We love Portland. We chose this city to raise our children in and grow old together. While we love traveling the world learning different perspectives and embracing other cultures, we are always happy to return to our home in the Pacific Northwest. This love for our city comes in many forms including disagreements and even conflict. Recent events have given our family some opportunities to engage in several different ways while teaching our kids to use their voice and stand up to injustices especially when it’s in a city we love and call home.

That being said Portland is a place of juxtaposition right now. You have happy mask wearing families strolling on their nightly neighborhood walks while just a few weeks ago there were federal troops gassing and shooting locals downtown. You have BLM protesters fighting for a better Portland while others burn park benches, throw pipe bombs, and torch food courts. You have progressive and even beautiful art on boarded up windows from previously looted shops.

For those concerned, our family is good. We’ve never been closer. We are happy, safe, and doing what we can to help our community and, in time, our city and home heal.