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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 23, 2022)
June 23, 2021 CAREERS Special Edition Page 19 Winfrey Picks Book by Oregon Author C ontinued FroM p age 17 takes place in the imaginary town To join the ranks of her previous “One of my great joys is find- ing a new author whose work I can share and support,” Winfrey said Tuesday in a statement. “I was captivated by the work of Nathan Harris and look forward to discussing this debut novel with all of his new readers.” The 29-year-old Harris, a na- tive of Oregon who now lives in Austin, Texas, has said he want- ed to show what it was like in the South after slaves were emanci- pated. “The Sweetness of Water” Mayor Ted Wheeler and Police Chief Chuck Lovell New Policies Fight Bias in Traffic Stops Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Police Chief Chuck Lovell Tuesday announced two new pol- icy changes surrounding traffic stops for the police bureau. It comes as jurisdictions around the county have been debating so-called “pretextual” stops where bias can often be- comes the driver of a police of- ficer’s decision to pull someone over. The Maine House of Repre- sentatives, for example, voted to advance a proposal on Monday to prevent police from pulling drivers over to investigate “unre- lated criminal activity for which the officer does not at the time of the stop have an articulable sus- picion.” According to Mayor Wheel- er, who serves as the city’s po- lice commissioner, the policy changes in Portland will involve how officers make traffic stops for low-level infractions, and on consent searches of vehicles. Data in Portland shows a dispa- rate impact on Black drivers for traffic stops and vehicle search- es. “I’m directing our sworn per- sonnel to focus on safety viola- tions and traffic on high-crash corridors,” Chief Lovell said, adding that stops of non-mov- ing violations are still allowed but, “with emphasis on safety ... this seems like a sensible time to make this shift.” Chief Lovell said he does not expect to see pushback from of- ficers on the streets in regards to the policy changes. Portland City Commissioner JoAnn Hardesty, a long time ad- vocate for police reforms, issued a statement Tuesday supporting the actions Lovell and Wheeler are taking. “I strongly support today’s announcement that PPB will no longer pursue minor traffic vio- lations and will limit car search- es, while informing drivers of their constitutional rights during these encounters,” Hardesty said. “This allows the police to focus on traffic violations that pose an immediate safety threat and other higher priority crime mitigation efforts, such as solving crimes related to the increase in gun vi- olence.” Hardesty noted that across the nation and here in Portland, traf- fic stops have historically led to unjustified police violence that have too often turned deadly for Black, Indigenous, and all Com- munities of Color. Even less violent encounters have contributed to a feeling of being profiled and thus losing trust in law enforcement, she said. “This is another positive step in the right direction and I want to thank the community that set these expectations for change through 150 days of protest last summer. The work continues and we will need your continued en- gagement to rethink community safety for all,” Hardesty said. Advertise with diversity in The Portland Observer Call 503-288-0033 or email ads@portlandobserver.com of Old Ox, Georgia, and tells of two brothers, recently freed, who find work on a neighboring farm run by a man who believes his son has been killed in the war. “I’m so thrilled and honored to be chosen by Oprah’s Book Club,” Harris, a University of Or- egon graduate and a former Mi- chener Center fellow at the Uni- versity of Texas at Austin, said in a statement. “For a generation, Oprah has been a committed advocate for authors, elevating their work and enlivening the literary landscape. selections is to have a dream come true,” Harris said. A discussion between Winfrey and Harris will air July 23 on Ap- ple TV+. Winfrey launched her first book club in 1996, and has been in partnership with Apple since 2019. She started her current club by selecting another novel about slavery in the 19th centu- ry, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “The Water Dancer,” and in previous years has picked such debut works as Aya- na Mathis’ “The Twelve Tribes of Hattie” and Lalita Tademy’s “Cane River.”
