Demetria Hester (born(1974-11-30)November 30, 1974) is a Black activist, speaker, and hate crime survivor based inPortland,Oregon.[1] She is a frequent organizer of and speaker at Portland'sGeorge Floyd protests,Black Lives Matter rallies, and vigils for victims of police violence.[2]
Demetria Hester moved fromTennessee to the Pacific Northwest searching for a fresh start for herself and her two children.[when?] She first moved to the state ofWashington, then to Portland, Oregon in 2014. She worked at a restaurant, studied at theArt Institute of Portland and become asous chef. Hester is fond of the cartoon characterSpongeBob SquarePants.[1]
Hester survived a verbal and physical assault bywhite supremacist and murderer Jeremy Joseph Christian on May 25, 2017, while waiting for thelight-rail train in Portland. Hester claims police did not take her seriously when they responded to the incident.[3] The next day, Christian fatally stabbed two men and injured a third on a different train in what is known as the2017 Portland train attack. Hester testified against Christian at his trial.[4]
Hester became a visible leader during the 2020 summer-longGeorge Floyd Protests, and is a founder and lead organizer ofMoms United for Black Lives, a group that participates in protests to endpolice violence against Black people.[1][5] This group is led by a collective of Black women, includingDon't Shoot Portland’s founderTeressa Raiford andDanialle James.
Hester was arrested at the George Floyd Protests on August 10, 2020, booked on suspicion of disorderly conduct and interfering with a police officer, and held in the Multnomah County Jail.[6] Later, Multnomah County District AttorneyMike Schmidt declined to prosecute Hester and other protesters who were charged with small nonviolent offenses.[7] All charges were dropped.[3]
Hester led a group from Moms United for Black Lives to Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2020, forMartin Luther King Day, an occasion which she called a "beautiful and epic moment in history."[2]