Worthy Prints & Design
We’ve printed some amazing artwork centered on racial injustice and police brutality so far (we’re still giving away free prints!). Some of our more striking posters have been this quote by Malcolm X from @pip.jones.art and this Civil Rights inspired poster from @1intheboxdesign, which is why they are our Worthy Prints of the week.
We reached out to some of the artists to see if we could sell their artwork with 100% of the proceeds benefiting @dontshootpdx. Don’t Shoot PDX is Black-led and community driven non-profit founded in 2014. They are a direct community action plan that hosts advocacy and legal workshops, children’s art and social justice council, community clothing tree, and more.
• @pip.jones.art instagram
• @1intheboxdesign instagram
• Don’t Shoot PDX website
Do You Know?
On Saturday, Julie took a walk down the street a bit to which of our neighbors are open and keeping people safe – she posted videos on Instagram as the highlight Our Neighbors. Here’s what she found.
- 1 person max in store
- No indoor waiting area
- No on-site dining
- Appointment Required
- Area sanitized between clients
- No indoor waiting area
- Masks required (behind the ear preferred)
- Limited capacity in person training available
- Outdoor classes available
- Online classes available
- Take out ONLY
- Masks required
- Limited capacity in-store
- New Hours (Thursday-Monday 8am-2pm)
- Masks required
- Sanitize hands upon entry
- No large bags/backpacks
- New outdoor seating! (formerly the parking lot)
- Masks required (unless at table)
- Remain at table as much as possible
- New outdoor seating! (formerly the street)
- Masks required (unless at table)
- Remain at table as much as possible
- New outdoor seating! (formerly the parking lot)
- Sanitize hands upon entry
- Max 2/party in line to order and max 10/table
- Masks required
- Call ahead to order
- Pick up ONLY
What’s Up?
As a store, we wanted to check in and let you know what we’ve been doing in our personal lives while self quarantining and in light of the protests gripping our city nightly.
DEB
What has changed for me since the last incident of police brutality causing the death of George Floyd? The biggest change is my awareness about my own racial attitudes. While I don’t consider myself a racist — I don’t want to be a racist and will commit to doing what is needed to uncover any of these tendencies. I have researched some classes to take but in the pandemic it is more challenging and I am so overloaded with digital meetings trying to keep our business alive. I will keep looking until a face-to-face class is available.
We are running a special promotion right now that allows local artists that have a piece of art with the theme of racial injustice or police brutality to print a variety of prints for free. I wanted to do something that connected to our business and this has felt like a natural fit. I just added an additional way to raise money for the cause and will sell any of these prints for $10 which will go to Don’t Shoot Portland.
With the store being a bit quieter, I am giving more of my free time to advocacy for small business. I am speaking to our national leaders and encouraging them to continue to support us with financial help. There is talk of offering another round of PPP loans and I will be on a call next week with some of my 10K small business alumni asking that our government offer another round of PPP loans to help keep our employees until our sales return to normal.
MYLES
I have always been a homebody so staying cooped up at home has never been too big of an issue for me. I’ve been filling my free time with new video games, walks around the neighborhood with my girlfriend Emily, reading the first Game of Thrones book, and finding new ways to entertain our playful cat Cleo. Ever since the death of George Floyd, life has turned even more upside down than it already was. I have made it out to a couple of protest events, a number of them occurring right outside of my place – near MLK. I do my best to, unlearn racist behaviors/ideas/habits instilled into me through societal ignorance, and I’m learning that it’s usually better to think to yourself “I don’t want to be racist’, rather than, ‘I’m not racist’. We’re all learning.
JULIE
In the Before Times, I would go to work and my daughter would go to daycare or her grandparents. Now, I am the full time care giver for my one year old and work during naps while my husband also works from home. I’m constantly busy, yet feel like I’m doing less than ever before. While I can’t go to protests because of Gwen, I closely follow the journalists on Twitter covering the protests in downtown Portland to at least bear witness to what is going on. I am trying to figure out what types of social justice can participated in as a working stay-at-home mom beyond giving money and the few kid-friendly, socially distanced protests near me. I am currently listening to the fantastic Scene on Radio podcast series “Seeing White” (among other books regarding anti-racism), trying to understand how to teach my daughter to be better than we are, sewing masks, and getting a little more disheartened and frustrated by the brutality of the Portland Police Bureau every night.
BENNY
What’s Benny up to during the pandemic? Lots and lots of walks with my humans, chasing squirrels, listening to Pluto’s dog advise, and a little extra begging cuz my humans are home a lot more cooking!