c
Confronting
Exploitation
r
Jl
I
1
$
Survivors o f the
sex trade bring
awareness to
the issue
See story, page 3
C4
Empowering
Youth
Master o f
Korean
martial arts
shares
expertise
See Metro, page 9
©JaarnanitW bseriier / ?
Read back issues of the Portland Observer at www.portlandobserver.com
‘City 6>/Roses’
Volume XXXXI, Number 4
Wednesday • Januaiy 25. 2012
Established ¡n in 1970
1970
Establ¡shed
'
Committed to to Cultural
Cultural Diversity
Diversity ^community
^(»„mutiny sen ice
Committed
Whatever
It Take s
Occupy activist
follows arrests
with nln for mayor
M indy C ooper
T he P ortland O bserver
by
Inspiring the com m unity through his dedication and
proactive efforts for change, one local 20-year-old, ar
rested several tim es in solidarity with the Occupy Port
land m ovem ent, will fight social injustice by entering the
race for Mayor.
Cameron Whitten, a resident of northeast Portland, has
been an active member of the movement since it took roots
in Portland last October, when thousands of residents showed
up downtown to share their discontent with the nation’s
socio-economic condition.
Although the movement, which originated with anti-Wall
Street protests in New York City, has inspired individuals
from all walks of life, W hitten’s dedication to change has
stood out in his willingness to do whatever it takes to address
issues, including economic equality, police accountability,
political transparency, and foreclosure reform.
“We are in a state of crisis, both locally and globally. We
have been deceived by career politicians who answer to their
paycheck before listening to the people,” said Whitten. “We
must influence the culture of our government, and embrace
the standards of direct democracy in order to empower our
community for our own survival.”
Leading by example, he said he encourages the people of
Portland to make more demands of their politicians and reject
their private agendas.
“It is not my hope, it is my determination that people will
be making more demands of what they want to see different
and won’t take no for an answer,” he said.
Whitten first gathered his papers to register for the
mayor’s race on Nov. 14, the day after he was forcefully
evicted with other protestors from Lownsdale and Chapman
parks. He was arrested at the time for refusing to cooperate
with police orders and standing his ground. Overall, he has
been arrested four times during Occupy protests.
“Our political system isn’t perfect, and our legal system
facilitates our system, and it is not perfect,” he said Friday,
hours after his latest arrest during an Occupy the Courts
continued
on page 6
photo by
M indy C ooper /T he P ortland O bserver
Cameron Whitten, 20, returns Sunday to Mill Ends Park in downtown Portland where he was arrested last
month for not following police orders during Occupy Portland protests. The pa[k is the world’s smallest,
according to the Guinness Book of World Records.