in the past few years, it seems to have become ‘all the craze’ to be a fan of Portland, Oregon. (among some communities). I get it. some good things are happening there. Unfortunately though, the Pacific Northwest often gets painted as a progressive utopia devoid of social inequality. I don’t believe this is true. Like other regions, the Northwestern United States struggles with systemic inequality surrounding ability, race, nation, class and sex, and still has much work to do on the LGBTQIQ front. Regarding issues of social inequality, there is more in common among regions than not, however, it’s important to recognize that every region approaches social inequality from a different historical stance and under different circumstances. I don’t see the purpose in constructing a regional hierarchy.
That said, I feel a strong push to move Northwest. My life is short. I feel as if i have spent enough time in Southern waters to question whether this is the right place for me. I am ready for something different and feel as if the Northwest is a place i might want to call home.
That said, I feel a strong push to move Northwest. My life is short. I feel as if i have spent enough time in Southern waters to question whether this is the right place for me. I am ready for something different and feel as if the Northwest is a place i might want to call home.
The reasons for my Northwestward migration are as follows:
It’s Beautiful: Oregon is a land of stark contrasts. the environment is jarring in its proportions. snow capped peaks. fertile, green valleys. thick woods full of life. wide rivers. cold, jagged coasts. high desert plains. a crater-like collapsed volcano (with a lake in it!). canyons dubbed with the name ‘Hell’. i’m an outdoorsy person and i love to get out and enjoy nature. i can’t wait to listen to what the environs of Oregon have to teach me.
Sustainability: I feel as if a critical mass of folks in Oregon care about the Earth. I like that. When a critical mass of people care in a democracy, change happens. And in terms of sustainability measures, change is happening in Oregon.
Mobility: One way that i see sustainability being put into action is through the implementation of transit mobility options. In Portland, i’ll be able to move about with ease without having to use a car, and i think that’s great. there are several mobility options:
+ MAX Light Rail: this is a modern rail system that is pretty well integrated into pedestrian life. Unlike MARTA in Atlanta, it is often built into the street (but with right-of-way) and is not high up in the air with sequestered stations. Also unlike MARTA, it runs much more quietly. MAX radiates out into the city with 85 stations and 52.4 miles of track.
+ Portland Streetcar: This is the first modern streetcar to be implemented since WWII. It’s quiet and promotes transit-oriented-development. It’s an easy way to get around the city without a car. It’s celebrating its 10th anniversary in the coming weeks- and will be opening a new line in late 2012. That’s awesome.
+ Bike and Pedestrian: Portland is known for its current and planned investment in bike and pedestrian infrastructure. I like cities with vision- especially when that vision is within reach regarding funding and implementation. I am excited to move to a city where a healthy lifestyle is a priority- and that is a lifestyle that includes safe walking and biking. a city that is walk-able and bike-able is a city for me.
+ Aerial Tram: I guess that’s cool too.
Strong Land-Use Planning: this is important to me. It’s another way that i see sustainability in action. I do not like strip malls, sprawling suburbs and black-tar pavement everywhere. I don’t think it’s life affirming. In Portland, urban planners aim to curb this by offering a different lifestyle—one that is propelled by public transit rather than private transit (also called automobiles). Cars support car-scaled models, not human scaled models. A car-scaled model means parking lots. It means low density. It means pollution, sprawl and the gobble of resources (like forests, farmland and energy resources ~ including oil and coal). Human-scaled development promotes walking and biking. it promotes human-scaled density. It promotes living near where you work, human interaction, residences above shops, public spaces and community. That’s what i want. And that’s what Portland promotes.
A Strong Local, Organic Food Culture: i like fresh food. I like food without pesticides on it. i like knowing my farmer. I like knowing where my food grows. And i like to support my local economy over large corporations. I can get that in Portland. (and i might be able to become a farmer as well!) I’d like to work towards a future of good food available to everyone~ regardless of class status. The wealthy should not be the only ones with access to healthy foods. I can work on that dream in Portland.
Progressive Politics: it will be nice to live in a place that isn’t in total Republican control. it’s frustrating to live in a place where i dislike nearly every measure that is passed in government. it’s also frustrating to live in a place where i am always on the offense. The little bit that people on the left have achieved here in Georgia is often threatened to be taken away and sometimes is taken away through cuts to program funding. It will be nice to live in a place where the general community is making gains rather than live in a place where the general community always anticipates a loss.
Leftist Community: i have a feeling that there might be more critiquers of capitalism in Portland. I can’t help but think of the World Trade Organization Protests of 1999 in Seattle. I hope there are a greater number of people who are critical of methods of globalization and global capitalism as we have it today. I hope to meet people of differing leftist belief, hear their words and grow in my own beliefs.
Strong Folk-Indie Music Scene: One of my favorite music artists, Laura Veirs, calls Portland her home. I would love to see her play in a hometown show! I also like Portlander Laura Gibson and members who have taken part in the Portland Cello Project. I look forward to dancing and great tunes~
Queer-Feminist Community: I have heard that there is a strong, young, and visible queer-feminist community in Portland. The queer-feminist community in Atlanta is also strong and vibrant- i hope to find it in Portland as well. It will be nice to live in a place that has a different reality facing the queer-feminist community regarding law. It will be nice to live in a state where i can adopt a child with a partner (if i want to) and it will be nice to have employment anti-discrimination laws regarding sexual orientation and gender identity in place. I'd like to live in a place where i can grow in an uninhibited manner.
