Here is some past & present work that contributes to my education & experience in social science & civic engagement.

Past Participation

• Writing Contributor, Pacific Sentinel, PSU Magazine

• 2023-2024 Place Matters: PSU Placemaking Design Competition Juror

• Graduate student at Portland State University, TSUSP Master of Urban Studies Program

• 2021-2023 Community Representative, Multnomah County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council Executive Board

• 2023 President, Phi Beta chapter of Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society

• 2022-2023 Vice-President, Phi Beta chapter of Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society

• 2022 Urban Studies Student Representative, Belonging Dignity & Justice Committee, Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning, PSU

• 2022 Pacific Coast Branch-American Historical Association 115th Annual Conference volunteer

• 2021-2022 PSU McNair Scholar

• Sustainability Affairs Director, Associated Students of Portland State University

• 2021 PSU Student Sustainability Center Advisory Board member

• 2021-2022 PSU Student Success Fund Board member

• Reimagining Freedom Collaborative/Reimagine PSU Grant Proposal

• PSU Higher Education in Prison program steering committee member

• Freed Minds PSU, Coordinating Director of Communications

• Downtown Neighborhood Association, Good Neighbor Project volunteer

• City of Portland Office of Violence Prevention, Portland Restoration Academy intern

• Reverse the Pipeline, Panelist and Speaker

• Oregon Criminal Justice Commission’s Restorative Justice Grant Program Advisory Board member

• Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission’s Corrections Education Work Group member

Published Works:

Academic

Northman, R. (2024). Gangism: An 'Elementary Form of Religious Life'. PSU Student Research Symposium. 4. 

Abstract: This study is intended to examine the question: could gangs be a form of religion? The poster will examine Steven Cureton's ethnographic case study of a street gang as found in his work titled Hoover Crips (2008), where I will then analyze the findings within the sociological framework of Emile Durkheim’s theory of religion as set forth in his classic book titled Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912). This exploration faces challenges as the terms “gang” and “religion” are both hotly contested, and discussions on each have largely occurred independently, leaving a significant gap for this research to address. This study seeks to demonstrate that there are many interesting similarities between gangs and religion, and that in these similarities there may be answers that help explain otherwise questionable gang behavior and activity. This research provides an alternative perspective that challenges the contemporary (mis)understanding of urban street gangs.

Northman, R. (2023). Survival in the city streets: An autoethnographic analysis challenging the criminalization of urban street gangs. McNair Scholars Online Journal, 16(1): 4.

Abstract: To varying outcomes, many attempts have been made to understand and define urban street gangs. Though these understandings and definitions of gangs may vary, they almost always rely on criminality as at least one of the gang’s “purposes.” The author, a gang member for approximately thirty years seeks to contribute lived experiences to the conversation centered on gangs. This auto-ethnographic analysis of urban street gang culture seeks to highlight the author’s experiences as potential determinants of gang membership while also exacting the realities of some common myths and other misconceptions surrounding the urban street gang, including the criminalization thereof. The analysis reasons that gangs are not criminal enterprises because gang members are not required to commit crimes to gain or maintain membership within the gang and the entire gang’s members do not benefit from or possess knowledge and agreement of crimes committed by each and other individual gang members. 

Northman, R. (2023). "Where's your accent from?": The voice of my identity.  Amplify: A Journal of Writing-as-Activism, 2(1), Article 4

Abstract: This essay probes the role of language in how it contributes to the construct of one's identity. The author discusses lived experiences centered on the the perceptions of accented English that is actually African American Vernacular English. The essay explores how these experiences were formed and how they developed over the course of the author's lifetime. The author also discusses ways in which language has caused both comfort and conflict, and provides a glimpse into a unique perspective that can contribute to a greater understanding of the power and importance of language.

Other Published Works

Northman, R. (2024). The "Gang Problem": Guilty of Being a Gang Member, Now What? Pacific Sentinel, May 2024.

Abstract: This article re-examines the pervasive criminalization of street gangs by exploring the question, “How does it feel to be a ‘gang problem’?” Inspired by W. E. B. Du Bois’ inquisitive reflection on the lived experience of being deemed a societal problem, the author critiques the systemic labeling of gangs as “criminal enterprises” under laws like the RICO Act. Drawing on personal experiences, including the life sentence of a family member and decades of gang membership, the author challenges misconceptions that depict gangs as organized criminal networks with unified objectives. Instead, gangs are portrayed as fluid, informal communities shaped by shared culture and social bonds, not coercive criminal agendas. The article highlights the paradoxical application of justice that targets individuals for their affiliations while ignoring broader structural issues like poverty, violence, and addiction. By rejecting the constructed notion of a “gang problem,” the author advocates for redirecting societal focus toward addressing the root causes of systemic inequities and crime. 

Northman, R. (2024). Confessions (& opinions) of a former enemy-combatant (& POW) in the 'War on Drugs'. Pacific Sentinel, May 2024.

Abstract: In this article, the author critiques Oregon's recent recriminalization of small drug possession and questions the efficacy of the long-standing 'War on Drugs.' He argues that the punitive approach has failed to curb drug flow and use, advocating instead for the nationalization of the drug industry to control distribution, reduce costs, and eliminate the black market. Drawing from his personal experiences as a former drug dealer and the broader societal impacts he witnessed, Northman emphasizes the ineffectiveness of criminalization and suggests that legal, regulated provision of drugs could address addiction more effectively while reducing crime and societal harm. He calls for a public health-oriented approach, criticizing cyclical policy changes like Oregon's Measure 110, which decriminalized and then recriminalized drug possession, and advocates for trying full legalization, arguing that it could always be reversed if unsuccessful.

Curriculum Vitae