July 24, 2024
Page 9
Loretta Smith Runs for
City Council for 3rd Time
Continued from Front
“I was always trying to make
sure that the community’s voice
was a part of everything that I
did,” Smith said. “That was the
mission of what we started out
to do. I want to finish that on
the City Council.”
Smith lost her bids for city
council in 2018 and 2020 and
for the U.S. House in Oregon’s
6th District in 2022.
Smith also spent 20 years
working for U.S. Sen. Ron
Wyden and later was a Mult-
nomah County commissioner
from 2011 to 2018. She said
all that government experience
gives her the experience needed
for the job, she said.
"East Portland deserves an
experienced leader with a prov-
en record of listening to the peo-
ple she serves," Smith said in a
statement to Willamette Week.
Smith could not be reached
to comment for this article, but
told OBP she is eager to repre-
sent her constituents.
“I’m running to make sure
that folks in my district have
greater access and input in our
local government,” Smith said.
“I have a few priorities. But I
think my agenda is going to be
decided based on the conversa-
tions that I have with the con-
stituency in District 1.”
Smith is not the only Black
person running for the District
1 seat. Sonja McKenzie is com-
munity engagement coordina-
tor at the Oregon Community
Foundation, according to the
Portland Mercury. Since 2019,
she has been president of the
Oregon School Boards Associa-
tion and also serves on the Park-
rose School District board and
the Multnomah County Library
Foundation board, among other
volunteer positions.
Loretta Smith
"I have been a strong advo-
cate for educational equity for
students statewide, adequate
funding during the legislative
session, and supporting the
needs for board members to
have access to professional de-
velopment," McKenzie wrote
in an email to the Mercury.
"I have been a strong advo-
cate for educational equity for
students statewide, adequate
funding during the legislative
session, and supporting the
needs for board members to
have access to professional de-
velopment," McKenzie wrote
in an email to the Mercury.
McKenzie said she was in-
spired to run for a seat on Port-
land City Council because of the
restructuring of city government.
"I care deeply about Port-
land and want to be a part of
the change in the way we make
decisions for our community,"
McKenzie wrote. "I am ready to
utilize my years of experience
setting policy and engaging
with community as an elected
official and community engage-
ment professional to bring
needed change."
Also running is Candace
Avalos, executive director of
the environmental justice group
Verde, who describes herself as
a “Blacktina” since her mother
is from Guatemala and her Black
father is from Virginia. She said
coming from a multiracial fam-
ily “has shaped my justice-cen-
tered values and political iden-
tity,” she told the Mercury.
“These roots are what sparked
my interest in government and
politics at an early age.”
East Portland, a growing and
evolving community, has been
waiting a long time for promis-
es made in city hall to be real-
ized, she said in a news release.
“The only way Portland has
ever made progress has been
people coming together to make
change. For years I have shown
my love for this city by being a
part of creating real solutions.
And now I’m inspired to run
for City Council to take it to the
next level.”
Avalos said she has "the
heart of an advocate, the skills
of an executive leader, and the
vision for a city that truly works
for all Portlanders."
"I have a track record of
convening and collaborating
with folks with different per-
spectives to create real solu-
tions on tough issues," she
wrote to the Mercury. "I don’t
shy away from difficult con-
versations, nuanced decisions,
or complex challenges because
I truly believe that is the only
way we can make progress."
On November 5, the city is
holding general elections for
mayor, city auditor, and city
council. The filing deadline
for this election is August 27.
A Shift in
Leadership
St. Andrew
Nativity School
Appoints
President
St. Andrew Nativity School an-
nounces important news regarding
its leadership. Lorraine Shepherd
has decided to step down from the
position of President, Director of
Mission of St. Andrew Nativity
School, citing personal reasons.
The Board of Trustees of St. An-
drew Nativity School is pleased to
appoint Brianna Hennessy as the
new President, Director of Mis-
sion, effective immediately. Bri
has served the school faithfully
for over twelve years, the last year
as Interim Co-President while
continuing as Director of Grad-
uate Support. Bri's extensive ex-
perience will exceptionally serve
Nativity as a longtime member of
school leadership, her dedicated
work with our students and their
families not only during their time
at Nativity but beyond, as well as
her passion for equity in education
and deep understanding of and
commitment to our mission.
Bri, a Portland native who grew
up in the St. Ignatius Parish, at-
tended La Salle Prep and earned
her undergraduate degree from
Gonzaga University. After grad-
uation, she dedicated a year of
volunteerism as a member of the
Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Bri lat-
er pursued her passion for social
work, obtaining a master's degree
from Portland State University. In
addition to her longtime service
to St. Andrew Nativity, she is an
active member of The Madeleine
Parish community in NE Portland,
where her children attend school.
"We are confident that St. An-
drew Nativity School will contin-
We are
Open!
3901 N. Mississippi Ave.
Portland, OR 97227
P: 503.281.0453
Fax 503.281.3408
Web:
www.sunlanlighting.com
E-mail:
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Brianna Hennessy the new
President, Director of Mission at
St. Andrew Nativity School
ue to thrive under Bri's leadership
and uphold its commitment to
underserved students in the Port-
land area," states Nativity Board
of Trustees Chair, David Blas-
kowsky. She is eager to continue
engagingwith our dedicated fac-
ulty, staff, students, families, and
greater community to build on
Nativity's 23 years of providing
a transformative Jesuit education
that empowers our students to be-
come people for others.
Bri shared, “Over the past 12
years, I have had the privilege
of watching our students grow
from curious 6th graders to ac-
complished adults, taking full
advantage of the opportunities at
Nativity. This past year, I have en-
gaged more holistically with the
entire Nativity community and
its supporters, witnessing their
remarkable dedication to our mis-
sion. I am humbled and look for-
ward to continuing to support our
students, families, graduates, and
staff as President, Director of Mis-
sion at St. Andrew Nativity.”