Besa Gordon uplifts Portland’s Black voices on her TV show Back2Besa
Besa Gordon, Abby Plaatjes and Dr. Robin Beavers wave outside of Providence Park (the home of the Portland Timbers and Thorns) in Portland, Oregon (Photo Dominique Whittaker).
Not long ago, Back2Besa and HITS 106.1 Seattle Host Besa Gordon hopped on the Amtrak to Portland, Oregon with her production team and Tanzanian Radio Host on MjiniFM Abby Plaatjes to tell some of the stories of Portland’s Black community. It was a trip which showcased the culture and community that has been built in the Rose City, and the stories Gordon was able to tell are truly remarkable. From the city’s sports teams to one of the top-rated Black-owned restaurants on the West Coast, Gordon took it all in as she highlighted what makes Portland so special.
“You see all these stories about Portland, but it’s never the stories of the people who were actually born and raised here,” Portland Thorns and Timbers VP of Community and Social Impact Dr. Robin Beavers said. “Besa coming down here and being able to tell those stories was really special. I’m hoping that her doing that and uplifting Black folks is what can help us find commonalities and uplift our community.”
Even though Gordon isn’t a Portland native, she quickly found that those commonalities tied her experiences with those who’ve called the Rose City home for decades. Beavers was impressed by her ability to dive in and tell “real Portland stories” as she worked to uplift the work being done by some remarkable individuals.
“We love having Besa come down,” DJ OG One said. “Having her at the Moda Center was a great time and it was cool to see the ways she’s working to bring our stories to TV.”
Besa Gordon and Abby Plaatjes link up with the official DJ of the Portland Trailblazers DJ OG One at the Moda Center (Photos Dominique Whittaker)
Having Plaates alongside her was a big deal for Gordon as well. The two radio hosts connected in a major way on the trip, bonding over their love of media and impressing those they spoke with. Dr. Beavers hit it off with Plaatjes as well after mentioning an upcoming trip to Rwanda.
“I love that they shared the experience of coming down here together. So often as Black women, we don’t support each other. That was great to see,” Dr. Beavers said. “They didn't just ask questions just about Portland. They asked questions about what's it like being a Black woman here and I could tell they really wanted to dive into the experience.”
Besa Gordon connected with Portland Thorns and Timbers VP of Community and Social Impact Dr. Robin Beavers at Providence Park (Photos Dominique Whittaker)
Gordon also headed to the Trap Kitchen PDX, a restaurant well-known in Portland for having some of the best soul food and fusions around. Located at the historic Roseland Theater, it was an experience Gordon and Plaates will not soon forget.
“I love the Trap Kitchen,” Gordon said. “They always cook up some food and treat me like family. I can’t wait to get back there.”
The visit to the Trap Kitchen was also another stop on Gordon’s journey to experience the “real Portland”.
“People always do Voodoo Doughnuts and all this stuff. And I'm like, That's not Portland,” Dr. Beavers said. “I love that they got the Trap Kitchen, they found OG One they came and talked to me.”
Gordon has previously visited Portland to tell the stories of former NBA star Channing Frye’s Chosen Family Wines as well as Our Legacy Harvested, an organization which aims to open doors within the wine industry. You can find those segments below as well.
The segments aired on Back2Besa on FOX 13 Seattle, and you can find them below as well. It was a trip full of open arms and a deep dive into one of the Northwest’s most blossoming cities.
Make sure to tune into Back2Besa on FOX 13 Seattle every Saturday at 10:30 pm and stream the replay on Sundays at 10 am on FOX 13+. You can also find previous episodes here and make sure to visit the FOX 13 website or download the FOX 13 + app to watch the show if you’re outside of Seattle.
