Comedy in
the age of
Trump
Recruiting
Candidates
Color PAC
executive hits the
ground running
‘City
of
Roses’
Volume XLVII • Number 4
Portland comic
navigates tense
political climate
See Local News, page 3
See Metro, page 9
Established in 1970
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • January 24, 2018
Committed to Cultural Diversity
photo by D anny p eterson /t he p ortlanD o bserver
New Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw, the first African American woman to lead the Portland Police Bureau, draws support from members of her Alpha Kappa
Alpha sorority, the oldest African American female sorority in the U.S., after taking a ceremonial oath of office Monday in front of the Oregon Historical Society’s new
civil rights exhibit ‘Racing for Change, Oregon’s Civil Rights Years.’ Outlaw challenged the city and law enforcement to address racial inequities during her address.
With Honor
and
Integrity
New police chief makes pledge; speaks to racial inequities
Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw championed the
long worn path to civil rights progress and challenged the
city and law enforcement to address racial inequities that
still exist during her ceremonial installation as the city’s
first African American female police chief Monday.
Three months into her new position, Outlaw chose
the Oregon Historical Society’s new exhibit “Racing for
Change, Oregon’s Civil Rights Years” as the setting for the
formal Portland Police Bureau ceremony, saying the loca-
tion was no accident.
“I chose this venue because the exhibit Racing to Change:
Oregon’s Civil Rights Years affords us the opportunity to
address an elephant in the room,” Outlaw said. “Why we
are here today? This isn’t just about black history or Port-
land’s history, this is our history.”
Before an audience of about 150 guests, including mem-
bers of her own family, friends and supporters, Outlaw pre-
sented a snapshot of the roots to racial inequity in Oregon
and around the country, and the role police historically had
in enforcing discriminatory laws based on race or turning a
blind eye when justice failed minority populations.
“Here in Portland the history of racial inequality and dis-
C ontinueD on p age 4