racial/immigration justice team – Portland Raging Grannies

Silent March of Mourning

Portland Raging Grannies — Sun, 29 May 2022 16:44:21 +0000

» See images from this action at Willamette Week

The Portland Raging Grannies, dressed in black and carrying a coffin, will lead a Silent March of Sorrow from the Federal Court House to Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Any and all who wish to respectfully honor the thousands of Americans who have died at the hands of government-sanctioned gun violence are welcome to join.

Date: Monday, May 30, 2022 (Memorial Day)

Time: 1 P.M. PDT

Location: Lownsdale Square, SW 4th Avenue and Main Street, Portland, OR 97205

Join and share the event on Facebook

Stop Federal Executions

Portland Raging Grannies — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 05:52:52 +0000

» View on YouTube

The Portland Raging Grannies take a compassionate stance against the death penalty and execution. After a 17 year hiatus, Trump began federal executions in July 2020. Since July, the federal government has executed nine people and states have killed eight. Other federal executions are scheduled for January 2021. This must be stopped!

We ask you to stand with us:

To support a rehabilitative justice system.

To terminate privatized prisons and the for-profit prison system.

To advocate for police reform.

To demonstrate to abolish the death penalty.

Defend Democracy Uprising

Portland Raging Grannies — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 04:05:00 +0000

No one should be disenfranchised because of where they live, the color of their skin or their income. But we have witnessed a strategic and sustained effort by the President and his political allies to suppress the vote and undermine our electoral process – all with the intention of illegally maintaining power and subverting the will of the people. But we won’t let him divide us. Already we are joining together across our differences to vote in record numbers, and, if necessary, we are prepared to take to the streets to defend our democracy.

This action was organized the the Defend Democracy Coalition. We are joining together across our differences to vote in record numbers, and, if necessary, we are prepared to take to the streets to defend our democracy.

The Portland Raging Grannies attended to support the marches through dance.

A few photos from the event.

Testimony on the City of Portland Fall Budget Monitoring Process

Portland Raging Grannies — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 00:27:47 +0000

The Portland Raging Grannies’ Racial/Immigration Justice Team submitted video testimony at the City of Portland Fall Budget Monitoring Process meeting on October 6, 2020. The following statement was entered into the record by Granny Teri Kaliher.

The Portland Raging Grannies want to see bold action from leaders on policing.

Now is the time to divest major funding from our current racist, broken police department.

City audits and other reports indicate that the PPB mismanages its money. Instead of giving the police a blank check and cutting other bureaus, the PPB should take a disproportionate cut in upcoming budgets. The savings need to be invested in ways that support the safety and community of our BIPOC neighbors.

We are faced with a number of problems, but the police have never been shown to be the most effective ways of dealing with problems in schools, transit, or homelessness. Police gang teams end up hurting the people they are supposed to protect. It is our understanding that police untrained in dealing with mental health crises would prefer to have trained professionals answer those calls. We support this.

SWAT teams, intelligence units, expensive “special units” and all the heavy fancy camo equipment and vehicles do not belong in community policing. Nor does qualified immunity.

Qualified immunity gives police overreaching power to act as they see fit with no legal consequences. People have protested this – and the police have been paid overtime, even when they have brutalized protesters. This doesn’t make sense.

Although funding for the PPB needs to be drastically reduced, the bureau needs increased funding for training and a review of officers’ conduct to flag any inappropriate behavior.

In the past, Portland Police have acted like they’re above reproach and above the law. Decreasing their funding can be a consequence for their lawless violence. We need increased funding for mental health, parks, fire departments, and of course education.

The PPB needs to be an important part of rebuilding our community. They can start by contributing funding.

The Black Existence March

Portland Raging Grannies — Sun, 04 Oct 2020 23:10:13 +0000

The Portland Raging Grannies attended this Unite Oregon march as support for the Black participants. We provided a few signs for marchers and went along, on the sidelines, to be a shield for them.

We support Black Lives Matter and are willing to help the movement the best way we can.