When most people think of mermaids, they tend to think of Disney’s Ariel; a pretty maiden with
long flowing hair, sea shells, and a glittery tail. However, this is a western romanticized version
of what is really an ancient elemental being that has been in existence since the first drop of water. Merfolk exist in almost every culture around the world, and they vary in their historical and mythological depictions.

We brought you Carlos the Rollerblader and Spencer Sprocket last month, but the weird just keeps coming! We are honored and excited to announce the winners of our second round of #KeepWeirdAlive grants. Strawberry Pickle and Sundari Devi Franklin aren’t wasting any time while Covid-19 and systemic racism plague our city… they are hard at working making Portland a better place to live.

Our friend and fellow creative Rob Corpuz isn’t taking the extra time he’s spending at home for granted, he’s up to something BIG! You know Rob, he’s the photographer behind our Spirit of Portland photoshoot last summer, a project that brought together luminaries of Portland’s past, present and future for a bright and shining moment during the Proud Boys/Antifa protest.