Decemeber 22, 2021
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2021 Year in Review Con’t
Continued from Page 2
Activist Named
Marshall Leader
May 5 -- Vancouver NAACP
President, Jasmine Tolbert,
was recognized for her work
responding to systemic rac-
ism and racial inequities by
organizing listening sessions
within Clark County, receiving
a George C. Marshall Leader-
ship Award from Vancouver’s
Historic Trust, in partnership
with the city of Vancouver.
Gun Violence: Connecting the Dots
May 19 – Community leaders Sam Sachs (from left), Dr. S. Renee
Mitchell and Elijah Hasan stand in solidarity to introduce a cam-
paign of billboards and other messages to stop Black-on-Black
gun violence. Racism and self-hate fuel the crisis, the advocates
for the African American community said.
Greene, Hollands for Schools
June 9 – Herman
Greene, pastor of
Abundant Life PDX
Church, and Gary Hol-
lands, a small business
owner and executive
director of the nonprof-
it Albina Sports Pro-
gram, get elected to the
Portland School Board, the seven-member panel
joining incumbent Mi- three Black representatives Continued
chelle Depass to give for the first time in its history. on Page 5
NAACP Rejects Police Meeting
Union scolded
for opposing
group’s priorities
The Portland NAACP is cit-
ing the Portland Police Associ-
ation’s long history of opposing
its police reforms and other ba-
sic changes in policing as rea-
sons not to meet with the union.
The local civil rights group
issued a statement last week
reporting that it was recently
contacted by Portland Police
Association union head Aaron
Schmautz asking for a virtual or
in-person get together to discuss
the state of the community.
NAACP leaders rejected the
overture.
“We remain steadfast in our
goals to prioritize models of
safety that center community
wholeness, over aiding a union
that has seemed to prioritize
punishment of our community,
the impunity of officers, and the
growth of their department, “a
NAACP statement said.
NAACP leadership pointed
out that in a state that holds a
deep history of institutional vi-
olence towards Black residents,
the community should consider
the role of the Portland Police
Association, the oldest function-
ing police union in the country,
in ongoing outcomes that have
been negative for Black and mi-
nority residents.
The follow statistics of im-
pacts on Black residents were
supplied as an example:
Oregon holds the fifth worst
incarceration rate for Black peo-
ple in the country, despite being
only 2% Black. Black Portland-
ers make up nearly 20% of traf-
fic stops, despite being about 6%
of the city’s population. Of the
more than 40 fatal shootings in-
volving Portland police officers
since 2003, a disproportionate
number of those who have suf-
fered are Black Portlanders.
NAACP leaders said none of
the Portland police officers in-
volved in shootings have been
indicted. Of those officers that
have been put on leave, often
paid, almost all end up back on
the force or transferring to other
area departments. Black people
make up about half of the PPB’s
reported use of force incidents
Also, amid the urgent George
Floyd uprising in Portland last
year, Portland Police Bureau
officers were tied to more than
6,000 documented uses of force,
including the indiscriminate use
of poisonous CS gas, more com-
monly referred to as tear gas.
“It is not lost on us that basic
reform efforts have been rail-
roaded by the union, whether it
be a community-oversight board,
dissolving problematic specialty
units, or simply shifting money
from their quarter-billion dollar
budgets into non-law enforce-
ment responses,” the Portland
NAACP said.
“It is clear our demands are
not the priority of the Portland
Police Association. We want
Continued on Page 9
A Living Legacy
Maurice Lucas
Foundation
gives back
The Maurice Lucas Foun-
dation’s 11th annual gala held
virtually Dec. 9 raised nearly
$700,000 to support free academ-
ic and athletic programs for Port-
land youths. The total was almost
$100,000 above last year’s event,
officials reported.
KOIN-TV news anchor Ken
Boddie and auctioneer Johnna
Lee Wells again co-hosted the
celebration. Foundation Execu-
tive Director and founder David
Lucas, son of the late Portland
Trail Blazer legend Maurice Lu-
cas, served as the gala’s master of
ceremonies. Phoenix Suns coach
Monty Williams was presented
the foundation’s annual Maurice
Lucas Enforcer Award.
The honor is given to an indi-
vidual who best embodies many
of the characteristics that its
namesake displayed both on and
off the basketball court, including
motivating and empowering kids.
In his acceptance speech, Wil-
liams recalled the time he got to
know Maurice Lucas when both
served as assistant coaches for the
Portland Trail Blazers.
David Lucus, son of the late Trail Blazer legend Maurice Lucas,
presents an Enforcer Award during an annual celebration in his
father’s name to raise donations to support free academic and
athletic programs for Portland area youth.
“I’m grateful for the lessons I ing scorer on the 1977 NBA
learned from him,” Williams said. champion Portland Trail Blazers
“He had a huge impact on me. and a five-time NBA All-Star. He
Thank you all for allowing me the had a storied 14-year career in
honor of having this award.”
professional basketball, but off
Williams also thanked Port- the court is where Maurice built
land, “that allowed me to be a part his legacy of community service.
of the community and the culture Maurice passed away Oct. 31,
that Luke helped build.”
2010, at age 58.
Bill Walton, Lionel Hollins
The foundation carries on his
and Bobby Gross (all members of legacy by working with youth to
the Blazers’ 1977 championship help them realize their individual
team) are among the award’s past potential through education and
recipients, along with Bill Russell, sport. More information about the
Bill Schonely and Nate McMillan. foundation and Maurice Lucas is
Maurice Lucas was the lead- online at www.ML20.org.