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Brandon Washington<\/strong> <\/em>– PDX People -Photo by – Josh McKenzie<\/a><\/p>\n

The ratio of people we\u2019ve interviewed for this column who spent most, if not all, of their life in Portland is few and far between. In fact, other than Brandon Washington there\u2019s only one<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Brandon, however, has called Portland home since he was one-year-old, though he did live in Chicago for five years before coming back to Portland because \u201cit was just too damn cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the course of his life, Brandon has seen his city change in both dramatic and profound ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love Portland,\u201d he says, \u201cI love the way the city is built and the way it looks. It\u2019s a really beautiful city.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet, as some people go, so may a city; could that beauty be only skin deep?<\/p>\n

\u201cPortland is not without its problems,\u201d he adds. \u201cI\u2019ve always had a problem with the lack of cultural diversity and gentrification. Those have been a huge problem for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a problem for one big, obvious reason. \u201cI don\u2019t even live in Portland anymore! I was priced right out of my neighborhood,\u201d he exclaims from his living room in Vancouver, Washington.<\/p>\n

He pauses before coming to quite an unfortunate conclusion.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kind of sick to say it, but it\u2019s happening everywhere. It is what it is, but what are we going to do about it?\u201d he finishes with a resigned shrug.<\/p>\n

Although Portland\u2019s ingrained ills give him pause, Brandon still finds plenty to love in the Rose City, especially \u2013 get ready for the big surprise \u2013 in the summer<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love it in the summer,\u201d he says as freezing rain falls outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love the people<\/em> in the summer,\u201d he goes on to emphasize, tacitly acknowledging something we all know: Portlanders shed their leaves and dig in their roots in the winter, but blossom in the summer.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, whether indoors or out, summer or winter, Brandon enjoys a number of activities.<\/p>\n

First, I point out his hat.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah,\u201d he says with a laugh, \u201cI\u2019m a huge \u2018Blazers fan. This is the second year I\u2019ve gotten partial season passes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The topic of gentrification is bad enough, let alone a beloved home team crashing and burning after an unexpectedly great year, so I decide to merely smile and nod before moving on to his other hobbies.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting out of the city is great, I like to do that once a month or so, maybe go to the coast or the mountain on a short little weekend trip,\u201d he says. \u201cBut I also like to spend some quiet time at home. Where I work, I am talking to people all day, so it\u2019s nice to come home and be able to relax.\u201d<\/p>\n

Talking to people all day is par for the course as an assistant manager at New Seasons Market. \u201cI love the people I work with and supporting local farms is important,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Above all else, Brandon makes time for what he loves the most, and what he wants to do more of, and that\u2019s to laugh. \u201cThey say kids smile and laugh four or five times more than adults and I want to get back to that,\u201d he says\u2026 with a laugh.<\/p>\n

Serving as the PDX People Laughter Ambassador, Brandon Washington\u2019s smile lights the way, whether helping customers at New Seasons or cheering on an ailing home team. Portland could always use more of that warmth during these dark, frigid winter days. For that, we thank him.<\/p>\n

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William Bessette<\/strong> \u2013 PDX People Contributor<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>William Bessette is a journalist and freelance writer who has been covering politics, entertainment, culture and travel for over thirteen years. When he\u2019s not profiling Portland-area restaurants and residents, you can find him reporting on national and international travel and eco-tourism through his travel brand, <\/em><\/strong>Floppy Hat Adventures<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Follow William on: <\/strong> Facebook<\/u><\/a>\u00a0, Twitter<\/u><\/a>\u00a0 Connect with William on:<\/strong> LinkedIn<\/u><\/a>
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