Shuttered Portland: Photographs from the Recession

The recession hitting Oregon and the rest of the country is easy to quantify, and the numbers tell a grim story.barrel

What they don't show is how Oregonians—and Portlanders, in particular—are coping with those changes or how those figures are reshaping their lives, families and neighborhoods.

Which is where you come in, dear reader.
Are you playing Wii at home with friends instead of meeting them at bars?
Have you lost your job and decided to volunteer more? Start a business at home? Go back to school?
What's in your refrigerator now? What used to be there?
Has your favorite store closed? What's become of it? Is the store vacant? If not, what moved in?

The New York Times recently asked its readers to take photographs of their neighborhoods and cities to capture images that tell the stories numbers can't. We were so taken with the results (check them out yourself under "Picturing the Recession" at nytimes.com), we decided to echo the Gray Lady's efforts.

That's why we're asking you to send us your photographs of Portland's recession.

The pictures can be of anything: a loved one who is facing foreclosure, the business suit you don't wear anymore, the pothole on your street that still hasn't been filled, the clever sign outside your neighborhood church, the gash in your hand you stitched up yourself with fishing wire (although we'd recommend you not do that).
The only limit is your imagination, as they say. You can upload the photos on our website; just follow the instructions online. You can also record an audio message that describes your photo or tells a story about how the recession is affecting you. The deadline is April 15, tax day.

go to wweek.com/shuttered to upload your entry.

All entries will appear online. Our favorite entries will appear in the paper soon. The best entry will win a grand prize.
Questions? Email Beth Slovic at bslovic@wweek.com

WWeek 2015

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