What’s a movement without some rhythm? The 100+ days of protests in Portland helped inspire creators to, well, create. Young artists and veteran music-makers alike took to the streets and their microphones—speaking out boldly about police violence, the movement, and a shackle-free vision for the future. As part of my joint-publication with the Portland Mercury, […]
Donovan Scribes (fka Donovan Smith)
Donovan Scribes is an award-winning writer, communications consultant, speaker and producer. He is the former vice president of the Portland NAACP.
Posted inBlackOut
BlackOut: A Five-Year Retrospective on Portland’s Racial Justice Movement
Five years ago, Portland took a stand for racial justice—but since that time, what has changed?
[Editor’s Note: BlackOut: A Five-Year Retrospective on Portland’s Racial Justice Movement is a joint production from Donovan Scribes and the Portland Mercury, written exclusively by Black Portlanders, to remember and reflect on the May 25, 2020 murder of George Floyd at the hands of police, and the 100+ days of protests in Portland that same […]
Posted inBlackOut
Q&A: From Mike Brown to George Floyd
Don’t Shoot Portland’s Teressa Raiford & Glenn Waco on Activism and Art.
[Editor’s Note: The following article is part of BlackOut: A Five-Year Retrospective on Portland’s Racial Justice Movement, a joint publication from Donovan Scribes and the Portland Mercury. Written exclusively by Black Portlanders, the purpose of BlackOut is to remember and reflect on the May 25, 2020 murder of George Floyd at the hands of police, […]
Posted inBlackOut
Symbols Matter
Five years after the global protests following George Floyd’s murder, what do the demonstrations mean for the future?
[Editor’s Note: The following article is part of BlackOut: A Five-Year Retrospective on Portland’s Racial Justice Movement, a joint publication from Donovan Scribes and the Portland Mercury. Written exclusively by Black Portlanders, the purpose of BlackOut is to remember and reflect on the May 25, 2020 murder of George Floyd at the hands of police, […]
Posted inBlackOut
BlackOut: A Note of Thanks
Appreciation to the donors and boosters who made this very special issue of BlackOut possible.
This special print and online version of BlackOut: A Five-Year Retrospective on Portland’s Racial Justice Movement would not have been possible without the monetary and emotional support of the following people and organizations. On behalf of Donovan Scribes, the Portland Mercury, and Black Portlanders, we thank you. You can read all the BlackOut articles here. Looking […]
Posted inSay Nice Things 2024
AfroVillage Does the Real Work on Portland’s Homeless Crisis
Founder LaQuida Landford shows up for Oregon’s most vulnerable ‘round the clock.
[Welcome to our second annual “SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT PORTLAND” issue! Read it online here, or if you like physical, paper-y things, you can find it in more than 50 locations all around the city!—eds] Before I get started, (and piss people off), I should start by saying this: “house keys not handcuffs,” “care not […]
Posted inOpinion
Dear Ancestry.com, Black People Shouldn’t Have to Pay to Learn Our Heritage
The world’s largest genetic bank charges a small fortune to uncover stolen histories — but should they?
“I think it’s fucked up to live in America, where they stole you from your homeland then sell your ancestry back to you. Like yeah, you know for $100 I’ll show you where we stole you from!” – DL Hughley, Contrarian (2018). “We’re going to do a family crest exploration project,” Ms. Womack shared with […]