Saturday, July 22, 2023
-
21+ Only
Peninsula Park , Inner NE between Ainsworth and Rosa Parks
Meet up near the gazebo, look for Dede memorial blanket.
Emmett Rose
Sat, Jul 22, 2023, 4:15 PM
Start meeting up around 4:15/4:20pm and ride out around 5pm
Ride is a loop
This ride is in honor and in memory of Dede Desperate Willis. Our dear sweet Dede passed away under tragic circumstances back in Dec. 2021. Their death was not treated with care by authorities and we will likely never really know what truly happened, or get proper justice for them. It was such a tragic fight, we eventually had to abandon for our own survival/wellbeing. So many of us have had a tough time since losing them like that, and many of us have been isolated and grieving separately through the pandemic. This ride will be an opportunity to come together and ride for Dede, and to remember the good times we had with them. Riding around the old NE neighborhood that was our old stomping grounds, we can laugh and joke and have some joy in the ways we used to when Dede was still here with us and would rally a bunch of us for rides back when life was fun! Dede was a great friend and loved having fun in the sun at the local rivers/lakes, riding bikes, BBQ'n and hanging with friends at their place, taking cute pictures with their huge dogs, listening to music, dancing, performing in drag, smoking and laughing, working hard and getting good grades in school, and they were very passionate about their work with queer youth and houseless folks. They were and are still loved by so many of us in the Portland queer community. We miss them so very much! If you knew Dede and/or feel called to come ride in their memory, we will be meeting up at Peninsula Park north of the Rose garden by the gazebo. I (Emmett Rose) will be leading the ride and playing music on my bike. We will meet up around 420 and hang for a short bit (look for the Dede memorial blanket), get ready to go and wait for stragglers. Then starting around 5pm we will take a relatively short ride around the surrounding NE neighborhood that will eventually loop back around to the park where we started. We might have a small dance party at the park when we get back if we're feeling it. Hope to see you there friends and queer/trans community! We sure did loose a real trans fem gem. RIP Dede Desperate Willis ????????????
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