PORTLAND, Ore. — Clashes between protesters and police, both local and federal, have become far too common in downtown Portland. They overshadow the hundreds, if not thousands, of other faces in the crowd at nightly demonstrations. Take Kiyauna Williams for instance.
"The system is made to oppress me so create a system for me so I can become something better," she said.
Williams works in the Park Rose School District. She attends demonstrations to bring awareness to what is called the school to prison pipeline or kids of color who are kicked out of school and right into the justice system. Williams is on the streets fighting to keep kids in school.
"I would love it honestly if the African American community could have their own education system," she said. "When I say their own education system I mean a Black principal, a Black vice principal, a Black AD, Black teachers, Black coaches. Let them see a school and system literally theirs."
Then there is Mac Smiff. The father of four and utility company employee got some attention for his lengthy chat with Mayor Ted Wheeler Wednesday night. Smiff told KGW Thursday he is fighting for racial justice, although it is a bit more complicated with the presence of federal police.
"We’re out here for Black lives and then all this other stuff happens. But we still -- we have to deal with that. We have to deal with the fact that Trump is now involved and trying to change the narrative and make this a bigger thing about him," Smiff said. "We have to focus – on the ground, it’s the same. On the ground down there the feds coming in is not that much different than how we were getting treated before. and we were fighting fr the de-funding of police and support of Black lives."
Black lives are the focus of the fight for Danialle James. If that name sounds familiar it is because she has been calling for racial justice in the Rose City for years. This year is no different.
"We're dealing with a city that does not like the fact we're standing up for Black voices and Black lives and I don't think we'll see the end of it anytime soon," said James.
That remains to be seen. What is clear, at least to Williams, is the need to move beyond the nightly violence that seems to be drowning out some important voices.
"I appreciate people being allies and coming out there, Black lives matter, say their names, but if you really want to help you have to speak the same language we're speaking and you have to have an end goal."