Tuesday, Jan. 16, 6:45 – 9:15 pm: Meet the potential BerniePDX Portland City Council candidates of 2018: Julia DeGraw (Pos. 2), Jo Ann Hardesty (Pos. 3), & Andrea Valderrama (Pos. 3)! Meet the candidates, ask them your questions, and hear about their plans for our City!
ABOUT JULIA DeGRAW:
Julia DeGraw is running for Portland City Council (Position 2) because it’s time for City Hall to prioritize the needs of the people over developer profits, corporate interests, and complacent politicians. Julia has a history of winning campaigns that do this, like preventing Nestlé from bottling public water in the Gorge. Join Julia in creating a bold future for Portland that includes a home for everyone in need, living wage jobs & union rights for workers, and permanent Net Neutrality with municipal broadband. Working with people across the city, we will end Portland’s Jim Crow-era at-large election system by creating City Council districts to achieve equitable representation for all. Julia won’t accept contributions from corporations or developers; she stands with the people. Learn more at julia4pdx.com.
ABOUT JO ANN HARDESTY:
After serving in the Navy, Baltimore native Jo Ann Hardesty found her home in Portland, OR when she began community organizing for Oregon’s Black United Fund in 1990. Jo Ann later served in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001, representing North and Northeast Portland. Jo Ann was elected as president of the NAACP Portland Chapter in 2014, after her efforts to revitalize the oldest civil rights group in Portland. She also is currently a member of the East Portland Action Plan and Vice Chair for the board of Human Solutions. As a community leader and activist, Jo Ann has a long history of standing for the city’s most disadvantaged communities for nearly 30 years. She is a firm believer that opportunities to thrive in Portland should not depend on someone’s zip code or background. Jo Ann is the only candidate who proactively challenged incumbent Dan Saltzman for his City Council seat. Her campaign platform focuses on access to government, green and living wage jobs, affordable housing, and police reform. Learn more at joannforportland.com.
ABOUT ANDREA VALDERRAMA:
Andrea Valderrama is a community leader, a first-generation Peruvian American, a mom, and the first person of color to serve on the David Douglas School Board. Her family came to the United States from Peru as political refugees and worked as day laborers when they arrived in the United States. After her mom survived domestic violence, Andrea grew up in a single parent household and experienced housing and economic instability. She helped support her family by cleaning houses after school and put herself through college, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon. Today, Andrea lives in outer East Portland with her partner, two-year old daughter, and rescue dog. As a City Commissioner, her top priorities will include taking immediate action to address our housing crisis, community safety and the livability of our neighborhoods, and increasing the number of good paying jobs in Portland so families can stay, grow, and thrive here. Learn more at valderrama4pdx.com.
–> Can’t make the meeting? Don’t worry, we still want your input! Keep your eyes on your inbox for the BerniePDX candidate endorsement poll.
Location: Waverly Heights Church, 3300 SE Woodward St.