News
GOP
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gon?”
NAACP Portland Chapter President Jo Ann Hardesty,
when tapped for comment by The Skanner, says in the grand
scheme of things this Facebook image “nears meaningless,”
and that she has no problem with militancy as represented
by dissatisfied mobs.
“It’s not up to me to castigate Republicans,” says Hardes-
ty, a former member of the Oregon legislature. “No Demo-
crats stood up against blanket exemptions in the state’s open
records laws for evidence coming from police body cam-
eras. Republicans have parity with Democrats in bringing
people of color to the state legislature. Neither party values
leadership development for folks currently on the downside
‘To have an angry mob,
menacing the viewer at
sundown—that’s alarming’
of power.”
University of Vermont professor Jim Loewen, who’s done
extensive research on “sundown towns” across the country,
including Oregon called the image “alarming.”
Sundown towns were places that, either by law or custom,
excluded Blacks and Asians from living in these specific cit-
ies, or being present in them after dark.
Loewen says there were several sundown towns in Ore-
gon. His research suggests Albany, Roseburg, Grants Pass,
Medford, Ashland, Eugene, and Salem might all have been
sundown towns.
Given that history, Loewen says, “To have an angry mob,
menacing the viewer at sundown—that’s alarming.”
Previous cover images on the group’s Facebook include
Oregon Republican Party Facebook page on June 25, 2015
a mural of musket-bearing Union soldiers in battle, elder
war veterans saluting, a man steering a John Deer tractor
with two American flags, and a war scene from the medieval
war-drama Braveheart starring Mel Gibson.
This past Saturday the Oregon Republican Party hosted
noted Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, noted for a tough stance
The Wikipedia Commons
description of the “Angry
mob of four” image
on illegal immigration, to Salem for a speech and fundrais-
er. About 100 people protested Arpaio’s appearance.
Though Democrats are the majority in the Oregon legis-
lature this year, they only slightly maintain that edge—with
a 35-25 split with Republicans in the House and an 18-12
advantage in the Senate.
Frederick
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able job of going out and showing that these
were issues that were throughout the state.”
More recently, CIO launched a statewide
campaign that included outreach in South-
ern and Eastern Oregon, and documented
stories from people of color, particularly
Native Americans and Latinos, around the
state.
Frederick also championed House Bill
2655, which requires schools to notify par-
ents of the names and types of statewide as-
sessments that will be administered, when
they will be administered, the per-student
cost, notice of the right to opt out and expla-
nation of who will have access to results and
how the information will be used.
“I can spend my time measuring how tall
the tomato is in my backyard, but if I don’t
provide the nutrients and the water and the
sun for it, it doesn’t matter,” Frederick told
more data to determine whether kids are
done with math and science. We don’t need
to spend all this time getting ready for the
test.”
In future sessions, Frederick wants to look into
requiring regular psychological evaluation of
police officers
The Skanner. “I end up running into peo-
ple telling me how testing is so important
so we can find out minority kids are doing.
We already know that. We don’t need any
In future sessions, Frederick wants to look
into requiring regular psychological evalua-
tion of police officers, to reduce stigma and
hopefully ensure cops get the help they need
He told The Skanner News it was import-
ant to come out the facility to show the in-
mates someone who can relate to their sto-
ries and believes in them.
“For me, it’s being able to show those
vited any youth to freestyle rap on an open
mic.
Justin and two other inmates performed a
remix of Dizzy Wright’s “Maintain.” Justin
said he didn’t know the history behind June-
before they start developing mental health
problems that can affect their job perfor-
mance.
Frederick is also interested in doing more
work to address environmental problems in
his district, hopefully creating jobs in the
process. He knows of 146 “brownfields”
– defined as pieces of land whose use or
development would be affected by environ-
mental contamination on the land – in his
district.
He’d also like to look into ways to sup-
port small manufacturing sites, including
electric car manufacturers, and also work
on addressing air quality issues in Northeast
Portland.
MacLaren
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ordinator for the Office of Inclusion and
Intercultural Relations with the OYA, said
the event gives the youth a sense of pride in
their history.
“They feel very enlightened, they feel
a sense of freedom although they are
still incarcerated,” Edwards says. “They
have more of history base for where Afri-
can-Americans have come since that day.”
The event started with a rendition of “Lift
Every Voice and Sing,” sung by a young in-
mate. Despite an audio malfunction and be-
ing unsure how to sing the tune, he finished
with the applause and support of his friends.
Perry Lambert, who goes by the stage
name Roulette Del’gato, talked to the crowd
about the history of Juneteenth as well as his
personal redemption story.
Lambert was born in prison while his
mother was serving time for a drug-related
offense. He described his life of rebellion,
running away, selling drugs and being shuf-
fled around the foster system. He was able
to turn his life around, graduate from high
school and devote his life to music and care-
giving.
‘They feel very enlightened, they feel a sense of
freedom although they are still incarcerated’
young men that there is life beyond this,
there is life beyond being incarcerated, you
can do better, it’s never too late,” Lambert
says. “I want to be able to share my story
with them, encourage them to do better, so it
means a great deal to me.”
The thread of mentorship and encourage-
ment was woven through many parts of the
evening. In addition to the musical works by
professionals such as Lambert from the Up
and Over Tour, the celebration included hip-
hop performances from the inmates.
The professional rappers sat in the front
row of the audience for the inmate perfor-
mances. Later, they went up on stage and in-
teenth, but rapping helps him keep a sense
of normalcy.
“I just love performing, it makes me feel
like I am back out again,” he says. “Every-
one on the outs knew me as a rapper, knew
me as a positive guy that you could come to
any time you needed anything.”
Justin was supported by his mother and
sister, who had come to visit. Many inmates
had siblings, parents and children at the
event. At the end of the night, family mem-
bers had brought food for a potluck-style
dinner.
Instead of home-baked goods, families
had to purchase foods from MacLaren-ap-
proved vendors such as Safeway. Still, the
inmates eagerly lined up for a dinner of fried
chicken, pizza, chips and fruit salad.
Justin’s sister Bryona said these family
visits are an important reminder for the in-
mates who have lost contact with much of
the outside world.
“It’s nice for him to know that he still has
support outside because this is all he has
now, is just inside this place.”
As the families broke bread and shared
time together, The Skanner News talked
with event organizer Maria Chavez-Harold-
son, the director of the Office of Inclusion
and Intercultural Relations. The Juneteenth
event had followed other recent celebrations
such as a Pride day and Cinco de Mayo.
Chavez-Haroldson said that each of these
events were community building events, not
just for the group being celebrated but for
the whole populace.
“It’s learning about different populations,
different groups of people that we share the
world and the space with,” she says. “It’s
real life happening, in their presence as they
are in custody.”
July 1, 2015 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 3