Last week, Jess Perlitz was interviewed by OPB's Think out Loud's host, Dave Miller to discuss the recently presented report by the Portland Monuments and Engagement Commitee.
Jess Perlitz is an associate professor and head of sculpture at Lewis & Clark College. Jess also led the Monument Engagement Process Committee.
With these excellent recommendations and best practices in hand, along with a $350,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation, the City Arts Program is ready to lead deep community engagement work that will help us decide what to do with the monuments that were toppled in 2020, and how me might think about monuments differently in the future.
Our state and nation’s histories are complex, and we believe that our monuments should reflect that. Examining whose stories are being told in the public realm and considering other narratives that reflect and celebrate who we are today will be a critical element of our work. We look forward to having these conversations with you in the months ahead!
Thank you to Jess and OPB for lifting up the significance of this report and the important work that lies ahead.
You can listen to this interview by accessing this link: Portland partners with Lewis & Clark College to shape public engagement around historic monuments - OPB