About Helpful Pirate Photography
Origin Story
I am muni k. in my lifetime, i have worn many hats. teacher, social worker, organizer, activist, counselor, IT/tech support, factory worker, food service worker. heck, i even spent a summer working a food cart in a carnival. then one day, everything came to a screeching halt in one split second. one second, i was listening to The Clash, at 3:15 am, on my way to work, and the next thing i remember was waking up in the hospital, with my life changed forever, destined for a wheelchair, with financial and physical struggles i couldn't even imagine before.
A New Life
instead of being largely self-sufficient, although working poor, i was suddenly destitute, and had to rely upon SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP to survive. i have done volunteer work as i have been able. i am not one to sit idle, by any means. mostly, volunteer work with my city, county and regional governments, on citizen advisory committees, as well as community gardens, mutual aid distro, and other community-based work and advocy, mostly support work, from my bedside, via my computer.
The Crisis
now i, and folx like me, are facing the loss of the safety nets that help us, no, ALLOW us, to survive. this is being done solely to line the pockets of the already obscenely wealthy, in a "reverse-Robin-Hood" scheme by a man who would be king, and his billionaire friends, enacted by a congress that is too cowardly to stand up and declare that the Tangerine Palpatine has no clothes. not only are the safety nets being cut out from under vulnerable folx, but basic rights enshrined in our constitution are being cast aside, along with treating each person with respect and common decency.
Taking Action Through Photo Documenting Resistance
right now, we are the only ones who can and will save us. we must resist, by any means necessary. to that end, my resistance is documenting the resistance and acts of solidarity in my community, in the southwest PDX, Oregon Metro area. i am attending as many resistance events as i can manage. i'm speaking with folx about their lived experiences in these difficult times, their resistance, and what the changes of this regime will mean to their lives. i will be pulling it all together into documentary form, but, during the process, i'll be posting updates here on my website. so stay tuned!