Decolonize PDX Statement
Decolonize PDX is a collective of radical people of color in Portland, Oregon. We are dedicated to creating sustainable radical liberatory communities of color outside of the interlocking systems of oppression that our civilization is built upon. We bring a radical and visionary intersectional analysis that centers people of color.
We gather our ideas of decolonization from a history of indigenous struggle and resistance. Decolonization is the process of decentering whiteness and capitalism within our selves and our communities. Decolonization draws upon narratives of rebellion and liberation, past and present, to create our future. We link our analysis of decolonization to what is happening here in Portland’s communities of color, and connect that to global communities of resistance.
The system is not broken; it is working exactly as intended.
* This land is already occupied, and has been for centuries. Urban and rural areas of every city on this continent are occupied indigenous land. The attempted genocide of Native peoples and the theft and privatization of indigenous land is the foundation of how the United States built its wealth and power. We see this in the Northwest with the termination of tribes, and the poverty that many tribes and Native peoples live under to this day.
Communities of color here and globally have been on the front lines of the 99% for centuries.
We have the power to create the world we want to see; we are doing it every day.
Much of this language was lovingly borrowed or expanded on from other collectives and statements, including:
http://disoccupy.wordpress.com
http://www.smithpolitics.com/?p=92
http://unsettlingamerica.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/decolonize-wall-street/
http://occupyseattle.org/resource/declaration-decolonizeoccupy-seattle
http://hiphopoccupies.com/
Decolonize PDX is a collective of radical people of color in Portland, Oregon. We are dedicated to creating sustainable radical liberatory communities of color outside of the interlocking systems of oppression that our civilization is built upon. We bring a radical and visionary intersectional analysis that centers people of color.
We gather our ideas of decolonization from a history of indigenous struggle and resistance. Decolonization is the process of decentering whiteness and capitalism within our selves and our communities. Decolonization draws upon narratives of rebellion and liberation, past and present, to create our future. We link our analysis of decolonization to what is happening here in Portland’s communities of color, and connect that to global communities of resistance.
The system is not broken; it is working exactly as intended.
* This land is already occupied, and has been for centuries. Urban and rural areas of every city on this continent are occupied indigenous land. The attempted genocide of Native peoples and the theft and privatization of indigenous land is the foundation of how the United States built its wealth and power. We see this in the Northwest with the termination of tribes, and the poverty that many tribes and Native peoples live under to this day.
- The growth of capitalism has always centered white supremacy, colonialism and genocide. The wealth of Wall St and of global capital is rooted in oppression of communities of color, through the theft of our labor, land and resources.
- The global working class, largely people of color, generate the wealth that Wall St. is built on. Capitalism always has and always will be a method by which resources are converted into wealth to the detriment of the earth and those who are not a part of the mainly white ruling class. This has been called “corporate colonialism.”
- We see capitalism and its everyday functioning as a violent assault on all peoples, but especially communities of color. In a city that is home to corporations like Nike and Intel, we see the reliance on global exploitation to create the profit seen at home.
- The only way that resources can be managed and distributed ethically is by making sure a critique of white supremacy and colonialism is at the heart of any radical movement.
- Any lack of acknowledgement that we are on stolen land built by exploited slave labor only reinforces and replicates these current and historic systems of oppression.
Communities of color here and globally have been on the front lines of the 99% for centuries.
- The terms “occupy” and “occupation” echo our experiences under colonial domination. Using these terms normalizes U.S.- supported military occupations like Iraq, Palestine, Libya, Afghanistan, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Phillippines and many other countries.
- Colonization and occupation are still active forms of violence in our communities. Lack of quality housing and jobs that pay a living wage, failing school systems, predatory military recruitment, cuts to social services, the explosion of the prison industrial complex, criminalization of our identities as brown and queer and trans and woman and poor and disabled and young and immigrant – these are all violent mechanisms of maintaining control.
- Our communities, our bodies and our minds are policed. Our neighborhoods here in this country exist under a police occupation, from South Central ,to the South Bronx, to North Portland.
- Gentrification is colonization under a new name. This has happened in Portland with the historically Black community in North and Northeast, and now we see it happening in East Portland, where immigrant and non-immigrant communities have been displaced.
- We recognize borders maintain violent systems of oppression, and control communities of color. We know those who are forced to immigrate do so because of global capitalism’s exploitation of their native lands, and we recognize immigrants as economic refugees of globalization. We believe in a world with no borders, and honor the courageous folks, especially youth, who are coming out as undocumented and unafraid.
- We see both the oppression and the privilege we as communities of color in the United States receive, unwanted and unasked for. We recognize that in a global context, we are part of the 1 percent.
- We look to global communities of resistance for leadership, solidarity and inspiration - from Egypt to Tunisia, South Africa to Mexico, Puerto Rico to Venezuela and every spot in between. This absolutely includes indigenous communities of the Americas, who have been resisting for over 500 years.
We have the power to create the world we want to see; we are doing it every day.
- When we imagine decolonization, we do not believe that reforming the current system is enough. We believe in fundamental change rooted in the self determination and empowerment of our communities.
- We create communities that accept our intersecting and multifaceted identities as people of color.
- We believe in creating power and alternatives rooted in our communities. The continuous and often unacknowledged history of resistance to exploitation in our communities, here and globally, can be built upon and expanded.
- We believe in nonhierarchical communities where all are heard and heeded.
- Decolonization means connecting to the land and each other by growing and sharing food.
- Decolonization is connecting to the traditions of our ancestors in order to create new forms of authentic interpersonal engagement.
- Decolonization is a practice of healing from institutional and systemic violence.
- Decolonization means telling stories that emancipate our minds and dreams. It is education as a practice of freedom.
Much of this language was lovingly borrowed or expanded on from other collectives and statements, including:
http://disoccupy.wordpress.com
http://www.smithpolitics.com/?p=92
http://unsettlingamerica.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/decolonize-wall-street/
http://occupyseattle.org/resource/declaration-decolonizeoccupy-seattle
http://hiphopoccupies.com/