1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: I need sports on it. If you don't get out 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: of here, everybody each other, I'm awful, get out of here. 3 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: The first thing that comes to mind is just like 4 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 1: the power of mutual aid UM. The smaller events really 5 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: build the community ties together UM and just it enables 6 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: people to like lean on each other for safety and 7 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: for any resources and pretty much anything that somebody needs. UM. 8 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 1: These smaller, like well being based kind of events, like 9 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:44,520 Speaker 1: it keeps everybody together, and I think, I mean, there's 10 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: so much power. Like mutual aid really is the way 11 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: of the future. So this is basically just a precursor 12 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: to what I feel like will be a world like 13 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: avoid of police and and like constant state violence. Is 14 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: will have these net works in mutual aid communities that 15 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: UM will basically make that obsolete. So that's really huge 16 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: for us. That's Jedi, a local organizer and musician. As 17 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,320 Speaker 1: the protests in Portland and around the nation moved into 18 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: their third month, Governor Kate Brown announced that the FEDS 19 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: were pulling out of the city. With the announcement, the 20 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: crowds of thousands that had come out and forced to 21 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: protest the federal presence shrunk By the second week of August, 22 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: ongoing protests drew only a few hundred people into the 23 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: streets each night. For the people that wanted to defund 24 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: and abolish the Portland police, the federal draw down meant 25 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,399 Speaker 1: that it was time to get back to the real fight. 26 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: Months of being gassed and beaten together had given this 27 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: community of protesters a powerful sense of shared purpose. At 28 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: the same time, the drop off in numbers raised the 29 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: specter of burnout for activists and pointed to a long 30 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: road ahead. Systems of mutual aid began to spring up, 31 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: both out of need and out of a desire by 32 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: many to finally start building the world they wanted to 33 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: live in. To narry the next part of this here's 34 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: Donovan Smith, a local Portland journalist and one of the 35 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 1: authors of this series. After more than two months in 36 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: the streets, protesters in Portland were exhausted and traumatized, but 37 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: ready to return to the real fight of defunding the police. 38 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 1: But the enormous protests of early June were now months passed, 39 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 1: and after the wild circuits of violence that was fed occupation, 40 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: people were tired, and there were questions about how to 41 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: direct the attention of the city back from Trump to 42 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: the violence of Portland Police Bureau. Jacob Burrow's of Direct 43 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:38,519 Speaker 1: Action Alliance talks about organizing exhaustion. Well, to be honest 44 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: with you, it doesn't really like everyone. Everyone falls off. 45 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: Everyone gets tired and falls off, and it's it's the 46 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: solidarity that comes into play at that point. So, I mean, 47 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,519 Speaker 1: I'll take months off where I just can't anymore, where 48 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: I'm I'm just exhausted to the bone, where I I 49 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: literally have nothing left to give. And during those times 50 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: is when my comrade come in and do what they 51 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: need to do. And then when they're tired, that's when 52 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: I come in and do what I need to do. 53 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: And that's how we kind of keep it perpetually going. 54 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,639 Speaker 1: Is that you've got to be there for folks. When 55 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: you see someone who's you know you people, that's the problem. 56 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: It's it's fatiguing, it caused there's a huge toll. Organizing 57 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: takes a huge toll on people. Even just organizing one event, 58 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: it takes three days of my life away from my kids, 59 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: from my responsibilities at home, from what I need to do, 60 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,839 Speaker 1: and it's it's exhausting. And that's that's just the organizing part. 61 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: You know, you still have to consider the emotional toll 62 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: that it takes to go out and do this and 63 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: put yourself on the line. You have to take into 64 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: account the threats that you get from the right, You 65 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: have to take into account the threats that you get 66 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: from the government. So there's all of these things and 67 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: no one is just a superperson that can go and 68 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: power through it. And that's that's a big thing. A 69 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 1: big misconception I think is people think that the faith 70 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: is you know, there's some people who who their face 71 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: has become prominent or their name has become prominent, and 72 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: people think that it's all them, and it's not. There's 73 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: there's a huge, huge effort behind everything of support of 74 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: mutual aid that keeps everything going. So the reason it's 75 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: been able to go for ten years isn't because there's 76 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: people who have been able to keep going for ten 77 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: years straight. It's because every time someone falls back and 78 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 1: can't do it and need to break someone else were 79 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: we are lucky enough to be in a community and 80 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,720 Speaker 1: that's how it keeps ongoing, is that every time, every 81 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,239 Speaker 1: time there's a hole in the line, we have comrades 82 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: who are willing to step back in and fill it up. 83 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: And that's how that's how we've been able to kind 84 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: of keep this momentum going is because there's always someone 85 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: who's willing to step up when someone has when another 86 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: person has kind of reached their limit. And that's that's 87 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: how you keep it going is by building those connections, 88 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 1: those trust bonds, and those those solidarity connections and mutual 89 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: aid can actions where we're all helping each other out. 90 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:04,280 Speaker 1: We all have to be there for each other, and 91 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: using social media and telegram, the community stepped up to 92 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: fill holes in the line. Nightly actions began to be 93 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: organized autonomously anonymous calls to action with post locations, mostly 94 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,919 Speaker 1: of different police precincts for the Portland Ice facility, and 95 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: people would show up to the protests. If the police 96 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: were going to continue to brutalize people, then protesters planned 97 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 1: on wearing them down and exhausting their budget. Every night 98 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 1: of the week, people assembled at some park around the 99 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: city and would march to a different precincts, yelling, chanting, 100 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: and standing in the street for hours until the police 101 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: would charge, clearing them out with gas, batons and brute force. 102 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 1: While these actions were referred to as d a's or 103 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: direct actions. The nights often consisted of protesters hurling more 104 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: insults than anything else, adding in an occasional dumpster fire 105 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: to mix it up. Despite the nightly actions of getting 106 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: to follow up predictable pattern that usually ended with police 107 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: roll rushing people down unlit neighborhood streets for the crimes 108 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 1: of yelling in the road. PPB press releases portrayed each 109 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: evening as an intense battle with dangerous radicals. These claims 110 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 1: were not borne out by the arrest that they made. 111 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 1: The charges leveled at protesters arrested were almost all I 112 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: p O or interference with the police officer, the charge 113 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 1: that they could file if you did not move fast 114 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 1: enough when they bull rushed. I PO was one of 115 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: the charges that d A. Mike Schmidt had announced on 116 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: August eighth that his office would decline to prosecute. Thereafter, 117 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: nearly all protester charges were dropped, possibly to compensate for 118 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: the loss of legal cloud. Portland police ramped up on 119 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: the brutality. Acts of minor vandalism will be answered by 120 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: baton charges, and any protesters are unable to outrun the 121 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: bull rush would be knocked to the ground, body slammed, 122 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:01,039 Speaker 1: or beaten and then often left lying on the pavement 123 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: with no attempt made to arrest. Police made it very 124 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: clear that their intent was to punish protesters whether or 125 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: not they had legal recourse. It was an exhausting period, however, 126 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: and start contrast to the brutality of the nighttime actions, 127 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: by August, protesters were spending the days building on the 128 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: mutual aid networks that had already existed in Portland and 129 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: expanding them in new ways to support the community. But 130 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: what is mutual aid? To answer that, I'm going to 131 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: turn this over to activists on the ground who were 132 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 1: implementing it. PDX treat Medics formed during the summer, and 133 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: we'll talk more about their work later. But here's their 134 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: definition of mutual aid. It's bringing some amount of equity 135 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: where there is none, you know, in this very small 136 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: sense of like the street max. If someone can't afford repairs, 137 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: UM usually they would have to go into debt to 138 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: get that repaired at an auto shop, where um usually 139 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: they would be up sold several thousand dollars in repairs 140 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: they don't need. So where we step in, we are 141 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: saving them that bill and then being able to make 142 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: sure they're able to keep other needs ment and through 143 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: that action is a small amount of equity where there 144 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: would be none. I was just gonna say, kind of 145 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: piggybacking off Cyprusus point. Um I I kind of see, 146 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: you know, what we're doing as a you know, I 147 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: think it's it's kind of it. It's trying to challenge 148 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 1: the current system, you know, and in this system is 149 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:38,959 Speaker 1: a system that has so many, so many flaws, and 150 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: I think that mutual Aid is kind of trying to 151 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: uh address some of those flaws or try to mitigate 152 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 1: some of those flaws in the sense that you know, 153 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: kind of living this we live under capitalism, you know, 154 00:08:55,240 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: we live under in a system that tolerates you know, homelessness. Uh, 155 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: you know we live under yeah, I mean a system 156 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: that oppresses so many minorities and stuff like that. Um 157 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 1: So I think that just what mutual aid is, and 158 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: you know, specifically, maybe our role is kind of at 159 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: least the way I see it, is challenging that system 160 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: of capitals and challenging you know, being like hey, like 161 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 1: you know, you don't you know, We're going to try 162 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: to just help people, not based on you know, gaining 163 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 1: anything out of it. We're just helping people because that's 164 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: what we're supposed to do as humans. I think that's 165 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: something that we really need to keep in the center 166 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: of reminds me to thinking about mitchial Aid is that 167 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 1: the people who lose the most in our current system 168 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: have the tend to have the least ability to change anything. UM. 169 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: And that is one of the or like motivating factors 170 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: behind mutually UM. Where it is people who are really 171 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: like living truly paycheck to paycheck, or don't even have 172 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: any stable income and are living in a car and 173 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: it's like slowly slowly breakaking down and there's just nothing 174 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: to do about it. UM. These are the kind of 175 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,319 Speaker 1: situations in which that little bit of extra help can 176 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 1: really mean that that person can continue to have a life, 177 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 1: and that life can continue to be good, and that 178 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: life can continue to be something that's worth fighting for, 179 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,599 Speaker 1: and that way those people can continue to fight for 180 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: their own lives. UM. If community support doesn't really happen, 181 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 1: and mutually it's really just a fancy word for community support. 182 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: If that doesn't actually happen, those people aren't going to 183 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,559 Speaker 1: be able to fight because they're trying to survive. And 184 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,199 Speaker 1: we need to be able to get a little bit 185 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: beyond survival in order to really organize and fight and 186 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 1: resist on the scale that is necessary for dealing with 187 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 1: the problem that we're basing. Something that I about a 188 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: bunch in this ort, in this group is that I 189 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 1: actually sometimes don't think that organizations can provide mutual aid um. 190 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: That instead people have to provide mutualate and that because 191 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: that principle isn't about like mutually, it's about seeing activity 192 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: and women like acting within the um, whereas charity is 193 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: all about like creating this other thing. You're providing business, 194 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:32,439 Speaker 1: and there's like a lot of citying and a lot 195 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:37,719 Speaker 1: of like apologizing that happens in that relationship that mutually. Really. 196 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 1: Some mutual aid groups existed in Portland prior to the 197 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: George Floyd uprising. As COVID swept the country in spring, 198 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: new mutualay organizations popped up all over the city, and 199 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,959 Speaker 1: some groups that were already active look for new ways 200 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: to help rose hips. A medic collective has been around 201 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 1: for eleven years. They began making hands and tides are 202 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: in distributing it around the city at the beginning of 203 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: the pandemic. As protests intensified, they were to reverse engineer 204 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 1: chemical wives to help with tear gas and pepper spray. 205 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 1: Medics loaded with cards filled with water, energy drinks, and 206 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: I cleaning kids were a common sight every night. James 207 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: A rose Hip Street medic describes the early days of 208 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 1: the uprisings. Yeah, I remember the first time that I 209 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: went to a protest um after the pandemic uh suprising 210 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: began to happen at the same time, I think the 211 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: Peninsula Park and like, we just brought a bunch of 212 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: hand sanitizer, and we're like, I don't know, let's walk 213 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 1: around and hands hand sanitizer out to people. And we 214 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 1: also have these masks, so let's hand these things out, 215 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 1: and like all of our supply was was gone within 216 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: like half an hour, and there was a large, a 217 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: whole park full of people at that time. And so, 218 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: you know, initially it was just handing out to people 219 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:06,119 Speaker 1: before the marching began um. And then once the protests 220 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: really picked up steam and started to be responded to 221 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: with more repression, we started to ask ourselves, like what 222 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: else can we distributed? Basically, and one thing that treatmatics 223 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: usually do, or or that streament is a really trained 224 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: to do, is to flush out people's eyes if they've 225 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: been either pepper sprayed or tear gas. But that necessarily 226 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: creates aerosolized particles from people's eyeballs because you're squirting water 227 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: into people's eyes high velocity. And so we're like, this 228 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,079 Speaker 1: doesn't feel like a safe activity anymore. Can we hand 229 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 1: out preportioned bottles of our preferred eye wash solution? Yes, 230 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: we have all these bottles lying around, and so like, 231 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: let's do that. And then someone asked, you know, these 232 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,959 Speaker 1: these chemical weapons removing wipes, Like what's in these? Can 233 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,559 Speaker 1: we make our own? And then some very smart people 234 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: who are not me like figured out the recipe and 235 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: created a whole manufacturing apparatus to produce and distribute huge 236 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: numbers of chemical weapons wipes UM every day and so 237 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: and then because the demand kept increasing, particularly as the 238 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: violence and increased, UM and people use the products, and 239 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: then we're like, we really need these. These are great 240 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: and people, you know, they saw us around, maybe who 241 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: we were. We started to put our name on things, 242 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: just that was clear that like it's us building up 243 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: this trust community and not some other random group. UM. 244 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: Then people started to UM. So just sort of like 245 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: the demand created the whole chain of events, and because 246 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: people already knew us from distributing hand sanitizer, we had 247 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: a lot of good will with UM. I would say, 248 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: community groups who wouldn't ordinarily think to themselves radical leftist 249 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 1: street protesters are our people UM, but like churches and 250 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: whatnot who a lot of work with people living outside, 251 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: We're like, okay, you seem to be more or less 252 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: on the same page with us. So that's how those networks. 253 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: Other groups that were already on the ground were the 254 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: PDX General Defense Committee and Defense Fund PDX, who raised 255 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: bail money and helped make sure that protesters made it 256 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: home and jail support waited outside the central precinct every 257 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: night with food, hot drinks, and support. The Witches had 258 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: already been present before the summer, handing out water bottles 259 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 1: and supplies. Somebody Else's PDX had begun as a coalition 260 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 1: of mutual aid groups. However, when COVID hit, the work 261 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 1: connecting communities and mutual aid expanded. So yeah, at the 262 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: beginning of before COVID hit, UH symbiosis was mostly focused 263 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: on UM. At the time, our our project merk or 264 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 1: Munisipalist Go Resiliency Project, where we were working on kind 265 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: of UM connect again and with that dual power lens, 266 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: trying to UM consolidate uh like food access and production 267 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: infrastructure for the community UM, as well as like doing 268 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 1: some housing rights work UM. When COVID hit, we're a 269 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: really small organization UM and immediately just kind of like 270 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: called this sixty sixty organ wide coalition call to be like, hey, 271 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: Radical Left, this is a big fucking deal. What do 272 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: we want to do about it? How can we support 273 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: each other in doing that? And through that work, we 274 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: were able to kind of UM more succinctly find what 275 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: gaps in the radical left infrastructure there was, so that 276 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: we could work on filling that need. Part of that 277 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: was UM creating uh hubs around town. UH there there 278 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: was a few all the existing and stuff. So that's 279 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 1: where we created SHARE or the Symbiosis Hub and Resource 280 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: Exchange program, where we were able to be some of 281 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: the first uh first on the ground responders to making 282 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: sure that our communities have the PPE they needed when 283 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,360 Speaker 1: we were being told that we that we shouldn't have 284 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 1: PPE because we should save it for other people. So 285 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: we we were distributing PPE. We'd organized the solidarity Stitchers, 286 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: which we're both producing their own masks and kind of 287 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 1: teaching each other how to sew and learning basic organizing 288 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: skills and how to interact with one another in this 289 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: directly democratic way. But we're also activating the community by 290 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: creating these groups. The Solidarity Stitchers group online that allowed 291 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 1: us to then increase our production to being able to 292 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 1: basically hand make masks that nobody could find anywhere, UH 293 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: numbering in the thousands, UM and and getting and partnering. 294 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:07,880 Speaker 1: We also created the Solidarity UH Fund UM this Inbiosis 295 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:13,640 Speaker 1: Solidarity Fund, which basically was not only UM giving individuals 296 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:17,680 Speaker 1: in the Portland area who were experiencing economic hardship and 297 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:21,880 Speaker 1: response to the COVID pandemic UM directly. We were giving 298 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 1: them funds like people who needed medical expenses, covered, people 299 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: who needed transportation needs, covered people, et cetera, but as 300 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 1: well as well as grassroots organizations that needed money to 301 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: continue their vital programming for example UH Portland Action Medics 302 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 1: and UH slash the rose Hip Medic Collective. UH we 303 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: were able to make sure to get them multiple thousands 304 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: of dollars to continue the hand sanitizer project that they 305 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 1: were doing. From there, we were able to slowly grow 306 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: through our our mutual aid program through share and solidarity stitchers, 307 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 1: the Solidarity Fund into UM also expanding within ourselves sort 308 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 1: of this education and outreach work that we were doing 309 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: to further further within our organization and out in in 310 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:15,199 Speaker 1: the general public, educate about communalism, mutual aid, what it 311 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 1: means to be an accomplice, things about the the radical 312 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 1: left movement that have been forgotten or never learned. This 313 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 1: group to encompass connections with the Warrant Springs Reservation, distributing 314 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:32,920 Speaker 1: supplies PPE and clean water with fires igniting the spirit. 315 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 1: When the water main for the reservation broke when the 316 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 1: protests began, Symbios's moved to make sure that PPE and 317 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:44,439 Speaker 1: resources were available there as well. We were printing zines 318 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,919 Speaker 1: and showing up at protests UM. At the protests, we 319 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: were also the first group on the ground essentially to 320 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: provide PPE, recognizing that yes, this uprising is going to happen, 321 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 1: regardless of the risk, because the need is that great. 322 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: But we're gonna do that and seed a culture of 323 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: taking care of each other. UM. So yeah, in distributing 324 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: zines and UH and educational material of other sorts, and 325 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,880 Speaker 1: stuff and getting people plugged into organizing other much way 326 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 1: formed in the early days of the protests, fueled by 327 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: the desire to help out however possible. Early on, snack 328 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: Mom was realized that they were not interested in running 329 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: from the police, but they can make sure that the 330 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: people in the streets had food and supplies. Uh, snack 331 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 1: MoMA number one. I go by Shiba um where I 332 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 1: guess we're mutual A. Yeah. Yeah. We hand out snacks 333 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: and waters and things that nature. Anything you know, anybody 334 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 1: would need, uh soot things like that, stash medical supplies, 335 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: any like extra like mass or gas masks or protective 336 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:57,399 Speaker 1: gear that we can possibly get our hands on. Um, 337 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: lots of stuff. I mean there's been a lot of 338 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,679 Speaker 1: endom stuff that we put out there is whatever the 339 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: needs are, but mainly just snacks and drinks. Um. And 340 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 1: I'm snack Mama too. I've already been docks, so I'm 341 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: not even worried about my name. I go by Amanda, 342 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 1: and yeah, that's pretty much what we do, mutual aid. Yeah. 343 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: How did you get started, Like when when did you 344 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: first start coming to the out to the protests? Like 345 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 1: how did you get started coming out to the protests. UM, 346 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 1: what was thetis for you to come out? Well? UM, 347 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 1: when the whole George Floyd video was released and I've 348 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:38,480 Speaker 1: seen that it was, it was mortified. I cried because 349 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: it was it was definitely just hard to watch UM 350 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 1: again again and again and again and again. And this 351 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: was just coming the last off for everyone, you know, 352 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 1: I feel like UM. And then there were protests going 353 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:53,440 Speaker 1: on down town. UM, so we went and checked them out. 354 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:56,880 Speaker 1: And then after that we started going out pretty much 355 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: every night after that and just checking them out. UM. 356 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 1: I don't exactly remember when it was, but we have 357 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:07,680 Speaker 1: started up with UM, the next partner of mine, now 358 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,880 Speaker 1: he started I remember it was the beginning of June. 359 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: I drugged them with me. We wouldn't check it out, 360 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: you know. UM. So then after that we had started 361 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,719 Speaker 1: cooking where we're cooking downtown. UM. We did that for 362 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 1: like maybe a month too or two. UM. We're what 363 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:31,639 Speaker 1: we're called Don't Starve PDX. Yeah, don't Start UM. Yeah. 364 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 1: So that was us UM. And then August fifteen, there 365 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:39,919 Speaker 1: was a domestic dispute between me and my partner UM, 366 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: who was part of Don't Start. It was part of 367 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: Don't Start UM. And then after that, I mean, the 368 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: the original snack band. He was supposed to get that. UM. 369 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:54,920 Speaker 1: And then after the domestic dispute, UM, the owner of 370 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 1: the van pulled out from underneath him was like, you know, 371 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 1: I can't support this. UM. Then he offered me the 372 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:05,920 Speaker 1: van and then me and her UM had this van 373 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 1: and we're like, okay, what can we do with this? UM? 374 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: So then that's when we started doing snack Mamas. It 375 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 1: took us a minute to come up with the name, 376 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,640 Speaker 1: but eventually we did. But at that point people kind 377 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 1: of already knew who we were. UM. So then we 378 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:22,919 Speaker 1: you know, came out with snack Mamas and that's what 379 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: we've been doing ever since. Yeah, I remember seeing you 380 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 1: out when you were doing the adult Starve. UM. What 381 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 1: really was just like to feed people? UM? I think 382 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:38,400 Speaker 1: I think we just want to support the movement. And 383 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 1: I mean, honestly, we're a couple of chunky girls. You know, 384 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:45,679 Speaker 1: we were we were no like match for these you 385 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: know officers that are like fit, you know, trying to 386 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: chase us. We're like trying to find like bushes or 387 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,880 Speaker 1: like holes die and or you know what I mean. 388 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: We're just like, man, this is like this is too 389 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: much for us because I cannot run. For yeah, the 390 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:01,480 Speaker 1: first time I know that that isn't for me. Um, 391 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 1: I'm standing there and all of a sudden, I see 392 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:07,399 Speaker 1: this metal objects moving towards me and it's on fire 393 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 1: and it's spinning, and I'm like oh, and I like, 394 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: you know, instantly start freaking out, and I'm like okay, 395 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 1: so you know, I take off and I start running, 396 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 1: and I'm like, okay, this isn't for me. You know, 397 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,959 Speaker 1: I can't outrun objects, I can't outrun the cops, you know, 398 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: so defend. So I just didn't have any gas master 399 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: or anything yet or at that point for like stuffing 400 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,680 Speaker 1: our faces with stuff, trying to breathe still and try 401 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 1: and like protect ourselves. And yeah, yes it's harsh times, 402 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 1: but we wanted to support like in whatever way we could, right. 403 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: I think that's kind of where we started, like doing 404 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: that for other people that wanted to protests but didn't 405 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: feel comfortable going out alone. Comrade collective connected protesters to 406 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 1: each other, sparking the connections that help sustain the movement. 407 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: That's a tough has a kind of a tough one 408 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 1: to summarize. Um, I guess the best way to say 409 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: it is that UM community has kind of been a 410 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 1: limiting factor for a lot of people in protests. And 411 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,359 Speaker 1: right around the time of uh fourth of July and 412 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 1: like right after that, Shark Youth started kind of becoming 413 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 1: a kind of a meeting point for folks through social media, 414 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 1: through Telegram, and from there there's been several um definit iterations, 415 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: Disabled commeron Collective, Care Collective, UM soon to be Queer 416 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: Comedy Collective as well, all kind of forming from that. 417 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 1: I don't know, locusts of just like community, just like 418 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: folks trying to find the necessary connections to get their 419 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 1: ideas off the ground. Yeah. I mean for me personally, 420 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:01,479 Speaker 1: I just sort of started sitting in a park with 421 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 1: a sign, just asking people if they needed buddies. I 422 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:07,840 Speaker 1: was going to be there anyway. It figured like it 423 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 1: was something easy to do, and I started a Twitter 424 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: and one thing just sort of snowballed into another. Now 425 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 1: here we are Disabled Comrade Collective have form to meet 426 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: the needs of people with disabilities or who have alternative 427 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:25,360 Speaker 1: needs to be able to participate in protests. Yeah. How 428 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 1: um so, how Disabled Comrade Collective started was kind of like, um, so, 429 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: I'm I'm disabled and chronically ill, so like I can't 430 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 1: be on the ground all the time. It's like here 431 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 1: and there, and then when I am, it takes a 432 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: lot out of me. UM and so uh Sylvan who 433 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: is like like the main person of UM like handling 434 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:49,360 Speaker 1: disabled comrade collective. Uh, they also are disabled and chronically 435 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 1: ill and so um. They just kind of like we 436 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: were just complaining on Twitter, like they were like, man, like, 437 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 1: there needs to be like a group for like disabled 438 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:01,679 Speaker 1: and ill people like to have different needs and like 439 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 1: neuro divergent and then like, um, it just everyone was 440 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,440 Speaker 1: like yeah, and then it just kind of uh went 441 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:10,880 Speaker 1: onto Sylvan and they're like, I guess I'm doing this thing. 442 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 1: So that's how that started. The e Walks also formed 443 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 1: early in the protests, but through the course of the 444 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 1: summer they found that their mission change. E Walks is 445 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: a humanitarian aid coalition made up of crisis and medical 446 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 1: workers were fighting integrated medical and mental health care that's 447 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:34,440 Speaker 1: trauma informed and harm reductive in nature. This service model 448 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:39,400 Speaker 1: was really adapted from another organization that we worked with 449 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:44,640 Speaker 1: um as organizers called Whitebird Medicine UM and they've been 450 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 1: the attention of National news recently for their cooods program. However, 451 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:52,639 Speaker 1: looking at the situations in Portland and the socio political 452 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 1: inequities that are being enforced every single day, it became 453 00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 1: increasingly clear that Britland's model was going to need to 454 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 1: look at little bit different. So we beefed up our 455 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 1: teams and we got a hole off the ground side 456 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:09,159 Speaker 1: and now we've sort of moved morphed into like a 457 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 1: whole bunch of different things we do UH protest work. 458 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:17,119 Speaker 1: Still we're committed in UM supporting the community for as 459 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 1: long as that needs to happen. One thing that became 460 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 1: increasingly clear as public reliance on the police force has 461 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:29,879 Speaker 1: begun to reflect the police forces ability to protect people 462 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 1: who served them, UM E walks has really taken a 463 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 1: look at what the city needs most. And our shift 464 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 1: was born out of seeing a complete lack of actually 465 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: reachable mental health services within our city. UM costs are 466 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: prohibited access to those actual things within standalone buildings does 467 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: not work for many patients and it also leaves our 468 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 1: houses community severely lacking as always in services and outreach. UM. 469 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 1: As we began looking at adapting our model and taking 470 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 1: a look at what this community needed, one of the 471 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 1: things that struck us most was that there is a 472 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 1: complete lack about tornadove resources to police involvement, and while 473 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: EOX is not there yet, we would like to envision 474 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: a future where we have a place in helping form 475 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 1: a service that can do just such a thing. Meeting 476 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 1: in the front of the Federal Courthouse. During the Fed War, 477 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: Optical Block began doing eye exams, helping people get prescriptions 478 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 1: and glasses, organizing around the Mutual eight tents of Riot Ribs. 479 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 1: As Riot Ribs imploded at the end of July, the 480 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 1: number of mutual Aid Quote blocks organizing services to protesters 481 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 1: and marginalized communities exploded. These groups organized around identifying and 482 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: helping with one community need at a time. Protesters set 483 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:52,240 Speaker 1: up a wide ranging network of alternative organizing to help 484 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: each other outside of the frameworks of the city or capitalism. 485 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 1: In many cases, the blocks were explicit that in an 486 00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 1: abolition this framework, the goal was to meet needs without 487 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 1: the charity and violence that often accompanied the state and 488 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 1: more traditional types of existence. Instead organized as a community 489 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:15,600 Speaker 1: to give people's needs met. As activist Mariah explains, there 490 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 1: was a block for everything, like pet block, Yeah, oh gosh, 491 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:22,720 Speaker 1: I mean, I can't say I have a favorite. They're 492 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:26,760 Speaker 1: all amazing, Like they they honestly like shocked me every 493 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: day because I'm just like, oh do we I even 494 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: asked them, like, yo, do we have a kram plastic 495 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 1: Block Like yeah, I don't say I have a favorite. 496 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: I am just amazed by people being able to come 497 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:40,280 Speaker 1: together and do that. I've seen job Block, I've seen 498 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 1: I've seen stuff I couldn't even think of, and I'm like, 499 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 1: that's just amazing. I think it's amazing for like, yeah, 500 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 1: this little community. I'm like, I wish people like would 501 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 1: know more about this. I wanna say no more about this, 502 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: but get more involved because I'm like the community is 503 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,440 Speaker 1: just doing it and like, yeah, we protect us and 504 00:30:56,520 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 1: it's amazing. As August continued, community events in mutual full 505 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 1: affairs became common. Mending Block could repair your clothes and 506 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 1: made bockle buzz for anonymity at night actions. Beauty Block 507 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: could give you a manicure, but also made bath bombs 508 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:16,560 Speaker 1: and care packages for jail support. Community art therapy happened 509 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:19,760 Speaker 1: weekly as people try to process the stress and brutality. 510 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:23,800 Speaker 1: Tech Block assisted people with computers and devices while we 511 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,400 Speaker 1: don't have time to cover every group that arose during 512 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: that time. We can't have Some of the activists describe 513 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:34,480 Speaker 1: how and why they formed. Jedi explains Plant Block. So, 514 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: Plant Block literally came out of mutual Aid, Like it 515 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 1: formed out of like mac already being in contact with 516 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:45,440 Speaker 1: a bunch of community members, already having his own garden 517 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 1: kind of things set up, and then just pull everybody 518 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:54,760 Speaker 1: together and creating digitals with flowers or provide people with 519 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 1: just like vegetable bags and stuff like that. So like nowadays, 520 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 1: if you go to any kind of like well, this 521 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: was certainly true. I mean, we're not having as many 522 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:06,239 Speaker 1: because it's so cold and wet now. But like a 523 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 1: lot of the the community events that we would hold, um, 524 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: half of those like vendors that would be at these 525 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 1: community events literally were formed within this movement. They didn't 526 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:25,959 Speaker 1: exist prior to George Floyd. So seeing how you know, 527 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 1: the tragic death of of of him and many others 528 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: fallen before him have kind of, in a way like 529 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:39,000 Speaker 1: been a catalyst for strengthening mutual Aid in our city. 530 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 1: UM And anybody who's been on the ground, been going 531 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:45,960 Speaker 1: to these events has seen it with their own eyes. 532 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:48,960 Speaker 1: So many different mutual aid groups have formed because of 533 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: u's just coming together so often, and the more that 534 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:55,520 Speaker 1: we come together, the more we realize we don't need 535 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 1: to rely on the state UM to feed and clothe 536 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:02,920 Speaker 1: and keep us. During the Fed War, cars were damaged 537 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 1: by right munitions and had their filters clagged with powdered 538 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 1: tear gas. Portland Please developed a habit of repeatedly attacking 539 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:15,200 Speaker 1: protester vehicles protecting marches by stabbing out their tires. Those 540 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 1: snack Mamas had their vans impounded and trash for handing 541 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 1: out food and water. In response, pt Street Mechanics formed 542 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 1: to help people repair their cars and provide vehicle assistance 543 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:31,640 Speaker 1: for protesters, but quickly in large their focus to help 544 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 1: with other transportation needs. Here they explain how they formed. 545 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: The Proton Street Mechanics started UM kind of just like 546 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 1: on Twitter, primarily because there were calls for people's cars 547 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 1: getting to repairs after having them being damaged out in protests. UM. 548 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 1: It very quickly expanded well beyond that because car repair 549 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:02,479 Speaker 1: isn't something that you can do at protests UM, and 550 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:04,400 Speaker 1: that was one of our first things, is like, I know, 551 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:08,280 Speaker 1: we're actually just doing community car care UM. By moving 552 00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: away from the protests scene actually allows us to UM 553 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: focus on other things UM and actually focus on the 554 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 1: marginalized communities that are tend to be very active in 555 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 1: protests but are also the reasons why we are protesting UM. 556 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 1: And that was a big thing for us in our 557 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 1: initial framing, was not necessarily just helping protesters kind of 558 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:37,920 Speaker 1: manage their day to day needs UM, but also helping 559 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:42,799 Speaker 1: to support the communities that are have historically been marginalized 560 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:46,680 Speaker 1: and have historically been oppressed UM so that these protests 561 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 1: don't need to happen. We should not have to go 562 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 1: and protest UM. And a big part of it is 563 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 1: building the world that we want to see UM, So 564 00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:58,879 Speaker 1: we kind of quickly moved into that perspective. I think 565 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: a lot of plays we end up writing a lot 566 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,880 Speaker 1: of support for other blocks. So a lot of the 567 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:05,399 Speaker 1: people that we help and people reach out to us 568 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:09,080 Speaker 1: are people who are using their vehicles for MUTUALID and UM. 569 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:13,960 Speaker 1: Those people absolutely get UM like care from us. They 570 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:17,280 Speaker 1: get support in terms of making sure that their vehicles 571 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: are reliable and safe UM so that they can provide 572 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 1: their own kind of like practices. Because a lot of 573 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 1: a lot of other MUTUALID systems or like organizations are 574 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:30,719 Speaker 1: about like just giving stuff away UM and providing those 575 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: those goods UM. The service providing component UM kind of 576 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 1: like breaks with that a little bit. So like we 577 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:40,399 Speaker 1: we haven't really been able to UM kind of meet 578 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:41,759 Speaker 1: up and go to a lot of like the or 579 00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:43,719 Speaker 1: like some of the fares or some of the kind 580 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:47,879 Speaker 1: of like mutual aid meetups because we there's no spot 581 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:52,160 Speaker 1: to work on cars UM. So when we've run into 582 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:56,080 Speaker 1: some problems with that UM with like people being fine 583 00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: with people distributing food, but then we're like, oh, can 584 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:01,239 Speaker 1: we do an all change in your parking, It's like no, 585 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:03,879 Speaker 1: we can't do that. UM. So we end up having 586 00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 1: to to get really creative in terms of where we 587 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:10,120 Speaker 1: do our work and how we UM actually like just 588 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:27,040 Speaker 1: like logistically organized with other people. Coming up next is 589 00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:30,280 Speaker 1: a Lane, my colleague in the streets and my partner 590 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 1: in writing this podcast. The cycle of nightly protests and 591 00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:37,200 Speaker 1: daily community building and mutual aid would continue unabated, and 592 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:40,840 Speaker 1: on September five, Portland had its hundredth night of continuous protest. 593 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:43,520 Speaker 1: The event was marked by a care fair featuring many 594 00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 1: of the mutual aid groups that had formed recently. Plant 595 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:49,240 Speaker 1: Blok had vegetables, sprouts and seeds that they were giving away, 596 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:53,279 Speaker 1: and care Block offered massages to protesters and Tea Symbiosis 597 00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:56,360 Speaker 1: tabled books and zines, and people donated food and listened 598 00:36:56,360 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 1: to speakers and music by local musicians. At one point, 599 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:03,000 Speaker 1: the car caravan, a reoccurring car protest frequented by people 600 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 1: whose social distancing needs made other types of visible protest harder, 601 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:10,040 Speaker 1: came past, honking horns, waving signs declaring that black lives mattered. 602 00:37:10,920 --> 00:37:12,920 Speaker 1: Mac was on the ground that day. You know, I 603 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,879 Speaker 1: think a lot of folks once once things went off 604 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:18,040 Speaker 1: in Minneapolis, and once we knew they were you know, 605 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:20,200 Speaker 1: once we had our first big riot here in Portland, 606 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:23,200 Speaker 1: we knew something was going to happen. Like we knew 607 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:25,000 Speaker 1: that there were going to be some protests and stuff 608 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:27,920 Speaker 1: last a little while. I don't think anyone at the 609 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:33,239 Speaker 1: start of it really called a hundred plus days continuous protest. 610 00:37:34,239 --> 00:37:39,400 Speaker 1: When did you realize this is not a normal not 611 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:41,600 Speaker 1: just not a normal Portland protest, This isn't like a 612 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:45,840 Speaker 1: normal Portland summer of protests, and it would continue to 613 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:49,480 Speaker 1: not be a normal summer of protests. That night, Portland 614 00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:52,720 Speaker 1: police pushed protesters blocks away from the East Portland precinct, 615 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:55,880 Speaker 1: gassing families in their homes, and at the beginning of September, 616 00:37:56,040 --> 00:37:58,680 Speaker 1: ore Agon began one of its worst fire seasons on record. 617 00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:01,719 Speaker 1: As one of the last marches commemorating the hundredth the 618 00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:04,640 Speaker 1: day of protest while and through the St. John's neighborhood 619 00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:08,040 Speaker 1: of North Portland, Mariah remembers how the sky slowly dimmed 620 00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:10,880 Speaker 1: as smoke began rolling into the city from fires burning 621 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:13,560 Speaker 1: from the south and east. I won't, I won't for 622 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:16,080 Speaker 1: the day it started rolling into town. I was actually 623 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:20,440 Speaker 1: at the big march in St. John's because we all 624 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:23,800 Speaker 1: started coming back and we were just like coughing and 625 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:25,880 Speaker 1: and everything, and I was like, what the is going on? 626 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:27,239 Speaker 1: I looked in there and I was like, Okay, it's 627 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:29,240 Speaker 1: smoked from a fire. But I was like, but where 628 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:31,440 Speaker 1: And then obviously, you know, twenty four hours later we 629 00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:34,680 Speaker 1: started becoming hell. But how much it just shows like 630 00:38:34,719 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 1: the community transition to mutual aid in aiding like fire 631 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:41,759 Speaker 1: survivors and victims. Uh me as well. I also did, 632 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:44,520 Speaker 1: like I don't know, I raised like five thousand dollars 633 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:47,400 Speaker 1: and went and went shopping and dropped him off like 634 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:52,080 Speaker 1: they got a place near Lloyd's Center. UM and then 635 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:54,399 Speaker 1: out in Milwaukee. But it was so amazing to see 636 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:56,640 Speaker 1: the community be able to come together and help people. 637 00:38:56,960 --> 00:39:00,520 Speaker 1: Dry conditions and hot winds sent fire sweeping four states. 638 00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:03,359 Speaker 1: Oregon was enveloped in the worst fires the state had 639 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:07,160 Speaker 1: seen in decades. Smoke from multiple blazes blanketed the region, 640 00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:10,439 Speaker 1: making breathing impossible and devastating huge swaths of the state. 641 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,480 Speaker 1: As thousands evacuated and whole towns were consumed by fire 642 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:16,880 Speaker 1: with no evidence, far right media exploded with rumors that 643 00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:21,399 Speaker 1: Antifa and BLM were starting fires. Despite public officials trying 644 00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:23,839 Speaker 1: to counteract the rumors, it was too little, too late. 645 00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:27,800 Speaker 1: The fearmongering rhetoric had scared individuals and right wing militias 646 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:31,319 Speaker 1: to stay in fire areas, hindering evacuees, and to set 647 00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 1: up armed checkpoints and fire zones to harass anyone they 648 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:37,120 Speaker 1: thought didn't look right. Reporter Alyssa Tsar went out to 649 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:39,719 Speaker 1: the fire zone to talk with evacuees and report on 650 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:42,719 Speaker 1: the fire response. UM. Just seeing you know, the community 651 00:39:42,719 --> 00:39:46,560 Speaker 1: come together and kind of a great example of we 652 00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:51,399 Speaker 1: protect us, you know, manifesting right before um fuck, there 653 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:54,279 Speaker 1: were people that were like rollying together trailers to go 654 00:39:54,440 --> 00:39:57,480 Speaker 1: help people evacuate their barn animals and take them to 655 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:04,040 Speaker 1: somewhere safe. So yeah, I mean that's what we went 656 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:08,520 Speaker 1: there for. Um And it's it's so funny because I 657 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:12,600 Speaker 1: believe the day before I went to Malala um or 658 00:40:12,640 --> 00:40:14,640 Speaker 1: the day before that, so one or two days before, 659 00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:18,400 Speaker 1: I had tweeted something and I was totally joking, but 660 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 1: it was also very serious. It was along the lines 661 00:40:21,120 --> 00:40:25,880 Speaker 1: of like, you know, right wingers on Twitter are saying, 662 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:29,920 Speaker 1: you know, Antifa started the wildfires. Meanwhile, every fucking leftist 663 00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:33,080 Speaker 1: on Twitter at the time was like, hey, um, what's 664 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:35,319 Speaker 1: the most efficient way to bring a fire extinguisher to 665 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:38,719 Speaker 1: a protest? You know, because at the time there was 666 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:41,839 Speaker 1: also a fire risk and the protests were happening, and 667 00:40:42,120 --> 00:40:46,319 Speaker 1: this is something people were super concerned about. Um And 668 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:50,160 Speaker 1: you know, we were making jokes about these circulating rumors. 669 00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:52,879 Speaker 1: I really did not think in a matter of two 670 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:57,719 Speaker 1: days they would manifest into a full blown, like actionable 671 00:40:57,840 --> 00:41:02,360 Speaker 1: conspiracy theory unlessa soon found out how serious those conspiracy 672 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:05,359 Speaker 1: theories were being taken. At the time, the witches had 673 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:09,839 Speaker 1: showed up and they had brought a bunch of it's 674 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:14,719 Speaker 1: like swagons filled with supplies. Um, we were on our 675 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:20,840 Speaker 1: way to I think it was at the time, the 676 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:25,680 Speaker 1: airport um because that's where the firefighters had told us 677 00:41:25,680 --> 00:41:29,200 Speaker 1: that they were gonna have the firefighters be stationed as 678 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:32,600 Speaker 1: well as be taking supplies. So on our way there, 679 00:41:33,600 --> 00:41:36,440 Speaker 1: there was have you ever seen those uh those signs 680 00:41:36,520 --> 00:41:40,680 Speaker 1: where it's like uh green yellow, red, and it's like 681 00:41:40,719 --> 00:41:44,520 Speaker 1: a fire danger sign and the arrow points wherever. So 682 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:46,959 Speaker 1: the arrow was like all the way in the red 683 00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:52,640 Speaker 1: and it was like leave now. So granted, we stopped 684 00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:55,799 Speaker 1: to take a picture of that because it's there's just 685 00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:59,359 Speaker 1: this like you know, field of like tall grass on 686 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:03,200 Speaker 1: the side of the road. Leave now. It was just 687 00:42:03,239 --> 00:42:07,960 Speaker 1: a very picturesque moment, something really eerie about it. The 688 00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:10,920 Speaker 1: road is like completely empty, but every now and then 689 00:42:10,960 --> 00:42:14,080 Speaker 1: you can see like a line of cars trying to evacuate. 690 00:42:14,239 --> 00:42:19,800 Speaker 1: But anyways, we we pulled over. Um, wow, I haven't 691 00:42:19,840 --> 00:42:23,839 Speaker 1: thought about this in so long, but yeah, we've We've 692 00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:26,800 Speaker 1: pulled over to take this picture and Justin and Sergio 693 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:30,560 Speaker 1: are kind of still standing next to the car um 694 00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:33,919 Speaker 1: and this is public property. Um, it's on the side 695 00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:37,400 Speaker 1: of the road. It's not anyone's like yard or anything. 696 00:42:38,360 --> 00:42:41,359 Speaker 1: And they're still by the car, and I'm like in 697 00:42:41,400 --> 00:42:43,880 Speaker 1: front of the sign and there's some like tall grass. 698 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:46,160 Speaker 1: I'm kind of crouched down taking a picture of it, 699 00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:50,960 Speaker 1: and I'm like focused on the picture and hear someone talking. 700 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:53,600 Speaker 1: At first, I thought maybe it was like Justin and Sergio. 701 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:59,759 Speaker 1: But I look up and there's three dudes with with rifles, um, 702 00:42:59,760 --> 00:43:03,440 Speaker 1: you know, pointing their rifles at us. And it it 703 00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:06,680 Speaker 1: took a bit for me to register what was going 704 00:43:06,760 --> 00:43:12,200 Speaker 1: on because I was really confused. UM, and I got 705 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:17,719 Speaker 1: up and they started interrogating me, and I'm answering, but 706 00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:22,040 Speaker 1: I'm still like really confused because I'm like, Okay, they're 707 00:43:22,080 --> 00:43:27,280 Speaker 1: not cops, but why are they so offended and so 708 00:43:27,400 --> 00:43:31,000 Speaker 1: aggressive and hostile? Like I I was legit, just like 709 00:43:31,200 --> 00:43:34,279 Speaker 1: I could not figure out what was going on. And 710 00:43:34,320 --> 00:43:38,640 Speaker 1: then they kept asking questions, you know, like where are 711 00:43:38,719 --> 00:43:41,040 Speaker 1: you from, why are you in ore in the city, 712 00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:44,600 Speaker 1: or are you taking a picture of this. UM started 713 00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:47,799 Speaker 1: talking about like because we all had our press credentials on, 714 00:43:47,920 --> 00:43:51,720 Speaker 1: we were all in plain clothing, and you know, slowly 715 00:43:51,760 --> 00:43:55,000 Speaker 1: like based off the questions they were asking. It slowly 716 00:43:55,080 --> 00:43:58,120 Speaker 1: started to kind of click for me. But even when 717 00:43:58,160 --> 00:44:01,040 Speaker 1: it clicked, I think that just kind of me more confused, 718 00:44:01,120 --> 00:44:05,240 Speaker 1: because like, we were literally all tweeting about this jokingly 719 00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:10,919 Speaker 1: last night, but somehow and fuck, literally two to three 720 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:16,720 Speaker 1: days this rumor manifested into a fucking conspiracy where people 721 00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:20,560 Speaker 1: are holding people at gunpoint, militias are holding people up 722 00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:24,320 Speaker 1: at gunpoint. It's it's just wild to me. They finally 723 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:27,759 Speaker 1: got to a point they started saying that, you know, 724 00:44:28,239 --> 00:44:30,840 Speaker 1: there were people that were coming into their city that 725 00:44:30,880 --> 00:44:35,400 Speaker 1: are starting fires so that they can loot. Um, you know, 726 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:38,839 Speaker 1: and they kept saying the word loot, and then um, 727 00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:43,640 Speaker 1: they started talking about protesters from Portland, and it was 728 00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:48,160 Speaker 1: just like you know, it was it was all like 729 00:44:49,080 --> 00:44:51,319 Speaker 1: it was coming to me before, but it was coming 730 00:44:51,360 --> 00:44:53,560 Speaker 1: to me in a way where it's like, okay, maybe, 731 00:44:53,560 --> 00:44:57,240 Speaker 1: but there's no way. But then they started asking those questions. 732 00:44:57,239 --> 00:45:01,040 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, okay, they really do believe that 733 00:45:01,640 --> 00:45:06,160 Speaker 1: I'm an Antifa starting the fires right now? Like okay, fuck? 734 00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:09,920 Speaker 1: Um yeah, using words like like looting. And then they 735 00:45:09,920 --> 00:45:15,279 Speaker 1: started talking about protesting, um, god fuck. And then it 736 00:45:15,680 --> 00:45:19,680 Speaker 1: took a little bit before Justin and Sergio even saw 737 00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:25,120 Speaker 1: and uh it was Justin who came down first and 738 00:45:27,040 --> 00:45:31,120 Speaker 1: started to like talking and see what's going on. Oh funk. 739 00:45:31,160 --> 00:45:34,719 Speaker 1: I just remember too, when Sergio finally like realized what 740 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:36,719 Speaker 1: was going on. He came up to us and he's like, 741 00:45:37,080 --> 00:45:40,400 Speaker 1: are you just writing us? Man? Yeah? Yeah not and 742 00:45:40,440 --> 00:45:44,480 Speaker 1: not physically nobody touched us, but just like a body 743 00:45:44,560 --> 00:45:46,359 Speaker 1: language and the way that they were being, the way 744 00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:48,840 Speaker 1: that they were positioned and like slowly like you know, 745 00:45:49,000 --> 00:45:54,040 Speaker 1: edging forward when they would be speaking. Um, we were, 746 00:45:55,160 --> 00:45:58,800 Speaker 1: I think when when Sergio got involved, him and Justin, 747 00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:00,680 Speaker 1: we're just trying to be like and we're just trying 748 00:46:00,719 --> 00:46:04,279 Speaker 1: to take pictures like we're not gonna bother you like 749 00:46:04,280 --> 00:46:07,160 Speaker 1: like whatever. And also like we we also tried to 750 00:46:07,160 --> 00:46:10,759 Speaker 1: explain to them like we're not here to like make 751 00:46:10,880 --> 00:46:14,600 Speaker 1: this political or dehumanize anyone or whatever, like we're here 752 00:46:15,160 --> 00:46:20,440 Speaker 1: with like sympathy and you know, like we're again this 753 00:46:20,520 --> 00:46:24,759 Speaker 1: is like a humanitarian issue. This is just like what 754 00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:29,200 Speaker 1: the fuck? Yeah, you know, we're not here to be 755 00:46:29,239 --> 00:46:34,200 Speaker 1: like yeah, like you know, burn those whatever, like no, 756 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:37,480 Speaker 1: none of that. Um, So they really wanted us to 757 00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:41,919 Speaker 1: just like pack it up and go back to Portland. Um, 758 00:46:41,960 --> 00:46:44,560 Speaker 1: you know, and they were kind of insinuating that they 759 00:46:44,560 --> 00:46:46,760 Speaker 1: would have their eyes on us. They took a picture 760 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:48,520 Speaker 1: of all of our faces. They took a picture of 761 00:46:48,640 --> 00:46:53,680 Speaker 1: license plate. Um, so yeah, it's kind of creepy, but 762 00:46:54,520 --> 00:46:57,880 Speaker 1: I will tell you for sure, none of us really 763 00:46:58,200 --> 00:47:02,439 Speaker 1: realized what happened until like a few hours later, because 764 00:47:02,440 --> 00:47:05,040 Speaker 1: we were fine, we were all fine, and I was 765 00:47:05,040 --> 00:47:08,200 Speaker 1: tweeting about it. I'm like, ll guess what happened, And 766 00:47:08,239 --> 00:47:10,680 Speaker 1: then like an hour or two later, we're just like, fuck, 767 00:47:12,040 --> 00:47:17,280 Speaker 1: Like we got held up at gunpoint. Um the city 768 00:47:17,320 --> 00:47:21,680 Speaker 1: Like by the time we got to where we stopped, Uh, 769 00:47:21,760 --> 00:47:25,840 Speaker 1: that area was all burnt down already, So had something happened, 770 00:47:26,160 --> 00:47:28,000 Speaker 1: there's a good chance no one would have found out 771 00:47:28,040 --> 00:47:30,960 Speaker 1: about it. As we came to learn later, the cops 772 00:47:31,040 --> 00:47:35,319 Speaker 1: are all very pro these right wing militias over there, 773 00:47:36,120 --> 00:47:40,560 Speaker 1: So um, the seriousness of it definitely didn't kick in 774 00:47:40,640 --> 00:47:43,959 Speaker 1: until a lot later. But what were protesters actually doing 775 00:47:44,040 --> 00:47:47,120 Speaker 1: during this time, Well, many of the people being labeled 776 00:47:47,160 --> 00:47:49,719 Speaker 1: as rioters and having rumors of arson spread about them 777 00:47:49,880 --> 00:47:51,919 Speaker 1: were out in the community trying to help as many 778 00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:56,520 Speaker 1: victims of the fires as possible. Alyssa continues. UM. You 779 00:47:56,520 --> 00:47:59,960 Speaker 1: know Portland, Like mutual aid groups from Portland were dry 780 00:48:00,040 --> 00:48:02,759 Speaker 1: being all the way down to Eugene to drop off 781 00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:06,160 Speaker 1: some supplies and back, like you know, countless times back 782 00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:09,840 Speaker 1: and forth. UM. So that was that was really great 783 00:48:10,600 --> 00:48:14,640 Speaker 1: just seeing you know, what we're capable of. UM. And 784 00:48:15,960 --> 00:48:17,759 Speaker 1: I think at first, you know, we talked about the 785 00:48:17,760 --> 00:48:21,200 Speaker 1: protests kind of slowing down for the fires, UM And 786 00:48:21,239 --> 00:48:23,200 Speaker 1: I think a lot of it at first was because 787 00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:26,560 Speaker 1: it was unhealthy to go outside. But I think a 788 00:48:26,640 --> 00:48:29,600 Speaker 1: huge part of it too is like wanting to prioritize, 789 00:48:29,680 --> 00:48:32,080 Speaker 1: like there's people that need help right now, and like 790 00:48:32,160 --> 00:48:34,759 Speaker 1: if we don't get on this, like you know, this 791 00:48:34,800 --> 00:48:37,120 Speaker 1: is this is part of what we're here for. This 792 00:48:37,160 --> 00:48:42,560 Speaker 1: is this is part of anarchy, you know. UM. And yeah, 793 00:48:42,680 --> 00:48:46,319 Speaker 1: just seeing people really like commit was really incredible. I mean, 794 00:48:46,840 --> 00:48:49,520 Speaker 1: did you make it down to mal Morgan from Team 795 00:48:49,600 --> 00:48:52,839 Speaker 1: Raccoon had been coordinating filter exchanges and sourcing gas masks 796 00:48:52,920 --> 00:48:55,479 Speaker 1: for children and rapidly changed their focus as the area 797 00:48:55,560 --> 00:48:59,800 Speaker 1: was smothered by smoke. Yeah. Yeah, I was really fortunate 798 00:49:00,000 --> 00:49:04,000 Speaker 1: to get to kind of collaborate with UM A lot 799 00:49:04,040 --> 00:49:09,680 Speaker 1: of mutual aid groups for Malt the Mutual Aid Lloyd 800 00:49:09,840 --> 00:49:15,719 Speaker 1: Theater and also Mama, the Milwaukee area of Mutual Aid. Um. 801 00:49:15,800 --> 00:49:19,560 Speaker 1: We decided to move MALT to Mama because it was 802 00:49:20,280 --> 00:49:23,640 Speaker 1: damp out because of all the smoke cover and we 803 00:49:23,640 --> 00:49:27,200 Speaker 1: were getting lots of donations of cloth goods like blankets 804 00:49:27,239 --> 00:49:32,799 Speaker 1: and mattresses even and um, clothing in all kinds of 805 00:49:32,840 --> 00:49:36,920 Speaker 1: things that we didn't want to mildew. Um. But yeah, 806 00:49:37,040 --> 00:49:40,840 Speaker 1: I I was on the ground giving out respirators a 807 00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:44,560 Speaker 1: lot at MALT. I have a really fond memory of 808 00:49:44,600 --> 00:49:46,759 Speaker 1: giving a respirator to an eight year old and a 809 00:49:46,800 --> 00:49:51,600 Speaker 1: spider man's sure, and the eight year old was on 810 00:49:51,680 --> 00:49:54,600 Speaker 1: a scooter just scooting around pretending to be a robot 811 00:49:54,640 --> 00:49:57,759 Speaker 1: spider man now that they had their respirator on, and 812 00:49:57,800 --> 00:50:04,080 Speaker 1: that was fun. We had fun that day. Um. But um, yeah, 813 00:50:04,280 --> 00:50:07,319 Speaker 1: I I was kind of just giving respirators out like 814 00:50:07,440 --> 00:50:12,960 Speaker 1: candy during wildfire disaster relief. So I'm not totally sure 815 00:50:13,000 --> 00:50:15,799 Speaker 1: how many went out just for that, but it was 816 00:50:15,920 --> 00:50:19,160 Speaker 1: quite a bit. Um. Basically, we were trying to make 817 00:50:19,200 --> 00:50:21,799 Speaker 1: sure that everybody who was going on supply runs to 818 00:50:21,840 --> 00:50:25,560 Speaker 1: the actual camps themselves was getting a box of respirators 819 00:50:25,600 --> 00:50:27,600 Speaker 1: to give out in case there were any people that 820 00:50:27,640 --> 00:50:32,000 Speaker 1: were really struggling, any asthmatics, any people that um have 821 00:50:32,480 --> 00:50:37,200 Speaker 1: respiratory ailments, because we had the worst air quality in 822 00:50:37,239 --> 00:50:40,920 Speaker 1: the entire world. UM I gave I remember, I gave 823 00:50:41,480 --> 00:50:45,239 Speaker 1: a box of like I think it was like eighteen 824 00:50:45,360 --> 00:50:48,600 Speaker 1: respirators to somebody who was like, I actually work in 825 00:50:48,640 --> 00:50:51,080 Speaker 1: an asthma clinic and I know a lot of patients, 826 00:50:51,120 --> 00:50:53,279 Speaker 1: and I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, here you go. 827 00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:58,600 Speaker 1: Here's a box of eighteen respirators. The Ewoks transformed an 828 00:50:58,600 --> 00:51:01,280 Speaker 1: empty mall parking lot into a fire relief aid station 829 00:51:01,360 --> 00:51:04,640 Speaker 1: almost overnight, becoming a node for a tremendous amount of 830 00:51:04,680 --> 00:51:07,600 Speaker 1: supplies and care to bolth evacuees as well as to 831 00:51:07,640 --> 00:51:09,839 Speaker 1: the houseless community that had nowhere to go to get 832 00:51:09,840 --> 00:51:12,560 Speaker 1: out of the smoke. When the fires first started raging, 833 00:51:12,560 --> 00:51:16,520 Speaker 1: there was this moment um sort of I remember it 834 00:51:16,600 --> 00:51:19,720 Speaker 1: being a Tuesday or a Wednesday, just after the fires 835 00:51:19,719 --> 00:51:22,239 Speaker 1: had started, where the protests calmed down a little bit, 836 00:51:22,520 --> 00:51:25,919 Speaker 1: largely because it was a safety issue to be out 837 00:51:25,960 --> 00:51:29,239 Speaker 1: in the smoke inhalation UM and even though all of 838 00:51:29,239 --> 00:51:33,520 Speaker 1: our gear is built to protect from um C S gas, 839 00:51:33,560 --> 00:51:40,360 Speaker 1: that doesn't necessarily translate to smoke air everywhere. In taking 840 00:51:40,360 --> 00:51:43,560 Speaker 1: a look at what the community requests were, ewoks social 841 00:51:43,560 --> 00:51:47,239 Speaker 1: media got a lot of requests of UM, calls for 842 00:51:47,320 --> 00:51:51,640 Speaker 1: medical support, calls for supply provision UM. The other organs 843 00:51:52,320 --> 00:51:56,160 Speaker 1: that are headed by EWOKS organizers began getting requests through 844 00:51:56,239 --> 00:51:59,759 Speaker 1: their social media and it became really clear that the 845 00:52:00,000 --> 00:52:03,719 Speaker 1: AID sites that were previously established were overworked and ineffective, 846 00:52:03,719 --> 00:52:06,960 Speaker 1: and they're functioning UM largely because of the amount of 847 00:52:07,000 --> 00:52:09,279 Speaker 1: people that they had coming through and the issues that 848 00:52:09,360 --> 00:52:12,360 Speaker 1: happened when you have those that many people with differing 849 00:52:12,440 --> 00:52:16,920 Speaker 1: views really meeting in the middle UM. When the Red 850 00:52:17,000 --> 00:52:21,160 Speaker 1: Cross and the Salvation Army established a base at Clackmuths 851 00:52:21,200 --> 00:52:24,200 Speaker 1: Town Center, or intent was initially to be further down 852 00:52:24,280 --> 00:52:29,080 Speaker 1: south with them, but when that psyche quickly reached capacity 853 00:52:29,120 --> 00:52:32,839 Speaker 1: and the overflow went to the organ convention center, we 854 00:52:32,880 --> 00:52:34,919 Speaker 1: realized that there was going to be a whole group 855 00:52:34,920 --> 00:52:37,520 Speaker 1: of people that weren't being serviced by the Salvation Army. 856 00:52:37,840 --> 00:52:41,319 Speaker 1: The Salvation Army also does not provide any sort of 857 00:52:41,320 --> 00:52:45,400 Speaker 1: food or diapers UM, and their clothing supplies are pretty 858 00:52:45,440 --> 00:52:51,880 Speaker 1: much limited to what you can carry UM. The Malt 859 00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:56,160 Speaker 1: site and MALTA is an acronym that stands for Mutual 860 00:52:56,200 --> 00:53:01,080 Speaker 1: Aid at Lloyd Theater UM. We established in the Lloyd 861 00:53:01,280 --> 00:53:05,160 Speaker 1: Movie Theater parking lot. Thankfully, the manager of that parking 862 00:53:05,239 --> 00:53:07,879 Speaker 1: lot did not have an issue with it UM, but 863 00:53:08,120 --> 00:53:10,600 Speaker 1: we began doing all of the supply provision that the 864 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:14,960 Speaker 1: Salvation Army at the Oregon Convention Center was unprepared to do. UM. 865 00:53:15,120 --> 00:53:17,440 Speaker 1: We also found that we were getting a high level 866 00:53:17,760 --> 00:53:23,120 Speaker 1: of UM migrant communities and minority communities that might otherwise 867 00:53:23,160 --> 00:53:27,799 Speaker 1: feel grossly uncomfortable with organizations that have appeared to have 868 00:53:29,000 --> 00:53:35,160 Speaker 1: room and participation and cooperation in the past. When sort 869 00:53:35,200 --> 00:53:39,280 Speaker 1: of roll through started to slow down and the Oregon 870 00:53:39,320 --> 00:53:43,600 Speaker 1: Convention Center began to stabilize UM as as paired with 871 00:53:43,840 --> 00:53:46,920 Speaker 1: the breaking of the fire line and the actual fire 872 00:53:47,000 --> 00:53:50,600 Speaker 1: danger moving a little bit further south, we moved into 873 00:53:50,640 --> 00:53:53,799 Speaker 1: the clack of this area and our goal was finding 874 00:53:53,920 --> 00:53:56,800 Speaker 1: a site that was going to be safe for humans 875 00:53:56,800 --> 00:53:59,960 Speaker 1: to come through no matter what their resident or minority 876 00:54:00,120 --> 00:54:04,600 Speaker 1: community status was UM to receive services, but also to 877 00:54:04,719 --> 00:54:06,960 Speaker 1: be close enough to jump further down south if that 878 00:54:07,080 --> 00:54:11,120 Speaker 1: was flow was accessary. Well. When we established the Mama's 879 00:54:11,120 --> 00:54:14,600 Speaker 1: Site UM, and now that I'm thinking about it, I 880 00:54:14,600 --> 00:54:17,840 Speaker 1: can't remember what Mamma stands for, and I apologize. Mama 881 00:54:17,960 --> 00:54:22,240 Speaker 1: stands for Milwaukee Area Mutual Aid fare. We go thanks 882 00:54:22,280 --> 00:54:26,399 Speaker 1: to UM. When we established the Mama's site, we had 883 00:54:26,440 --> 00:54:30,400 Speaker 1: every intention of continuing to move further now south. Something 884 00:54:30,480 --> 00:54:33,759 Speaker 1: really amazing happened while we were there, and putting us 885 00:54:33,760 --> 00:54:37,440 Speaker 1: inside the mutual Aid area of Milwaukee allowed best to 886 00:54:37,520 --> 00:54:42,840 Speaker 1: have resources within other organizations within the community and the 887 00:54:42,920 --> 00:54:45,880 Speaker 1: mutual Aid network to send supplies further downs south. What 888 00:54:45,960 --> 00:54:51,439 Speaker 1: that happened to move our site UM. That location ended 889 00:54:51,520 --> 00:54:56,000 Speaker 1: up being really key in terms of in terms of 890 00:54:56,040 --> 00:55:00,960 Speaker 1: being able to move supplies, gain supplies, and see community UM. 891 00:55:01,000 --> 00:55:04,680 Speaker 1: And it also highlighted the needs that we were not 892 00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:09,840 Speaker 1: able to meet within that which was the the property damage, 893 00:55:09,840 --> 00:55:14,759 Speaker 1: in the economic impacts of having lost everything UM. In 894 00:55:14,840 --> 00:55:17,840 Speaker 1: that respect, it allowed us to move more supplies to 895 00:55:17,920 --> 00:55:21,000 Speaker 1: safer locations for humans because we were able to see 896 00:55:21,040 --> 00:55:23,360 Speaker 1: that that was happening and able to pre plan for 897 00:55:23,400 --> 00:55:26,200 Speaker 1: what their future coming needs would be. Some of those 898 00:55:26,200 --> 00:55:28,800 Speaker 1: supply lines are still open and we are still funneling 899 00:55:28,800 --> 00:55:32,800 Speaker 1: about supplies UM that have just been passed around groups 900 00:55:32,840 --> 00:55:38,480 Speaker 1: since time. May I jump in yeah, so a couple 901 00:55:38,480 --> 00:55:41,320 Speaker 1: of things. I'd like to add. One of the things 902 00:55:41,360 --> 00:55:46,440 Speaker 1: that was really important about MALT or Mutual Aid at 903 00:55:46,520 --> 00:55:52,000 Speaker 1: Lloyd Theater, we we were able to address the needs 904 00:55:52,080 --> 00:55:55,680 Speaker 1: of our houseless community that did not want it to 905 00:55:56,440 --> 00:56:01,160 Speaker 1: UM go inside and stay at the conventions entner UM. 906 00:56:01,280 --> 00:56:05,719 Speaker 1: So one of the things that we did is resourced 907 00:56:05,800 --> 00:56:10,719 Speaker 1: pretty much every respirator UM that was still in existence 908 00:56:10,719 --> 00:56:16,600 Speaker 1: in the Portland metropolitan area. UM. I had volunteers calling 909 00:56:16,760 --> 00:56:22,360 Speaker 1: getting into quarries UM, making purchases and delivering the respirators 910 00:56:22,400 --> 00:56:30,120 Speaker 1: and filters to the houseless folks at UM for C 911 00:56:30,360 --> 00:56:36,000 Speaker 1: three PO and other camps where people where people were 912 00:56:36,120 --> 00:56:39,880 Speaker 1: UM just left to their own devices. I hear that 913 00:56:39,920 --> 00:56:44,520 Speaker 1: the city or county was trying to find respirators on eBay, 914 00:56:44,719 --> 00:56:49,319 Speaker 1: but of course we had better connections UM and then 915 00:56:50,440 --> 00:56:53,359 Speaker 1: we were able to, you know, make sure that that 916 00:56:53,480 --> 00:56:58,719 Speaker 1: our houseless community had their needs met UM. Before we 917 00:56:58,800 --> 00:57:04,880 Speaker 1: moved to MAMA and UM. I think the really important 918 00:57:04,880 --> 00:57:08,680 Speaker 1: part about MAMA was that it allowed people who were 919 00:57:08,760 --> 00:57:16,480 Speaker 1: not safe at the Clackamas Town Center location to access 920 00:57:16,880 --> 00:57:22,880 Speaker 1: Mutual Aid UM. The Immigrant and Refugee community UM, l 921 00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:26,880 Speaker 1: g B t Q community UM there's there was a 922 00:57:26,920 --> 00:57:33,480 Speaker 1: real disconnect in terms of providing safer spaces for UM people. 923 00:57:35,480 --> 00:57:40,640 Speaker 1: UM at that Clackamus County, Clackamus towns, at the Clackamus 924 00:57:40,720 --> 00:57:45,280 Speaker 1: Town Center site. UM. I think that's all I really 925 00:57:45,320 --> 00:57:48,640 Speaker 1: wanted to add. The fires took a community that was 926 00:57:48,680 --> 00:57:51,760 Speaker 1: based around brutality and trauma and helped remind people that 927 00:57:51,880 --> 00:57:54,560 Speaker 1: not only do we take care of us, but that 928 00:57:54,680 --> 00:57:57,840 Speaker 1: mutual aid and support were also the basis for larger change. 929 00:57:58,280 --> 00:58:00,680 Speaker 1: After forming Bonds and Clouds of your Guest, there was 930 00:58:00,720 --> 00:58:04,440 Speaker 1: something poetic and protesters turning their focus outwards to support 931 00:58:04,480 --> 00:58:06,680 Speaker 1: others in a region where the air had been rendered 932 00:58:06,760 --> 00:58:10,360 Speaker 1: unbreathable after the fires, more mutual aid and support would 933 00:58:10,360 --> 00:58:13,800 Speaker 1: be directed outside of the immediate protester community and towards 934 00:58:13,800 --> 00:58:17,840 Speaker 1: those displaced by fire, the chronically houseless, and those facing eviction. 935 00:58:18,480 --> 00:58:20,960 Speaker 1: While these centers of collective care and support were forming 936 00:58:21,000 --> 00:58:24,400 Speaker 1: among protesters, another group had been preparing to mobilize in Portland. 937 00:58:24,960 --> 00:58:27,480 Speaker 1: In our next episode, we'll talk about how the Proud 938 00:58:27,480 --> 00:58:30,439 Speaker 1: Boys and far right extremists were capitalizing on the same 939 00:58:30,480 --> 00:58:34,120 Speaker 1: paranoia that had made malicious form checkpoints and start preparing 940 00:58:34,160 --> 00:58:37,360 Speaker 1: for a violent return to the city to round us out. Though. 941 00:58:37,440 --> 00:58:40,200 Speaker 1: Here are some final thoughts on mutual aid from activist 942 00:58:40,240 --> 00:58:43,600 Speaker 1: Krim Bruley, the Ewoks, Courtney from Wall of Moms, and 943 00:58:43,760 --> 00:58:46,720 Speaker 1: the street mechanic Block. One of the things you like 944 00:58:46,840 --> 00:58:52,120 Speaker 1: to say is, uh, defund the police and invest in community. 945 00:58:52,640 --> 00:58:55,400 Speaker 1: And you know, one of the things like my mom 946 00:58:56,040 --> 00:58:59,960 Speaker 1: earlier and she's like, and that's your monitor, and now 947 00:59:00,080 --> 00:59:02,400 Speaker 1: lady need one thing just like you can do the 948 00:59:02,440 --> 00:59:06,640 Speaker 1: other thing, like stop by the battle and it's like 949 00:59:06,720 --> 00:59:10,320 Speaker 1: help the people that need help. And we want to 950 00:59:10,600 --> 00:59:15,960 Speaker 1: use society where the police aren't needed for every goddamn thing. 951 00:59:16,080 --> 00:59:19,760 Speaker 1: The police aren't needed to harass the house with people 952 00:59:20,160 --> 00:59:23,800 Speaker 1: in various locations. The police aren't he is to respond 953 00:59:23,880 --> 00:59:26,920 Speaker 1: to various menial health situations of all high end all 954 00:59:26,920 --> 00:59:30,360 Speaker 1: over the city. The police aren't. You know, basically, you 955 00:59:30,400 --> 00:59:33,920 Speaker 1: don't have the presence they do and the potential they 956 00:59:33,960 --> 00:59:39,360 Speaker 1: do to escalate every god dam situation. Um. You know, 957 00:59:39,480 --> 00:59:43,360 Speaker 1: so what we can do instead of I guess taking 958 00:59:43,400 --> 00:59:46,840 Speaker 1: away the power directly and you know, actually burning down 959 00:59:46,880 --> 00:59:50,040 Speaker 1: p p A is just take their jobs in the 960 00:59:50,120 --> 00:59:54,440 Speaker 1: sense of like takeaway all their responsibilities and believe them, 961 00:59:54,440 --> 00:59:59,000 Speaker 1: what's nothing to do, uh, because that's the goal at 962 00:59:59,040 --> 01:00:01,480 Speaker 1: the end of the day, is to have everyone in 963 01:00:01,480 --> 01:00:05,000 Speaker 1: the community taken care of. Like that's all we want. Um. 964 01:00:05,160 --> 01:00:06,760 Speaker 1: You know, it's like I said, the through line to 965 01:00:06,880 --> 01:00:11,280 Speaker 1: like Black Lives Matter and to caaptism uh, like Polish 966 01:00:11,320 --> 01:00:13,840 Speaker 1: and police. It's like we all just want the community 967 01:00:13,880 --> 01:00:16,080 Speaker 1: taken care of, and all these people who see that 968 01:00:16,200 --> 01:00:19,160 Speaker 1: needs to become through whatever different and specific ones this 969 01:00:19,280 --> 01:00:24,080 Speaker 1: we need. UM. So yeah, it's it's more of a 970 01:00:25,240 --> 01:00:27,480 Speaker 1: I hope it continues to do this way. I think 971 01:00:27,520 --> 01:00:30,080 Speaker 1: it will is becoming more of a think of people 972 01:00:30,120 --> 01:00:36,600 Speaker 1: are organizing action that is directly sitting their community. The 973 01:00:36,720 --> 01:00:41,120 Speaker 1: one thing that really stands out is that Portland's infrastructure 974 01:00:41,160 --> 01:00:43,200 Speaker 1: is what makes it possible for us to continue to 975 01:00:43,240 --> 01:00:45,880 Speaker 1: stay out here and do this work, um and to 976 01:00:46,080 --> 01:00:50,280 Speaker 1: continue to persist even as UM those that hold on 977 01:00:50,320 --> 01:00:54,360 Speaker 1: to white supremacist structures really clean to the dying, gasping 978 01:00:54,440 --> 01:00:58,080 Speaker 1: breadths of it. UM. If you are in another city 979 01:00:58,120 --> 01:01:00,640 Speaker 1: and you are looking to form your own mutual aid 980 01:01:00,680 --> 01:01:04,000 Speaker 1: support network, firstly and foremostly this is going to be 981 01:01:04,200 --> 01:01:07,520 Speaker 1: a massive collaboration effort. It's going to feel like you 982 01:01:07,600 --> 01:01:10,800 Speaker 1: want to do everything because everything needs to be done, 983 01:01:11,160 --> 01:01:13,280 Speaker 1: and so the most important steps that you can take 984 01:01:13,360 --> 01:01:16,320 Speaker 1: is recognizing your lane and recognizing how to stay in 985 01:01:16,360 --> 01:01:19,280 Speaker 1: your lane and recognizing how to let your lane meet 986 01:01:19,320 --> 01:01:22,640 Speaker 1: other people's late. UM, I think that just like the 987 01:01:22,800 --> 01:01:30,080 Speaker 1: sense of like communities and people taking care of each other. Um, 988 01:01:30,280 --> 01:01:32,520 Speaker 1: we're in a pandemic and a lot of people just 989 01:01:32,560 --> 01:01:36,040 Speaker 1: don't even have jobs or are working right now, and 990 01:01:37,200 --> 01:01:42,000 Speaker 1: the house of community is only like getting larger, and 991 01:01:42,080 --> 01:01:45,240 Speaker 1: the police are talking the house of community as well. 992 01:01:45,880 --> 01:01:51,840 Speaker 1: So UM, just seeing people rally around to take care 993 01:01:51,880 --> 01:01:56,320 Speaker 1: of our community while the UM the government and UM 994 01:01:56,400 --> 01:01:58,840 Speaker 1: the police that we actually pay with our tax dollars, 995 01:01:58,840 --> 01:02:01,520 Speaker 1: I'm not doing shipped to people right now at this moment. 996 01:02:02,120 --> 01:02:05,000 Speaker 1: UM seeing us gather around and really take care of 997 01:02:05,040 --> 01:02:09,160 Speaker 1: each other, even though like we don't personally know each other, 998 01:02:09,440 --> 01:02:12,600 Speaker 1: we're still you know, everyone is still a family and 999 01:02:12,880 --> 01:02:18,120 Speaker 1: doing everything they can to provide um the necessities to 1000 01:02:18,280 --> 01:02:21,080 Speaker 1: live to each other. So I think that that's like 1001 01:02:21,160 --> 01:02:24,120 Speaker 1: something that's been really amazing is all of the mutual 1002 01:02:24,200 --> 01:02:28,480 Speaker 1: aid that's come out of this. Uh, what's been going 1003 01:02:28,520 --> 01:02:32,880 Speaker 1: on here in Portland is really beautiful. UM. People are 1004 01:02:33,040 --> 01:02:36,120 Speaker 1: able to make relent, people are starting to get jobs 1005 01:02:36,160 --> 01:02:41,000 Speaker 1: through other people's connections. People are able to eat, uh, 1006 01:02:41,080 --> 01:02:45,800 Speaker 1: you know, people are like providing shelter and you know, 1007 01:02:46,560 --> 01:02:49,000 Speaker 1: things to live to the house with community after like 1008 01:02:49,040 --> 01:02:52,560 Speaker 1: they've been taken and flashed by the police. So I 1009 01:02:52,600 --> 01:02:55,400 Speaker 1: think that that's just something that's outside of all of 1010 01:02:55,440 --> 01:02:59,720 Speaker 1: the protests. Is really amazing to see, uh this this 1011 01:03:00,120 --> 01:03:04,040 Speaker 1: maybe come together. And I actually took my children down 1012 01:03:04,040 --> 01:03:07,600 Speaker 1: to jail support to drop off some things this past 1013 01:03:07,680 --> 01:03:11,920 Speaker 1: weekend in Vancouver, and it's just a really great opportunity 1014 01:03:12,000 --> 01:03:16,400 Speaker 1: to show them how we as a community need to 1015 01:03:16,440 --> 01:03:18,360 Speaker 1: take care of each other and how much love is 1016 01:03:18,400 --> 01:03:22,040 Speaker 1: around all of this. It's hard for my kids to 1017 01:03:22,200 --> 01:03:25,880 Speaker 1: kind of understand what's going on and see like why 1018 01:03:26,000 --> 01:03:28,600 Speaker 1: I'm like put them to bed and then you know 1019 01:03:28,720 --> 01:03:31,200 Speaker 1: leave them with their dad to like go out every night. 1020 01:03:31,800 --> 01:03:34,840 Speaker 1: Um and then sure, and they see certain things on 1021 01:03:34,920 --> 01:03:38,280 Speaker 1: the news and stuff, so they have, like I tried 1022 01:03:38,280 --> 01:03:40,680 Speaker 1: to explain to them what's really going on, but it 1023 01:03:40,720 --> 01:03:43,320 Speaker 1: was really important for me to take them this weekend 1024 01:03:43,440 --> 01:03:46,920 Speaker 1: to show them that like we do, how like we 1025 01:03:46,920 --> 01:03:49,360 Speaker 1: we always say like we got us, like we really do, 1026 01:03:49,920 --> 01:03:53,840 Speaker 1: and um, explaining to them if anyone's going to take 1027 01:03:53,840 --> 01:03:56,000 Speaker 1: care of our community, like it's going to be us 1028 01:03:56,320 --> 01:03:58,760 Speaker 1: at the end of the day. So I just a'm 1029 01:03:58,760 --> 01:04:01,120 Speaker 1: like trying to eradicate I feel as had a young 1030 01:04:01,160 --> 01:04:04,840 Speaker 1: age and just teach them, um at a young age 1031 01:04:04,880 --> 01:04:09,000 Speaker 1: that you know that in the end, we are the 1032 01:04:09,000 --> 01:04:11,280 Speaker 1: ones that take care of each other. That I think 1033 01:04:11,280 --> 01:04:14,040 Speaker 1: about a lot in terms of where where things are going, 1034 01:04:14,360 --> 01:04:17,480 Speaker 1: is just about like all the skills that everybody's learning, 1035 01:04:18,080 --> 01:04:20,640 Speaker 1: UM from whatever they're doing. There are so many different 1036 01:04:20,680 --> 01:04:23,680 Speaker 1: mutually like groups and blocks popping up and trying to 1037 01:04:24,160 --> 01:04:28,560 Speaker 1: or like create material action. UM. But there's also a 1038 01:04:28,560 --> 01:04:30,080 Speaker 1: ton of things that are being learned on the street, 1039 01:04:30,120 --> 01:04:31,600 Speaker 1: and there are ton of being things being learned in 1040 01:04:31,720 --> 01:04:35,680 Speaker 1: terms of organizing protests and direct actions and media campaigns 1041 01:04:35,720 --> 01:04:37,920 Speaker 1: and all of these other kinds of things. And I 1042 01:04:37,960 --> 01:04:43,040 Speaker 1: think that UM, as the protests continue and as the 1043 01:04:43,120 --> 01:04:47,920 Speaker 1: kind of resistance to the powers that be continues, UM, 1044 01:04:47,960 --> 01:04:50,840 Speaker 1: I'm really hopeful that we all continue to grow and 1045 01:04:50,840 --> 01:04:52,800 Speaker 1: get better at what we're doing, UM, so that we 1046 01:04:52,840 --> 01:04:55,600 Speaker 1: can really like keep pushing forward and build the world 1047 01:04:55,720 --> 01:04:58,080 Speaker 1: that we want to see. I have a couple of 1048 01:04:58,080 --> 01:05:03,920 Speaker 1: things first, UM, anybody can do it. Anybody. It doesn't 1049 01:05:03,920 --> 01:05:07,680 Speaker 1: matter how small. It doesn't matter what you're doing, you 1050 01:05:07,720 --> 01:05:11,520 Speaker 1: can be part of a larger scale operation in the 1051 01:05:11,560 --> 01:05:14,320 Speaker 1: sense of if you have something, you can provide it, 1052 01:05:14,480 --> 01:05:17,800 Speaker 1: even if it's like helping something dig something off of 1053 01:05:17,800 --> 01:05:21,440 Speaker 1: the internet or you know, telling someone this is how 1054 01:05:21,480 --> 01:05:26,880 Speaker 1: this thing works. Anybody can do that. And also do 1055 01:05:27,000 --> 01:05:29,680 Speaker 1: not be afraid to ask people for help if you 1056 01:05:29,720 --> 01:05:32,320 Speaker 1: don't understand something or if you just need help in 1057 01:05:32,440 --> 01:05:39,240 Speaker 1: terms of resources, like these things are there, and the 1058 01:05:39,400 --> 01:05:43,680 Speaker 1: more people that are involved, the easier it becomes. Does 1059 01:05:43,720 --> 01:05:49,200 Speaker 1: that make sense? Yes, gritty, And also mutual aid can 1060 01:05:49,240 --> 01:05:51,560 Speaker 1: be as small as it needs to be and as 1061 01:05:51,640 --> 01:05:55,840 Speaker 1: quiet as it needs to be. Something like helping your 1062 01:05:55,840 --> 01:05:59,480 Speaker 1: neighbor jump a car like that can be mutual aid. 1063 01:05:59,800 --> 01:06:02,560 Speaker 1: It like you can start a group and raise ten 1064 01:06:02,600 --> 01:06:05,600 Speaker 1: tho dollars over the course of a few months, and 1065 01:06:05,880 --> 01:06:10,240 Speaker 1: you know, like give people vehicles. That's also mutually Um. 1066 01:06:10,280 --> 01:06:13,120 Speaker 1: You don't need to like you know, create weird hierarchies 1067 01:06:13,280 --> 01:06:18,160 Speaker 1: or um kind of prioritize one form of it over another. Um. 1068 01:06:18,200 --> 01:06:21,360 Speaker 1: It's really just like like like a means for helping 1069 01:06:21,440 --> 01:06:27,200 Speaker 1: each other. Uh. Where the grandpops who couldn't fathom the 1070 01:06:27,240 --> 01:06:29,760 Speaker 1: Obama sis, I don't hate America, just to me, And 1071 01:06:29,840 --> 01:06:33,040 Speaker 1: she keeps the promises in teens looking like the sixties. 1072 01:06:33,080 --> 01:06:36,640 Speaker 1: It's crazy, a nationwide dejab. What my people post to do? 1073 01:06:37,280 --> 01:06:40,480 Speaker 1: Go to schools named after the clan founder? We're around 1074 01:06:40,480 --> 01:06:42,920 Speaker 1: town is? I don't see why we frown in Native 1075 01:06:42,960 --> 01:06:46,560 Speaker 1: American students forced to learn about when Opeba Sarah? How 1076 01:06:46,680 --> 01:06:50,320 Speaker 1: was that fair? Bro? Some heroes unsung in some months. 1077 01:06:50,360 --> 01:06:52,760 Speaker 1: That's getting monuments built for them. But ain't be all 1078 01:06:52,800 --> 01:07:00,080 Speaker 1: a little bit of monthster we crook? You know this 1079 01:07:01,840 --> 01:07:02,960 Speaker 1: pass prepos