News
Urban League Forum Brings Black Vote to Forefront
But critics say excluding three candidates of color from the stage impacted the event
oral candidates Eileen Brady, Jefferson
Smith and Charlie Hales, as well as City
Council candidates Jeri Williams, Mark
White, Steve Novick, Teressa Raiford,
Mary Nolan and incumbent Amanda Fritz.
Three other candidates were in the audi-
ence but didn’t participate in the forum.
One was mayoral candidate Cameron
Whitten, who took issue with the fact that
the three excluded candidates were all peo-
ONLINE
Although most of the
candidates were
white, they all agreed
that the city’s shifting
demographics
couldn’t be ignored
theskannermobile.com
T
he Black vote took the forefront last
Tuesday at the “Countdown to Elec-
tion Day: Candidates Forum on
Equity and Accountability.”
Lack of representation, funding for pro-
grams that have an impact on communities
of color and accountability were the defin-
ing issues of the evening.
The Urban League of Portland (ULPDX),
the African American Alliance and the Port-
land African American Leadership Forum
(PAALF) sponsored the event, which was
moderated by Carla Gary of the University
of Oregon and Ken Boddie of KOIN.
Participants in the forum included may-
ple of color. He, fellow mayoral
tance and said that there are over
candidate Steve Sung and Helen
3,000 homeless Oregonians, 750 of
Ying, who is running for Metro
whom are children and teenagers.
Position 5, had their booths separat-
One of the hottest issues of the
ed from the other candidates during
debate was police accountability.
the meet and greet portion of the
Mayoral candidates all stated their
forum. During the mayoral debate,
support for Mayor Sam Adams and
Whitten walked on stage with a sign
his decision not to reinstate Ron
that read “Separate but Equal.”
Frashour, the officer who shot and
The involvement of African
killed unarmed Aaron Campbell.
Americans, and people of color in
Smith stressed the need for trust
general, was a theme throughout the
between the Police Bureau and the
night.
community, citing a news story
“The City (of Portland) has to
about a shooting near his house
look like our community,” said Teressa Raiford on the mike, with Mary Nolan at left, where potential witnesses weren’t
mayoral candidate Eileen Brady.
Mark White and Jeri Williams at right.
willing to cooperate with investiga-
“We’re not taking advantage of
tors.
the opportunities that are here for
Brady echoed the sentiments
us,” said Raiford. “I attend a lot of forums discussion on poverty, which included the about lack of trust and discussed her pro-
and I don’t see as many Black people in the effects of foreclosure, lack of school fund- posal for a mental health unit in the police
ing and lack of access to transit on force.
audience as I do tonight.”
Harping on this point, mayoral candidates low-income communities of color.
Hales went further and suggested chang-
White and Novick stressed the need for ing the culture of the Police Bureau.
sparred over each other’s equity history.
They spent entire responses listing Blacks education on homeownership while Nolan,
“Failure to follow an officer’s direction,
and people of color who have worked on Fritz and Williams suggested plans for in my opinion, should not be the criteria for
homeownership programs and foreclosure the use of deadly force,” he said. “We have
their respective staffs.
“I didn’t start hanging out with White reform.
to get to the front end of who we recruit.”
All the candidates acknowledged that the
people so much until I got into politics,”
According to Hales, only three percent of
closures of Humboldt School and the Young the Police Bureau is Black and only 30 per-
jokes Smith.
He called for communities of color to not Women’s Academy were part of a pattern of cent of officers are from Oregon.
just trust him, but watch and hold him underrepresented communities getting hit
This encapsulated the evening’s promi-
the hardest by budget cuts.
accountable for meeting diversity goals.
nent narratives of Black involvement and
Many also harped on the need for more accurate representation of Portland.
Policy was central in the discussion of
giving people of color opportunities to funding for transit and infrastructure, espe- Although most of the candidates were
attain wealth. Candidates agreed that aspira- cially in East Portland.
white, they all agreed that the city’s shifting
“I don’t want to criminalize those in demographics couldn’t be ignored.
tional goals of 25 percent involvement of
people of color aren’t enough. Hales sug- poverty,” said Williams. “If you can’t pay a
“Our city is changing and it’s not getting
gested breaking up contracts into smaller $2 fine then you can’t pay a $175 fine.”
whiter,” said Smith.
Brady touted her support for rental assis-
pieces so minority firms, which may not
have as much bidding power as established
players, can better compete for projects.
On the other side of the spectrum, was a
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By Bruce Poinsette
Special To The Skanner News
May 2, 2012 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 9