m happy to present and/or answer questions. If you identify as LGTBQ and have ever served in the U.S. military, please consider helping Nathaniel assess the needs of the LGBTQ community by completing the survey found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5PQTD7X . All your responses are confidential, and your feedback is highly encouraged and valued. If you wish to connect with Nathaniel for any reason, you can contact him at nathaniel.boehme@state.or.us, or there is also a general delivery email at LGBTQVets@ odva.state.or.us pqmonthly.com
FEATURE
FINDING TIGER LILY: A REVIEW
cise our collective racist demons. As Anthony says, “ . . . s h e’s v e r y m u c h a Coy o t e sort of presence. Coyote and other indigenous tricksters almost always go about things selfishly only to inadvertently help humanity. I don’t know that Carla helps humanity as a whole, but she’s certainly provided me with an outlet for emulating and externalizing everything I want to critique in our world, and I would
by Max Voltage, PQ Monthly
It was a dark and drizzling night, quintessential Portland fall, as I walked up to the Hollywood Theater. The marquee read “Finding Tiger Lily,” which made me feel proud, and a little jealous, too. S/ he’s made it! Anthony Hudson, aka Carla Rossi, has been a queer creative force in Portland for almost a decade now. From their campy hilarities to scene-stealing comedic timing, Anthony continues to push their own creative edges, and their newest creation is no exception. I got the chance to ask Anthony a few questions about their art and process pre-show, so I had a little context for the piece. “As a kid I don’t think I realized how racist Peter Pan was. I loved it. Ugg-A-Wugg – the song that becomes the whole reason for my show – is still a favorite. Growing up without traditions and looking and passing white and living privileged – while my brothers lived on the Warm Springs Rez – I just didn’t know until I got older. And then as I got older I realized how little I knew and how skewed my sense of identity was. I felt split. (I still do.) And being queer and being kind of a weirdo sitting alone in my room doing whatever I wanted, I only had pop culture to turn to and occupy my time. When I heard “Half-Breed” by Cher I was blown away by it – finally, someone gets me! And though the song isn’t by a Native person, the lyrics rang so true with me that it became integral to my identity. Here I was left with huge gaps in my sense of identity, both sexually and racially, and I used pop culture to spackle over it all. I’m still interested in what all I took from it, and how much of it is still in me. That’s why I’m doing this show.” As I walked into the lobby, it was packed and loud. The theater hadn’t opened it’s doors yet so everyone was milling about. It reminded me of the Portland of my youth, before I had queer community. I would come here, and to Cinema 21 and Clinton Street, to see indie movies and feel at home with the weirdos watching cult-classics. The lobby was filled was excitement and anticipa-
tion, and tons of people I had never seen before. The doors opened and everyone streamed into the theater. As we found our seats, the Dolly Pops were working the crowd, in clown makeup, with yarn wigs, single feathers and bow and arrows, drinking whiskey. This is what it looks like when clowns perform racism; campy satire playing at the edge of pain and absurdity. “This show is brought to you by the Spirit Mountain Casino,” and we were off into a whirl of storytelling and songs, dancing Land O’Lakes butters, grant-writing jokes and cardboard waves! The whole thing was a bit of a brilliant blur, which I guess I shouldn’t admit to as a reviewer. There wasn’t enough time to write down everything I thought was clever so I just tried to sit back and take it in. Every moment was packed with complexity and honesty; I immediately wished I had gone the night before, too. The storytelling, about Anthony’s relationship with these problematic pieces of art and representation, set the numbers up beautifully, adding layers and complexity to songs like “Colors of the Wind” and “Just Around the Riverbend.” I had never really listened to the lyrics of “HalfBreed” before, but watching Anthony fully embody the struggle of duality, singing with tender sadness the line, “both sides were against me since the day I was born” gave me literal goosebumps. As a connoisseur of drag, I especially appreciated the way Anthony used their drag persona Carla Rossi to exor-
be lost without her.” Rarely have I seen potentially incendiary topics addressed with such creative and artistic skill. For example, aboutabout half-way through the show, Anthony’s off on a quest to his Grandmother’s house, to ask her what it means to be Native American. She appears in the video screen in the form of Grandmother Willow from Disney’s Pocahontas. As she’s espousing cliches, the dialog turns Star Wars-esque ending with a line about “using the force.” We laugh at this bizarre pop-culture mashup, and suddenly we’re laughing at ourselves and that we just went with it ‘cause on some level maybe we expected his Native grandma to be a talking tree? But really she’s just a person who asks Anthony if he’s still putting on plays. Subverting stereotypes with a gentle teasing mirror makes for excellent activist-art. Finding Tiger Lily doesn’t offer any easy answers, just a multiplicity of truths gleaned from personal experience and exploration. It’s courageous, honest and funny as fuck. This artist showed us the most awkward photos of their youth. Literally. Used laughter as a bridge to greater understanding and healing. Turned themselves inside out and let us watch. I’m looking forward to seeing this piece again, and whatever fabulous art Anthony and Carla dream up next. Read the rest of the pre-show interview online www.pqmonthly.com/looking-tiger-lily-pre-show-interview-anthony-hudson/25246
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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • 19
FEATURE
DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE (#NODAPL) UPDATE By Monty Herron, PQ Monthly
One of the interesting things about the Pacific Northwest, in my opinion, is how informed the denizens are about current events. The number of informed citizens rises even higher if it is a sustainability issue. So with that having been said, I think you’d have to be living under a rock to not have heard of, know about, or have an opinion regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline. The Dakota Access Pipeline (Dapl) is another pipeline designed to carry lower-grade oil from the Bakken shale area, and Three Forks. It follows a route eerily similar to the route Keystone XL was supposed to take to traverse the middle of our country. In the initial proposal, Dakota Access wanted to run their ‘green snake’ right through parts of Bismarck, N.D. Understandably, the citizens of Bismarck wanted nothing to do with a pipeline in their front yard. So Dakota Access reconfigured the pipeline to traverse vast tracts of prairie land, Native American lands, sacred burial sites, and other places of cultural importance. Let’s compare and contrast, shall we? “The Dakota Access Pipeline Project is a new approximate 1,172-mile, 30-inch diameter pipeline that will connect the rapidly expanding Bakken and Three Forks production areas in North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois. The pipeline will enable domestically produced light sweet crude oil from North Dakota to reach major refining markets in a more direct, cost-effective, safer and environmentally responsible manner. The pipeline will also reduce the current use of rail and truck transportation to move Bakken crude oil to major U.S. markets to support domestic demand. It will transport approximately 470,000 barrels per day with a capacity as high as 570,000 barrels per day or more – which could represent roughly half of Bakken current daily crude oil production. Shippers will be able to access multiple markets, including Midwest and East Coast markets as well as the Gulf Coast via the Nederland, Texas crude oil terminal facility of Sunoco Logistics Partners. Depending upon regulatory approvals, the pipeline is projected to be in service by the fourth quarter of 2016”. (1) “It’s Keystone XL all over again: The Dakota Access Pipeline would carry 450,000 barrels of dirty oil per day from North Dakota to Illinois and cut through fragile wildlife habitat, environmentally sensitive areas, and sovereign tribal property. Worse, the pipeline would cross under the
Missouri River, threatening drinking water downstream if a catastrophic oil spill occurs”. (2) The Missouri River provides drinking water for roughly 18 million people. When an oil spill happens, the local ecology NEVER fully recovers. I selected the words “When an oil spill happens” because it is never a question of “if” but “when” they will have a catastrophe. We do not have the resources or infrastructure in the United States to handle a sudden loss of drinking water for 18 million people. This is the primary reason why those who are working to stop the pipeline have called themselves “ Water Protectors not Protestors.” Another beautiful thing to know about #NoDapl is that the movement itself was started by tribal youth and tribal women. The pipeline would cut through lands that are sacred to the Standing Rock Sioux, out of Fort Yates, N.D. They are the core constituency of the Oceti Sakowin camp and the tribal nation that put the initial call out for help in their fight. Since then, representatives and tribal members from more than 300 Native American nations have come to show their support, deliver supplies, or assist with the daily work of supporting 5-7 camps, that house approximately 3-5,000 people at any given time. Last month I was fortunate enough to make the long journey to Cannon Ball, N.D. with a truck full of supplies, and money to purchase more goods as needed. This trip was made possible by distinguished members of Oregon’s LGBTQIA community, and tribal members and elders of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. It was awe-inspiring to see so many Native people, from all the corners of the continent, pitching in, to show love and support for another tribal nation. I have wept several times when I try to describe the camp or have reflected on my time there. I don’t want to go into too much detail about the camps, what potential supporters and allies need to know is this: The #NoDapl Water Protectors are peaceful. They have daily prayer meetings, they make a prayer/meditation walk from
the main camp up the highway to the Dakota Access-violated burial grounds and back to the main camp, every day at Noon. These folks are incredibly well organized. Supplies are redistributed so every camp has what they need. They are efficient and committed to seeing this through. While I was in camp, I had the honor of meeting Myron Dewey, (Social Media Specialist) of DigitalSmokeSignals. com, at the media tent. Myron has an excellent Facebook page PHOTO BY MONTY HERRON to follow, where he posts almost daily about the current situation on the site. Myron encourages everyone to get the word out about this pipeline. The mainstream media are ignoring what is happening there. The Oceti Sakowin people are in control of their own narrative, and they will not let anyone else determine it for them. To that end, the Standing Rock Sioux have compiled this list of demands: Any impacted tribe must be consulted about the project, and give their consent before any workers cross their lands. They ask that the Army Corps of Engineers reject any permits for this ‘too risky’ pipeline. Conduct a full EIS as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. (Environmental Impact Statement) Last, they are asking President Obama to use the same climate litmus test he established when assessing the Keystone XL- to now evaluate the Dakota Access Pipeline. The chairman of the Standing Rock tribe, Dave Archambault, gave testimony to the United Nations in Geneva last week. A resolution put to the vote easily passed with a vast majority of the Assembly, reaffirming the rights of Indigenous people to have control over their lands, culture, and determine their own futures. President Obama has asked Dakota Access to halt construction near the water sources, with a 20-mile buffer to each side; however, as recently as Monday, Oct. 10th, there was still Dakota Access workers and equipment 4 miles inside the boundaries. There are legally questionable tactics now being employed by the Morton County sheriff’s department. They have started showing up with armored vehicles, riot gear, and scores of men and guns; to disrupt the daily, peaceful prayer meetings. There are no easy answers in this fight, there will not be a quick resolution, but the Oceti Sakowin are going to stay all winter if need be. For the first time in approximately 150 years, Natives are uniting for common cause and pur#NODAPL page 21
Always have supported LGBT rights, Always will.
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FEATURE
#NODAPL Continued from page 20
pose. If you can help, here is a comprehensive list of places to send money, gift cards, and needed supplies to. If you want to send supplies directly, you can mail them to: Sacred Stone Cam P.O. Box 1011 Fort Yates, ND 58538 -ORStanding Rock Sioux Tribe Attention: Donations PO Box D Building #1 North Standing Rock Avenue Fort Yates, ND 58538 To send supplies to the kids at the Defenders of the Water School, please purchase items on the Amazon wish list...please DO NOT send more school supplies: https://www.amazon.com/ g p / a w / l s / r e f = ? i e = U T F 8 & % 2 AVe r sion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0&lid=2TWHPQPUIH1IV&ty=wishlist You can donate directly to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe at their PayPal: http:// standingrock.org/news/standing-rocksioux-tribe--dakota-access-pipeline-donation-fund/ Here is the Sacred Stone Camp Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/ gp/registry/wishlist/ref=sr_1_1_acs_ wl_1?cid=A2U35DV1L7IRMA&ie=UTF8&qid=1472511370&sr=8-1-acs
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Sacred Stone Camp direct funding: https://www.gofundme.com/sacredstonecamp OR BY PayPal: sacredstonecamp@gmail. com OR you can contribute to the Sacred Stone Ca mp lega l f und to get represent at ion for t hose w ho have been arrested and/or physically attacked by Dakota Access: https://fundrazr.com/ d19fAf?ref=sh_25rPQa Red Warrior Camp direct funding: http:// oweakuinternational.org/ OR you can donate directly to the Red Warrior legal fund to get representation for those who have been arrested and/ or physically attacked by Dakota Access: https://www.generosity.com/fundraising/ red-warrior-camp-legal-fund-nodapl Oglala Camp direct funding: https:// www.gofundme.com/2pvyezb8 To help winterize the large, Oceti Sakowin Camp and keep water protectors on site this winter: https://www.crowdrise. com/winterize-water-protectors-camp To support a women’s healing, wellness, and birthing center at Camp: https://www. gofundme.com/2mxpggc Please send medical supplies directly to Wasté Win Young 950 Meadowlark Street Fort Yates ND 58538 Please send herbs and traditional medicines directly to: Linda Black Elk P.O. Box 924 Mobridge, SD 57601
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • 21
FEATURE
VOICES
The Secret Life of Summer Seasons Sexual Assault is no Laughing Matter My whole life I’ve struggled with the issue of fitting in. I’d always wanted to desperately be a part of something special that when I found my first core group of friends I thought I had made it. Oddly enough the thing that mostly brought us together was drugs, and drag, but mostly drugs. We became a family, though, and I trusted all of these people just as much or more than my own family often times. We did everything together and eventually several of them were staying with me. One night we decided to have a get-together. It wasn’t really anything out of the ordinary as we had them pretty frequently, but I was very excited to invite this boy with whom I had a huge crush on. There was plenty of drinking, dancing, loud music and debauchery that went on until well in the morning, and I found myself pretty messed up and inviting the boy to come cuddle in my bed with me. As the night progressed, it was pretty clear that the boy was interested in more than I was. I politely informed him that due to my inebriated state it was for the best that any and all contact be cuddling or kissing and that it remain to be that. He seemed unsatisfied with that and proceeded to force himself on me. I begged him to stop, that although I was genuinely interested in him, I wasn’t ready for this kind of encounter with him. None of those words ever got through, and with my friends sleeping in the next room I let this boy sexually assault me. I was too embarrassed to yell out or fight back after he pinned me down so I laid there with tears streaming down my face and witnessed the most horrific thing that had ever happen to me. When he finished, I excused myself to the shower, where I stayed until the water was cold and fell asleep on the bathroom floor. In the morning he woke up, he acted like nothing had happened. Sort of like it had all been a game for him. He was proud of himself that he had conquered me. I asked him to leave as soon as he could, and he obliged, trying to hug and kiss me on the way out telling me he’d call for another date soon. I breathed a sigh of relief when he left and ran into my bedroom and cried for more than a day. Eventually, my friends had figured out something was wrong and asked me what had happened. I told them. They all laughed at me. They said that’s what I’d wanted all along, why was I complaining, shouldn’t I be thankful that I’d found a man? I was devastated, in complete shock, and very upset. I couldn’t believe that they weren’t going to support me. They asked me over and over
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why I hadn’t chosen to speak up and yell during the actual event and I explained to them my embarrassment of the situation and that I was scared and didn’t react like I normally might’ve, but not a single one chose to believe me. I felt a huge amount of shame for the next few years. I blamed myself for everything that had happened, and I developed huge trust issues with dating. I was a broken individual. I couldn’t figure out how I’d gotten myself into the situation, why I’d just chosen to give up and not fight back and I struggled with my self-image also. Thankfully the only positive in my life was the phasing out of these so called “friends” and replacing them with better influences in my life. At some point, I learned how to forgive the person who had done this to me. I couldn’t hold that toxic energy inside myself and I had to let it go for me to be a healthier person. I learned how to trust men again because the next one that came along ended up being one of the greatest loves of my life. I’d finally found the will to not stand for any of it anymore. Not only was I willing to fight back about it, but I was also ready to support others who have suffered from it too. Sexual assault is no laughing matter, and I will always believe a person until they give me a reason not to. We owe it to people like me to give them the benefit of the doubt. One day this person could be you, I would hope that you know that when you needed someone to count on that, I’ll be that person to be there, because if no one else will believe you, I will. I’ve learned that every case and circumstance can be different along the way, but the one thing that is always key to remember is that every person has the strength inside them to fight back. You will go through a massive gambit of emotions, but fight like hell, you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. The word no means no, you don’t have to put up with anyone telling you any different. Also, it’s very possible to rape men, both gay and straight, just the same as it is for women. When a person confides in you, please help them, they need it, you have no idea how much help you’ll be. Hopefully one day we can live in a sexual assault free world, but until then, we can do our best to prevent it and help the survivors. Nobody should go through it alone. Anyone seeking help for Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault should go to Oregon Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence http://www.ocadsv.org/ or find Resources from the Q Center at http://www. pdxqcenter.org/resources-pdx/
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