Genny Nelson–In Memorium

Dear Sisters of the Road community,

We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of co-founder Genny Nelson. For decades Genny served many roles; from community organizer, to cook, to Executive Director. Genny always led with a gentle, yet formidable presence, centering Sisters’ work on the core principles of gentle personalism, nonviolence, and the practice of dining with dignity. Genny Nelson embodied community-led organizing through every aspect of her activism–reminding us always, to not do for others what they can do for themselves.

Here is a message from Pepe Espinoza, Sisters of the Road, Roadies Coordinator

“To talk about Genny Nelson is to talk about Systemic Change, because the very moment she directly asked a group of people already living in isolation, segregated by ‘society’ and excluded by government, what would be good to have covered in their everyday needs, she demonstrated what true community organizing means. It is to alleviate isolation (of all kinds) by creating alternatives, while deconstructing self-oppressive systems. Sisters of the Road is an example of Systemic Change. This is reflected in Sisters’ barter work program, practice in creating authentic relationships, nourishing food for all, and non violent practices. Genny Nelson is an inspiration for all of us who she crossed paths with. We all have a ray of her sunshine walking with us and lighting our next step, she belongs in every heart she touched.”

Here is a message from Betsy Glickman, Associate Director of Sisters of the Road

“Love. Is the strongest word that I had ever heard as a child, and I never understood the full meaning of until I became an adult. Love, to me, is something that is tangible. It is a feeling that can be so hard and also deeply rewarding. Genny Nelson loved deeply, truly, and without judgment. Genny could walk into a room and you could feel her love anywhere in that room, and after she left, it lingered. It was tangible. Her legacy is rooted in love. One of the beliefs that Sisters started with is that love is free and should be given out as such. That all people deserve to feel loved. Food is a love language that resonates across race, class, language, gender, sexuality, religious views, and trauma. Access to nourishing food, prepared with love, served with love, in a space that is loving, is a gift that Genny gave to an uncountable number of people. People who typically don’t feel as though they count. The loss of Genny is something that I personally will feel for the rest of my life, but the legacy that has been left inspires my passion to continue to help lead in an organization that is rooted in love. Genny embarrassed me in one of our last in-person meetings and told me, a phrase that she had said to me so many times over the years of knowing her: “Always risk loving someone. They are worth it, and so are you.”

 
Here is a message to all of our supporters from Sisters’ Director from 2001-2013, Monica Beemer:

Genny and I began working together at Sisters in 2001. My first week at Sisters was September the week after 9/11. It was very apparent to me how important the Cafe was to 100’s of people who came there for not only a good meal but the safety and care of people knowing who you are. All of that came from Genny, but was passed on to all of us. Genny was the Co-Director of Systemic Change at that time and started the community organizing and research project, Crossroads. She and a team that included Shani Abel, Orion Gray, Ibrahim Mubarak, Jamie Manuel, and several other people over time interviewed 600 people, one-to-one, in three-hour interviews about their experience with houselessness.

It was important to Genny that we said one-to-one and not one-on-one, because of the importance of words. Genny would interview people in their tents. Chrissy Washburn told me about sitting with Genny, freezing her butt off for the 3-hours, and learning so much. This information became the Voices from the Street book and database, which were used across the country, and further, as this was unique data. Nobody had ever asked houseless folks about their experience in this way in the United States. Genny knew how important these voices were. It was how Sisters was founded–by asking people what was important to them and what was needed. Genny used to say “if people would have said a laundry mat, Sisters would be a laundry mat.” Whenever people asked me how to open a Sisters I always said, “you have to ask the people what’s needed and then do it, otherwise you won’t be like Sisters at all.” That was hard for most people as they really wanted to open a Cafe.

Genny used to say, “when we finally find the will and end homelessness, then Sisters will just be the best damn coffee house in town.” Ending homelessness was always the goal and that is so important. We were going to work for justice and put ourselves out of a job at the same time.

Genny brought the philosophies of nonviolence and gentle-personalism to Sisters and made sure that we were always studying, discussing, and reflecting on what these mean–especially in the Cafe but also in how we ran our organization. Gentle-personalism was borrowed from the Catholic Worker movement and was about the power of authentic relationships to help ensure that we always stand up for each other’s rights and freedoms–based in our love for each other. We would sit down every morning in a circle and check-in. It meant stopping and taking turns listening to how everyone was doing. People who had come in early to do barter work in exchange for a meal, to get out of the cold and to be with the Sisters’ family, would often talk about how they were kicked awake by police moving them along, or harassed in some other way just hours before.

Sisters became the embodiment of the philosophies that first came from Genny, which changed as we continued to grow and learn through our work and our relationships. We added in systemic change, anti-oppression, and racial justice when it was clear that you cannot have nonviolence without struggling for these. Genny said “how we do what we did is more important than what we do,” though the most important thing is to listen to Sisters’ customers and do what is most needed based on that input.

The impact on each of us touched by close contact with Genny and Sisters was and still is profound, making each of us better people. The impact on our neighborhood and City cannot be overstated as well. Sisters is a north star for building authentic relationships, standing up for each other’s rights, listening and learning, and being accountable when you need to. We are all changed for the better because of Genny’s life and legacy. It was an honor to get to work beside her. Thank you, Genny.

~Monica Beemer

We at Sisters are currently in communication with the family about next steps for honoring Genny’s life and what they would like to share at this time. They have requested that if people would like to contribute in honor of Genny to do so by donating to Sisters of the Road.

Donate to Sisters in honor of Genny

Thank you to all who have reached out. We feel so loved by all of you and look forward to memorializing the incredible and powerful impact Genny had on all of us and our community. If you would like to share a memory or message about Genny please email us at info@sistersoftheroad.org or mail us at 133 NW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97209. We will be collecting messages to share with the community and family as part of future memorial recognition.

 

 

Food Justice in One Hundred Seconds