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If We Could Talk is a socially engaged photography and writing project that blends history, race
and place. Many of the featured artists are members of North and Northeast Portland’s displaced Black community who have reclaimed their roots through the city’s North/Northeast Preference Policy. The policy informs the eligibility criteria for the Dr. Darrell Millner Building on North Interstate Avenue, where the artists live.
They came together over the summer for weekly photography and writing workshops on the ground floor of their apartment building. The result is a stunning collection of photographs, printed on aluminum and paired with writings, revealing a sense of place that transcends time. “The photography workshop helped me share my message of ‘Finding Strength in Adversity,’” said participant Yolonda Lampkin. “It showed me that our community is a place where we return to our strength again and again – rooted in connection and held together by love.” Artists Gwen Hoeffgen and Domenic Toliver led the Metro-funded project, which seeks to amplify the perspectives of people living in affordable housing and connect them with the broader communities they enrich. The Millner Building, funded in part through the voter-passed Metro Affordable Housing Bond, opened last year to people with historical ties to North and Northeast Portland neighborhoods. It’s owned and operated by Self Enhancement, Inc., a nonprofit that offers tenants culturally responsive wrap-around services and helped facilitate the workshops.
Through 35mm black-and-white film and reflective writing, participants explored what home means when neighborhoods change. Informed by the neighborhood’s history of gentrification and resilience, this project reflects on loss and belonging, honoring a community’s deep ties to place while affirming that home is not gone. It lives on in the people who remember, rebuild and remain.
“I'd never thought about what 'home' meant to me,” said Valencia, a participant. “This workshop took me on a self-reflecting journey. I loved this class and was very glad I took part." Media is invited to join participants, project partners and the public for the exhibit’s opening night on Dec. 12 at The BLACK Gallery.
The artwork will be on display at The BLACK Gallery through Feb. 16. The gallery is open Thursday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. by
appointment only. Visits can be scheduled by emailing info@theblackgallerypdx.com and
student groups are encouraged.