Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile)

(it's worth noting I've heard similar stories of violations of attorney access, pre-trial hearings, and so on from a variety of people. Our justice system functions very differently depending on who you are)

Pat Snyder steps forward. She is the "godmother of the Beacon PDX" They have recently lost their decades-long space in a church basement She thanks everyone for coming

Pat talks about how she had choice this morning about what to wear. It's cold out here. She's dressed for it, as am I The people in this camp do not have these kind of options, partly because regular sweeps deprive them of their possessions

"They are houseless, but they are not homeless. They have created a community [here]. They know each other, they listen to each other...they tolerate and forgive each other "They know who needs help and they know where to go when they need help. Not the city, but their friends"

She talks about the weird misconception that these people can go "somewhere else," that there are options unexplored "It's not easy being walked around town, trying to find food, a place to sleep. They want to stay in one place"

Here are some things that would help a lot more than sweeps, Pat says: -more bathroom facilities -more trash recepticles

The city is giving out sleeping bags and tents, but they haven't done their homework The sleeping bags are not thick enough to provide protection from the elements The tents can fit one, which strikes me as a problem for keeping warm It's cool that they're trying

Pat concludes by asking people to come out tomorrow as well to continue to prevent these sweeps