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inspired her to press on.
Fabien’s story is honored in the new
exhibit; she says she hopes her chronicle
will serve as inspiration to others like her to
consider law as a profession.
“[I’m happy] to be honored on the wall,
The problem lies not only in getting more Black
students into law school, but keeping them here
in the state to practice once they graduate
lowed a distant second with 374 practicing
members, then Hispanics at 217, and Blacks
at 103. It should be noted of the 15,192 sur-
veyed for the month’s data, over 6,500 did
not identify their race.
Marva Fabien recalls when the number of
Black lawyers in the state of Oregon totaled
only three, just decades ago. After receiving
her doctorate from Lewis and Clark College
law school in the early 1980’s, she became
one of the first to take advantage of the
OSB’s Affirmative Action Program which
began in 1974. Though she says she experi-
enced racism through her matriculation of
the law system, a toughness instilled by her
native Trinidad a passion for justice is what
which I hope survives at least my lifetime
so that other people can see that, [they] can
do it,” Fabien said.
OSB president, Tom Kranovich is hoping
so too. Though he says the art piece he says
represents progress the bar has made in the
way of the legal system, he’s optimistic it
will become a trend.
Though the number of minority lawyers
in Oregon had been on a steady incline for
since the 1970’s, recent data from the bar’s
diversity and inclusion department shows
that growth hitting a plateau since the early
2000’s.
Among ethnic groups in the state bar and
others nationally, the low representation of
PHOTO BY HELEN SILVIS
we will have a reason why, and it’s because
there were so many barriers in our way.”
According to the OSB’s monthly statistics
for October, most lawyers in the state
remain White and male with over 7,600
identifying in those categories. Asians fol-
Nkenge and Erious Johnson at the Oregon State Bar’s unveiling of a new exhibit
detailing the history of the state’s progress towards inclusion and equity in the
field of law.
Black lawyers remains the most problemat-
ic, especially considering their overrepre-
sentation in the prison system says
Kranovich.
“It’s no secret that the incarceration rate in
this country is seemingly disproportionate. I
understand that the percentage of students
getting kicked out of high school classes
and stuff like that is significantly higher. I
don’t know that having more Black lawyers
would help—it wouldn’t hurt—because
maybe then people would be more inclined
to go and hire a lawyer, and I think that’s the
key thing about having diversity in the law.”
For Oregon, he says the problem lies not
only in getting more Black students into law
school, but keeping them here in the state to
practice once they graduate.
newborn in designated drop-offs will be
treated without the parent giving any identi-
fying information, but calling 9-1-1 does
not protect the confidentiality of parents.
Legislative changes would need to be made
to the Good Samaritan Law and 9-1-1 con-
fidentiality statutes to expand drop-off loca-
tion options.
The task force recommendations will be
brought to council’s Law Justice, Health
and Human Services Committee on Dec. 9
to be discussed and put to a vote.
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Safe-Haven
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who has their life together, telling them
about the law,” Cowles said.
Reaching this younger audience involves
youth-centered education which would use
Twitter and Facebook social media plat-
forms.
Both Dunn and Cowles spoke about the
importance of a multi-cultural and multi-
lingual outreach effort.
“All of our King County Elections, licens-
designated drop-off location such as an
emergency department, a fire station, or a
federally designated rural health facility.
The newborn must be received by a quali-
fied person like an employee, volunteer, or
medical staff.
If the infant is unharmed from abuse or
neglect, the parents are guaranteed
anonymity and can’t be prosecuted for child
abandonment.
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‘What we are trying to do is find a way to save
that child; try to find a safe place for it to be, to
live and grow’
ing and license divisions are currently out-
reaching in different languages, the most
frequently spoken; Russian, Chinese, for
example,” Dunn said. “We would like to get
these materials out in that way as well.”
The Safety of Newborn Children Law
allows parents to relinquish newborns at a
The task force considered expanding
options for relinquishing, but the current
laws create a contradiction of confidentiali-
ty.
“It would be great to dial 9-1-1 and have
someone pick up a child,” Cowles said.
Under the current law, the relinquished
Law
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minor infractions. And research has found
that being suspended even once in 9th grade
doubles the chance a student will drop out.
Experts say that having more adults of
color in schools is one way to help increase
the graduation rate for students of color.
But most Oregon schools don’t have a
not on the list.
Portland Public Schools security manager,
John Payne worked as a police officer for
19 years and in the District Attorney’s office
for 7 years. Payne says he uses discretion
with crimes such as domestic abuse or drug
convictions. If a conviction is old and the
While schools are crying out for adult volunteers
and mentors of color, the Forever Crimes law is
keeping Black workers and family members out
of schools
diverse teaching staff, even as students of
color are becoming the majority in many
districts.
But while schools are crying out for adult
volunteers and mentors of color, the Forever
Crimes law is keeping Black workers and
family members out of schools. Some par-
ents won’t even attempt to volunteer
because they are afraid of failing the back-
ground check – even if their old offenses are
person comes with good reports from the
school principal, it won’t be a problem, he
says.
With Forever Crimes, Payne has no dis-
cretion however. And he believes that
inability to look at people on a case by case
basis, is unfair.
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November 19, 2014 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 3