5 March 2024
PORTLAND’5 Monuments Are Weird

[This letter will be sent to Portland City Council on 5 March 2024 in advance of their 6 March 2024 to amend city policy for monument review]

Dear Commissioners Dan Ryan, Ted Wheeler, Mingus Mapps, Carmen Rubio, and Rene Gonzales,

We write to reiterate the concerns expressed to City Council during the public comment portion of Wednesday 2/28/2024 2pm session regarding policy 5.74.085 “Public Monuments Review Criteria,” and the potential reinstallation of controversial monuments: 1.) Do not put the toppled five back up without having a transparent community engagement process 2.) Do not vote through this or any PUBLIC policy on public monuments without engaging a transparent mechanism for hearing from diverse publics.

As residents deeply invested in the well-being and equitable representation of all members of our community, we urge you to consider the implications that resurrecting figurative statuary to settler culture will have on the Indigenous communities who live in and pass through our city. Re-placing the toppled five risks perpetuating a narrative that disregards the lived experiences and perspectives of Indigenous peoples. As a city that prides itself on its commitment to culture and equity, we cannot overlook the harm and ignorance that reinstating these statues may immortalize to the detriment of all people who reside in or pass through Portland.

Please instead convene 1-4 transparent listening sessions with diverse community-based groups (centering BIPOC communities and allies), with follow-up so that participants can track how their participation impacts policy. Transparent means we want to see who you are talking to and when. By actively engaging with marginalized communities and centering their voices in decision-making processes, we can work towards a more just, inclusive, and pertinent society for all.

Such transparency will help to humanize the diversity of perspectives Portlanders hold about monuments. Naming the individuals and organizations engaged is an important part of what Mayor Wheeler mentioned in closing last Wednesday's afternoon session. The Mayor spoke evocatively about the need to ensure that Portland’s monuments (and what to do with them) do not further divide the city. The Council's role is to create a container where all the voices that make up Portland can come to the table to be heard. We must trust in the process of the philosophy of democracy, which states that the best ideas get polished through dissent. City Council must not shy away from differences in perspective; rather the Council must create an equitable structure where all voices are heard at the same table.

Thank you for considering this perspective as you define yours in preparation to vote on this policy amendment on 3/6/2024 9:30 am Council session. We look forward to seeing our city continue to prioritize the well-being and representation of all its residents.

Sincerely, [Our Names]

125
signatures
106 verified
  1. Kanani Miyamoto, Arts Coordinator, p:ear, Portland
  2. Ashley Antolin, Tattoo Artist, Paradox Studio, Portland, Oregon
  3. Daphne Jenkins, Portland
  4. David Frye, Peer support specialist, Outside In, Portland
  5. Brenda Elrod, Educator, Portland
  6. Ahnika Wood, Portland
  7. Jeffrey Morgan, Nurse, Portland
  8. Colleta Macy, Supervisor, Warm Springs
  9. Elizabeth Fischer, Artivist, Anam Cara Cearcall, St Louis
  10. Annabelle Martin, Portland
  11. jenna goldin, Accountant, Shift Accounting LLC, Portland
  12. Carson Crawford, Community Support Associate, Urban Gleaners, Portland
  13. Dominic Ticonea Agrifoglio, Grants Manager, Outside In, Portland
  14. Jasmine pettet, Social work, Portland
  15. Madison Eki, MPH, CPH, Laboratory Services Technician, Outside In, Portland
  16. Alex Brown, Social Worker, Outside In, Portland
  17. Monique Roberson-Lopez, Parent child support specialist/ farmer, Portland
  18. Ari Alberg, Outside In, Portland
  19. Keegan Vreugdenhil, Laboratory Services Supervisor, Outside In, Portland
  20. Andrew Davis, Portland
  21. israel arrieta, Outside In, Portland
  22. Kayla Castleman, Portland
  23. Ellen Musselman, Outside In, Portland
  24. Justine, Nonprofit professional, Outside In, Portland
  25. Aster Scull, Lab Services Technician, Outside In, Portland
  26. Jazzmin Baruela, Admin, Portlan
  27. Veronica Fox, Outside In, Portland
  28. Anjeanette Brown, Community advocate, Anjeanette Brown, Portland
  29. Lisa Jaschek, Ou, Portland
  30. Beth Hershey, Medical Records & Credentialing Specialist, Outside In, Portland
  31. Erika Silver, Housing Services Director, Portland
  32. Nanao Carey, Portland
  33. Cristela Platt, USPS, Portland
  34. Nia Harris, Community Organizer, Black Futures Farm, Portland
  35. Jessica Langella, Artist, Ritual Beauty Collective, Portland
  36. Melanie Charley, Painter, 7WATERS Canoe Family, Portland
  37. Mercy Delao, Portland
  38. Angela Gaither, Small businesses owner, Portland
  39. Silvia Lopez, Contractor, Connecting Canopies, Portland
  40. Maggie Mae Rose, Customer Service, NA, Portland
  41. Erin Nasewytewa, Portland
  42. Robert Jensen, Mckinleyville
  43. Ariel Pinchot, Researcher, BlueGreen Allince, Portland
  44. kristen Parfait Gonzalez-Soto, Outside In, Portland
  45. N Rodriguez, contractor, Connecting Canopies Coalition, Portland
  46. Maresa Kelly, Marketing Manager, Outside In, Portland
  47. Jessica Chestnut, Portland
  48. Amanda Stubits, Portland
  49. Jolene Hall-Lopez, Full stack developer, 7waters canoe Family, Portland
  50. Victoria NI, Parent/Child Development specialist, NAYA Family Center, Portland
  51. Ricky Roman, Business owner, pdx
  52. Kirsten Oliver, Grocery, Grants Pass
  53. Mick Rose, Arts Co-Director, Portland
  54. Hannah Santiago, Foster Parent Support, NAYA, Portland
  55. Khadijah Butler, Social Worker, NAYA, Portland
  56. Steph Littlebird, Indigenous Artist, Grand Ronde Confederated Tribes, Portland
  57. Ruby Salyers, 7 Waters Canoe Family, Portland
  58. Stanley Alan Wright, Musician, Portland
  59. Talise Mendoza-Green, Teachers aid, Native American youth and family center, Portland
  60. Patrick Bedard, Portland
  61. Amber Brown, Teacher, Portland Public Schools/Head Start, Portland
  62. Destiny Dawn Elliott, Pomo Snow Cones & Cotton Candy, portland
  63. Felipe Gutierrez, Contractor, Connecting Canopies, Portland
  64. Roxanne Seaton, Artist, Poprox, Portland
  65. Austin Foster, Project Coordinator, NAYA, Portland
  66. Sam Taylor, Community Development Manager, NAYA, Portland
  67. Vawn Jason K Borges, Events Manager, Native American Youth and Family Center, Portland, OR
  68. Samuel Brooks, Board Director - DEI Chair, Outside In, Portland
  69. Charlee Scott, Line Cook, portland
  70. Celia Payer, Gresham
  71. Brandi D Starbird, Early Childhood Services Manager, Native American Youth and Family Center, Portland
  72. Silas Hoffer, NAYA Family Center, Portland
  73. MyKel Johnson, Native American Youth and Family Center, Portland
  74. Christina St Marie, Youth Advocate, NAYA, Portland
  75. Leanna Wade, Family Housing Advocate, NAYA, Portland
  76. Tamera Floyd, Community Reception Coordinator, NAYA Family Center, Portland
  77. Lisa Jackson, Independent Contractor, Portland
  78. Daniel Guilfoyle, Non profit directors, Portland
  79. Jullian Roberson, Self employed, Stoic apparel, Portland
  80. Clarice Jordan, BSW, MSW, Family Housing Advocate, Portland
  81. KJ Moore, ASL Interpreter, Portland
  82. Valerie Rudland, Portland
  83. KJ Johnson, Portland
  84. Enrique, Elders cheif, Portland
  85. Andre Roberson, Butcher, Cason fine meats, Portland
  86. Kit Stahl, Teacher, Portland
  87. Daniel Grady, farmer, Portland
  88. Amy Leonard, Portland
  89. Shannon Garcia Shinn, Student: future mental health counselor, Portland
  90. Caitlin Anderson, Mother, Naya, Oregon city
  91. Aubrae Hersel, DSP, Gates
  92. Claudia Cuentas, Mental Health Therapist, Portland
  93. Matt Loera, Student, Portland
  94. Tyler Sullivan, Bartender, Portland
  95. Jennifer scheib, Social worker, Psu, Portland
  96. Isabella Saavedra, Artist, Portland
  97. Ariana Jacob, educator, Portland State University, Portland
  98. Marz Hintz, NAYA, Portland
  99. Michelle Lin, Portland
  100. DAndria Ornee, Student, Rockwood Greenspace Now, Portland
  101. Sasha Bartoo-Smith, Portland
  102. Asa Wrighy, Executive Director, Indigenous Peoples Power Project, Portland
  103. Payton L., Portland
  104. Samantha Rosenfeld, Portland
  105. Ann Takamoto, Director of Development and Communicationss, Native American Youth and Family Center, PORTLAND
  106. Lily Copenagle, data scientist, Equity Analytics Group, Portland
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