Tonight I did something which ranks up there as one of the most stressful things I’ve ever done in my life: I gave testimony at a Portland City Council hearing.
The hearing was over the proposed rename of 39th Avenue (which I happen to live on) to César Chávez Blvd, which I oppose.
It’s not that I think there shouldn’t be some honor bestowed upon César Chávez, a civil rights leader who helped reform terrible conditions for farm workers across the nation (particularly for migrant laborers), was a prominent voice in labor unions, and in trying to restrict illegal immigration. However, it’s that renaming a street, and particularly 39th Avenue, isn’t the way to do it.
A couple local businessmen have been using social media to it’s fullest to combat the rename (they have a blog, a Twitter account, and a Facebook cause). Through the blog I’d sent a canned email to the mayor and commissioners (a generic “Please vote NO on the proposed rename of 39th Avenue” email). To my surprise, I received a response from one of the commissioners (Amanda Fritz) last week, asking for more on why I was opposed to the rename. I used the opportunity to formalize some of the thoughts that had been bouncing around my head since I’d first read of the proposed rename a few months back. Below is the heart of my reply to Commissioner Fritz…
1. Not a fitting tribute
First, the portion of 39th I live on is a non-through, unimproved, potholed street. It has neither asphalt nor sidewalk. In fact, following the street south from where I live, it has many confusing sections where it stops and starts again, not being a consistently straight and connected street until it reaches I-84. It feels to me to be demeaning to Cesar Chavez as I look at the street in my neighborhood (and specifically in front of my house) to name it after him, almost as if it could become a joke of the worst kind.2. Illogical
Beyond MLK and Grand (starting at 6th Avenue) 39th Avenue is part of an unbroken numbered grid system that reaches into Gresham. I find it confusing that the recommended street would be in the heart of a clean and easily navigable numbered street system running west to east. Why not look to renaming a street that is already off the grid system to the west of 6th Avenue? I realize there was an attempt to rename Grand, and I’m unaware of why that rename failed, but there are many other streets which if renamed wouldn’t add a confusing exception to a well designed system.3. Expensive
The expense for the city, and the businesses and residents who live on 39th is very bad timing with the recession we’re currently undergoing. I feel that even with the budgeted funds the city has in mind for the rename, that money would be better spent on other projects to honor Cesar Chavez, such as education, community gardens, or parks, or like California, adding a Cesar Chavez day as a state holiday. There are many ways to recognize the legacy of the man without forcing an expense on citizens who neither need a street rename, nor want it.4. A loss of trust
The lingering uncertainty over both the validity of the signatures gathered by those in favor of the rename, and whether the city has followed the proper procedure has left myself, a resident of 39th Avenue, losing faith in the leadership of the city. Any public good that might be gained may be offset by those who feel as if the rename is being forced by those who do not live on or near 39th Avenue. On June 8th, three neighborhood associations voted unanimously against the rename (Richmond, Beaumont-Wilshire, and Montavilla). It seems clear by speaking with neighbors that those who live on 39th Avenue are opposed.
Sending the above then lead to my deciding to sign up to testify at the hearing. I spent hours and hours preparing a detailed PowerPoint presentation summing up the above email, knowing each person giving testimony was limited to 3 minutes each. On the way to City Hall I also stopped and made color printouts of the slide deck to hand out to the mayor and commissioners (boy those are spendy, 8 copies of 9 slides was $43, sheesh!).
As Kelly and I arrived at City Hall, having no idea what to expect, were glad to see 30 or 40 others waiting in line to sign up to testify, most wearing “Save 39th Avenue” signs around their necks. As more and more people arrived (both from the “Save 39th” side, as well as from the “Chavez Committee” side), the testimony time was shaved down to 1 minute. One minute!? That meant that there wasn’t really even time to plug in my thumb drive to the provided laptop when my time came around. Oh well, thankfully I had my printouts.
As we entered the main hearing room shortly before 6pm, it was packed! Standing room only. It was announced (and ignored) that anyone not sitting would have to go to another room where the hearing would be telecast). It was a massive turnout, and as I counted the number of people wearing “Save 39th Avenue” signs around their necks, it seemed that about 70% of the attendees were there in opposition.
The hearing started at 6pm, and testimony kicked off with city planners, engineers, and formal panels from both sides (including the fellas who lead the “Save 39th” campaign and created the social sites mentioned above). Afterward they started calling up individuals, alternating groups of 3, for and opposed. This went on for hours, with people opposed making some of the points I raised above (and some making even better, more eloquent arguments that I’d not considered), and those for the rename frequently turning to issues of race/racism, and that the rename would give hispanics a ‘sense of place’ and would educate people about Chávez. It was a tense night. Plenty of stern faces, head shaking, and quieted grumbles from both sides. To his credit, Mayor Sam Adams did a great job keeping the event calm and respectful for all who came to speak, making sure there were neither clapping nor booing from either side.
Then came my turn, at about 9pm, my name was announced as one of the next 3 people to testify. I’d already decided to fold my printouts to the one slide I was going to use my minute on, the one item nobody else had mentioned in the preceeding 3 hours: how is an interrupted, largely residential and at times unimproved portion of NE 39th a fitting tribute to César Chávez? (see photo). Kelly walked with me, giving me strength and support by her mere presence, from the upper balcony to the main floor, and my heart was racing. As I sat down at the table with two others testifying against the rename, I felt as if my heart was about to pound right out of my chest. I was relieved that the gentlemen at the opposite end of the table elected to speak first, and I used the next two trying to calm myself.
When it was my turn to speak, well, honestly, I don’t remember it very well. I remember the Mayor and Commissioners looking at my printed handouts, and looking at me, I remember focusing on the one point I wanted to make, but knowing I was both being watched by over 200 people in the room (and who knows how many others on cable access), I was so nervous that the entire thing was a bit of a blur.
After I was excused and walked straight for Kelly. She assured me that I’d done well, and that she was proud of me. Her love and support was crucial to calming me down. I knew my friend Snooks was watching the hearing on TV, and as I walked away I got a text from him saying something like “Nice job bro!”. Apparently I didn’t mumble/stumble my way through it, and spoke clearly and concisely as I made my point. What a relief.
I’m just glad that it’s over. It was a terrifying, and yet (to me) necessary thing to do. I’d never been so involved in local politics before, but I did it. Whew!