Rising!
I'm thrilled to report that East County Rising gave me their endorsement today.
East County Rising, or ECR, is a hybrid - a political PAC and non-profit - that aims to do something important. ECR is working to ensure that East County elected leaders reflect the East County community they serve. They've been pretty successful. Even though the organization is just two years old, ECR has elected 20 progressive candidates of all colors to East County city councils and school boards. They helped hundreds of people fill out their U.S. Census Bureau forms, and worked to get the 2019 Metro parks bond passed.
Tonight, on a Zoom call, ECR announced their 2020 election slate - which includes me!
My compadres include:
Earl Blumenauer for U.S. Representative for Oregon's Third Congressional District
Shemia Fagan for Oregon Secretary of State
Chris Gorsek for Oregon Senate District 25
Zach Hudson for House District 49
Ricki Ruiz for House District 50
Janelle Bynum for House District 51
Anna Williams for House District 52
Eddy Morales for Gresham Mayor
Dave Dyk for Gresham City Council
Vince Jones-Dixon for Gresham City Council
Dina DiNucci for Gresham City Council
Jairo Rios Campos for Wood Village City Council
ECR is also backing the Yes for Our Libraries and Preschool for All ballot measures.
I'm proud of this endorsement, because ECR is working to create a true representational democracy (finally) in my community. East County is young and poor and diverse - more than 60 languages are spoken here. The black, Latinx, Slavic, and Asian-Pacific Islander communities have been steadily growing for more than a generation, a phenomenon I wrote about 20 years ago as a reporter covering East County for The Oregonian.
It's long past time that elected officials here reflect the communities they serve. Women and people of color need to be in positions of power, and progressive voices need to join the conversations in our city halls and school board conference rooms.
Thank you, ECR, for believing in me. I'm ready to win, and ready to support you and the team you're backing. Let's rise.
