Saturday protest marks anniversary

A resurgence of local energy reflects the frustration at five years of war in Iraq.

One person compelled to find a voice in the maelstrom is Terell Wilson,
a freshman at Madison High School who will speak this Saturday in front
of the thousands expected to attend a war protest in the South Park
Blocks to mark the 5th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

A resident of northeast Portland near the airport, Wilson, 15, looks
back at much of his conscious life as dictated by the fear associated
with color-coded terror warnings.

"When the codes went up, I'd get really worried and I wouldn't want to take the bus," he says.

Although he thanks his parents for shielding him from war-related
stress for several of his young years, Wilson considered it impossible
to stay under the radar after engaging in a Madison global-studies
class. The forum for him brought to light how war takes funds away from
education, healthcare and other human necessities.

Wilson couldn't find antiwar groups based out of his school, so he
joined the citywide movement to build unity for an end to violence.

"I would like to see a lot more people getting involved, of course," he
says. "The peace march is really a great way to bring attention, and
I'm so glad to be involved with it."

In the cafeteria of Portland Community College's Cascade Campus, Wilson
prepared papier-mƒch‚ figures for the rally with an array of other
activists. His supervisor from the Bureau of Planning explained how
momentum has been building in the year since the city council passed a
resolution against the war.

The municipal government has committed resources for engaging citizens
of various neighborhoods and backgrounds with national policy. Efforts
have focused particularly on groups that have been historically
underrepresented in advocacy work.

"It's really exciting to have that convergence of voices," says Pam
Phan, who was an organizer with local minority activist group United
Voices for seven years. "Because the press is really towards military
recruitment in this particular (presidential) administration, youth are
starting to see that their options are limited."

The byproducts of war for many at the planning meeting highlighted the
weakening of support especially affecting minority and other
disadvantaged populations.

"Youth of color don't get a voice in so many issues," says Vy Nguyen of
the American Friends Service Committee. "The war affects more families
of color who don't get the access to enough representation."

Saturday's March 15 protest will feature workshops, activities and
exhibits in the South Park Blocks near Portland State University, from
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Starting at 2 p.m., a series of about 10 speakers
will rally the crowd for a march through the city.