12 Days That Shook the City A dozen moments in 2017 challenged Portland’s illusions about itself and the city’s future.
October 14: The Thorns Win Their Second National Championship Thorns matches were a beacon of feminist solidarity—a place where even the losses were worthy of celebration.
September 2: The Columbia River Gorge Catches Fire Few events have ever summoned so many fears at once.
August 2: Shoukhrat Mitalipov Edits Embryo Genes at OHSU Mitalipov’s research promises the possibility of eradicating genetic disease one embryo at a time—a lead foot on the gas pedal of evolution.
June 13: Aminé Makes the Cover of XXL Magazine Only three years ago, hip-hop in Portland was invisible on the national stage, and practically outlawed within the city itself.
June 4: Portlanders Confront White Nationalists Over Free Speech Eight days after the MAX stabbings, Portlanders stood united against a movement that thrived on hate.
May 26: Jeremy Christian Slays Two Men Who Interrupted His Racial Ranting on a MAX Train The attack transfixed Portlanders and people across the nation because the train seemed to hold the best and worst of this city.
May 17: WW Reviews Kooks Burritos, and a War Over Cultural Appropriation Breaks Out Within two hours, the women received death threats on their Instagram pages, then death threats on their personal cellphones.
February 27: Rod Underhill Moves to Defelonize Possession of Small Amounts of Hard Drugs The most meaningful criminal justice reform in Oregon occurred quietly on the streets of Portland.