Community Collaboration

I grew up in the Bay Area of California. Everyone is usually too busy or too entitled for an act of kindness. It's the kind of place where most people cannot seem to return a simple smile. As a little girl, I always tried to share a smile. That was something that quickly died into a head nod or I would simply just pretend I didn't see them. Something you'll notice if you live there or visit, everyone will often walk by you on their phones or eyes forward as if they were some well-tanned zombies. Something that changed when I moved to Portland Oregon.

I moved to Oregon in 2017 and boy was it different. At first glance, the number of trees seem to beat the overpopulation of California. At first I was excited and nervous. I had already heard stories that Oregonians were not so welcoming to Californians. There is quite honestly a huge issue of Californians buying out Oregon land and charging California prices for rent. They hate our driving too. After living here for several years I hate my own driving. I was excited to experience a new place but nervous about the welcome I might receive.

We were bunking down at his niece's apartment temporarily. Not a bad area but also not very quiet. I quickly learned about all of the neighborly drama and who to watch out for. They almost seemed to take joy in verbally hazing me. But overall they were welcoming and I was quick to show my appreciation by taking on plenty of chores and helping take her kids to school.

One morning, my boyfriend at the time woke up from what I thought was a dead sleep. I had been just barely waking up myself. It was about 7 am and he flew off our air mattress almost falling face-first after tripping on the blankets. He quickly put on his pants and boots and ran outside. There was a lot of noise outside so early in the morning. More than you would hear for caffeine-deprived parents and laborers.

I put on my coat and went to look out the door when he came running back in a panic. He told me to get everyone up and grab what we could. When I asked why he had already been out the door again. I woke the kids up first and had them help each other get dressed while I grabbed some necessities. Waking his niece up was next to impossible but she finally got up as I was hauling the kids out the door.

As we walked out the door from the second floor, I could see smoke billowing out of six apartments and ours was next. I rushed the kids down the stairs and to my boyfriend's truck. Once I loaded them up I locked the door and ran back to help his niece who was grabbing more stuff than she should have. He came running back charred and asked her what he could grab. Once again, he ran into the action and came back with an arm full of clothes for the kids and threw it into the back of the truck.

One man had to be dragged from the building with a broken leg. He had just saved his neighbor's child by throwing him out of the window to another neighbor below and jumped out himself.

At this point, as we sat there and watched the burning building, three fire trucks pulled in and got to work. Looking around, everyone was down into robes and pajamas, slips, and boxers. But no one cared. It wasn't until the camera crews came and set up that I realized I had no bra on.

As interviews of the neighbors took place in front of the burning building, a school bus pulled up carrying teachers from all of the local schools. They quickly took attendance of what kids were present and what schools they were supposed to be on their way to. They came prepared with extra clean uniforms and a full breakfast for every child. Then came volunteers with water and food.

I had never seen such collaboration for the needs of neighbors. And to add that cherry on top, a day later a group came with labeled bags for laundry of those whose units suffered smoke damage. I was in shock. With certain flawlessness, the community came together to help pick up the pieces of this disaster.