Fight The Power, Do No Harm: The Story of the Black Cross Healthcare Collective
There were lots of opportunities in the late 90s in Portland Oregon and the Pacific Northwest to get pepper sprayed by the police. Before the World Trade Organization protests took place in Seattle in 1999, there wasn’t an effective antidote to pepper spray that was well known, easy to use on the street, and affordable.
The Black Cross Healthcare Collective was a group of health care workers who lived in Portland, Oregon. They formed after the WTO protests of 1999, after seeing a need for medical care that specifically served people who were attending direct actions, demonstrations and political protests.
In the early 2000s they pioneered community-supported trials to find an antidote to pepper spray. These trials resulted in an antidote that has been used in street protests internationally. The collective disbanded as a medical group in 2005 or so, morphing into the Black Cross Social Club.
“Fight the Power, Do No Harm" is the story of the Black Cross Health Care Collective. This audio documentary was produced by Jodi Darby, Honna Veerkamp, and Erin Yanke. April 27, 2024
Kate Boyd and Cristien Storm of the Seattle-based collaborative group If You Don’t They Will discuss “no. NOT EVER”, an interactive, immersive presentation of cultural resistance to white nationalism practiced by rural and suburban groups in the Pacific Northwest throughout the 80s and 90s.
Credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist:Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: Neo Boys
Thanks: Kate, Cristien, Marat
In this episode we hear from antiracist street fighters: Iran, Jackson, Pan and Tom. The four
veterans recount their experiences fighting Portland neo Nazis, how it affected them and where
we should direct our energy to continue the fight.
Credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviewer for this episode: Mic Crenshaw
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: Godspeed You Black Emperor
This episode features Coalition for Human Dignity activists Steve Wasserstrom, Jonathan Mozzochi and Abby Layton. In this bonus episode we look at how the meticulous collection of data mined for opposition research contributed to a world-famous trial to debunk fascist Holocaust denier David Irving.
credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviewer for this episode: Claire Rischiotto and Celina Flores
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: Kai Engel, the fucked up beat, and silicone transmitter, all from the Free Music Archive
Enrique Rivera of the Multnomah County Library, hosted this event with the IDHH podcast producers on March 11, 2021. They play clips of the podcast, talk about making the podcast, storytelling, their favorite moments, book recommendations, and much more.
Thanks to Lyndsey Runyan and Enrique Rivera of the Multnomah County Library.
In this bonus episode, we hear from Coalition for Human Dignity veteran Devin Burghart, now Executive Director of left wing think tank Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. Burghart talks about the role of YouTube personalities in the effective radicalization of white nationalists, especially younger viewers.
credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviewer for this episode: Ceina Flores
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: LG 17nfrom the Free Music Archive
Scot Nakagawa and Eric Ward talk together at " It Did Happen Here: Nothing is Final", recorded March 4, 2021 at an event sponsored by the Multnomah County Library.
Scot was the founding staff person of the Coalition for Human Dignity, and is co-founder and Senior Partner of ChangeLab, a national racial equity think/act lab promoting innovation in racial equity advocacy. Eric Ward founded and directed a community project to expose and counter hate groups and respond to bigoted violence with the Community Alliance of Lane County (1990–1994).He is currently the Executive Director of the Western States Center.
Thanks to Enrique and Lindsey from the Multnomah County Library
We talk to Martin Sprouse, former shitworker and coordinator Maximum Rocknroll about the role of the long-running punk rock zine as a cultural organizing tool for many groups, including Anti Racist Action.
Credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviews for this episode: Erin Yanke
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Photo: Cammie Toloui IG:@cammietolouiphoto
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music:
A Touch of Hysteria
It Did Happen Here: Histories of Fighting White Supremacists was recorded on February 25, 2021. This was a panel discussion with one of the podcast participants China, Producers Celina Flores, Mic Crenshaw, and Erin Yanke, and moderated by Eliza Canty-Jones. The event was sponsored by the Oregon Historical Society.
It Did Happen Here returns to the Midwest for deeper conversations with veterans of the Minneapolis Baldies and Skinheads of Chicago (SHOC) about what it means to be a Black, Brown or Indigenous person in a predominantly white movement, a woman in a male-dominated movement, how we direct our anti-racism as middle-aged activists, with deep discussion on how experiences with a violent youth have shaped political and personal philosophies.
Interviews with Lorraine, Gator, Malachi/Mickey, Marty, Gator, and Mobonix/Mo.
In the 11th episode of the podcast we hear about the end of Portland Anti Racist Action, the consequences of being a SHARP, and other reflections by the punks; we also hear words of wisdom offered in hindsight, with love from the now-middle aged activists.
Show Notes
Transcript
Credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke, Icky A.
Interviews for this episode: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke , Mic Crenshaw
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: (in order of appearance)
Xylo Ziko (Free Music Archive)
Kai Engel (Free Music Archive)
Anitek (Free Music Archive)
Chumbawamba
In this episode we look at the Coalition For Human Dignity’s move to Seattle, the merger with the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment and financial collapse. We hear reflections on the good, the bad and the ugly, with advice on moving forward today.
Transcript
Credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviews for this episode: Annette Newelle, Celina Flores, Ender Black, and Erin Yanke
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: (in order of appearance)
Xlyo Ziko ( Free Music Archive)
Kai Engel ( Free Music Archive)
Anitek ( Free Music Archive)
Last of a Dying Breed
On December 31, 1992 SHARPs and neo-Nazis met up on icy streets, with fatal results. Episode 9 tells the story of the New Year’s Eve that changed the life of SHARP member Jon Bair and shifted the balance of the battle to take Portland’s streets back from racist skinheads.
Featuring interviews with Jon Bair, Jason and Michael Clark.
Credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviews for this episode: Erin Yanke
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: (in order of appearance)
Anitek (Free Music Archive)
The Fucked Up Beat (Free Music Archive)
In this episode we hear from the former SkinHeads Against Racial Prejudice. SHARPs share their experiences on how they came to hold the front lines in the fight against neo-Nazi violence on the streets of Portland.
Featured in this episode are interviews with former SHARPs Michael Clark, Pete Little and Jon Bair; former punks Chyna and Jorin; IDHH narrator Mic Crenshaw; music journalist Patrick Mazza; former CHD activists and researchers Jonathan Mozzochi, M Treloar and Steven Gardiner; and the Reverend Cecil Prescod.
Credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviews for this episode: Celina Flores, Mic Crenshaw, Barbara Bernstein, and Erin Yanke
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Thanks to: Pan, Pete Deegan
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music:
The Fucked Up Beat (Free Music Archive)
Miku (Free Music Archive)
LG17 (Free Music Archive)
A Touch of Hysteria
Resist
In Episode Seven we learn about the surveillance wing of the Coalition for Human Dignity. Interviews were with Jason, Devin Burghart, Jonathan Mozzochi, Leonard Zeskind, Abby Layton, Seven Gardiner, M Treloar and Cecil Prescod.
Credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviews for this episode: Annette Newell, Claire Rischiotto, Ceina Flores, and Erin Yanke
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: Anitek from the Free Music Archive, and Neo Boys.
Thanks to: Pete Deegan
In this episode, members of the Coalition for Human Dignity (CHD) describe defense strategies. Working together with ARA, SHARP, individuals and families under threat from racist skinhead violence they co-developed the support strategy they called House Defense; they also trained themselves in security and offered basic support to local groups. The mutual aid that was established created a community-wide bond many still feel today.
Credits:
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviews for this episode: Annette Newelle, Celina Flores, and Erin Yanke
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern Visual archivist: Julie Perini Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: (in order of appearance)
Xylo Zico, LG17, Ursula K. Le Guin & Todd Barton, and Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari.
In this episode we return to the Rose City as Portland punks solidify an anti-fascist stance and square off. No more mingling with spiky-haired punks one night and racist skinheads the next; the chronic bypassing of casual racism becomes confrontational. We hear from punks Chyna, Jason, Kelly and Jorin, activists Scot Nakagawa, M. Treloar, and Jonathan Mozzochi, and journalist Patrick Mazza about different tactics for organizing across different groups and the surprising effect it has on the scene.
Credits
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviews for this episode: Barbara Bernstein, Celina Flores, Ender Black, Erin Yanke, and Mic Crenshaw
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: (in order of appearance)
Anitek
Dead Conspiracy
Chumbawamba
In this episode, we join narrator Mic Crenshaw and his old friends Jason Nevilles aka Jay aka Gator, Marty, Nissa and Jibari - all midwestern anti racist skinheads. They were interviewed to talk about why they joined together, what motivated and influenced them, the politics and social pressures in which they operated and how they ultimately formed the national network known as Anti Racist Action that laid the foundations for today’s Antifa consciousness.
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviews for this episode: Anna Stitt, Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Sole, and Mic Crenshaw
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: (in order of appearance)
The 4Skins - A.C.A.B.
Madball - Set It Off
Anna Stitt
is an award-winning journalist and historical documentarian.She holds a BA in sociology and history from Swarthmore College anda certificate in narrative reporting from the Transom Story Workshop. We used excerpts from her interview with Mic Crenshaw that she did for
her audio documentary on The Baldies
. She also wrote
an article on The Baldies for Teen Vogue.
At the end of 1988 racist skinheads flexed power on the streets and in the show spaces of Portland. This episode is about Portlanders who came together in response to neo-nazi violence after the 1988 murder of Mulugeta Seraw and formed the Coalition for Human Dignity.
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Interviews for this episode: Annette Newelle, Celina Flores, Claire Rischiotto, Ender Black, and Erin Yanke
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd
Music: (in order of appearance)
Xylo Ziko “Phase 2”
Crackerbash "Song for Lon Mabon"
Late one night in November 1988 racist skinheads attacked a group of Ethiopian immigrants in the working class Kerns neighborhood of Southeast Portland. 28-year-old Mulugeta Seraw died from his wounds inflicted by a baseball bat and multiple kicks from the steel-toed boots of the 3 assailants, all members of East Side White Pride, a racist skinhead crew.
Producers: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Mic Crenshaw
Editors: Erin Yanke and Icky A.
Story editors: Celina Flores, Erin Yanke, Icky A., Mic Crenshaw, Moe Bowstern
Visual archivist: Julie Perini
Mastering: Colin Casserd