Our Fires Our Fires

In this, the third and final episode of our audio documentary series about displacement in Portland's Black Community, we meet the Davis family. A family whose home is at the center of a conflict with the city that started in the 1980s and is still present today.

Series Credits:
Host: James Dixon
Producer/Host: Noah Dunham
Consulting Producers: James Dixon, Jahmal Landers, Cleo Davis, Donna Maxey and OB Hill.
Music Composed by: Ryan Sollee and It’s Future Time
Music Performed by: Sarah Clarke, Ryan Sollee and It’s Future Time
Sound Editing: Matt Harmon and Noah Dunham
Graphic Design: Brian John Park
Recording partners: Xray.fm and Open Signal PDX

Much has come to light in the last decade regarding Portland's treatment of the Black community when it comes to displacement and planned gentrification in the city's Black neighborhoods. In this documentary series, the team behind the podcast "Our Fires" aims to humanize the struggles of Portland's Black citizens through the telling of personal histories. Three Portlanders; OB Hill, Donna Maxey and Cleo Davis, from three generations, recall their families' stories that journey through nearly a century of discriminatory city planning that has uprooted entire neighborhoods.

In our second chapter in our three part series focusing on displacement in Portland Oregon's Black neighborhoods, we hear the story of Donna Maxey. Donna is a retired teacher and activist who recounts for us the harrowing tale of her childhood home and her family's struggle with the city's "Urban Renewal" policies.

Series Credits:
Host: James Dixon
Producer/Host: Noah Dunham
Consulting Producers: James Dixon, Jahmal Landers, Cleo Davis, Donna Maxey and OB Hill.
Music Composed by: Ryan Sollee and It’s Future Time
Music Performed by: Sarah Clarke, Ryan Sollee and It’s Future Time
Sound Editing: Matt Harmon and Noah Dunham
Graphic Design: Brian John Park
Recording partners: Xray.fm and Open Signal PDX

Much has come to light in the last decade regarding Portland's treatment of the Black community when it comes to displacement and planned gentrification in the city's Black neighborhoods. In this documentary series, the team behind the podcast "Our Fires" aims to humanize the struggles of Portland's Black citizens through the telling of personal histories. Three Portlanders; OB Hill, Donna Maxey and Cleo Davis, from three generations, recall their families' stories that journey through nearly a century of discriminatory city planning that has uprooted entire neighborhoods.

In our first chapter of our three part audio documentary series focusing on displacement in Portland Oregon we meet OB Hill. OB is a historian and a storyteller who survived the Vanport flood.

Series Credits:
Host: James Dixon
Producer/Host: Noah Dunham
Consulting Producers: James Dixon, Jahmal Landers, Cleo Davis, Donna Maxey and OB Hill.
Music Composed by: Ryan Sollee and It’s Future Time
Music Performed by: Sarah Clarke, Ryan Sollee and It’s Future Time
Sound Editing: Matt Harmon and Noah Dunham
Graphic Design: Brian John Park
Recording partners: Xray.fm and Open Signal PDX

Much has come to light in the last decade regarding Portland's treatment of the Black community when it comes to displacement and planned gentrification in the city's Black neighborhoods. In this documentary series, the team behind the podcast "Our Fires" aims to humanize the struggles of Portland's Black citizens through the telling of personal histories. Three Portlanders; OB Hill, Donna Maxey and Cleo Davis, from three generations, recall their families' stories that journey through nearly a century of discriminatory city planning that has uprooted entire neighborhoods.

Our Fires is a new podcast exploring unknown/forgotten history through stories and songs that are created specifically for the show by contemporary writers and musicians. One part history lesson, one part listening party; this project aims to illuminate culture, rethinking what we've known to uncover what we can still learn. With original music! And stories! This pilot episode unveils the tale of Oregon's Tillamook Burn, a catastrophic wild fire that burned 12 and half million board feet of old growth forest in the coastal range of Oregon in 1933. A cautionary tale | A thrilling story. Stay tuned for the next addition to this on-going podcast.

You can also subscribe on itunes! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/our-fires/id1137494328?mt=2#

Podcast Credits:
Music by-
Ryan Sollee (The Builders & The Butchers)
Kal Giaritta (There is No Mountain)
Matt Harmon (There is No Mountain)
Avery Gilbert (ADOS 33)
Brian Park
Michelle Kosta

Words by-
Jade Strong
Michael Mount
TJ Acena
Karen Green

Produced and Directed by Noah Dunham
Associate Producer, Emily Wright
Writing and Collaboration: Noah Dunham, Kal Giaritta, Matt Harmon, Jade Stong, and Ryan Sollee.

Sound Engineering: Matt Harmon, Paul Seely
Photos & Video: Brett Mustard and Doug Kerrigan