Resume – Desiree Ducharme

Describe yourself in one word:

Avocado.

Avocado is delicious. Avocado is deceptive. When it looks like it has gone bad, it is at its best. Despite the ruff exterior, Avocado has a vibrant, lush interior with a solid core. Avocado is efficient. It comes in its own mixing bowl which is also biodegradable. Minimal accessories are needed to enjoy Avocado. Just a sharp edge, bit of stick or rock or nail. Avocado is versatile. It can shine on its own but also plays well with others. Is especially good with lime. Can be savory or sweet or spicy. Can be grown indoors, but is most productive outside. Thrives in warm climates.

Avocado is fun to say. It has only seven letters but is four syllables long. You use your lips and teeth and tongue to say it. Like you are consuming the word as you would the flesh. Avocado.

Avocado is resilient. Its core can be stripped bare, removed from its lush surroundings, cast aside and forgotten. Yet with some sticks and a bit of water and sunlight, it begins again.

“After visiting there last summer I was saddened by the garbage piles, and homeless encampments I saw there. I hope that Portland can clean up and return to the beautiful city it has been in the past!” – Entitled Tourist, February 2022
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The year I moved to Portland, I was homeless for four months. I worked 60+ hours between two jobs that were temporary, part-time retail. I showered at work on more than one occasion. Everything I owned fit into the trunk of a 2000 Nissan Maxima. As a single, 35 year old woman in the 21st century, I did not qualify to rent an apartment without a specifically male co-signer. The deposits to move into our apartment topped $2500, of which only $300 is refundable when we move out. This did not include first month’s rent. Personal, out-of-state checks were not accepted.