May 27, 2017

Community Statement on May 26th, 2017 Violence by White Supremacist

May 27, 2017

Community Statement on May 26th, 2017 Violence by White Supremacist

We are grieving the brutal stabbing and murder of two courageous bystanders who sought to disrupt a potential assault on a Muslim woman on the TriMet Hollywood MAX station. We extend our heartfelt care and support to the people and their families impacted by this trauma. This senseless tragedy happened on the eve of the Holy Month of Ramadan, a period that draws Muslim communities together with intentions for peace and harmony by centering our purpose and relationship with God.

We wish to extend our gratitude to fellow commuters who spoke out against racist and xenophobic taunts. We expect that those responsible for their deaths are held accountable, and that we will seek community-driven ways to restore safety. News that the perpetrator was a known White Supremacist, and was intimidating People of Color, Immigrants and Refugees on April 29th on 82nd Ave calls us to be vigilant in our resistance.

This horrific violence requires us to reflect deeply on root causes, and is not an excuse to further militarize our communities. We believe in a world where everyone lives without fear of discrimination, exclusion or harm. May more Oregonians take action to interrupt hate and stand for love. In these terrible moments, we are reminded of our fragile humanity and the need to build institutions around the inherent worth and dignity of all people, institutions that function as systems of care.

Here are several concrete ways community members can show support:


We all have a role in creating the society we live in. As organizations and individuals committed to human rights, we are dedicated to confronting the forces of hate and building movements for social justice. May we find courage and purpose, challenge anti-Muslim Islamophobia, and foster community that ensures each of us have the rights, resources and recognition to thrive.

Sincerely,

Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons, Executive Director
APANO and APANO Communities United Fund

Co-Signers:

  1. Diego Hernandez, Oregon State Representative
  2. Lew Frederick, Oregon State Senator
  3. Karin Power, Oregon State Representative
  4. Jessica Vega Pederson, Multnomah County Commissioner
  5. Andrea Valderrama, David Douglas School Board
  6. Ann Linninger, Oregon State Representative
  7. Ana del Rocío, David Douglas School Board Member-Elect
  8. Chloe Eudaly, City of Portland Commissioner
  9. Wajdi Said, Muslim Education Trust
  10. Rania Ayoub, Muslim Education Trust
  11. Congressman Earl Blumenauer
  12. Duncan Hwang, APANO and APANO Communities Fund
  13. Khanh Le, State Director, Main Street Alliance of Oregon
  14. Mary Nolan, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon
  15. Rev. Michael Ellick Senior Minister, First Congregational United Church of Christ
  16. Jan Elfers, Executive Director, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
  17. Andrea Paluso, Executive Director, Family Forward Oregon and Family Forward Action
  18. Kayse Jama, Executive Director, Unite Oregon
  19. Nancy Haque, Co-Executive Director, Basic Rights Oregon
  20. Amy Herzfeld-Copple, Co-Executive Director, Basic Rights Oregon
  21. Grayson Dempsey, Executive Director, NARAL Pro Choice Oregon
  22. Rev. Lynne Smouse Lopez, Pastor, Ainsworth United Church Of Christ
  23. Jackie Yerby, Executive Director, Bradley Angle
  24. Toya Fick, Executive Director, Stand for Children Oregon Chapter
  25. Nikki Fisher, Executive Director, Bus Project and Co-Director of New Leaders Council Portland Chapter
  26. Charles McGee, Executive Director, Black Parent Initiative
  27. Jackie Leung, Chair, Micronesian Islander Community of Oregon
  28. Andrea Williams, Executive Director, Causa Oregon
  29. Rev. Barbara Stevens, Universalist Recovery Church
  30. Alan Hipolito, Executive Director, Verde
  31. Bobbin Singh, Executive Director , Oregon Justice Resource Center
  32. Jillian Schoene, Executive Director, Emerge Oregon
  33. Rev. Kit Ketcham, Pacific Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
  34. Ashnie Butler, Regional Outreach Director, Family Forward Oregon.
  35. Rev. Tracy Springberry, West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
  36. Maureen Andersen, Event Coordinator, Portland Indivisible
  37. Samantha Gladu, Co-Director, New Leaders Council Portland Chapter
  38. Noel Mickelberry, Executive Director, Oregon Walks
  39. Huy Ong, Executive Director, OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon
  40. Patricia Rojas, Executive Director, El Programa Hispano Catolico
  41. Lamar Wise, Oregon Student Association Legislative Director
  42. Rev. Ron Werner, Jr, Oregon Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
  43. Sasha Vidales, Director, Creative Goal Solutions
  44. David Rogers, Executive Director, ACLU of Oregon
  45. Cindy Casama Gerber, Community Member
  46. Aimee Santos-Lyons, APANO Member
  47. Bea Downing, Community Member
  48. Zeenia Junkeer, Community Member
  49. Marlie Cardiff, Community Member
  50. Heather Fercho, Community Member
  51. Amy Casso, Gender Justice Program Dir, Western States Center
  52. Rachel Hirsch, Community Member
  53. Jim Labbe & Rita Sabler, Community Members
  54. Megan and William Bird, Community Members
  55. Beatriz Gutierrez, Community Member
  56. Vivian Satterfield, Community Member
  57. Natalie Lerner, Community Member
  58. Ivan Hernandez, Community Member
  59. Megan Kovacs, Community Member
  60. Whitney Grubbs, Community Member
  61. Channbunmorl (Chom) Sou, CEO of JustBarz
  62. Yian Saechao, APANO Youth Organizer
  63. Koua Moua, Community Member
  64. Jamee Greer, Community Member with Western States Center
  65. Andrew Riley, Community Engagement Coordinator, 1000 Friends of Oregon
  66. Kathryn Moran, Community Engagement Coordinator, Westminster Presbyterian Church
  67. Gary Moran, Community Member
  68. Rachel Post, Community Member
  69. Marissa Yang Bertucci, Community Member, Portland Public Schools
  70. Se-ah-dom Edmo, Movement Building Director, Western States Center
  71. Ashlee Albies, Portland National Lawyers Guild
  72. Maria Delgado Miembro y Líder de la Comunidad
  73. Rujuta Gaonkar, Community Member
  74. Kristin Teigen, Community Member and board member, Oregon NOW
  75. Katherine McDowell, ACLU of Oregon Board Member and VP of Litigation
  76. Ben Sand, Community Member
  77. Kenneth Lerner, Co-President, Havurah Shalom
  78. Thach Nguyen, APANO Board
  79. Felicia Williams, President, Portland Downtown Neighborhood Association
  80. Alma Trinidad, community member, scholar activist
  81. Lisa Watson, Community Activist
  82. Dmae Roberts, executive producer, MediaRites
  83. Sara Gelser, State Senator
  84. The Rev Jeremy Lucas, Christ Church Episcopal Parish, Board Member, Institute for Christian Muslim Understanding
  85. Sarah Iannarone, Community Member
  86. Rev. Judy Welles, Unitarian Universalist Association
  87. Laurie Huffman, Executive Director, Oregon School-Based Health Alliance
  88. Annette Mattson, Trustee-elect, Mt Hood Community College
  89. Katie Rose, Executive Director, Oregon Support Services Association
  90. Leah Benson, Community Member
  91. Sophorn Cheang, Director, IRCO Asian Family Center
  92. Ali King, President, Nasty Women Get Shit Done PDX
  93. Judith Mowry, City of Portland Office of Equity and Human Rights
  94. Marcus Swift, Director of Political and Legislative Affairs, American Federation of Teachers-Oregon
  95. Heather Nicholas, Community Member
  96. Daisy Quiñonez, Community Member
  97. Ashley Thirstrup, Community Member and Kay Hutchinson
  98. Neighbor
  99. Raahi Reddy, APANO Board
  100. Dahabolul Khadija Fai, Community Member
  101. Amy Fellows, Executive Director, We Can Do Better
  102. Meera Kumar, Community Member
  103. Charlotte Lumae, Educator, Community Organizer
  104. gita mehrotra, community member
  105. Amanda Rhoads, Community Member
  106. Rev. George William Whitfield, Pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church-PDX.
  107. Renee Ramey, North Plains Grassroots
  108. Kathleen Jeskey, Oregon BATs
  109. Patti Duncan, Community Member
  110. Athen O'Shea, Q Center Board of Directors, Greater Portland Trans Unity
  111. Kirsten Saladow, Director of Communications, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art
  112. The Rev. Maureen-Elizabeth Hagen, Episcopal Diocese of Oregon; President, Association for Episcopal Deacons
  113. Dr. John Talberth, President, Center for Sustainable Economy
  114. Daphne Wysham, West Linn Alliance for Inclusive Community
  115. Megan Rutherford, Co-President, Action Together Oregon
  116. Dr. Amelia Nestler, Director, Action Together Oregon
  117. Christine Lewis, Community Member
  118. Christine Chin Ryan and Pat Ryan, Community Members
  119. Rachel Prusak, Nurse and Community Member
  120. Cyreena Boston Ashby, Community Member
  121. Diane L. Grover, Portland Immigration AttorneyKali Thorne Ladd, Community Member
  122. Stephen Green, community member
  123. Raquel Bournhonesque, community member
  124. Lisa Bates, community member
  125. Sonali Sangeeta Balajee, Consultant and Senior Fellow, Haasstitute, UC Berkeley
  126. Katie Potter, Retired Portland Police Officer
  127. Patrik McDade, People-Places-Things Program Director
  128. Jenny Glass, Executive Director, The Rosewood Initiative
  129. Martha Perez, General Political Activist
  130. Jerry Anderson, Disability Rights Advocate
  131. Cari Luna, Chapter Chair, Portland Democratic Socialists of America
  132. Val Hoyle, Community Member
  133. Amanda Lamb, Board President, Montavilla Food Cooperative
  134. Rachele Avolio community member
  135. Tera Couchman Wick, concerned citizen
  136. Katherine McGuiness, Board President, The Network for Reproductive Options
  137. Traci Rossi, Executive Director, Center for Women’s Leadership
  138. Jamie Partridge, Portland Jobs with Justice
  139. Jodi Ballard-Beach, Co-chair, Oregon Women's Equity Coalition
  140. Amy Ruiz, community member
  141. Hanif Fazal, Executive Director of the Center for Equity and Inclusion
  142. Danielle Trammell, community member
  143. Steph Routh, Community & Marketing Manager, Community Cycling Center.
  144. Roberta Phillip-Robbins, MRG Foundation
  145. CJ Robbins, Black Male Achievement, Office of Equity & Human Rights, City of Portland
  146. Anne Marie Hiestand, Community Member
  147. Tatiana Elejalde, Office of Equity & Human Rights, City of Portland
  148. Koffi Dessou, President of Togo Community Organization of Oregon (TOGO CORE)
  149. Carrie Lanza, Lecturer, University of Washington, Bothell
  150. Nickole Cheron, Office of Equity and Human Rights
  151. M’lissa Wetherell, Community Member
  152. Mark McKechnie, Executive Director, Youth, Rights & Justice
  153. Terri Preeg Riggsby, Board Chair, West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District
  154. Robin Eisenbach, Facilitator at the Center for Equity and Inclusion
  155. Kelley Weigel, Executive Director, Western States Center
  156. Kyle & Renee Curtis, Community Members
  157. Kelli Brandt, Community Member
  158. Dante J. James, Director, Office of Equity and Human Rights
  159. Suphaphon Wendy Phanthadeth-Aguinaldo, community member
  160. Terri Akey, community member
  161. Malcolm J. Chaddock, Veterans For Peace CH 72 and Individuals For Justice
  162. Tazma Ahmed-Datta, community member
  163. Emily von W. Gilbert, community member
  164. Judith Eda, community member
  165. Leslie Honey, Community Member
  166. Steve Demerest, president, SEIU Local 503
  167. Qwo-Li Driskill, Community Member
  168. Sarita Amaya, Community Member
  169. Susan Rives Denight, Community Member
  170. Blanca Garcia-Rinder & Keiran Wright, Community Members
  171. Kelley Weigel, Western States Center
  172. Rev. Bill Sinkford, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church of Portland
  173. Rev. Thomas Disrud, Associate Minister, First Unitarian Church of Portland
  174. Rev. Dr. Emily Brault
  175. Cyndi Swaney, Community MemberJ
  176. Janet Byrd, Executive Director, Neighborhood Partnerships
  177. Rev. Heather Rion Starr, native Portland Oregonian, Co-Minister, Unitarian Society of Hartford, CT
  178. Jessica Marks, Co-President, The Refugee Center Online
  179. Dr. Aileen Alfonso Duldulao, Community Member
  180. Rujuta Gaonkar, Community Member
  181. Sandy Bacharach, Community Member
  182. Jessica Katz, Project Coordinator Family Preservation Project
  183. Shweta Moorthy, Coalition of Communities of Color
  184. Constance Cloak, Member of the West Linn Alliance of Inclusive Community
  185. Stephen Marc Beaudoin, board chair, Multnomah Education Service District
  186. Lisa Lyon, Laurelhurst Resident
  187. Sari Storch Mathes, new Oregonian
  188. Hannah Love, Campaign Manager, A Better Oregon
  189. Heidi Guenin, community member
  190. Meg Niemi, President SEIU Local 49
  191. Brian Rudiger, Executive Director SEIU Local 503