| Sarah Morrigan speaks in pictures and words

Letter from the 1909 Rose Festival in Portland...

Image via WikipediaIn Portland, Oregon, thousands of un-housed individuals are constantly persecuted and attacked by local police, rent-a-cops hired by the businesses, and by random thugs, for the crime of attempting to survive. Especially during the weeks preceding the Portland Rose Festival, "the official festival of Portland," the police is busy driving camps out of the Tom McCall Waterfront Park, under the bridges and other prominent downtown locations, utilizing the city ordinance prohibiting camping on public right-of-way.

This year, local activist organizations Right 2 Survive, Dignity Village, and Sisters Of The Road, as well as representatives from Seattle's SHARE/WHEEL have set up an impressive camp-out gathering that is a cross between a protest, a block-party, and a mini-Rainbow Gathering, on the sidewalks of Southwest Fourth Avenue between Alder and Stark Streets. This is done in response to the long-standing tradition (and now officially codified in the city ordinance 14A.55.010.C) that allows the parade spectators to camp overnight on public sidewalks starting on Thursday before the Grand Floral Parade on Saturday morning.

In solidarity and honour of this direct action, I have created an acrylic painting (aptly titled "Right to Survive") depicting the street camp and demonstration at the intersection of Fourth and Washington. It is presently on display on the exterior wall of the former Greek Cucina site, on the southwest corner of the intersection. It should be up until the parade, which is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. (allow 30 to 45 minutes before the first float arrives at the intersection, from the Portland Veterans' Memorial Coliseum via Grand Avenue and Burnside Bridge.

Related articles: