Three Portland women wanted to channel their shock after the presidential election and not wallow in their dismay.

So days after the election, they created "Nasty Women Get Stuff Done," a community organization of about 30 women who are combining their talents and interests "in the hopes of not having these devastating election results again," Hunter said. (Group members often express the "S" word in the group's name as a more provocative word -- an interpretation organizers do not discourage.)

The effort has inspired a yard sign whose popularity has grown more quickly than even the proliferation of post-election presidential protests on Portland streets. The 22-x-14-inch sign depicts an American flag, illustrated with a variety of social values in red, white and blue, such as: "all people are equal," "black lives matter" and "people & planet are valued over profit."

Ali King, Kirsten Hunter and Susan Eisman have been overwhelmed by the response.

They have distributed 500 yard signs and have ordered 1,000 more.

The signs are sold for a $10 donation. Proceeds go to purchasing more signs and to Lutheran Community Services NW Emergency Housing Fund, which provides financial assistance to incoming refugees. The signs are sold mostly through five businesses: Bella Pizza, 2934 N.E. Alberta St.; Wells & Verne, 734 E. Burnside St.; Waterknot cards and gifts, 217 S.W. First Ave.; Evolution Healthcare & Fitness, 905 S.E. Ankeny St.; and the four locations of Rooks Barbershop.

Also soon available for $3 will be 17-x-11-inch posters and 8-x-4-inch stickers. A batch of 1,000 each arrived this week.

The message also has caught on with people who do not live close to any of those retail outlets. King, Hunter and Eisman are not set up as a direct-mail operation, but they're asking that people who want to have signs, posters or stickers sent contact them by email: nwgsdpdx@gmail.com.

"It's really taken us by surprise," said Hunter, a Southeast Portland resident and a professional photographer who described being stopped in the street by people who wanted a sign as she carried a stack.

Social media posts in Facebook and on Instagram helped spread the word. The popularity got another bump after several media outlets, including OregonLive, published photos of the sign as well as social media posts at Saturday's Portland Women March Against Hate.

Hunter credited Jason Maxfield with coming up with the original sign concept. Maxfield's version illustrated the flag in rainbow colors and listed social values.

Maxfield, a Portland State University research biologist and Southeast Portland resident, thought up his flag idea the day after the election while driving his daughter to her grade school on his bicycle.

"I knew people were scared after the election, and I was deeply concerned about what the results said about our national values," Maxfield said. "I wanted to create a patriotic message to affirm my belief that America is about welcoming people and providing opportunity for all, because those are the values that make our nation strong and good."

King, Hunter and Eisman said the sign message is spreading. They have shared the printing details with people in other cities who have seen the message posted on Portland friends' Facebook pages. They're shipping 250 signs to a friend in Seattle. Almost 800 people have liked the Nasty Women Facebook page.

They're concerned that someone or some entity may see a profit to be made with their sign's message, but they've not taken steps to protect their product, such as obtaining a copyright.

"Fingers crossed they all use it for the purpose of spreading the love instead of making money," Hunter says of out-of-Portland recipients of the sign design.

King said she hopes the momentum of the group and the sign continues.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that an invitation to friends to join me for a glass of wine and a brainstorming session would evolve into a group of almost 800 women in less than a month," she said.

--Allan Brettman

503-294-5900

@allanbrettman