I would have to do a search to confirm it, but I think I have said that, to me, XOXO is a reflection of the best parts of Portland, in so many ways. As a native Portlander who has spent the vast majority of my nearly 6 decades of life here, I feel somewhat qualified to speak on the topic of what is Portland? And if you accept my premise that XOXO reflects Portland values, I can speak to that, as well.
This is a first draft so it may be a bit rambly and disorganized. That’s a reflection of me, the author, because I am pulling together some of the thoughts and dreams this past weekend stirred in me, along with the duty and desire to keep posting at least 500 words a day here. My streak is reaching 150 days, which feels great but not enough, somehow. Anywho, bear with me.
Portland, to me, is intentional. For good or bad, everyone here has an idea of how the world should be. The best parts of that, then, would be intentions to make the world a better place for as many people as possible. Some examples of Portland’s intentionality would be the Urban Growth Boundary, and the regional governmental agency of Metro. The idea was to limit sprawl and to make sure that city growth did not encroach on farm or natural lands. It’s a progressive goal to prevent using up natural resources necessary for everyone living in the city.
Another aspirational part of Portland is the drive to create. Curiosity, a drive to build something cool and new, the hope to see what works and what doesn’t. I could cite examples like our 1% for Art law, or the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC), but the better examples, to me, are the artists and musicians who live here. Portland has always had a thriving local music scene, art galleries tiny and large, neighborhood festivals and street fairs. The tech industry liked Oregon and proximity to Portland for many reasons. There are at least three large comic publishers in and around Portland, challenging the Big Two of DC and Marvel: Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and Oni Press.
The stereotypical view of Portland is as a leftist utopia, and I admit that I am a leftist, politically. Our city government, however, has not been very progressive for a while now. In fact, I acknowledge that the Oregon territories were settled in large part to create a white utopia. White supremacy exists on the streets and in our city halls, and I condemn it with my whole chest. And that brings me to another Portland value: we are not afraid to see the pitfalls, the dangers, and the destructive elements, and we speak up about them. Daddy Bush called Portland “Little Beirut” because we were never afraid to speak truth to power. Protest is in our blood. I know it can be a bad thing when used to punch down, but again, I am speaking of the best parts of Portland, and when we are speaking up in defense of the oppressed, that embodies Portland, to me.