Liberty and justice for all? In this conversation, we’ll examine what the word “justice” means and examine how it’s applied in Oregon. With the aid of local and national hip hop music videos and lyrics, we will examine the history of our state, legal anti-Blackness, and resistance movements. We will also examine a critical question: Are we closer to or further from justice for all since 2020? Join writer, artist, speaker, and producer Donovan Scribes for an exploration of Oregon as he lets music guide these critical questions and more about the place we live in.

Donovan Scribes (f.k.a. Donovan M. Smith) is an award-winning writer, artist, and speaker based in Portland. He has written for a number of publications, including the Oregonian, Skanner and iHeartRadio, where he served as a cowriter on the ten-part top 100 iTunes podcast Uprising: a Guide from Portland, detailing the history behind the more than one-hundred days of protest in Portland in 2020. His “Gentrification is WEIRD!” platform has been used to steer important dialogue about Black history and futures in Oregon, policing, and reimagining George Park in St. Johns. He has served on a number of boards and committees, including the Multnomah County Charter Review Committee (2021–22), charged with revising the county’s local constitution, and as 2nd Vice President of the Portland NAACP (2021–22), where he led work on housing, police, and environmental policies and programs. Scribes is an oft-requested speaker at college campuses and universities, government, and community organizations seeking creative and challenging conversations on history, narrative and justice. His work has been featured in USA Today, the Nation, FADER, FYI Network, and other publications. A fourth-generation Portlander, Scribes is committed to civic engagement, uplifting stories, and creatively shaping futures.

A graduate of Oregon Episcopal School, he also attended the HBCU Fisk University in Nashville, TN. He enjoys good music, good stories, and making an impact.