I is for Icon -- Jeanne d'Arc

I wanted to blip this statue this month for several reasons:

1. This year is Joan of Arc's 600th birthday.

2. It's Women's History month.

3. We need to call on the spirits of every strong woman in history to help us through this vicious war on women that is being waged in the U.S. right now. We are fighting battles again that we thought we'd won decades ago, all for political distraction, to steer us away from the real issues of corruption, lies and greed.

This is one of my favorite Portland statues. She's in the middle of a large roundabout in a busy intersection in a Northeast neighborhood, near Laurelhurst Park (where I've shot several blips). The statue was a gift to Portland in 1924 in honor of the Doughboys who fought in World War 1. Joan has been through her share of vandalism and wear and tear; she was restored with gold leaf several years ago.

Here's a 5 minute video that tells some history of Joan and about the Portland statue.