Community Events
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library!
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Update: We will also now be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 7pm through July!
The Black Memory Lab and Black Cultural Library are an extension of Don’t Shoot Porland. 510 SW Third Ave inside the Center for Social Justice
Portland Art Week Reception for A Women's Basketball Fashion Archive
Tuesday, June 16th
Expensify | 401 SW 5th Avenue Portland, OR 97204
5:30 to 7:30pm
Remarks from Don’t Shoot Portland and The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX at 6:30pm
To celebrate our annual fundraiser, we are hosting an exhibit that intersects art, sports and community. A Womens’ Basketball Fashion Archive is a collection of film photography featured in VOGUE that were taken at games during the 2024 WNBA season by Hypatia Sorunke. Based on the book of the same name, this exhibit is meant to uplift our organization’s mission, thank those who have made the past 10 years possible, and raise awareness to support the work that’s still to be done.
Please email info@theblackgallerypdx.com to join us on Tuesday, June 16th at Expensify in downtown Portland from 5:30 to 7:30. Remarks from founders of The BLACK Gallery will take place at 6:30.
Thank you to Portland Art Week and Oregon NWMA for supporting this special reception!
The exhibit is open by appointment through Friday, August 28, 2026 — please reach out to schedule a guided visit.
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library!
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Update: We will also now be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 7pm through July!
The Black Memory Lab and Black Cultural Library are an extension of Don’t Shoot Porland. 510 SW Third Ave inside the Center for Social Justice
Juneteenth Open Hours at Inheritors of Movement
June 4 - July 27
All exhibit events will take place at The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX, located at 916 NW Flanders Street Portland, OR 97209.
Juneteenth Open Hours
Friday, June 19th, 2026, 12 - 5pm
Inheritors of Movement is a four-person exhibition featuring works made by Black artists of immigrant descent. This multidisciplinary exhibition gathers members of the Black immigrant diaspora to explore the gifts, tribulations, griefs, and celebrations that come from their family’s migration from home to home. Concurrently, the United States is enacting anti-immigrant violence through ICE. This exhibition recognizes that the violence of ICE intersects with the histories of violence inflicted upon Black Americans.
Centering Black immigrant descendants offers a unique chance to hold both communities together, build a wider coalition, and enact imaginations inspired by what we’ve inherited across movements – familial and political.
This exhibition features the efforts, loves, confusions, and dreams of bæ, Naomi Likayi, Yesmín Abduljalil, and Yaya El Tiempo – who also serves as curator.
Inheritors of Movement is funded in part by the Regional Arts & Culture Council and the Office of Arts & Culture.
Photo by Nykelle Devivo
Juneteenth Run Club Celebration
Join Imigisha, Runners Take Action, Don't Shoot PDX and Cowgill for a special Juneteenth celebration and fundraiser!
Friday, June 19th from 5:30 to 9pm at Fleet Feet PDX
2111 NW Savier Street Portland, OR 97210
Details:
Fundraiser for Don’t Shoot PDX + Juneteenth overview by founder Teressa Raiford
Road, trail, and walk options with Strava art
Road and trail demos by Hoka, Mizuno, and Saucony
Raffle for race entries from Go Beyond Racing, Daybreak Racing, Rainshadow Running and Tierra Libre Run.
Food carts, beverages, music and dancing to follow!
If you’d like to sponsor or otherwise support this event, please reach out to us at socialoutreach@dontshootpdx.org
Juneteenth Fundraiser + Exhibit for Don't Shoot Portland!
Come join us for a Juneteenth Celebration commemorating 250 years of resistance with community supporting the work of Don't Shoot Portland, a 501c3 arts & education non profit! Our latest Liberated Archives exhibition launches the first ever archive of women’s basketball fashion with art inspired by The Fitted W, a published work by Hypatia Sorunke. Enjoy music from local Jazz artist LaRhonda Steele, and become re-acquainted with the work of our community-based organization. Tickets are tax-deductible donations and offered on a sliding scale.
Portland in Black: Free Archiving Workshop with Don't Shoot Portland!
Join us for a hands-on community archiving session to preserve personal and collective histories. In partnership with City of PDX Archives.
Archiving Is Resistance ✊🏾 Memory Work Matters!
Join us for a series of hands-on community archiving sessions to preserve personal and collective histories. Memory workers from Don’t Shoot PDX and the Portland City Archives will be on-site to offer guidance. Coffee and light refreshments provided.
☕️ Coffee and Collections
Saturday, June 27 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The Black Memory & Preservation Lab
510 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 400 | Portland, OR 97203
________________
Don’t Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists. @dontshootpdx @theblackgallerypdx
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
1st Annual Garden Party at Hughes Food Forest!
Join Don’t Shoot PDX for our 1st annual garden party to learn more about Hughes Food Forest! This event is open to community members interested in learning and growing with us - refreshments and community conversation from 6 to 8pm.
Hughes Food Forest
111 NE Failing Street Portland, OR 97212
Artist Talk: Inheritors of Movement
June 4 - July 27
All exhibit events will take place at The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX, located at 916 NW Flanders Street Portland, OR 97209.
Artist Talk
Thursday, July 2nd, 2026, 5 - 7pm
Inheritors of Movement is a four-person exhibition featuring works made by Black artists of immigrant descent. This multidisciplinary exhibition gathers members of the Black immigrant diaspora to explore the gifts, tribulations, griefs, and celebrations that come from their family’s migration from home to home. Concurrently, the United States is enacting anti-immigrant violence through ICE. This exhibition recognizes that the violence of ICE intersects with the histories of violence inflicted upon Black Americans.
Centering Black immigrant descendants offers a unique chance to hold both communities together, build a wider coalition, and enact imaginations inspired by what we’ve inherited across movements – familial and political.
This exhibition features the efforts, loves, confusions, and dreams of bæ, Naomi Likayi, Yesmín Abduljalil, and Yaya El Tiempo – who also serves as curator.
Inheritors of Movement is funded in part by the Regional Arts & Culture Council and the Office of Arts & Culture.
Photo by Nykelle Devivo
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Portland in Black: Free Archiving Workshop with Don't Shoot Portland!
Join us for a hands-on community archiving session to preserve personal and collective histories. In partnership with City of PDX Archives.
Archiving Is Resistance ✊🏾 Memory Work Matters!
Join us for a series of hands-on community archiving sessions to preserve personal and collective histories. Memory workers from Don’t Shoot PDX and the Portland City Archives will be on-site to offer guidance. Coffee and light refreshments provided.
☕️ Coffee and Collections
Saturday, July 25 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The Black Memory & Preservation Lab
510 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 400 | Portland, OR 97203
________________
Don’t Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists. @dontshootpdx @theblackgallerypdx
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Opening Reception: A Women's Basketball Fashion Archive
OPENING RECEPTION:
June 12, 2026 from 7 - 9:30pm at Expensify | 401 SW 5th Avenue Portland, OR 97204
June 12th - August 28, 2026
This exhibit is the continuation of the photobook A Women’s Basketball Fashion Archive: The Fitted W by photographer Hypatia Sorunke who traveled to 50+ WNBA games during the historic 2024 Season to build an archive of over 1200+ images of attendees.
Working with a point and shoot film camera, an instant polaroid, and their community of LGBTQIA+ friends, they worked to capture the importance of relentless consistency, collective effort, and unbound imagination in safeguarding women’s sports as a space where Black, Queer, and Transgendered individuals can exist and dream in. With the understanding that the future success of women’s sports relies on the ability to build a community where everyone can be themselves and see themselves in it, this project is a tribute to understanding the necessity and impact of queered relational aesthics in innovating self-expression in the global cultural landscape of women’s sports.
Copies of AWBFA can be bought here: https://notesofhype.bigcartel.com
This exhibition is a collaboration of Liberated Archives for Black Lives powered by Don’t Shoot Portland.
www.awomensbasketballfashionarchive.com / www.dontshootpdx.org
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library!
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Update: We will also now be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 7pm through July!
The Black Memory Lab and Black Cultural Library are an extension of Don’t Shoot Porland. 510 SW Third Ave inside the Center for Social Justice
First Thursday Opening Reception: Inheritors of Movement
June 4 - July 29
Inheritors of Movement is a four-person exhibition featuring works made by Black artists of immigrant descent. This multidisciplinary exhibition gathers members of the Black immigrant diaspora to explore the gifts, tribulations, griefs, and celebrations that come from their family’s migration from home to home. Concurrently, the United States is enacting anti-immigrant violence through ICE. This exhibition recognizes that the violence of ICE intersects with the histories of violence inflicted upon Black Americans.
Centering Black immigrant descendents offers a unique chance to hold both communities together, build a wider coalition, and enact imaginations inspired by what we’ve inherited across movements – familial and political.
This exhibition features the efforts, loves, confusions, and dreams of bæ, Naomi Likayi, Yesmín Abduljalil, and Yaya El Tiempo – who also serves as curator. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is open by appointment only, Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm. Please email the gallery at info@theblackgallerypdx.com to schedule your visit.
Inheritors of Movement is funded in part by the Regional Arts & Culture Council and the Office of Arts & Culture.
YaYa El Tiempo, Kiskeya (Detail), color pencil on canvas, 2026
Exhibition Events:
Opening Reception
June 4th, 2026, 5-8pm at The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX
916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Juneteenth
June 19th, 2026, 12-5pm at The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX
916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Artist Talks
July 2nd, 2026, 5-7pm at The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX
916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
bethel geressu sishu / bæ
bethel (bæ-tell) is a Portland raised creative, a known descendant of Agaw, Amhara, Oromo peoples, who inhabit modern Ethiopia. She’s drawn to tizita (memory/nostalgia/reflection) in writing, poetry, song and visual mediums. What does it mean to live in the promise of going back home? I revisited Incidents in the life of a Slave Girl, written by Harriet Jacobs, through Isiah Lavender III interpretation. Harriet Jacobs survives in a "loophole of retreat" seven years in an attic crawl space, hiding in a pocket universe..."existing within the boundaries of another universe - a space within a space governed by its own rule" (Lavender III). I see back home as a pocket universe, a place our ancestors witnessed, a future we've imagined, a myth I should know, and land, language, love I long for.
Naomi Likayi
Naomi Likayi is a first-gen Congolese American creative based in Portland, OR. With overlapping disciplines in illustration, public art, and graphic design. The spirit of her work is rooted in self-introspection, nostalgia and heritage. Playfully dynamic, adorned in symbols, and melodically hued— Naomi is in pursuit of an exaggerated self-healed version of herself within community. Recent collaborators and exhibitions include: RACC, Portland Parks & Recreation, Portland State University, Alberta Street Gallery, Industry One Foundation and more.
Yesmín Faqi
Yesmín, a NorCal shawty, now living in Portland, OR, is a sewist, embroiderer and papier-mâché artist. She was inspired by these art mediums from receiving gifts from “back home”-mainly traditional woven baskets and clothing when someone would come back to the U.S. The array of loud colors and patterns paired with one another that, at her younger age, first saw as “foreign,” soon brought so much joy and life! Yesmín graduated with a degree in fashion design at LATTC in Los Angeles, CA. Completed an art residency at Paperhand Puppet Intervention creating and slinging papier-mâché puppets for the yearly summer show. While practicing and learning more of her culture indigenous to Turtle Island, she became awakened to ways she can preserve her indigeneity of East Africa, where she lived in Harar, Ethiopia in 2025 taking courses in the embroidery techniques.
Yaya El Tiempo / Time (they/elle)
Time is a Dominican-American artist, curator, and educator from New Jersey. They’re currently investigating what they call “cosmic romance”, or making intimate connections over gaps in space and time, through drawing, sculpture, and short-fiction writing practice. They’re a recent resident at the Independent Publishing Resource Center, where they’re working on their upcoming short story collection Phenomenomicon. Recently, they were awarded the Regional Arts & Culture Council’s Portland Arts Project Grant to aid in their first curatorial project, Inheritors of Movement. They hold an MFA from the University of Oregon. In September 2026, their work will be featured in an exhibition on black & trans bodies at Ori Gallery. for the past year, they’ve been really craving salmon.
Juneteenth DSPDX Community Art Build with PNCA!
Join Don't Shoot PDX at PNCA for a Juneteenth art build!
From 5-7PM in conjunction with First Thursday , join us for a Community Art Build with Don't Shoot PDX to create artwork and screenprint posters in honor of Juneteenth and the ongoing fight for racial justice and human rights!
Screenprint a poster to take home, make buttons, and build community together!
All ages welcome! Families encouraged to join! Free and open to the public.
Don’t Shoot PDX is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Through year-round programming, the DSPDX advocates for community members facing racism and discrimination by providing legal representation and direct advocacy.
Since 2016, Don’t Shoot Portland has hosted its own dialogues, community forums and workshops focusing on history, archiving and social culture. The art proponent of our work acts as a communicative tool to facilitate discussions about race in America while providing educational assets to those most affected by discrimination in public policy.
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Update: We will also now be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 7pm through July!
The Black Memory Lab and Black Cultural Library are an extension of Don’t Shoot Porland. 510 SW Third Ave inside the Center for Social Justice
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Update: We will also now be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 7pm through July!
The Black Memory Lab and Black Cultural Library are an extension of Don’t Shoot Porland. 510 SW Third Ave inside the Center for Social Justice
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library!
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Update: We will also now be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 7pm through July!
The Black Memory Lab and Black Cultural Library are an extension of Don’t Shoot Porland. 510 SW Third Ave inside the Center for Social Justice
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Portland in Black: Free Archiving Workshop with Don't Shoot Portland!
Join us for a hands-on community archiving session to preserve personal and collective histories. In partnership with City of PDX Archives.
Archiving Is Resistance ✊🏾 Memory Work Matters!
Join us for a series of hands-on community archiving sessions to preserve personal and collective histories. Memory workers from Don’t Shoot PDX and the Portland City Archives will be on-site to offer guidance. Coffee and light refreshments provided.
☕️ Coffee and Collections
Saturday, May 23 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The Black Memory & Preservation Lab
510 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 400 | Portland, OR 97203
________________
Don’t Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists. @dontshootpdx @theblackgallerypdx
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Update: We will also now be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 7pm through July!
The Black Memory Lab and Black Cultural Library are an extension of Don’t Shoot Porland. 510 SW Third Ave inside the Center for Social Justice
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
The Black Memory Lab and Black Cultural Library are an extension of Don’t Shoot Porland. 510 SW Third Ave inside the Center for Social Justice
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery
Window Into Solitary
March 14 - April 30
___________
A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation.
Window Into Solitary is a photography exhibition that documents the lived experiences of 17 men and women who survived long-term solitary confinement. Through striking portraits and first-person testimony, the exhibition invites us to confront the human cost of isolation while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.
Each image is paired with powerful written reflections from participants about their time in solitary confinement and their perspectives on its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. Together, these stories create a rare and urgent window into an often hidden reality.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement — a new book by Christopher Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Kwaneta Harris, and Dr. Terry Kupers. The book and exhibition together expose the cruel and unusual punishment faced by close to 125,000 people each day inside American prisons and call us to action.
Hosted by
The BLACK Gallery PDX: Don't Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists.
Look2Justice (Christopher Blackwell): Look2Justice provides peer-led civic education and empowerment programs to currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families. We work to empower directly impacted people with the skills and knowledge to navigate legislative, policy, and narrative change so that they may advocate on their own behalf.
Social Documentary Network / ZEKE Magazine (Glenn Ruga): Glenn Ruga is a photographer, graphic designer and curator. He founded the Social Documentary Network (SDN) as a web platform for a globalcommunity of documentary photographers to present their work online. As a photographer, he has created traveling and online documentary exhibits on the struggle for a multicultural future. In 2015, Ruga launched ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary, a printand digital magazine published by SDN presenting the best stories from the Social Documentary Network.
Photography by
Deborah Espinosa (Seattle), Lori Waselchuk (Philadelphia), Brian Branch-Price (New York), Brian Frank (San Francisco)
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception on March 14 from 5-8pm // FREE RSVP
March 14, 2026 through April 30, 2026
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm by appointment - please send an email to info@theblackgallerypdx.com to confirm your visit
Address: 916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery
Window Into Solitary
March 14 - April 30
___________
A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation.
Window Into Solitary is a photography exhibition that documents the lived experiences of 17 men and women who survived long-term solitary confinement. Through striking portraits and first-person testimony, the exhibition invites us to confront the human cost of isolation while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.
Each image is paired with powerful written reflections from participants about their time in solitary confinement and their perspectives on its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. Together, these stories create a rare and urgent window into an often hidden reality.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement — a new book by Christopher Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Kwaneta Harris, and Dr. Terry Kupers. The book and exhibition together expose the cruel and unusual punishment faced by close to 125,000 people each day inside American prisons and call us to action.
Hosted by
The BLACK Gallery PDX: Don't Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists.
Look2Justice (Christopher Blackwell): Look2Justice provides peer-led civic education and empowerment programs to currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families. We work to empower directly impacted people with the skills and knowledge to navigate legislative, policy, and narrative change so that they may advocate on their own behalf.
Social Documentary Network / ZEKE Magazine (Glenn Ruga): Glenn Ruga is a photographer, graphic designer and curator. He founded the Social Documentary Network (SDN) as a web platform for a globalcommunity of documentary photographers to present their work online. As a photographer, he has created traveling and online documentary exhibits on the struggle for a multicultural future. In 2015, Ruga launched ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary, a printand digital magazine published by SDN presenting the best stories from the Social Documentary Network.
Photography by
Deborah Espinosa (Seattle), Lori Waselchuk (Philadelphia), Brian Branch-Price (New York), Brian Frank (San Francisco)
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception on March 14 from 5-8pm // FREE RSVP
March 14, 2026 through April 30, 2026
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm by appointment - please send an email to info@theblackgallerypdx.com to confirm your visit
Address: 916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Hughes Food Forest Work Party!
Learn More: Hughes Food Forest
Historically, Northeast Portland is known as once being the heart of the city’s Black community, but today those families have been forcefully displaced through redlining, with many far removed from where they once called home. Don’t Shoot Portland seeks to uplift and sustain Hughes Community Church and the surrounding neighborhood through implementing this Food Forest as a symbol of common unity.
All ages are welcome!
111 NE Failing Street behind Hughes Community Church
Sunday, April 26 from 10am-12pm
This community program is hosted in partnership by Don't Shoot Portland, PDX Food Forest and other coalition partners. Contact us to get involved by emailing hughesfoodforest@dontshootpdx.org!
Window Into Solitary: A Deep Look Into Multnomah County's Jail Conditions
Window Into Solitary: A Deep Look Into Multnomah County's Jail Conditions
This Saturday, April 25 from 2:30 to 4pm at The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX
Following a well attended kick off to Don't Shoot Portlands' series on solitary confinement, our second community listening session invites the Multnomah County Auditor's Office to share their extensive reports on jail conditions, which highlights issues with race-related implicit bias, escalated use of force against inmates of color, over-classification of those experiencing mental health conditions and more.
The Multnomah County Auditor’s Office will be available to:
Give a brief overview of the 2022 Jail Conditions audit report, which included recommendations to end solitary confinement.
Answer questions about the 2025 Department of Community Justice Adult Probation and Parole audit.
Offer opportunities to learn more about or sign up to be interviewed for the upcoming audits of Corrections Health and jail visitations.
Share information about how to contact the Ombudsperson, the independent investigator overseeing fairness and accountability in the city of Portland.
The BLACK Gallery’s exhibit, Window into Solitary presented by Look2Justice, will be the host of this focused intervention.
The BLACK Gallery powered by Don't Shoot Portland
Don’t Shoot Portland is an arts and education nonprofit that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists. @dontshootpdx @theblackgallerypdx
Mutlnomah County Auditor's Office
The Multnomah County Auditors Office independently examines county programs; receives and investigates reports of fraud, waste, and abuse of position; and serves as an impartial resource to help people resolve issues with county programs.
May Day Art Build!
📢 As coalition partners for 2026 International Workers Day, we invite you to a free, all day sign making event for the upcoming May Day Coalition March!
🗓️ Drop by on Saturday April 25 from 12:00-4:00pm for remarks and a new collection of work from Simran the artist, learn about the Center of Injustice on view through July 5, and join us in a community building day of art and solidarity.
📺 Come be a part of our photobooth activation from Media Pollution!
Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery
Window Into Solitary
March 14 - April 30
___________
A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation.
Window Into Solitary is a photography exhibition that documents the lived experiences of 17 men and women who survived long-term solitary confinement. Through striking portraits and first-person testimony, the exhibition invites us to confront the human cost of isolation while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.
Each image is paired with powerful written reflections from participants about their time in solitary confinement and their perspectives on its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. Together, these stories create a rare and urgent window into an often hidden reality.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement — a new book by Christopher Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Kwaneta Harris, and Dr. Terry Kupers. The book and exhibition together expose the cruel and unusual punishment faced by close to 125,000 people each day inside American prisons and call us to action.
Hosted by
The BLACK Gallery PDX: Don't Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists.
Look2Justice (Christopher Blackwell): Look2Justice provides peer-led civic education and empowerment programs to currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families. We work to empower directly impacted people with the skills and knowledge to navigate legislative, policy, and narrative change so that they may advocate on their own behalf.
Social Documentary Network / ZEKE Magazine (Glenn Ruga): Glenn Ruga is a photographer, graphic designer and curator. He founded the Social Documentary Network (SDN) as a web platform for a globalcommunity of documentary photographers to present their work online. As a photographer, he has created traveling and online documentary exhibits on the struggle for a multicultural future. In 2015, Ruga launched ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary, a printand digital magazine published by SDN presenting the best stories from the Social Documentary Network.
Photography by
Deborah Espinosa (Seattle), Lori Waselchuk (Philadelphia), Brian Branch-Price (New York), Brian Frank (San Francisco)
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception on March 14 from 5-8pm // FREE RSVP
March 14, 2026 through April 30, 2026
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm by appointment - please send an email to info@theblackgallerypdx.com to confirm your visit
Address: 916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Open Hours at the Black Cultural Library
Our reference library holds an expansive collection of rare and limited literary works from civil rights advocates, artists and scholars.
The Black Cultural Library will host open hours on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, but is also available for groups or research appointments.
For more information or to schedule your visit outside of our open hours, please email blackmemorylab@dontshootpdx.org
Portland in Black: Free Archiving Workshop with Don't Shoot Portland!
Join us for a hands-on community archiving session to preserve personal and collective histories. In partnership with City of PDX Archives.
Archiving Is Resistance ✊🏾 Memory Work Matters!
Join us for a series of hands-on community archiving sessions to preserve personal and collective histories. Memory workers from Don’t Shoot PDX and the Portland City Archives will be on-site to offer guidance. Coffee and light refreshments provided.
☕️ Coffee and Collections
Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The Black Memory & Preservation Lab
510 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 400 | Portland, OR 97203
________________
Don’t Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists. @dontshootpdx @theblackgallerypdx
Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery
Window Into Solitary
March 14 - April 30
___________
A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation.
Window Into Solitary is a photography exhibition that documents the lived experiences of 17 men and women who survived long-term solitary confinement. Through striking portraits and first-person testimony, the exhibition invites us to confront the human cost of isolation while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.
Each image is paired with powerful written reflections from participants about their time in solitary confinement and their perspectives on its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. Together, these stories create a rare and urgent window into an often hidden reality.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement — a new book by Christopher Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Kwaneta Harris, and Dr. Terry Kupers. The book and exhibition together expose the cruel and unusual punishment faced by close to 125,000 people each day inside American prisons and call us to action.
Hosted by
The BLACK Gallery PDX: Don't Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists.
Look2Justice (Christopher Blackwell): Look2Justice provides peer-led civic education and empowerment programs to currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families. We work to empower directly impacted people with the skills and knowledge to navigate legislative, policy, and narrative change so that they may advocate on their own behalf.
Social Documentary Network / ZEKE Magazine (Glenn Ruga): Glenn Ruga is a photographer, graphic designer and curator. He founded the Social Documentary Network (SDN) as a web platform for a globalcommunity of documentary photographers to present their work online. As a photographer, he has created traveling and online documentary exhibits on the struggle for a multicultural future. In 2015, Ruga launched ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary, a printand digital magazine published by SDN presenting the best stories from the Social Documentary Network.
Photography by
Deborah Espinosa (Seattle), Lori Waselchuk (Philadelphia), Brian Branch-Price (New York), Brian Frank (San Francisco)
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception on March 14 from 5-8pm // FREE RSVP
March 14, 2026 through April 30, 2026
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm by appointment - please send an email to info@theblackgallerypdx.com to confirm your visit
Address: 916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Hughes Food Forest Work Party!
Learn More: Hughes Food Forest
Historically, Northeast Portland is known as once being the heart of the city’s Black community, but today those families have been forcefully displaced through redlining, with many far removed from where they once called home. Don’t Shoot Portland seeks to uplift and sustain Hughes Community Church and the surrounding neighborhood through implementing this Food Forest as a symbol of common unity.
All ages are welcome!
111 NE Failing Street behind Hughes Community Church
Thursday, April 23 from 6-8pm
This community program is hosted in partnership by Don't Shoot Portland, PDX Food Forest and other coalition partners. Contact us to get involved by emailing hughesfoodforest@dontshootpdx.org!
Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery
Window Into Solitary
March 14 - April 30
___________
A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation.
Window Into Solitary is a photography exhibition that documents the lived experiences of 17 men and women who survived long-term solitary confinement. Through striking portraits and first-person testimony, the exhibition invites us to confront the human cost of isolation while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.
Each image is paired with powerful written reflections from participants about their time in solitary confinement and their perspectives on its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. Together, these stories create a rare and urgent window into an often hidden reality.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement — a new book by Christopher Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Kwaneta Harris, and Dr. Terry Kupers. The book and exhibition together expose the cruel and unusual punishment faced by close to 125,000 people each day inside American prisons and call us to action.
Hosted by
The BLACK Gallery PDX: Don't Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists.
Look2Justice (Christopher Blackwell): Look2Justice provides peer-led civic education and empowerment programs to currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families. We work to empower directly impacted people with the skills and knowledge to navigate legislative, policy, and narrative change so that they may advocate on their own behalf.
Social Documentary Network / ZEKE Magazine (Glenn Ruga): Glenn Ruga is a photographer, graphic designer and curator. He founded the Social Documentary Network (SDN) as a web platform for a globalcommunity of documentary photographers to present their work online. As a photographer, he has created traveling and online documentary exhibits on the struggle for a multicultural future. In 2015, Ruga launched ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary, a printand digital magazine published by SDN presenting the best stories from the Social Documentary Network.
Photography by
Deborah Espinosa (Seattle), Lori Waselchuk (Philadelphia), Brian Branch-Price (New York), Brian Frank (San Francisco)
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception on March 14 from 5-8pm // FREE RSVP
March 14, 2026 through April 30, 2026
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm by appointment - please send an email to info@theblackgallerypdx.com to confirm your visit
Address: 916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery
Window Into Solitary
March 14 - April 30
___________
A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation.
Window Into Solitary is a photography exhibition that documents the lived experiences of 17 men and women who survived long-term solitary confinement. Through striking portraits and first-person testimony, the exhibition invites us to confront the human cost of isolation while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.
Each image is paired with powerful written reflections from participants about their time in solitary confinement and their perspectives on its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. Together, these stories create a rare and urgent window into an often hidden reality.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement — a new book by Christopher Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Kwaneta Harris, and Dr. Terry Kupers. The book and exhibition together expose the cruel and unusual punishment faced by close to 125,000 people each day inside American prisons and call us to action.
Hosted by
The BLACK Gallery PDX: Don't Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists.
Look2Justice (Christopher Blackwell): Look2Justice provides peer-led civic education and empowerment programs to currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families. We work to empower directly impacted people with the skills and knowledge to navigate legislative, policy, and narrative change so that they may advocate on their own behalf.
Social Documentary Network / ZEKE Magazine (Glenn Ruga): Glenn Ruga is a photographer, graphic designer and curator. He founded the Social Documentary Network (SDN) as a web platform for a globalcommunity of documentary photographers to present their work online. As a photographer, he has created traveling and online documentary exhibits on the struggle for a multicultural future. In 2015, Ruga launched ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary, a printand digital magazine published by SDN presenting the best stories from the Social Documentary Network.
Photography by
Deborah Espinosa (Seattle), Lori Waselchuk (Philadelphia), Brian Branch-Price (New York), Brian Frank (San Francisco)
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception on March 14 from 5-8pm // FREE RSVP
March 14, 2026 through April 30, 2026
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm by appointment - please send an email to info@theblackgallerypdx.com to confirm your visit
Address: 916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Solitary Confinement in Oregon: A Community Listening Session & Poster Making Workshop
Solitary Confinement in Oregon: A Community Listening Session & Poster Making Workshop
Saturday April 18 from 1:00 - 3:00pm
at The BLACK Gallery powered by Don’t Shoot Portland
Join legal workers, criminal justice advocates and fellow community members for a critical conversation on incarceration and human rights. Learn about solitary confinement, upcoming legislation from OJRC, and take in the experiences of those who have lived through this function of state sanctioned violence and are now advocating for its end. The BLACK Gallerys’ exhibit, Window into Solitary presented by Look2Justice, will be the host of this focused intervention.
Free to all, RSVP strongly encouraged.
Don't Shoot Portland / The BLACK Gallery
Don’t Shoot Portland is an arts and education nonprofit that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists. @dontshootpdx @theblackgallerypdx
Look2Justice
Look2Justice is a network of system-impacted leaders transforming the criminal legal system through education, advocacy, and narrative change.
Oregon Justice Resource Center
The Oregon Justice Resource Centerwas founded in 2011 by Bobbin Singh and Erin McKee. Our goal is to promote civil rights and improve legal representation for communities that have often been underserved in the past: people living in poverty and people of color among them. We work in collaboration with like-minded organizations to maximize our reach to serve underrepresented populations, to train future public interest lawyers, and to educate our community on issues related to civil rights and civil liberties.
Metropolitan Public Defender
Metropolitan Public Defender has been on the cutting edge of public defense since our inception in 1971. Formed as a non-profit law firm, MPD contracts with the State of Oregon for public defense services. MPD was the first public defender organization under this system. MPD is the largest single provider of trial level public defense services in the state of Oregon, with offices in both Multnomah and Washington counties.
Oregon Justice Network
Oregon Justice Network is an alliance built and staffed by criminal legal system impacted people advocating for the well-being of people affected or at-risk of being affected by carceral systems.
Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery
Window Into Solitary
March 14 - April 30
___________
A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation.
Window Into Solitary is a photography exhibition that documents the lived experiences of 17 men and women who survived long-term solitary confinement. Through striking portraits and first-person testimony, the exhibition invites us to confront the human cost of isolation while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.
Each image is paired with powerful written reflections from participants about their time in solitary confinement and their perspectives on its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. Together, these stories create a rare and urgent window into an often hidden reality.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement — a new book by Christopher Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Kwaneta Harris, and Dr. Terry Kupers. The book and exhibition together expose the cruel and unusual punishment faced by close to 125,000 people each day inside American prisons and call us to action.
Hosted by
The BLACK Gallery PDX: Don't Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists.
Look2Justice (Christopher Blackwell): Look2Justice provides peer-led civic education and empowerment programs to currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families. We work to empower directly impacted people with the skills and knowledge to navigate legislative, policy, and narrative change so that they may advocate on their own behalf.
Social Documentary Network / ZEKE Magazine (Glenn Ruga): Glenn Ruga is a photographer, graphic designer and curator. He founded the Social Documentary Network (SDN) as a web platform for a globalcommunity of documentary photographers to present their work online. As a photographer, he has created traveling and online documentary exhibits on the struggle for a multicultural future. In 2015, Ruga launched ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary, a printand digital magazine published by SDN presenting the best stories from the Social Documentary Network.
Photography by
Deborah Espinosa (Seattle), Lori Waselchuk (Philadelphia), Brian Branch-Price (New York), Brian Frank (San Francisco)
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception on March 14 from 5-8pm // FREE RSVP
March 14, 2026 through April 30, 2026
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm by appointment - please send an email to info@theblackgallerypdx.com to confirm your visit
Address: 916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery
Window Into Solitary
March 14 - April 30
___________
A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation.
Window Into Solitary is a photography exhibition that documents the lived experiences of 17 men and women who survived long-term solitary confinement. Through striking portraits and first-person testimony, the exhibition invites us to confront the human cost of isolation while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.
Each image is paired with powerful written reflections from participants about their time in solitary confinement and their perspectives on its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. Together, these stories create a rare and urgent window into an often hidden reality.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement — a new book by Christopher Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Kwaneta Harris, and Dr. Terry Kupers. The book and exhibition together expose the cruel and unusual punishment faced by close to 125,000 people each day inside American prisons and call us to action.
Hosted by
The BLACK Gallery PDX: Don't Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists.
Look2Justice (Christopher Blackwell): Look2Justice provides peer-led civic education and empowerment programs to currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families. We work to empower directly impacted people with the skills and knowledge to navigate legislative, policy, and narrative change so that they may advocate on their own behalf.
Social Documentary Network / ZEKE Magazine (Glenn Ruga): Glenn Ruga is a photographer, graphic designer and curator. He founded the Social Documentary Network (SDN) as a web platform for a globalcommunity of documentary photographers to present their work online. As a photographer, he has created traveling and online documentary exhibits on the struggle for a multicultural future. In 2015, Ruga launched ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary, a printand digital magazine published by SDN presenting the best stories from the Social Documentary Network.
Photography by
Deborah Espinosa (Seattle), Lori Waselchuk (Philadelphia), Brian Branch-Price (New York), Brian Frank (San Francisco)
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception on March 14 from 5-8pm // FREE RSVP
March 14, 2026 through April 30, 2026
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm by appointment - please send an email to info@theblackgallerypdx.com to confirm your visit
Address: 916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery
Window Into Solitary
March 14 - April 30
___________
A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation.
Window Into Solitary is a photography exhibition that documents the lived experiences of 17 men and women who survived long-term solitary confinement. Through striking portraits and first-person testimony, the exhibition invites us to confront the human cost of isolation while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.
Each image is paired with powerful written reflections from participants about their time in solitary confinement and their perspectives on its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. Together, these stories create a rare and urgent window into an often hidden reality.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement — a new book by Christopher Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Kwaneta Harris, and Dr. Terry Kupers. The book and exhibition together expose the cruel and unusual punishment faced by close to 125,000 people each day inside American prisons and call us to action.
Hosted by
The BLACK Gallery PDX: Don't Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists.
Look2Justice (Christopher Blackwell): Look2Justice provides peer-led civic education and empowerment programs to currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families. We work to empower directly impacted people with the skills and knowledge to navigate legislative, policy, and narrative change so that they may advocate on their own behalf.
Social Documentary Network / ZEKE Magazine (Glenn Ruga): Glenn Ruga is a photographer, graphic designer and curator. He founded the Social Documentary Network (SDN) as a web platform for a globalcommunity of documentary photographers to present their work online. As a photographer, he has created traveling and online documentary exhibits on the struggle for a multicultural future. In 2015, Ruga launched ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary, a printand digital magazine published by SDN presenting the best stories from the Social Documentary Network.
Photography by
Deborah Espinosa (Seattle), Lori Waselchuk (Philadelphia), Brian Branch-Price (New York), Brian Frank (San Francisco)
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception on March 14 from 5-8pm // FREE RSVP
March 14, 2026 through April 30, 2026
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm by appointment - please send an email to info@theblackgallerypdx.com to confirm your visit
Address: 916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Window Into Solitary at The BLACK Gallery
Window Into Solitary
March 14 - April 30
___________
A photography exhibition sharing the stories of 17 people who survived solitary confinement, revealing the human cost of isolation.
Window Into Solitary is a photography exhibition that documents the lived experiences of 17 men and women who survived long-term solitary confinement. Through striking portraits and first-person testimony, the exhibition invites us to confront the human cost of isolation while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.
Each image is paired with powerful written reflections from participants about their time in solitary confinement and their perspectives on its widespread use across the U.S. carceral system. Together, these stories create a rare and urgent window into an often hidden reality.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Ending Isolation: The Case Against Solitary Confinement — a new book by Christopher Blackwell, Prof. Deborah Zalesne, Kwaneta Harris, and Dr. Terry Kupers. The book and exhibition together expose the cruel and unusual punishment faced by close to 125,000 people each day inside American prisons and call us to action.
Hosted by
The BLACK Gallery PDX: Don't Shoot Portland is an arts and education organization that promotes social justice and civic participation. Our mission is to harness the power of creative expression to inspire, educate, and mobilize communities towards equity, justice, and transformative social impact. The BLACK Gallery powered by DSPDX is an extension of this programming, centering art as activism to showcase underrepresented artists.
Look2Justice (Christopher Blackwell): Look2Justice provides peer-led civic education and empowerment programs to currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families. We work to empower directly impacted people with the skills and knowledge to navigate legislative, policy, and narrative change so that they may advocate on their own behalf.
Social Documentary Network / ZEKE Magazine (Glenn Ruga): Glenn Ruga is a photographer, graphic designer and curator. He founded the Social Documentary Network (SDN) as a web platform for a globalcommunity of documentary photographers to present their work online. As a photographer, he has created traveling and online documentary exhibits on the struggle for a multicultural future. In 2015, Ruga launched ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary, a printand digital magazine published by SDN presenting the best stories from the Social Documentary Network.
Photography by
Deborah Espinosa (Seattle), Lori Waselchuk (Philadelphia), Brian Branch-Price (New York), Brian Frank (San Francisco)
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception on March 14 from 5-8pm // FREE RSVP
March 14, 2026 through April 30, 2026
Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12 to 5pm by appointment - please send an email to info@theblackgallerypdx.com to confirm your visit
Address: 916 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209