Moreau Center Social Justice Programs

Tyler

Creative Placemaking and Climate Justice

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Reflection by Madison Thibado and Macey Schondel

        Despite spending the past three years at the University of Portland we had never once heard of the Jade District. The Jade District is an area in Southeast Portland that boasts one of the most diverse communities. Meeting with the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) completely opened our eyes to a new part of Portland and a new approach to environmental justice. The APANO office was located on SE 82nd and Division St intersection. We were given the opportunity to tour the neighborhood and observe the many projects APANO has initiated around their community. While on this walk, we noticed a lack of consistent sidewalks, safe bike lanes, and robust public transportation access. APANO had noticed this too, which was one thing that fueled their desire to create a safe, beautiful place for their community to feel proud to be a part of. One of the most interesting strategies of this type of community development and advocacy we learned was that of creative place making. Creative place making describes organizing things like local art, community spaces, and gardens in a neighborhood in a way that sponsors a stronger identity of the community and build connections with the environment around them. One way APANO has worked to create their place in the Jade District is through painting of the public trashcans. The paintings resembled places and people in the area to portray the unique story of the Jade District. These beautiful, locally-sponsored pieces of art have created new connections and value to the Jade District residents. These trashcans felt like a hidden gem of the neighborhood that we are thankful to have learned the story behind them. These seemingly small acts have led to large improvements in the strength of identity that the diverse Jade District residents hold. Working towards the future, APANO is now planning their work with the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF), a new form of support for climate justice movements. It was incredibly inspiring to meet with a group of people so passionate about climate and social justice.  

              We were also lucky enough to hear from two other change-making organizations, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and Verde. Both of these organizations helped us to look deeper into the Portland Clean Energy Fund and how it will hopefully benefit other underrepresented communities along with APANO. The Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility highlighted the importance of building healthy communities as being a key factor in climate resilience. Under PCEF they would be able to gain support in making underserved parts of Portland a stronger community as well as helping to move towards clean energy. Verde similarly hopes to build stronger communities using PCEF money. Getting to meet with groups who would directly benefit from the fund helped to provide some perspective into the potential for change in Portland in the future. It was interesting to learn the importance of strengthening communities as a way to combat climate change injustices in Portland. While this huge issue of climate change seems daunting, being able to see firsthand how so many different groups are working to fight it was incredibly inspiring. We are so grateful to have been able to connect with people fighting for justice in our community.

              Going forward, we hope to take this new community-based perspective into consideration as we continue to push for climate justice in our own lives and communities.

In solidarity,

Madison and Macey

The History of River Campus

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Reflection by Kat Yo and Diana Salgado Huicochea         

     As we finished our Environmental Justice tour in North Portland with the Portland Harbor Community Coalition, our last stop was our own University backyard, River Campus. Kat and I talked about our highs, lows, and buffalo (something that surprised us in the day).

Kat:  High- Getting the chance to learn the history of North Portland while standing on the ground where it happened.

         Low- Environmental issues are still impacting Portland communities, especially those who already experience a disproportionate amount of barriers in their daily lives.

        Buffalo- It is happening in our own backyard.

Diana: High- Learning about the history of how distorted human values have impacted the environment as well as the intersectionality of the environmental crisis with the marginalized communities.

            Low- Not knowing how humans can truly clean up the pollution done in the past without affecting the current ecosystem and vulnerable communities.

          Buffalo- Having vegetarian chicken alfredo.

              As students at the University of Portland we spend at least 4 years of our lives living there, not knowing the ecological degradation beneath us. Today we stood on the River Campus Beach, listening to the history of the Willamette River. Michael, Sarah, and Cassie, resident tour guides with the Portland Harbor Community Coalition, not only talked about the environmental impact of generations of human pollution, but the different methods and approaches to cleaning up the abandoned pollutants. One of these methods is called capping, a technique where concrete is placed over toxic soil to reduce human exposure. This method of restoration comprises river campus. While capping temporarily solves the degree of contact with pollution, it is important to know that the toxic pollutants remain beneath the brittle concrete. Any natural disaster (i.e. floods, earthquakes, oil explosions) threatens to re-expose the toxins. Another method is called consolidation, which entails placing all the polluted soil into a single contained area by the river. This solution still poses risks for the same reason capping is not a true solution to the issue. The third proposed strategy is called clean up. Although cleanup sounds appealing, executing this requires the clearing of native trees resulting in the destruction of the habitats within the ecosystem. Furthermore, the waste would still need to be transported elsewhere, raising additional risks.

CAP-tion on our River Campus

          As we finished the day with our group reflection, we discussed how we can translate our highs and lows into a deeper awareness and how we can take action to influence environmental change. We learned today that there is still hope and you can be a part of the call to action. We kindly ask you to check out this link HERE, which explains how we can contribute to the solution by voicing our ideas. Our first day of the Environmental Justice Immersion has led us to explore the rich history, justice, and environmental significance in a small area of Portland. We look forward to the next five days that will continue to expose us to new learnings. We are grateful to have shared this first day experience with our community, each other and with you.

In Gratitude,

Kat Yo and Diana Salgado Huicochea

Concluding the Urban Immersion

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Throughout this entire immersion trip, it has really opened my eyes up to the houselessness situation. I have always been born and raised in Portland, OR but I have always felt that I was sheltered from the harsh struggles that many residents here experience. I spent most of my life in nice suburban areas in Clackamas so I never had a high depth of experience with the huge houselessness situation that is occurring. From my encounters with this specific population serving food at the Blanchet house and St. Andre Bessette church, I learned that they weren’t only of deprived of shelter and food, but also social interaction and love. Their life is a constant state of survival and for most of it, in isolation. Upon serving food, saying a simple “enjoy your meal” or “here you go” can make a world of a difference for them. It humanizes the interaction of providing food and it reminds them that people out here still truly care for them. When they were given name tags, addressing them by their name leaves them in shock and excitement because it has probably been ages since they’ve heard it. When it comes to helping those less fortunate than us, it is important to remember that they are humans who are no different than us. They aren’t just bodies that need to be fed but humans with dignity who deserve some privacy, respect, and compassion. True compassion isn’t just donating food and clothing but also providing hospitality.

People deserve this love and care despite their issues with drug addiction or alcoholism. Most of the people that come through these doors for social services, have gone through a long journey full of struggles that we may not understand because of our privilege. Most of the stories I’ve heard have described that they became houseless due to abuse or growing up in an unstable household. Remembering Eric’s story from the Blanchet house, he grew up in a household where his parents were addicted to methamphetamine and because of this influence, it led him to start meth at a young age of 12 years old. The drugs destroyed his life before he could even understand the joys of his adolescent years. It led him to become houseless and this situation made him depend on meth even more. What many don’t realize is that many houseless individuals depend on meth for survival as it helps them stay alert for longer hours to avoid abuse and theft. He became addicted for 14 years before he managed to seek out help and find the Blanchet House. They gave him structure and helped him become sober for over 14 years and find employment. Blanchet House changed his life because he received the support he needed. Now, he plans on passing on the help by becoming a drug addiction counselor to help others.              

When it comes to providing aid, it involves more than just giving away the stuff we don’t need or helping others because they’re seen as a burden to society. Providing aid should come from the goodness of our hearts and that requires understanding the whole picture of what the houseless individual is truly going through. This is why I was so amazed by the healthcare paradigm of Central City Concern as they believe in the Integrated Healthcare model. This model looks at all aspects of what is causing the illness beyond the disease in front of them. They realized that all their issues arise from being houseless as it makes it difficult to get protection from others and nature, avoid drugs, and to find a stable place to find a job. Central City Concern truly preached holistic health and it has lead them to more effectively treat the the houseless populations roots of illness.

-Brian Phan

Houselessness: It’s Not What You Think!

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My interactions with houseless folks have been consistently friendly heart-warming ones. My stereotype and ideas of the houseless people of Portland and of the US for that matter have been 180’d. There are several demographics outside of middle aged males suffering in the streets – there is a youth group jumping from foster home to foster home, single mothers, males around the ages 25-40 and transgender folks who can be some of the most vulnerable in these situations. There absolutely are more demographics outside of the one’s listed above but these are the ones I have been fortunate enough to learn about and now experience a new empathy towards. This whole trip for me I see as a chance to serve a community that needs it while I have lived an incredibly privileged and easy life. Now I see first-hand more than ever just how privileged I am and just how badly people need the lucky ones to give back.

While at P:EAR, the man we spoke with gave a summary of the trauma so many youth go through just in Portland alone while suffering from houselessness. These kids have been thrown in and kicked out of numerous foster homes and abused, whether that be verbally or physically to the point that living in the streets is the better option. Along with this, I now understood how drugs sneak their way into these vulnerable young adults’ lives, something I always assumed was a choice turned into a bad addiction. In order to keep their belongings, avoid being raped, stabbed, mugged and much more, we heard that meth becomes a “great” option to actually keep themselves safe from any of those unfortunate common occurrences on the street. It keeps one alert and awake through the night to avoid being taken advantage of and it is sometimes an appealing option while surviving on the streets. I came to find out that perhaps nobody wants to use meth, but they have to, just to survive. Addiction paired with houselessness is a nasty storm; drugs and alcohol are a coping mechanism for the pain, suffering and trauma. Like using meth, addiction is not usually caused by a free willed choice as I once thought.

Before this immersion I had a soft spot for houseless folks in that I felt bad that they perhaps had made bad choices along the way or gotten caught up in the wrong crowd. Rather than being a result of bad choices, the main takeaway from this experience is that not having a home often stems from being born into an unfortunate living situation whether that is to parents who suffer from addiction initially, kids who find themselves caught up in the foster care system, or kids who are systematically discriminated against for their race. These all can lead to houselessness followed by addiction and long term living on the streets. I have gained a lot of knowledge and now feel a stronger need to help this community and be of service after understanding these folk’s realities.

-Avery Romano

Witnessing a lot of Dignity

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On our second day of the Urban Immersion we visited several organizations that advocate for those suffering from houselessness; we participated in morning hospitality service at St. Andre Bessette, heard from one of the coordinators of a youth advocacy group called P:EAR, visited a tiny house community called Dignity Village, and helped pack food items at the Oregon Food Bank. The most impactful experience for me was hearing from one of the residents and at Dignity Village. She took us on a tour of their private community and explained how the village was created as well as the requirements for residency and the intake process. She explained some of the things that make Dignity Village successful like their policy of no drug or alcohol use on site, each member is required to serve at least ten hours a week in the community somehow, whether that was chopping firewood, monitoring their security building, fixing bicycles, etc., and their system of self-government where each member gets to share their input and collectively vote on community decisions. I was surprised to learn that among the forty-plus tiny homes there was only one shower and one community kitchen/gathering space that everyone shared. This along with the requirements of being a resident and their system of government make the community a pretty tight knit place that honors togetherness and the shared experience of living in a group and helping each other, as well as accountability for one’s service and commitment to the community.

Our tour guide also shared her personal story with us which involved two abusive partners and a long struggle with alcoholism. I could tell that it was hard for her to share with us, and she mentioned it taking her a long time to be honest with herself and eventually others. After leaving her second abusive relationship, she and her new partner eventually wound up on the streets traveling from place to place and living mostly in tents and vacant houses. Then someone told them about Dignity Village and now ten years later they are still there and have taken on leadership roles within the community, they are referred to by some as “Mom and Dad” of Dignity Village. What I learned from our time at Dignity Village is that it is possible for a community of people that do not have homes (in the traditional sense) to still be extremely productive members of society. In their small space in NE Portland, members of Dignity Village are collectively helping each other and themselves in their transition into homes and better lives. It is an extremely successful example of a system of transition housing for people living on the streets that promotes accountability, positivity, and community and should be looked to as a model for future housing projects in our city.

-Ella Brennan

Blanchet House: A Story of Courage

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One impactful experience from the first day of our immersion in downtown Portland was being able to listen to a resident of the Blanchet House talk about his own life story and how the Blanchet House has impacted his life. This individual was extremely courageous and brave as he opened up about his past issues with addiction and houselessness (Ed note: why do we use the word “houseless”?). He was honest about his past struggles with drugs and alcohol and how these obstacles, that he has worked very hard to overcome, have created the foundation for his future goals.

This resident talked about how he has the goal of becoming an addiction counselor and ideally wants to be able to do out-reach on the streets for people who are looking for resources and support surrounding addiction. It was impactful to hear this resident’s personal story of how he grew up around and suffered from addiction for most of his life leading up to this point. It was also inspirational to hear how hard he has worked to overcome addiction and how he wants to dedicate his life to helping people who are suffering from addiction.

The resident also touched on the importance of faith in his own life and how faith has played a part in his recovery process. The resident also emphasized how even if people are given certain resources to better their lives, people must have the desire to change their lives in order to make change happen. We reflected upon this during our evening discussion by wondering if emphasizing the importance of choice in one’s life leads to empowerment or blame, especially in relation to the houseless population.

We also talked about the theme of dignity during our evening reflection. As a group, we discussed and wondered about what it means to be dignified and the relationship between dignity and houselessness that is perpetuated in our society. Hopefully we will be able to further explore this theme and many others throughout this immersion experience.

-Claire Hodge

Sorry for Coming to Your Country

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I asked him “So where are you from?” he replied that he was born and raised right outside Tijuana, México. He told me that he first came to the U.S. when he was 14. After he got married, he decided to return to the U.S. to give his kids a better education, and a safer life. He explained to me about the danger that he experienced there daily, the fear he lived in, and how he has found so much refuge and hope in being here in the Yakama Valley. Then he looked at me and said “I’m sorry for coming to your country, but I had no choice. I had to do it for my safety.”

I’m sorry for coming to your country.

I didn’t know what to say. I teared up. Over this week we have learned so much about the constant hurdles that are thrown at people who “aren’t from around here”. We have learned about the injustices that keep people waiting for 20+ years if they want to enter the U.S. “legally”, so they are given almost no choice but to enter “illegally” if they want to give their children a safer life. We have learned about the agricultural industry, and how big businesses repeatedly take advantage of farmers, and exploit their workers. We learned the extent to which we as UP members perpetuate injustice merely by thinking of picking and harvesting as “low-skilled labor” (it is, in fact, quite difficult, dangerous, and requires a lot of skill and precision to harvest safely). We learned about how this racism and injustice is SO ENGRAINED in the development of our country that we are still endorsing systems and mindsets that unapologetically oppress.

To put it bluntly: we learned that even those of us who are well-meaning, kind, and champions for social justice are still the Whos who are oppressing. I had known this man for an hour. We were working on pronunciation and conversations in a Level 1 English Language Learning classroom. I asked his story, and he graciously and courageously told me where he was at. But he felt the need to apologize. He felt the need to justify the simple desire to live and work without fear for his and his children’s lives.

This whole week has been memorable and impactful. This particular story, however, will stay with me a little more deeply than the others. I am a college student. In my own mind I have no power, no authority, and I frequently don’t know what’s going on. For me, there is no reason anyone would ever feel the need to justify their being to me. And yet this brave, kind man called me to senses. There is something very wrong. We can’t be brushing this under the rug anymore. No one should feel the need to justify their existence.

Nuestra Casa

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Yesterday we visited Nuestra Casa. It is an establishment in which English is taught as a second language to native Spanish speakers. As a group, we were invited to join them in a potluck, in which everyone would bring a dish of their choice. For these people who have endured so much, have gone through so many hardships, and aren’t making the most money – for them to invite us and cook traditional foods made me feel so grateful. Even though they don’t have the most, they are still so giving. They are also very hopeful. They are here when many people from the US want to kick them out, they live in fear of not knowing if they will get deported, and they are here away from their families and friends. And yet, besides all that this group at Nuestra Casa that we met up with was still so loving, forgiving, friendly, warm, and hopeful. To see someone who isn’t in the easiest of positions to be able to keep such a positive mentality is inspirational and really makes me think of how many little things we take for granted, when we need to open our eyes and realize everything we have. Seeing them be so loving, forgiving, and hopeful really resonates with me in that no matter what your situation, it cost nothing to be kind and loving, and to keep fighting and keeping a positive outlook. Things may be hard and they may suck, but the only way you’re going to get through that is by staying positive and digging down a little deeper. So, thank you to those at Nuestra Casa – without even knowing that you all made such an impact – for showing me what strong character looks like and with that I can work towards bettering myself.

-Zach Marx

Immigration and Agriculture – Interconnected

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              This afternoon we met with Eamonn Roach, an immigration attorney in Washington. He gave a brief overview of immigration law and policy of the 21st century. One of the major points that he brought up that stuck with us was the lack of major immigration policy change since the 1980s and the Reagan administration. It is sad to see the times changing, and yet the laws of the land haven’t. This lack of adaptation has left millions of people in the dust, particularly Latino farmworkers. The lack of change and modernization of the system has also created a huge backlog for migrant applications for visas and green cards, creating uncertainly and unneeded stress in the lives of the applicants and their families for several years. This is unhealthy for the migrants that are seeking refuge, better jobs, or opportunities for better lives for them and for their families.

              Earlier in the day, we got the chance to tour Inaba Farm. This farm is owned by a third-generation United States citizen with Japanese descent. They grow both conventional and organic produce, and they even let us take home some squash, onions, and watermelon. Inaba Farm was one of the first farms in the region to build housing for their workers, which was a nice change of pace from what you hear in the news. The owner taught us that you can make a profit off your investments without ripping off or mistreating your workers. After our lunch break, we did volunteer work at the Northwest Harvest food bank distributor, and we packed nearly 2500 pounds of pears, which will feed 1861 people. We felt an overwhelming sense of joy for providing food to families in need, but we also felt disgusted by the fact that so many people cannot afford to buy adequate food for their families.

-Jordan Duran and Saron Mekonnen

Teaching and Learning

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              Tonight, we went to Nuestra Casa, a nonprofit that provides ESL classes, citizenship, health and childcare services, for the local Latino community.  We were all divided into different groups where the UP Spanish-speaking students were placed into the first two levels with the locals knowing very little English. As a Spanish minor, I helped teach in the level one class, not knowing it would require the most Spanish. I was very nervous because I am very shy about speaking Spanish and am scared about making mistakes. However, after introducing ourselves to the class, the Spanish-speaking students welcomed us with open arms. They complimented us on our Spanish, the very little we already said, our majors and they were very sweet. After walking through multiple activities like weather and sickness phrases, and different dialogues like job interviews, buying a house, and more, I was not as scared of making errors or feeling uncomfortable with my Spanish abilities. I truly felt their acceptance of us and their appreciation with being there to aid them. Seeing the students struggle with pronouncing words like happened, job and throat, made me realize what a privilege it is to speak English fluently and what an advantage it is. This experience showed me what life is like for these non-English-speaking students is like and how I can be an advocate for them. They were so brave and bold with their language risks that it demonstrated that I can do the same and share the same mentality. I left Nuestra Casa feeling the impact the place left on my life, my perspective and a desire to find a way to volunteer in an ESL class in Portland. With a smile on my face and my stomach hurting from the laughter of their jokes, helped create a safe, light hearted and warm environment not only for us, the teachers, but most importantly, the students. Although, this is not the end of the immersion, I can positively say this has been my favorite part.

-Asia Gates