Testimony for City Council - July 22

Hi friends.

My name is Jacob Hoopes. I use he and they pronouns and live in the Arbor Lodge neighborhood of District 2.

I've had the great pleasure to join you all in this space many dozens of times over this last year. City Council chambers have become for me a space where I go to relax and let other folks be stressed about the state of the city and our collective future. My first visits to these halls were not made from passion - they were made from something like desperation. I was looking for a place to find meaning and to survive.

I've been doing community work for a long time, but this last year kicked that into high gear. I have been so grateful to become aware of these hidden systems that structure so much of the fabric of our lives. I did the first part of a graduate program in Urban and Regional Planning at PSU, volunteered for dozens of events and community organizations, and have been immensely plugged into the ongoing work of Council.

Tonight is my last night in Portland for a while. The limited freedom that has sustained me will end tomorrow. I will self-surrender to the federal prison system, where I will serve my community in a different way, for two and a half years.

You have changed my life. I am so grateful. You will see me again. Thank you for everything. Goodbye.