"The initial offense could have maintained a shield of plausible deniability- dismissed as an unfortunate use of a common phrase between people when having a misunderstanding. Instead the Duolingo-style apology, in which Nolan noted that they "disrespected [his] heritage," read as cringeworthy; becoming a case study in a common affliction that befalls my hometown-called "Portland Nice™.""
"Navigating Portland as a Person of Melanin means I am in constant contact with Portland Nice. It's the veneer of embrace, acceptance, camaraderie, and oftentimes repentance. It's the priority of keeping up appearances-of being pleasant or agreeable-or "down" without the actual demonstration to back it. It often requires us to develop a sort of fluency in what is said, and what is meant."
Metro Councilor Mary Nolan asked Latino Councilor Juan Carlos González to repeat himself in English despite him already speaking English during a public meeting. Two days later, Nolan apologized from the dais, delivering the apology first in Spanish and then in English, noting she had disrespected his heritage. This performative response exemplifies Portland Nice—a regional phenomenon characterized by superficial pleasantness and acceptance without substantive backing. For people of color navigating Portland, Portland Nice represents a veneer of embrace and camaraderie that prioritizes maintaining appearances over genuine action on racial and political matters, requiring constant navigation between what is said and what is actually meant.
Read at Portland Mercury
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