39th Avenue officially becomes Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard
NOT EVERYONE WAS CHEERING
By David F. Ashton The Bee, Mar 2, 2010
The unveiling of the new street sign begins, at the ceremony near S.E. Hawthorne Boulevard. David F. Ashton / THE BEE (PICTURE CAPTION; PIC NOT INCLUDED)
Although the mood was celebratory, at the official “public commemoration and unveiling celebration” — changing the name of 39th Avenue officially to Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard — not everyone there was cheering.Eric Fruits, president of the Laurelwood Neighborhood Association, watched as celebrants, officials, and invited guests streamed into Central Christian Church’s parking lot, a couple of blocks south of S.E. Hawthorne Boulevard“This affects Reed, Woodstock, and other neighborhoods, just like it does ours,” Fruits commented. “Our neighbors are still pretty upset about this. They feel like this process was kind of a ‘railroad job’.”Fruits acknowledged that, with the City’s blessing and support, the name change would stick. “We’re still trying to move on. When we do, we’ll work on some kind of compromise. It’ll probably be working with neighborhoods along the street to get a grant for ‘sign toppers’ saying something like ‘Historic 39th Avenue’ atop the street sign, and allow Cesar Chavez as the official name of the street.”Before the celebration ceremony, Portland Mayor Sam Adams stopped to speak with reporters.“This is for recognition,” Adams began. “Symbols are important. Changing symbols are always controversial. I want to thank Portlanders on all sides of this issue who, you know, voiced their opinions honestly and passionately. Today we honor a great American. We provide recognition that this is a more diverse city. And I think that makes us a stronger city.”Asked about how polls show many people along the street are still against the name change, Adams responded, “Absolutely. I understand and respect, you know, all sides. I listen to all sides. But I come down passionately on the side of renaming the street for a great American.”THE BEE asked Adams about the confusion of changing this north-south avenue to a boulevard — when all avenues in our part of town run north and south — and almost all boulevards are aligned east and west.“When we change a name, and we do it rarely, it is confusing,” Adams agreed. “People will get used to it. There will be a period of confusion, but people will catch on.”“Why not just call it an avenue?” we followed up.“The committee requested it be called a boulevard, consistent with Martin Luther King Boulevard; so, we made the decision to approve the request,” Adams said.Inside the church’s sanctuary, addressing a largely Hispanic audience, Mayor Sam Adams thanked “the scrappy group of applicants who persevered through the process. This is a controversial undertaking. I want to knowledge the folks along the street who passionately and genuinely and constructively expressed their concerns. We appreciate your willingness to engage, and to be here is fantastic. This will become, in time, I believe, an opportunity to bring the City together.”From the pulpit, Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz said, “Names matter a lot. I hope the good energy in this room will help heal and unite people and it will create a welcoming atmosphere for all Portlanders.”Most speakers read quotes attributed to Cesar Chavez, to begin or end their speech.Community member William Schneider said he fought long and hard against the renaming of a 39th Ave. “Now I’ve made peace with it and want celebrate the renaming of this street to Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard.”Ramon Ramirez, President of the Oregon Farm Workers Union, told the group, “This isn’t about naming a street, it’s about pride, it’s about bringing justice, it’s about bringing recognition.”The speeches were punctuated the chanted phrase, “Sí Se Puede!” [Yes We Can!] — the motto Cesar Chavez devised during his 1972 fast — and the phrase that attracted media attention as a rally cry during the 2006 United States immigration reform protests.Serena Cruz-Walsh, former Multnomah County Commissioner, told the attentive audience, “What the symbol means for Hispanic children is this: It means that they grew up believing that they’re a valued part of the integrated fabric of this community. “They grew up with a President who is African American. Their understanding of roles in society will be different than those of the rest of us who grew up differently.”Although the name change is now official, there is a five-year phase-in period in which both names will appear on street signposts.