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Sharon Helms

@sharonhelms.bsky.social
180 followers 408 following 140 posts

plants, poetry, people. accessibility advocate. we keep us safe. PDX. she/her.

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Reposted by Sharon Helms
Justseeds Artists' Cooperative @justseeds.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
New anti-Data Center graphics package just dropped on our free downloads page! justseeds.org/graphic/no-m...
Anti data center graphics package
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samuel @quilombo.eurosky.social · 08/10/2026
Anne Carson.
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aelang.bsky.social @aelang.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
"Luddites are the new avant garde" make art! have ideas! print them! sidestep the slopocalypse!
a 3D printed etching press with a piece of paper on which is printed "Luddites are the new avant garde"
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Professionally Nosy @professionallynosy.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
My Rage Against the Machine/Les Mis mashup is complete. This is my interpretation of the quilt guild’s summer challenge “quilt with your interpretation and/or feelings towards our current ‘democracy’” all hand stitched.
Quilt hanging on a card catalog. Neutral background with navy cursive appliqué “Do you hear thr people sing?” The background is embroidered in red starting light and getting bolder the lyrics to “killing in the name” the quilting effect is a focused sunburst from the center.
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350PDX! @350pdx.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
We need your help this week! For over a year, we’ve been in a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make the dangerous CEI Hub (the 6 mile stretch of fuel tanks along the Willamette River) safer. That policy is in front of City Council this week. Check out this thread to learn how you can help!
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Dr. Jennifer Krauel @freetailed.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Here’s the big reveal of the @xrpdx.bsky.social World on Fire 🔥 truck’s new Data Center art display! This terrifying beauty is out for a test run at waterfront park. Including a bone chilling sound track. Come check it out!
Photo of a large mural of an evil data center. The mural is mounted to the side of the World on Fire truck, parked at the Portland waterfront. In the mural, a large beige square building has logos of data center and AI companies around the words “Data centers suck enormous quantities of water and power and lay our land to waste”. On one side menacing eyes over a water pipe, and the other has eyes over a power cord leading to a power pole. Dead trees line the foreground
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
And from the poet Li-Young Lee
One Heart


Look at the birds. Even flying
is born

out of nothing. The first sky
is inside you, open

at either end of day.
The work of wings

was always freedom, fastening
one heart to every falling thing.
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Thanks for standing up for workers & advocating to give them a seat at the table when decisions about working conditions are made! Didn't see this RTO initiative mentioned in the recent labor contract negotiation, the budget approval process, or the Climate Justice Plan either, wonder why not?
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Thanks for your work on amendments & your "no" vote. Portlanders, Multco residents, Blazers fans deserve better than that backroom billionaire deal. Thanks for fighting for us!
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
@tinakotek.bsky.social Why don't you and your social media team add alternative text to your images? As a public servant, you should be following accessibility guidelines for your communications. Look up the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title II!
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Why don't you and your social media team add alternative text to your images? As a public servant, you should be following accessibility guidelines for your communications. Look up the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title II!
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Great use of cargo bike here.
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Some ideas here from OSU Extension: extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/fs-1...
extension.oregonstate.edu
Blossom-end Rot of Tomatoes
Blossom-end rot appears as a large, gray to black spot at the blossom end of the tomato fruit, the end opposite the stem. This publication discusses the causes of blossom-end rot and suggests methods ...
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Reposted by Sharon Helms
Victoria Rose Richards @aerialembroidery.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
'You'll choke too' - an aerial embroidery landscape inspired by all the wildfires happening right now... I'm upset every time I smell smoke outside and somehow we have people starting them maliciously too! But we all breathe the same air so they'll choke too (1/2 - see thread for close-ups)
An embroidery hoop containing a sewn landscape from above. It shows a forest on the right, a line of fire and charred ground with smoke on the left. The smoke is felted wool.
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ve, the ghost of info past @vortexegg.com · 01/08/2026
Rejecting LLMs isn’t about rejecting their utility or failing to be aware of their power —it’s about rejecting that political project; born out of an awareness that any use of these machines at all promulgates that project and assembles me into adjacent responsibility for its commission.
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jessamyn @librarian.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I work at a public library. People who want to use AI seem to have no trouble doing so. People who don't want to use AI have a harder time. I crowdsourced and then finalized this document "How to disable or avoid intrusive AI" and then gave it a short URL: notoai.org Please pass along if it's useful
An aircraft passenger oxygen mask: a drop down passenger mask with air bag and yellow plastic mouth and nose cover, oxygen tube has been cut; Demonstration model used by flight attendant crew for passenger instruction. Has text on the side indicating that it's non-functional.
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Fischer 🛠️🚇 @fischer.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
if this is going to be the line then fuck these guys
"The arena is only a small piece of that bigger picture," Dewayne Hankins, the Trail Blazers' president of business operations, told the council. "Portland's current stagnant business climate, high income taxes, and divisive political environment make this a tough city to invest in. It makes it harder to sell tickets, secure corporate partnerships and ...
recruit players."
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Portland Bureau of Transportation @pbotinfo.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Congratulations Portland, we did. We just secured the title for Largest Electric Bicycle Ride and Party. With an official count 1060 people on e-bikes (plus more on pedal bikes or riding on an e-bike) we broke Seattle’s record of 405 e-bikes and made Portland history together.
A sea of people line up on SW Naito Parkway wearing helmets and holding their bikes.A person on an e-bike gives a fist bump as they cross the finish line on SW Naito Pkwy.
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Maudi63 @maudi63.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
No matter what kind of day you are having, this👇 will make it better. 🥹 🚲 ❤️
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Anthony Moser @anthonymoser.com · 14/07/2026
google's "why don't you want to use our documentation chatbot" survey offers a pretty good list of reasons not to use their documentation chatbot
popup asking Would you like to use an AI chatbot to help you while browsing this site? Yes / No, with No highlightedpopup survey with all checkboxes checked 

What's the main reason you prefer to read the documentation yourself instead of using an Al chatbot?

I want to read the full context of an article to ensure I don't miss any important details.

I find standard documentation design (tables, diagrams) easier to scan than a chat interface.

I enjoy the learning process of researching and discovering solutions manually.

I have strong concerns about the accuracy or reliability of Al-generated answers.

Last input is for "Other" and the text inputs reads "I hate ai"
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Mat Johnson @matjohnson.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
This Is Just To Say I told you so about that thing you disagreed with me about of which irrefutable proof has now emerged Forgive me it is too delicious too sweet not to remind you that you were wrong
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Grantham Research Institute at LSE @granthamlse.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
We regret that our event on Extreme Heat: Improving governance and strengthening action around the world has been cancelled due to the red extreme heat warning issued by the UK Met Office. Our apologies to everyone who was planning to attend the event.
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Kate Sattler | Sweet Freeze @katesattler.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
koin.com
‘Don’t look at them’: Employees warned after recent crow attacks at Portland area hospital
Legacy Emmanuel security is warning employees after recent crow attacks near the staff parking area.
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Martha Rich Art Projects @martharichart.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
I like making art by hand and writing with a pen on paper.
A picture of a wooden cut out of a blue cat sitting. There is a wooden cut out of an orange speech bubble that says “use your brain or be left behind” next to the cat’s head. Both objects are sitting on a wooden floor. Art ©️Martha Rich 2026.
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Megan McIntyre @rcmeg.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
The perpetuation of AI hype and boosterism is predicated on easy compliance. Refusal -- individually and collectively -- matters.
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Martha Rich Art Projects @martharichart.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Check out @indivisible.org for local events.
A square image with a multi color daisy in the middle. In the middle of the flower it says “May Day” in red. Around the flower in the corners starting in top left clockwise “no work” “no school” “we have power” and “no shopping” in yellow. At the top it says “do what you can” and at the bottom it says “May 1, 2026. Art ©️ 2026 Martha Rich.
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Reposted by Sharon Helms
Rockom Sockom NoBots @rockom.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
WE KEEP US SAFE 3/28/2026 Burnside Bridge Portland, Oregon No Kings protest (Photo: @blcksmthapparel.bsky.social) #nokings #pdx #blcksmth
A mass of over 600 people hold up umbrellas across the Burnside bridge to spell out "We Keep Us Safe" in an aerial photograph on a sunny day.
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👻🗳️Ghost of Democracy 2.0 @ominousrabbit.com · 01/03/2026
EMERGENCY, #oregon forest friends! Three more weeks to comment. No public hearings scheduled.
morethanjustparks.substack.com
BLM Announces Plan to Fell Oregon's Last Great Forests
One billion board feet per year... 30 days to make your voice heard.
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350PDX! @350pdx.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
The 350PDX Arts Team at Mardi Gras in PDX! Capitalists fought over $, trees danced, & our heron flew above the crowd - joined by beavers, mushrooms, and a water spirit! We handed out flyers in the hopes that folks will join our climate justice work. #Portland #MardiGras 📸 Tejaroxy (on insta)
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A. Parise @jerseyoutwest.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Living in Portland is so fucking frustrating sometimes. “Oh, we don’t have $1 million to keep a botanical garden open, they need to stand on their own, now how can we use the Green Infrastructure Fund to pay for $600 million of upgrades to the Moda Center?” Fucking clown shit.
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Please use ALT TEXT on your images -as a gov official, it's required by the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II! Help ensure your comms are available to people with disabilities-that includes social media! Here's how: www.accessible-social.com/images-and-v...
accessible-social.com
Alt Text on Bluesky
How to add and view alt text on Bluesky to make images accessible for blind and low-vision social media users.
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Please use ALT TEXT on your images -as a gov official, it's required by the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II! Help ensure your comms are available to people with disabilities-that includes social media! Here's how: www.accessible-social.com/images-and-v...
accessible-social.com
Alt Text on Bluesky
How to add and view alt text on Bluesky to make images accessible for blind and low-vision social media users.
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Please use ALT TEXT on your images -as a gov official, it's required by the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II! Help ensure your comms are available to people with disabilities-that includes social media! Here's how: www.accessible-social.com/images-and-v...
accessible-social.com
Alt Text on Bluesky
How to add and view alt text on Bluesky to make images accessible for blind and low-vision social media users.
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Reposted by Sharon Helms
Pam Brisse @pamdorra.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Another resistance quilt finished this week. The eye is my own design, the letters are a fpp pattern by QuiltByNight, the rounded corners and black binding are meant to resemble the phones we the people are using to document the horrors and disprove the government’s lies about what they are doing.
A multicolored quilt made of of scraps with the words WE KNOW WHAT WE SAW staggered down it with a large beautiful eye centered between the words. The eye has a rainbow camera aperture as the iris. It is quilted densely.
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Portland City Councilor Jamie Dunphy @councilordunphy.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
I've seen videos of the indiscriminate use of tear gas on a large crowd that was clearly peaceful and filled with Portlanders of all ages, and well off the macadam facility. We banned tear gas for a reason. I join Councilor Green in calling for enforcement of our laws.
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Ian Coldwater 🧊🚫 @lookitup.baby · 23/01/2026
MINNESOTA VERSION OF COME OUT YE BLACK AND TANS
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
ALT text 4: We must allow our local law enforcement to do its work. There must be a comprehensive investigation without Trump's interference.
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
ALT text 3: ICE must immediately end all active operations in Portland. I will share more updates as they become available. I am demanding full accountability and transparency. I encourage our community to stay calm and show courage in this moment.
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
ALT Text 2: Both individuals are alive, but we do not know the extent of their injuries. ICE has done nothing but inject terror, chaos, and cruelty into our communities. Trump's immigration machine is using violence to control our communities- straight out of the authoritarian playbook.
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
ALT Text 1: DEXTER DEMANDS ICE END ACTIVE OPERATIONS IN PORTLAND "Just one day after the horrific murder in Minneapolis, I received reports that two people in my district were shot by federal immigration officials this afternoon in East Portland.
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Sharon Helms @sharonhelms.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Thank you, @repdexteror.bsky.social ! Please add ALT text to your images so that our community members who use screen readers can hear your important words.
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Alexandra Gallant-Lee @alexandragallant.com · 12/12/2025
"You have to use AI." ...why?
People keep saying that AI is inevitable. 

Like Bartleby, I'd prefer not to...

We "have to use it!"

My response to that is simply... WHY? Why is it being pushed so much and into so many things? Once you've gotten people to cede their decision making to an algorithm, eventually they'll stop thinking for themselves.

Why would I outsource thinking for myself to a machine? I have a brain.
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Portland Mercury @portlandmercury.com · 12/12/2025
Despite the efforts of tech CEOS, plenty of people are tired of generative AI. A group of Portland artists made their positions on AI known at a recent forum discussion at Mother Foucault's Bookshop. Speakers shared their takes on the machine takeover—and suggested potential ways to push back.
portlandmercury.com
Portland Artists Hold a Round Table on Generative AI “Machine Nightmares” at Mother Foucault's Bookshop
Taylor Griggs
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OPB - KMHD Creators Union @opbkmhdcreators.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Alex Zielinski @alexzee.bsky.social shares her story for our “what our audience doesn’t know” series. "Realizing how OPB inequitably values our colleagues has hurt morale across the entire organization." -Alex Zielinski, OPB reporter/producer
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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
love seeing great people recognized for great work @meganpiont.bsky.social @prisonculture.bsky.social
theguardian.com
Gen-Zine: DIY publications find new life as form of resistance against Trump
Zines have made a resurgence as communities seek to share information on everything from ICE raids to local elections
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350PDX! @350pdx.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
Data centers are adding massive energy loads, & we’re paying the bill in our utility costs. Right now, we have the opportunity to speak up about data centers, making sure they pay their fair share. Comments due by December 15. Modify and send this one-click email: tinyurl.com/datacosts #portland
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multnomahmastergardeners.org @multnomahmastergardeners.org · 23/11/2025
Emerald ash borer (EAB) — a small, metallic green beetle that kills ash trees — has been detected in multiple new sites in Oregon, including southeast Portland. Because of this, all of Multnomah County is now under quarantine. See comments for a list of what you can do. More: OregonEAB.com
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Wendy N. Wagner 🎃 @wnwagner.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
OREGONIANS!!! Due to new legislation passed this year, the Oregon Public Utility Commission is developing new guidelines for how to divide energy costs between residential & commercial customers. TELL THEM DATA CENTERS NEED TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE!!! apps.puc.state.or.us/docketpublic...
apps.puc.state.or.us
Oregon Public Utility Commission - Submit Public Comment - DocketPublicComment
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