Supporting Racial Justice & Reform
“When I think about what love looks like, I see us channeling our holy rage into concrete, productive and powerful action.” - Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
God loves justice. And throughout scripture we are urged to love and seek it, as well. As we are looking to support the work of racial justice, real change to policies and practices is needed, and there are things that each of us can do. The following is a list of local action items compiled by St. Philip the Deacon, Portland.
At the city-level:
- Support the long-standing demands made by the Albina Ministerial Association, Portland Jobs with Justice, the Portland chapters of the Urban League, the NAACP, and other civic and faith organizations regarding police oversight and the renewal of the Portland Police Association contract.
- Support the defunding of “Special Units” from the PPB. With the support of Commissioner Hardesty, we request that the City Council cut funding for so-called “special units” that have been shown to be ineffective in the long term, target low-income communities and communities of color for over-policing, and are part of the school to prison pipeline.
- Reject the use of militarized force and chemical weapons of any kind within our city.
At the State level, support the three actions requested by The People of Color Caucus in the Oregon State Legislature:
- To prohibit the lessening of disciplinary action against law enforcement officers who have committed misconduct (Senate Bill 1567).
- To require the attorney general to investigate and prosecute any death or injury that results from law enforcement action.
- The creation of a bipartisan work group to recommend changes to state law regarding the use of physical force by law enforcement.
Make a call! Our representatives need to hear from us. A call or email from you will go a long way.
If you live in Portland: Mayor Ted Wheeler: 503 823 4120; Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty: 503 823 4151; Commissioner Amanda Fritz: 503 823 3008; Commissioner Chloe Eudaly: 503 823 4682; Rep. Karin Power: 503 986 1441; Sen. Kathleen Taylor: 503 986 1721; Sen. Ron Wyden: 503 326 7525; Gov. Kate Brown: 503 378 4582
Give! Support groups like the Coalition for Communities of Color and their partner organizations and the Albina Ministerial Alliance.
Stay engaged! If you are interested in being part of an ongoing racial justice effort through the All Saints Social Justice & Advocacy Committee, or joining a related book study, please email [email protected].
If you are interested in doing more and participating in the formation of a SE Portland Community Action Network, email [email protected] and they will be in touch with next steps.
