DWAYNE MCCLINTON
DWAYNE MCCLINTON
PSU BLACK STUDIES, WINTER 2024
NARRATIVE #1
THE STAIRS
I wanted to take a photo of the place I call "The Stairs" because it was a place I used to go to in my childhood when I needed some time to myself to think.
I loved going to this spot because it was on the outskirts of the hood where I wouldn't see many police cars, gang bangers, dope fiends or hear & lot of noise.
Looking at this photo I immediately felt connected back to The Stairs. I remembered some of the things I thought about, found solutions for and even cried about at this place. It was my place, my sanctuary, a place that gave me comfort.
When I was at The Stairs, I always sat at the top of The Stairs because it allowed me to get a glimpse of the top of downtown Portland, and the surrounding hillside that displayed tall red and white antennas with the red lights blinking at the top. The magnificent flowers, roses and blooming shrubs caressed my nostrils with an array of scents that soothed my soul - providing more comfort and relaxation.
The Stairs is a space that's open to the public. It is a place that I like to go to, but anybody is welcomed there. For me, this place keep me connected to the community because there's a lot of good and bad memories there, but it allowed me to process my thoughts and build there as well. This is what I think of the most when I look at this photo.
One day, I hope my family members and friends will visit this place when I pass away. This is a place in my heart where a lot of memories will forever stay. At The stairs
GEOPOEM #1
THE STAIRS
This is the place where I find peace
Here, intricate thoughts are born free
Ways to solve my problems never cease
Whether it's in the summer breeze
The scent of sweet flowers
Roses and Bark dust
Or the crisp clean air in the winter
Wet vegetation smelling fresh
Feeling the caress of the street lights
At night, giving a relaxing glow
I love coming here though
To think things through
Compartmentalizing as I stay focused on what's important
Because Portland City streets can consume your soul
Literally
I want to grow old
But during the 90s
Gang banging was taking its toll
That's why I loved sitting here
On The Stairs
Alone
Alone
Alone
Consumed in my own thoughts
Contemplating on all that I've lost
Things I want to gain
I was tired of losing my friends
Seeing them lying in pools of blood
So many shootings, death and funerals
I often wondered
Is this day the day I take my last breath?
Or does God have a special plan for me?
The Stairs is a place where I can reset
Pick apart my struggles
Develop plans and solutions
A place where I discovered
That I'm not useless
I'm a force to be reckoned with
Where I'm at today in my life
Proves it
The time I spent at The Stairs weren't in vain
I still use the concepts I used there to map out my life
Helping others along the way in my journey
I am thankful for my experiences and blessings
God's special plan coming to fruition
My desire to learn, share and teach others to DREAM BIIG
Will keep me working towards progressing
Elevating my mind and many others
It all began at this sacred place
A black placement place for me
I call
The Stairs.
NARRATIVE #2
GENTRIFICATION
The reason why I chose this photo is because it was the home I grew up in in Portland, Oregon, in the 80's and 90's. During this time the city of Portland were redlining blacks and beginning the gentrification process to push blacks out of North and Northeast Portland.
I have so many good and bad memories in this house. After seeing this house for the first time after 27-years for our PSU Photovoice Project, a lot of emotions ran through me. I remembered having to cut the small patch of grass in the front of the house with one of those old push lawn mowers with two wheels that had circular blades, trimming hedges, sitting on the concrete square in front of the house as cars passed while me and my little cousins used to say: "When I get older I want to get this car or that car” the connection the house had with my family and friends. Our house was a safe place for friends to come play pool, video games and socialize in our basement.
This house was the meeting place to celebrate birthdays and holidays for our family too. Our family had so much fun in this house. Another thing I thought about was the window upstairs. It was an unfinished room that no one really used except me. I loved looking out the window staring at downtown Portland at night.
This house was being rented by my aunt from a black homeowner. He was selling the house to some white people so we had to bounce, the rent kept going up so my aunt couldn't keep up with the rent increases because she was on Section 8. Thinking back on it, gentrification was in full swing.
I want people to know that gentrification is real and blacks are always being pushed around and controlled when urban renewal is in motion. However, during my studies, I learned that Portland isn't the only city that has used urban renewal tactics to displace black Communities in the United States. There are a lot of black communities coast to coast have experienced urban renewal, such as Little Rock, AK, New Orleans, Tulsa, OK, etc, just to name a few.
It is important for blacks to understand the ramifications of gentrification and how the Portland Development Commission, now Prosper Portland, launched numerous urban renewal projects to remove black Portlander's from thriving in our community. The City of Portland did not only take a lot of properties and businesses from us, they also stripped us of our history and wealth.
Even though my aunt wasn't buying the house, we were still pushed out due to the hiking of rent so we couldn't afford to live in the area. So, when you look at this house, I want you to know that it was just another casualty to urban renewal/gentrification.
GEOPOEM #2
GENTRIFICATION
The house I grew up in on 16th and Prescott
In Portland, Oregon
Are full of good and bad memories
But they are cherished
I remembered the smell of pine
When I approached the front door
I thought about the laughter I heard often
Inside our home
Then I instantly thought about gentrification
The process to push the blacks out of our neighborhood
their urban renewal plan
White racists pressing
The Portland Development Commission
Now Prosper Portland, destroying black communities
Stealing homes, businesses, land, history and wealth
Imagine what our lives would look like
If we weren't uprooted
Provided with equal opportunities
Our race would shine so bright
Like the North Star
Securing
economic empowerment
Instead, we were economically forced out
Redlining was practiced against us
We know what the real problem is
Face it!
These muthafuckas is racist
Continuously displacing
To control us, and the landscape in Portland
Our home was a casualty in the WAR
Prosper Portland
The City of Portland
Bow your head in shame
As I survey other states in this country
I see the same thing
When black communities are prosperous
Vibing
Vibing
Vibing
Showing unity and strong community
We are victims of racism.
Urban renewal
Gentrification
Displacement
See white investors purchasing black homes
It's the same ole thing
Gentrification
NARRATIVE #3
NEW COMMUNITY
I was born and raised in Northeast Portland and ended up joining Woodlawn Park Blood Gang in 1992, Woodlawn Park has a lot of blood on its hand, unfortunately I played a role in tearing down our black community by participating in gang banging with people who share the same skin complexion as me (black).
During the 90's I saw a lot of my friends get shot & killed. I went to so many funerals as an active gang banger and it hurt to see your friend’s mother crying because her son was murdered — shot down in the streets from gang banging.
Even today, 30 years later, blacks are still being gunned down in the streets representing Woodlawn Park Blood Gang. This vicious cycle of violence being perpetuated by our own black community needs to STOP.
In my new vision of Woodlawn Park, I see a way to turn things around so our youth and community as a whole can benefit. In this vision, I see Woodlawn Park full of tents, concession stands and tables promoting an array of education and resources, such as: business, personal finance, credit building, housing, real estate, investing strategies, banking, music, gang prevention, mothers against gun violence, etc.
In my vision, we'd host three events & year in Woodlawn Park every four months. We can build a better community amongst our race by providing resources that can lead to unity, economic empowerment, and decrease in black on black violence.
Seeing our people mingling, shaking hands, giving hugs and showing communalism will strengthen our culture. The only way for us to have a great positive impact on reducing gun violence in our community is through unity, education, job/ business opportunities, resources and a lot of credible messengers from local gangs stamping the streets interacting with our youth.
Woodlawn Park doesn't have to remain a name that has caused so much pain to many families in our community, we can turn the negative stigma around and make it a hub that hosts positive events.
Having these sort of events can bring back that close knit unity we had back in the day in the Albina district where we had a strong community of black people with homes, business and respect amongst one another. Woodlawn Park could be the beginning to recreating that connection of new community. | DM