Portland observer., December 06, 2017, Image 1

Affordable
for Now
‘City
of
Roses’
Volume XLVI • Number 49
Tax legislation
may gut
future housing
investments
County Hiring
for Construction
Networking event
focuses on jobs
and training
See story, page 2
See Local News, page 3
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • December 6, 2017
Established in 1970
Committed to Cultural Diversity
photo by D anny p eterson /t he p ortlanD o bserver
J.T. Flowers grew up in northeast Portland to become a Yale graduate, and now becomes one of America’s celebrated Rhodes scholars, as he was just awarded one of
the most prestigious academic fellowships in the world to study at Oxford University in England.
A Rhodes Scholar
Portland student soars to
new academic heights
D anny p eterson /t he p ortlanD o bserver
JT Flowers, a 24 year old Portlander who went to Lin-
coln High School and grew up in the heart of Portland’s
historic African American community, has just been
awarded one of the most celebrated academic scholar-
ships in the world, a Rhodes fellowship. He becomes one
of only 32 other Americans selected each year to study at
Oxford University in England, the United Kingdom’s top-
by
ranked university and one of the worlds’ most prestigious.
“It doesn’t quite feel real,” Flowers told the Portland
Observer. “I’m still trying to process exactly what this
means for both myself and my community. Above all else,
this process has been humbling beyond belief. I was as
shocked when I found out as I am today”
Since last summer, Flowers has been working at U.S.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s Portland field office as a liaison
for the congressman’s constituents. Flowers comes to
work in a suit and tie every day, proudly brandishing his
class ring from another prestigious university, Yale, his
Ivy League alma mater in which he earned a political sci-
ence degree.
Flower’s thesis at Yale examined gaps in Portland’s
sanctuary city law for undocumented immigrants. And
last year, he won a Truman scholarship to pay for gradu-
ate-level studies for government or public service careers.
In spite of these achievements, Flower hasn’t forgotten his
roots.
“Ultimately, I’m just a kid off the block of northeast
Portland,” he said. “I try to commit every waking second I
have to giving back to the people who have got me where
C ontinueD on p age 5