Once Upon a Time

Today, we are still celebrating International Women's Day. Kristan Knapp joined the Red Emma Collective and helped establish several Portland institutions, including the Feminist Women's Health Clinic and Prescott House, which evolved into the domestic violence shelter Bradley Angle House. With an extensive musical career that began with Ursa Minor Choir, a pioneering lesbian choir led by Naomi Littlebear Morena, Knapp produced women's music concerts, festivals, and albums; performed with The Dyketones; and toured nationally and recorded with Izquierda Ensemble and Musica Femina Flute-Guitar Duo. Knapp trained as an auto mechanic, had her own shop, and taught mechanics for women. Her community activism includes serving on the Pride NW board, leading the Lesbian Community Project, which sponsored the Walk for Love and Justice, and organizing local Women’s Marches. In the late 1990s, Kristan created the Conversations Project and produced "Transparencies," personal stories that honored LGBTQ diversity, to help our community heal after the Ballot Measure 9 struggle. Knapp’s parents co-founded Parents of Gays, which became PFLAG Portland. Currently, Kristan is secretary of the Greater Portland chapter of the National Organization for Women and is a lesbian archivist with the Oregon Queer History Collective.