Report Back

A huge thank you to Black Water for hosting and their incredible crew (support all ages venues)!  It was a heart explodingly beautiful night and community rallied collectively!  In organizing events, even being something like this and a bday bash for SGC, it's not about the organizer.  We organize events to create another opportunity for community to rally, to connect with comrades, to create space for coalition building, new friendships and to connect community with vital resources.  That's what it's all about and we experienced that happening in multitudes during the event.

Incredible sets from Mids and Halfbird as always, a beautiful Butoh performance from Haley Jensen in collaboration with Yardsss ∅∀‡, an absolutely vital skillshare from Missy Rohs of Arctos School (check out the school and all of the rad workshops they organize) on chemical weapons aftercare, comrades from Institute of Anarchist Studies, Defense Fund PDX and Sunnyside Shower Project all tabling, zine distro from SGC and Rose City Distro (the distro table was almost empty by the end!) and the film screening of It's Revolution or Death Part III: Reclaiming the World Wherever We Stand from our amazing comrades at Sub Media.

What an absolutely beautiful and perfect night in community.  We (as in you!) collectively raised over $700 for Defense Fund PDX on the door alone!  Thank you to everyone whether present or supporting from afar, it truly means everything and IS everything.

We have a lot of announcements and upcoming events in the queue so stay tuned.

Thank you for being in community with us and we with you.

Love and solidarity forever - XO SGC

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SGC Presents
Saturday, February 7th 2026
Black Water (5115 NE Sandy Blvd PDX)
7:00 PM
All Ages

Benefiting
Defense Fund PDX

Bands
Yardsss ∅∀‡
Halfbird
Mids

Tabling
Defense Fund PDX
Institute For Anarchist Studies
Sunnyside Shower Project
National Lawyers Guild
Portland Mutual Aid
Self Group Collective

Skillshare
National Lawyers Guild - Know Your Rights
Missy Rohs of Arctos School - Chemical Weapons Aftercare

Cold Weather Supply Collection
We're collecting cold weather gear and other mutual aid supply donations for Sunnyside Shower Project.

Film
We'll be showing It's Revolution or Death Part III: Reclaiming the World Wherever We Stand from Sub Media via Channel Zero Network between doors and show start with subtitles.

Downloadable Poster - JPG / PDF

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Yardsss ∅∀‡
"On September 11, Portland experimental group Yardsss ∅∀‡ will release their new album, Cultus via Self Group. The album is a trio of extended improvisational pieces that prominently feature drones, dissonance and an ominous aura, bringing to mind the epic and eerie sounds of Godspeed You! Black Emperor or the no wave symphonies of Glenn Branca. It’s at times chaotic, beautiful and overwhelming, and today they’ve shared the lead track from the album, titled “Cultus II.” It’s a pulsing piece of dark psychedelia, underscored by a krautrock pulse, that builds up into something powerful and hypnotic, eventually boiling over into a climactic post-rock roar." - Treble Zine

Halfbird
Halfbird is a noise jazz / punk maximalist improv trio from Portland, OR composed of Grant Pierce (Young Hunter, June Rose) on drums, Brandon Conway (former president of the Creative Music Guild) on guitar and Ben Kates (Thicket, Orchestra Becomes Radicalized) on saxes. Their music is a maximalist mix of chromaticism, layered tempos, and walls of noise all shaped together into intuitive forms via active listening and luck. Halfbird has played with and/or shared the stage with the likes of Kelli Schaeffer, Ava Mendoza, CSTMR, The Social Stomach, Arrington De Dionyso, Inhalant, Dead Airfresheners, Sea Moss, Yardsss and many more since forming in 2014. Halfbird have released five albums (available at halfbird.bandcamp.com) and have toured the west coast as well as western Canada. 

Mids
The new duo project from Nicholas Quiller and Michael Fisher previously of The Wild Body.

Defense Fund PDX
We’re an anti-State anti-repression org in PDX that focuses on prioritizing SW'er, BIPOC & queer folx in jail and people impacted by the PIC.

Institute For Anarchist Studies
The Institute for Anarchist Studies (IAS), established in 1996 to support the development of anarchism, is a grant-giving organization for radical writers and translators worldwide. To date, we have funded well over a hundred projects by authors from countries around the world. Equally important, we publish the Anarchist Interventions book series in collaboration with AK Press and Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative, the print and online journal Perspectives on Anarchist Theory, the Lexicon pamphlet series, and an Anarchist Imaginations series of books in collaboration with AK Press that began with Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements.  We organize educational events and in the past, the Renewing the Anarchist Tradition conference. The IAS is part of a larger movement to radically transform society. We are internally democratic and work in solidarity with people around the globe who share our values.

Sunnyside Shower Project
Sunnyside Shower Project is a Sunnyside Neighborhood Association Community Cares Committee program, fiscally sponsored by Southeast Uplift (SEUL). We are a volunteer-powered mutual aid project rooted in care, connection, and respect for our unhoused and housing-insecure neighbors in Southeast Portland. Through free showers, hygiene supplies, clean clothing, laundry access, and connections to supportive resources, we meet immediate needs while honoring each person’s dignity and humanity. Our space is low-barrier, welcoming, and judgment-free—a place where everyone can be seen, heard, and valued. By building trust and meaningful connections, we nurture a stronger, more compassionate neighborhood for all.

National Lawyers Guild
The National Lawyers Guild is dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system. Through its members—lawyers, law students, jailhouse lawyers and legal workers united in chapters and committees—the Guild works locally, nationally and internationally as an effective political and social force in the service of the people.

Portland Mutual Aid
Portland Mutual Aid Network started in the summer of 2020 in direct response to the needs of the unhoused community in downtown Portland, Oregon.  We are an all-volunteer mutual aid group distributing food, survival supplies, and personal care products weekly. The people we serve define what we do and what we offer. We are always looking to Engage — Listen — Respond.

Arctos School
The Arctos School of Herbal and Botanical Studies offers classes in plant medicine, botanical identification, mushroom foraging, community herbalism, and more in and around Portland, Oregon. Our bioregional approach to herbalism grows from our commitment to social justice. We believe that empowered, caring communities are preventative medicine. In our classes, you will learn to start seeing ecosystems: the ways that flora, fungi, and fauna live together and depend on each other in a dynamic environment. We introduce our students to plants that they can build relationships with, that can become their friends and allies for life.

A coalition benefit organized by Self Group Collective, Sunnyside Shower Project and The Nest Lounge.

Originally this event was planned as a benefit specifically for the Belmont Community Free Fridge to raise $1,600.00 needed to pay for and challenge PP&D's citation against it due to a complaint filed by a community member. This is the second complaint filed, the first with PBOT.  After we had worked through the PBOT citation and moved the fridge and housing from its original location with a written guarantee it would be safe from further fines or citations this second complaint was filed against the fridge in its new location.  See: NIMBY.

In reviewing our options to dispute the decision we came to the conclusion that we couldn’t justify raising and spending that much money even if it resulted in delaying their decision and potentially affording a couple of additional months of the fridge's existence as-is. We don't have an alternative space to move the fridge and housing on the property to meet the requirement as cited by PP&D.  The citation deadline for removal or "compliance" is December 17th.

So we decided to pivot and make this very last minute benefit and fundraiser for a community free fridge general fund to be distributed to any fridge hosts who currently need to purchase materials, fridges, etc, as well as to community members who want to build and host new fridges/pantries.

There will be a raffle with rad items, gift cards, etc, donated by amazing local businesses, bands, orgs tabling, SGC will be tabling with free zines, posters, buttons, stickers and more.

If you'd like more info on how to establish and organize a free fridge and/or pantry check out PDX Free Fridge.

Whether you can make it out for this or not, love & solidarity forever - SGC/SSP/Nest

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Details
Saturday, December 13th
@ The Nest (2715 SE Belmont, PDX)
5:00 PM Doors / 6:00 PM Event Starts

Tabling
Self Group Collective
Sunnyside Shower Project
Renters Action Network
Rock Shop Rescue
PDX Free Fridge

Bands / DJ
Elle Archer (of Shaylee)
AC Sapphire 
+ DJ/curated playlist

Raffle Prizes From
Aerosol Smith / Art
Wayfinder / $40 Gift Card
Boneyard / Skateboard Deck
Blutos / $50 Gift Card
PBR / Blazers Tickets
50 Licks / $25 Gift Card
Foxtrot / T-Shirt & Hoodie
Straight From New York Pizza / $50 Gift Card
Zach's Shack / $50 Gift Card
Rachel Joy Rockey MS, LPC, Polyvagal Consultant / One Free Therapy Session
Flash Tattoo Gift Card

If you'd like to donate remotely you can do so to SGC via:
Venmo: @sgcpdx
Paypal: info@selfgroup.org

* We will post financial info including the total donated from the event as well as where the money was disbursed here.

Report Back:
What an incredible event and showing of community support for the PDX citywide free fridge project!  This was entirely organized in less than a week and everyone rallied to make it happen on an extremely short timeline.  Coalition building, connectivity, skill-sharing and overall participation in the many aspects and areas required for these benefits are always the cornerstones and there were so many more involved in varying aspects behind the scenes.  It's forever beautiful to see the care and solidarity that's ever-present always but exemplified and illuminated that much more in spaces like this.

Amazing sets from AC Sapphire and Elle Archer of Shaylee, tabling by comrades from Rock Shop Rescue, Renters Action Network, PDX Free Fridge fam, Sunnyside Shower Project and Self Group Collective.  A huge thank you to the many, many, many local businesses and individuals who donated items for the raffle!  Truly incredible to see the tables filled with that support showing up for the general fund so we as a community can maintain these direct and immediate resources and means to support one another.  Thank YOU!

In total together we collectively raised $857.93 for the free fridge general fund!

Love & solidarity forever - SGC/SSP/Nest

Next Event: SGC BDAY Bash on Saturday, January 31st at Black Water

Sunday, November 16th at SGC Haus (SE 28th & Belmont PDX) from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM!  If you're interested in volunteering, contributing food or donating cold weather supplies feel free to email us at info@selfgroup.org.  Love & solidarity forever - SGC

SGC artists including Kelli Schaefer, Yardsss, Southerly, Healersss and Disappearersss, among others, pull catalogs from Spotify to boycott CEO and co-founder Daniel Ek's multi-million dollar investment in German military software development company Helsing who create AI-driven autonomous weapons systems.  A company Ek has now been appointed Chairman of.

You can still find our catalog on other streaming services as well as Bandcamp and soon via Subvert which will be our primary platform for streaming and digital downloads.

More about Ek and Helsing via:

https://www.thefader.com/2025/07/29/all-artists-bands-boycotting-spotify

https://mixmag.net/read/spotify-ceo-daniel-ek-pledges-600-million-investment-into-ai-defence-company-news/

Launched on October 24th 2025, a new continuous series in the same vein as Ignis, Exitus and Epithets.  Tracks are posted in real time directly after dual writing and recording sessions.

All pieces written and recorded simultaneously at Sonic Sandbox (Portland, OR) with either no or minimal prior orchestration. This project culminates as successive live posting of album tracks as they're written, each individually. Once the full release feels it has reached its natural conclusion the full album will be released via other platforms.

Donating is not mandatory but should you choose to 100% of proceeds from this release benefit Defense Fund PDX.

Stream + Download via www.selfgroup.bandcamp.com.

Post-Art, Musicology

ØØØ = solo
∅∀‡ = full band

We'll be tabling with free copies of Collectivist Zine, stickers, buttons and posters alongside so many amazing collectives and comrades.  Hope to see you there!

More Info

A monthly mood tracker workbook zine.  All content borrowed from Dr Faith G Harper PHD, ACS, ACN, author of the "Unfuck Your..." series available via Microcosm Publishing.  HIGHLY SUGGESTED!

Let's face it, we're all going through it.  For us, having a tool in zine format in our backpacks to track our emotional responses from experiential interactions throughout our days is extremely handy to identify our entry-points and do the work to unravel patterns and establish even healthier coping strategies.

PRINT-READY PDF

www.faithgharper.com
www.microcosmpublishing.com

Love & Solidarity Forever,

SGC

The first annual Unfair Fair is happening on Saturday, June 28th 2025!  There's also a TON of RAD events happening, no matter what you attend you'll be support local orgs, creative fam and community!

Events 6/28:
Unfair Fair Bloc Party - SE Belmont between SE 27th and SE 29th
Rad Pride - Wilshire Park
Friends of Noise Show - The Off Beat parking lot
Just Friends Collective house show & benefit - see their IG for location

Basics
SE Belmont between SE 27th > SE 29th
12:00 - 3:00 PM @ SGC Haus
3:00 PM - Late @ The Nest, Bare Bones, The Vern

A coalition neighborhood bloc party on SE Belmont (SE 27th - SE 29th) including The Nest, Bare Bones, The Vern and SGC Haus featuring bands, DJ's, art, graff demo, mutual aid and orgs tabling, vendors, food pop-ups, flash tattoo pop-ups and more.

Starts at 12:00 PM at SGC Haus (NE corner of SE Belmont & 28th), everything else launches at 3:00 PM.

Though this is a free vent SGC Haus is encouraging donations to and benefitting Street Roots: www.streetroots.org.  Founded in 1999, Street Roots is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization in Portland, Oregon, that publishes a weekly social justice newspaper sold by people experiencing homelessness and poverty to earn an income. 

Follow SGC on Instagram for announcements.

In love and solidarity,

SGC

We highly recommend checking out our amazing comrades at Sprout Distro who host hundreds of incredible Anarchist zines covering a wide range of subjects.

A handful of the vitally important zines put out by our comrades at Crimethinc.  Please support them and as always we forever recommend getting a copy of To Change Everything, An Anarchist Appeal.  We stock these in the Free Library as well.

www.crimethinc.com

Strategizing to Stop Mass Deportations
The Case for Resistance
​Anarchist Techno Attacks
​The Eye of Every Storm
​How to Organize an Assembly

Description: In advance of READ PALESTINE WEEK 2024, Publishers for Palestine is releasing a digital chapbook and abbreviated zine version of And Still We Write: Recent Work by Palestinian Poets & Actions You Can Take to Stop Genocide Now.

From the introduction:
“These poems and reflections do not exist separately from their authors, nor from the place and time in which they were composed. They are not here for passive reading. And so, at the end of this collection, we leave you with suggested actions.

​As poet Rasha Abdulhadi has written: ‘Wherever you are, whatever sand you can throw on the gears of genocide, do it now.’”

Credits: Publishers4Palestine

Link:
https://publishersforpalestine.org/2024/11/19/launching-and-still-we-write-an-anthology-of-new-work-from-and-centering-gaza/​

Frigid winter temps expected in Portland from at least February 10th-14th which can cause frostbite and in extreme cases death due to long term exposure.  Please help share this info with our houseless neighbors so they can find warm shelter, supplies and resources.

All Tri-Met buses and public transportation won't turn anyone away due to lack of fare who are seeking transit to warming shelters.  More info and resources via Multnomah County website: multco.us/programs/care-when-its-cold

SE
PDX Saints Love / 247 SE 82nd Ave / www.pdxsaintslove.org
Ascension Catholic Church / 743 SE 76th Ave / www.ascensionpdx.org
Grand Oak Shelter Multnomah County / 342 SE Grand Ave

NW
Do Good Multnomah / 600 NW 14th Ave / www.dogoodmultnomah.org

NE
Transition Projects /  1815 NE 43rd Ave / www.tprojects.org

North / St Johns
Charles Jordan Community Center / 9009 N Foss Ave / www.portland.gov/parks/charles-jordan-community-center

Gresham
Cultivate Initiatives / 19421 SE Stark St / www.cultivateinitiatives.org

This Failed State
6/27/2024
by SEVA

​Aspiration
Without inspiration
Devoid
No failsafe
In this failed state
Busyness
As momentum
Hoping for meaningful causation
Result
Hoping for accidental succession
Fallout
Sidetracked
Hoping for alignment
These continuous attempts
To do our best
To best our best
At being human
Failure
Again and again
Moments
Simple seconds
Without thought
In the gaps between
I try to remain there
As long as I'm able
Hoping to avoid intrusion
But there it is
Human
I am
Human
With fleeting optimism
We are always
​Human
Complicating simplicity
Dissecting beauty
Tempting superficiality
Tell me something real
Tell me something true
One simple moment
With ease
When we truly become
​Human
Exemplified
And to one another
​Uncomplicated