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Laelia Ingram, 7, and her father, James Ingram, pose for a photo with Rev. Dr. Leroy Barber, aka Portland’s Black Santa, at Black Parent Initiative in Northeast Portland on Dec. 17. “I’ve never seen a black Santa before!” the younger Ingram said. (Elayna Yussen)

Photos | Black Santa in high demand

Street Roots
Known as Black Santa PDX, Leroy Barber sees growing number of families
by Elayna Yussen | 22 Dec 2021

Rev. Dr. Leroy Barber, aka Black Santa PDX, has been in the Santa game for nearly two decades. He got his start in Atlanta with the idea of representing communities of color. “Let’s do a Santa that looks like the people,” Barber said.

Over the years, he’s made the rounds at shopping malls and churches, visiting with children in his lap and handing out peppermint candy canes. But when COVID-19 threatened to shut down the beloved holiday tradition last year, Barber got creative and the life-sized inflatable snow globe concept was born.

It was a hit. “We’re seeing almost triple the amount of people from last year,” Barber said. He estimates he’ll have met close to 1,500 children and families from the safety of his 10-foot-tall globe by Christmas. One reason for the uptick may be that families are looking for pandemic-safe activities.

But Barber has another explanation. “We’re in a year where representation matters to more than just people of color,” he said. “I think more people are interested in being a better citizen in the world.”

Black Santa PDX estimates that 70% of his visitors are children of color and 30% are white. Barber has also noticed a growing interest from adoptive, queer and biracial families that want their children to see a Black version of St. Nick. Some adults, he mused, even come to see him without children.

“Here is a place of acceptance,” Barber said. “In Santa, they’re seeing a representation of themselves in a space that’s joyful and playful and magical. It’s rare to get that.”

An added bonus of the snow globe, Barber has found, is that it adds an aura of mystery. “It’s kept the fun in going to see Santa,” he said. But in addition to fun, Barber wants to shift thinking for his young visitors.

“I hope it plants (the idea) that who they are can be something good in the world, represent something good in the world,” Barber said.

Your last chance to see Black Santa PDX this year is on Thursday, Dec. 23, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Aloha UMC in Beaverton. To learn more about Black Santa PDX, visit blacksantapdx.com.

Photo of families and children standing in line beside an inflatable gingerbread house archway.
Families wait in line to meet Santa at Black Parent Initiative in Northeast Portland on Dec. 17.
Photo by Elayna Yussen
 
Zahmi Graham, 3, poses for a photo with Black Santa PDX at Black Parent Initiative in Northeast Portland on Friday. Graham’s family said they come to see Black Santa every year.
Elayna Yussen

Photo of a group of children posing with Santa while he sits inside an inflatable snow globe.
A group of children pose for a photo with Santa in his inflatable snow globe at Black Parent Initiative in Northeast Portland on Dec. 17.
Photo by Elayna Yussen

Two children, one waving goodbye to santa as they walk away.
Dãloate, 4, left, and his brother, De’shavion, 7, say goodbye after meeting Rev. Dr. Leroy Barber, aka Black Santa PDX, at Black Parent Initiative in Northeast Portland on Dec. 17.
Photo by Elayna Yussen

Children standing around a table with toys
Children pick out a free toy after visting with Portland’s Black Santa, Rev. Dr. Leroy Barber at Black Parent Initiative in Northeast Portland on Dec. 17.
Elayna Yussen

A family posing with santa who sits inside an inflatable snow globe.
Families pose for a photo with Black Santa PDX in his inflatable snow globe at Black Parent Initiative in Northeast Portland on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.
Elayna Yussen


Street Roots is an award-winning weekly publication focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.
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