Februaiy 18, 2009 Page A 8 photo by M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver Avel Gordly gets a hug from Dalton Miller-Jones, the chair o f the Black Studies Depart­ ment at Portland State University. Gordly is helping prepare the next generation o f African- American leaders by jointly teaching a leadership seminar with Miller-Jones. Passing the Torch continued ^ ^ fr o m Front BA N O e WEST ä Bank of the West is proud to support Black History Month. Diverse backgrounds. New ideas. One great bank. Different perspectives generate fresh ideas. That's why at Bank of the West, we value diversity and equal opportunity for all our employees. Year after year, we continue to grow stronger thanks to our unique blend of people. Since stepping into politics, Gordly has earned widespread respect and has made inroads on previously ignored issues. She helped m anauever through a bill that re­ quired police d ep artm en ts to estab lish planned respon ses w henever they used deadly force. Shortly before leaving office, Gordly also shepherded through a bill establishing the Environmental Justice Task Force, which aims to give a voice to those affected by natural resources decisions. Darrell Millner, a professor of black stud­ ies at Portland State University, said that be­ cause of Gordly's race and gender, more people in traditionally marginalized groups have felt they have a voice because of her. Millner added that Gordly has been a strong moral voice during her time in Salem, par­ ticularly in the area of mental health. Jason Renaud, the board secretary for the Mental Health Association of Portland and retired social worker, said that few state leg­ islatures have someone like Gordly who has boldly brought an issue to the forefront that is typically ignored. Gordly's connection to the issue is per­ sonal. She has a son who has struggled with mental health and who is currently living and working independently. Also during her time in politics, she helped push through a bill requiring training for po­ lice officers on how to handle the mentally ill, and has called attention to the need for funding for mental health services, like the Garlington Center in northeast Portland. But she hasn't turned her back on the is­ sue since. Recently she partnered with Or­ egon Health and Science University to cre­ ate the Avel Gordly Center for Healing, a clinic geared toward providing culturally sen­ sitive mental health treatment. Gordly was also unabashed about point­ ing out to others the struggles African-Ameri­ cans have experienced in obtaining equality. She partnered with the Oregon Historical Society to provide every member of the Leg­ islature with a copy of Elizabeth McLagan's "A Peculiar Paradise: A History of Black in Oregon, 1788-1940.” She also recalls convincing then Republi­ can House Speaker Karen Minnis to move a h isto rical picture o f form er Gov. M ark Hatfield working on a bill to end Oregon's racist public accommodation laws to a more prominent and symbolic place in the capital. "I don't think we've seen the end o f her influence." quipped Millner. Ethics Cited in Adams Scandal continued front Front the young man’s career. "You have the potential for exploitation," said Hanson. Supporters of Adams have insisted that he should have never have had to answer a question about his sex life in the first place. Hanson ex­ plained that this view would normally have credence, but because Adams was specifi­ cally asked about a potentially inappropriate sexual relation­ ship the question was fair. "It was a trap he created for himself," quipped Hanson. Darrell Millner, a professor of black studies at Portland State University, said that few public figures are as widely respected as Gordly, a Demo­ crat who has crossed political lines to break partisan gridlock. "She represented the con­ science of the state," was the first words out of M illner's m outh w hen ask ed about Gordly’s influence in the Or­ egon Legislature, adding that she was always on the fore- r I J front o f issues concerning ethics or morality. Gordly said it now appears that by refusing to resign, Adams is acting like he’s en­ titled to the office of mayor. "When I look at Sam and how he was groomed, so to speak, he is a product of the old boy old network in this city and this state. He is a product of white privilege and entitle­ ment and, he is acting like he is entitled to the role," said Gordly. Adams was the ch ief of staff to form er mayor Vera Katz years before he became an elected official. G o rd ly also had harsh words for those who want to support Adams for other rea­ sons. "I think there is something terribly wrong with the po­ litical culture in our city.” she said. A lth o u g h A dam s a n ­ nounced last month that he will stay on as mayor, there is already an effort to recall him, which can't take place C U nhcrrihp O D SL llU C Î ’ 503-288-0033 Fill Out & Send To: —----- — --------------- ----- * until he has been in office for six months under Oregon law. But Gordly said that Adams should step down to avoid the costly recall election, which will further strain city coffers and impact important city pro­ grams and services that have been drained by the recession. However, when asked if there has been a double stan­ dard in how Adams has been treated compared to former P o lice C h ie f D errick Foxworth, an African-Ameri­ can who was demoted after an explosive sexual harass­ m ent case w as b ro u g h t against him by a police depart­ ment desk clerk, she said the situations don't run parallel and are "totally different." "I hurt for Sam. I pray for him," added Gordly, who said that she is prepared to per­ sonally forgive the mayor, but in sists th ere m ust c o n s e ­ quences. Gordly also wonders what message from Adams' deci­ sion to stay on sends to the youth of Portland. |Jnrttaub (Ohsrrucr | Attn: Subscriptions, K J Box J 137, a n iu a m