January 11, 2017 The Skanner Page 3
News
Eviction
cont’d from pg 1
county-wide issues.
“The library really
wanted to approach this
from a solutions-based
perspective,” explained
Cunningham. “So start-
ing with the question:
Everybody Reads 2017 is us-
ing ‘Evicted’ to initiate a com-
munity dialogue
how do we create a thriv-
ing community for ev-
eryone?”
To encourage partic-
ipation,
Multnomah
County Libraries are of-
fering a lengthy program
of discussions, lectures
and meetings, which in-
cludes reading parties,
renters’ rights work-
shops, personal housing
stories, a poverty simula-
tion, and more.
“Homelessness in Port-
land is a critical and
acute issue, but that’s
also bringing new peo-
Bynum
ward to make important
statements: we want eco-
nomic diversity in our
neighborhoods, we want
to make livable commu-
nities and we’re willing
to give a bit up personal-
ly so that families know
what ‘home’ means.”
Matthew Desmond will
present a talk on March
9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Ar-
lene Schnitzer Concert
Hall. This event is pre-
sented by Literary Arts,
which will provide ticket
information.
—Melanie Sevcenko
Mitchell S. Jackson Visits Clark College Jan. 17
During the 2017 winter quarter installment of its renowned Columbia Writers Series, Clark College will welcome back former student
Mitchell S. Jackson, award-winning author of the novel The Residue Years. Mitchell will read from and discuss his writing from 11 a.m. to
12 p.m. on Jan. 17, in room PUB 258 on Clark’s main campus. The event is free and open to the public. Directions and maps are available
online. Individuals who need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event should contact Clark College’s
Disability Support Services (DSS) Office at (360) 992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (VP) or visit room PUB 013.
The Columbia Writers Series was launched at Clark College in 1988, bringing local, national and international authors to the college and
the region. Information about the Columbia Writers Series is available at www.clark.edu/cc/cws.
cont’d from pg 1
trained to be an electrical
engineer. She then spent
several years globe-trot-
ting for General Motors,
before settling in Oregon
with her husband, Mark.
The couple now owns
two McDonald’s fran-
chises and they live in
Happy Valley with their
four children.
The Skanner sat down
with Bynum to discuss
her path to politics and
how she plans to tackle
the job of representing
her district, which en-
compasses the cities of
Happy Valley, Damascus
and Boring in Clacka-
mas County, Gresham in
Multnomah County, and
unincorporated parts of
both counties, including
East Portland.
This interview has
been edited for space and
clarity.
The Skanner News:
You trained as an electri-
cal engineer. So how did
you get into the restau-
rant business, and from
there into politics?
Janelle Bynum: I don’t
think it’s much differ-
Breakfast
ent. I’m super analytical,
very data-driven, I like to
solve problems. But I’m
also one of those people
that like to have life fit
in with the laws, wheth-
er it’s the laws of nature,
or the laws that men and
women make. So I like
to look at the 30-thou-
sand-foot view and then
break it down into bite-
sized pieces.
I grew up in Washing-
ton D.C., and we don’t
make anything in D.C.
but laws -- or chaos, de-
pending on how you
view it. In high school I
had an opportunity to
work on Capitol Hill. I
worked for Senator Ar-
len Specter. The reason
I chose him was because
when Clarence Thomas
was having his hearings
for his confirmation to
the Supreme Court, I
didn’t really like how Ar-
len Specter treated Anita
Hill. I came from a very
Democratic family and
so I thought that I should
find out what the Repub-
lican thought process is,
what the other side was
like.
Even throughout my
professional career I’ve
always been involved
civically. Especially here
in my community, I’m in-
volved with the schools,
because I really feel
passionate about mak-
ing sure the educational
system supports the fam-
ilies and the kids, and
supports what we need
as a state.
“
have a more in-depth
conversation about what
businesses need from the
students, I think that’s
where I’ll be able to con-
tribute a lot.
TSK: What inspired
you to run for State Rep-
resentative?
JB: I’ve been on our
owner-operator
PAC
board for a couple of
years, and through that
process I’ve invited leg-
things that people don’t
think can be done – and
this is one of them, after
being an engineer and a
McDonald’s restaurant
owner. But I went to busi-
ness school too, so I’ve al-
ways been interested in
how money moves.
TSK: What was the pro-
cess of forming a cam-
paign?
JB: The first part is
asking your family for
‘[My mother] told me that my generation wasn’t
standing up, so that was kind of the kick in the
pants. She said, “You all are too comfortable,
you’ve been given a lot.”’
TSK: How would you
like to see education im-
proved in District 51?
JB: My home district
is North Clackamas, but
what I felt was particu-
larly acute was the needs
of the students of color.
But also, in general, as
an employer in the area,
I’m seeing what skills
kids are coming out of
school with. So if we can
islators into my restau-
rants. Having met Speak-
er Tina Kotek and Rep.
Shemia Fagan, they were
kind of kick-ass women
(laughs).
Rep. Fagan and I con-
tinued to cross paths,
and she had represent-
ed the district, so maybe
that’s where the seed was
planted. But I’m kind of
a maverick and will do
support, so I asked my
mother what she thought
of the idea. She told
me that my generation
wasn’t standing up, so
that was kind of the kick
in the pants. She said,
“You all are too comfort-
able, you’ve been given
a lot.” She came from a
segregated environment
and she graduated from
the last segregated high
school in South Carolina.
I also talked to my hus-
band, who claims I never
asked him (laughs).
What I found very in-
teresting was you had
to have access to capital,
and I think that is a barri-
er to good people enter-
ing government. That’s
where I felt fortunate,
because I’m a good fund-
raiser. I don’t like that it
takes so much money to
win, but you have to be
willing to ask. It was also
a good opportunity for
people who hadn’t tradi-
tionally participated in
campaigns to really be a
part of it. So I looked at it
as kind of a community
thing, and it was energiz-
ing. And it was the most
expensive campaign for
a House seat ever in Or-
egon. You have to buy
broadcast commercials,
and there’s not a lot of
cable penetration, so you
end up in more expen-
sive markets. It’s mostly
advertising. You’ve got to
get people’s attention.
Read more of the interview at
TheSkanner.com
cont’d from pg 1
in law) from Boston University’s School
of Law in 1960.
Moore served as a clerk for United
States District Court Judge Charles E.
Wyzanski, Jr. and was admitted to prac-
tice law in Massachusetts in 1961. He
returned to Atlanta in 1962, where he
“
THE SKANNER ARCHIVES
“
ple to the table for real
conversations,”
said
Matthew Desmond, in
an interview with Mult-
nomah County Library.
“Communities like Port-
land are coming for-
ald Hallowell and A.T. Walden, Moore
worked to promote anti-discrimination
laws such as the Civil Rights Act and the
Voting Rights Act, as well as two court
cases – City of Greenwood v. Peacock
and Georgia v. Rachel – which used
federal civil action to counterattack
against unconsti-
tutional attempts
to use state law
against
citizens
exercising their
rights. In 1966
Moore represented Julian Bond in his
fight to take seat in the Georgia House
of Representatives, and he was part of
the NAACP team in the 1970 Supreme
Traditional civil rights organiza-
tions, and the left as a whole, have
lacked political imagination
was one of 10 African American attor-
neys in the state of Georgia. He traveled
with civil rights activist Vernon Jordan
on Sundays. Alongside attorneys Don-
Court
Deci-
sion of Turn-
er v. Fouche.
After mov-
ing to the West
Coast, Moore
became part
of the legal
team
that
represented
Angela Davis
between 1971
and 1977.
Howard Moore
Moore said
traditional civil rights organizations,
and the left as a whole, have lacked po-
litical imagination – failing to predict,
for instance, that Hillary Clinton’s pri-
mary wins among Black voters in states
where Democrats rarely win would not
translate to a decisive win in the gener-
al election.
To purchase tickets for this year’s
breakfast, please visit www.theskan-
ner.com/mlk-breakfast-tickets.
For more information about The
Skanner Foundation’s scholarships,
awarded at the breakfast, visit www.
theskanner.com/foundation/scholar-
ship.
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Skanner Foundation, please visit
www.theskanner.com/foundation/in-
fo/20224-the-skanner-foundation.
