I did not have the privilege to attend Portland Public Schools, but having graduated from High School less than four years ago, I am immensely grateful that public education prepared me for the challenges of adult life.

An advantageous education is dependent on many things, but in this revolutionary age of technology and culture, a strategic and diverse curriculum is necessary to keep our children and families competitive in the world. And we still must surpass our goals in ensuring access of achievement and opportunity for everyone.

I support Consuelo Saragoza for School Board District 6, because she has the experience of working with populations across Oregon to transform community potential into astounding results. Whether it has been with migrant workers, Education School Districts, or various local governments, Consuelo has proven to me
that she is knowledgeable in educational theory, and is ready to be an incubator of creativity for Portland Public Schools.

I am proud of my friend Tom Koehler for his decision to run for School Board. I admire his effective leadership in community development and conservation. I believe that he will be a transformative leader in whatever field he fully applies himself to. If he were to be elected to School Board, I believe he would serve his constituents with passion and integrity, which is why he earned my secondary endorsement.

When it comes to equity, I believe there is no other candidate like Consuelo who understands the drastic inequalities facing low income families and communities of color. She is an inspiration to advocates for women, the LGBTQ, and communities of color, and has my complete confidence in being a strong and critical voice to evaluate whether our current practices are equitable.

I urge you to sit down with Consuelo and Tom, witness their fullness of life and passion for education, and you will understand how lucky Portland Public Schools is to have such dynamic individuals stepping up in the community.

Stay Healthy,

cameron whitten.

If you have paid attention to my personal Facebook Page during this past month, you might know that I am stuck in an unfortunate position with the Oregon University System. I have been considered to be a non-resident for tuition purposes, which has made achieving an adequate education a nearly impossible possibility for me.

There are many criteria in which OUS determines whether someone is an in-state resident for tuition purposes, including financial independence and duration of residence in the state. Under challenge in my case is adequate documentation that I am living in the State of Oregon for non-academic reasons.

I have considered Oregon to be my home since 2009. I have worked here. I have volunteered for dozen of non-profits here. I ran for public office here. The longest I have been away from Oregon in the past 12 months was a single week. I have provided my parents tax information, my social security number, copies of my identification and casework from when I first arrived.There is no other place that I could imagine being my home at this point. This is where I ask for your help.

There is no better documentation than the support of other Oregonians in my community. If you can, write a letter to OUS about what you have witnessed me do in the community, or an experience in which I personally touched your life.

The criteria for what I am asking in the letter is simple:

1. Be at least 200 words in length.
2. Does not include any condescending or hostile language.
3. It goes as far back as you can remember about my presence in the State.
4. Include your signature in handwriting, and scan it to cwhitten@pdx.edu OR you can email it to 2333 NW Irving St, Portland 97210.
5. It makes me cry a little when I read it.

There isn’t much time between now and when I have to testify in Monmouth at Western State University, on February 5th, 11:00am. By that time, I wish to approach them with at least 100 personal letters from real Oregonians about my activities in Oregon, and how I have worked my hardest to make sure this is a prosperous place for all Oregonians to live.

Stay Healthy,

cameron whitten.

I may not have supported you in the race for City Council, but that never negated my respect for your experience and service to the public. It is my personal belief that democracy works for the people when it is competitive and includes diverse viewpoints. This was the first chance for me to witness a progressive female legislator clash with a progressive female city official, and I noticed first hand the difference you made.

Amanda Fritz’s first dip in the political swimming pool was lukewarm, at best. When someone first runs for office, it’s usually the first interview instead of the signed contract. Portland listened to what she offered as a Planning Commissioner, Neighborhood Activist, and Retired Nurse when she failed to unseat the incumbent Dan Saltzman in 2006. Then, in 2008 she practically waltzed into office as a front runner in the race, with a second round of public campaign financing.

While I believe that a Voter Owned Election system benefits society overall, the wrong message can be sent to an elected with trivial opposition, something that a few readers on this blog may may sympathize with. Then you showed up four years later, and held an intervention that many past supporters had been clambering for.

While I believe some of your criticisms may not have fairly acknowledged the involvement of others on the Council, you questioned her effectiveness, you her as a micromanager, you challenged her values on a variety of serious issues. Myself, voters, and even some editorial boards, witnessed your campaign become the sandpaper that polished her into a wooden statue.

I was amazed by the transformation I have seen in Amanda Fritz this past year. I witnessed her courage to tackle radical Fluoride showdowns while facing a tight re-election, her pride in the progress with the Office of Equity, her proactive participation in the DOJ negotiations, and her commitment to public service by putting some skin in the game. Because of all this, Portland will have much a stronger City Council than if we had taken the ‘friendlier’ route.

There can never be enough encouragement for leaders who have the spirit to peer directly into the chaotic vortex of sound known as the Citizenry.

Even if you have heard it recently, I don’t believe you have heard it enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mary Nolan.

Stay Healthy,

Cameron Whitten.

By Cameron Whitten, Kate Lore, Ibrahim Mubarak, and Lee Larson

The People of Portland came together this week. Although we suffer from the worst economic crisis since the Depression, voters chose to provide educational relief to parents and children alike, by funding our schools, the arts, and libraries. This was no small feat. Our ability to face hard challenges with thoughtfulness and compassion reflect the heart of who we truly are.

But civic engagement never ends at the ballot box. Portland’s amazing advocacy groups cover a variety of social issues, but the most vulnerable in our community need more champions that they can depend on.

Homelessness in Portland is on the rise. Based on Multnomah County’s 2011 One Night Shelter Count, 1,700 people are unsheltered in Portland at any given night and 5,000 are considered to be homeless. We have reached the seventh year of the Plan to End Homelessness, a crisis that has proven to be too big for the city, county, non-profits, and even the faith community to address alone.

We acknowledge the scarcity of resources. Despite this time of extreme human need, a community of empowered individuals, without a single government subsidy, have become an effective partner in ending homelessness. We want to thank Right 2 Dream Too for having the courage to walk the unpopular path, filling the rest of us with hope and inspiration.

R2D2 has a record of community engagement, crime and drug prevention, and helping homeless citizens feel like they have received a hand up, not a hand out. Here’s an example of their victories since October of 2011: 25 “Dreamers” have transitioned into housing and 17 have found employment. There has even been 2 successful childbirths, where mothers were able to avoid the terror of being separated from their child due to their housing status. These families have since found safe and affordable housing thanks to the opportunities presented by Right 2 Dream Too.

Even with these praiseworthy results, R2D2 struggles to be seen in a favorable light by Portland officials. There are still disagreements about the location and zoning of R2D2, which has led to continual fines to coerce the Dreamers into dispersing. R2D2 has organized countless demonstrations, testimonies at City Council, hunger strikes, and press events to seek a more sensible approach to housing justice.

When disasters such as Hurricane Sandy hit, a rare miracle happens- government, relief groups, and the faith community come together to address the issue, regardless of political tilt.

Homelessness is an example of a chronic disaster. We have an opportunity to do what is right and show that same degree of creative compassion this Friday, November 16th at the Regional Summit of Homelessness and Affordable Housing. With the help of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, representatives from Multnomah County, Clackamas County, Washington County, and Metro will convene at the First Methodist Church of Portland to recognize our mutual stake in ending homelessness. All are invited to participate, we only ask you to come with an open mind, and an open heart.

Fellow Oregonians,

As a community, we pride ourselves in seeing the Big Picture. Oregon’s pioneering spirit has put us ahead of the nation, time and time again.

Statistics reveal that $9.5 billion of Oregon’s Short Term Funds are invested into various financial institutions, including Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, and Bank of America. The majority of these funds are located outside of Oregon.

Investment Officers travel the world to manage this portfolio, and can charge flight, food, and lodging fees to the Treasury. While these investments are intended to provide a rate of return, it is stripping our local economy of capital that should be channeled into small business startups.

As a leader in our community, I am dedicated to seeing the Big Picture.

A State Bank is a solution to Oregon’s financial hardships. Oregonians deserve a say over how our assets are managed, rather than CEOs who make their decisions miles away from Oregon.

Small Businesses are the organs of Oregon’s economy, and community banks are its’ lifeblood. A State Bank of Oregon will employ talented bankers to partner with the private sector, helping local banks lower interest on loans, increase lending capacities, and help entrepreneurs and farmers access the capital they need to grow our economy. This fiscal policy is tailored to specifically benefit the citizens of Oregon.

2012 is the right year to build a coalition around the State Bank of Oregon. As Treasurer, I will be at the Legislature to encourage bipartisan support for a resilient economy, based on resilient structures that are answerable to the democratic will of the People.

With your vote, you can insure prosperity for generations to come. It is time to restore our faith in hardworking Oregonians.

I honor my commitment to serve, call me directly at 503-890-5716 or visit www.cameronwhitten.com.

Earlier this month, Portland Commissioner Amanda Fritz published a draft resolution that would oppose hazardous coal exports traveling through the City of Portland. This comes after months and months of heated debate between environmentalists, community organizers, unions, and private interest groups about climate change and the economy. Even Commissioner-Elect Steve Novick jumped into the brouhaha, calling it hypocritical for us to refuse the doubling of coal exports through the United States, when a number of our locals are still addicted to ‘the Burn’.

Taking a position against coal is a no brainer. It’s notorious as being the dirtiest fuel, a leading contributor to chemical poisoning that causes mass amounts of environmental destruction to our fragile air and waterways. As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said about coal during his visit to Portland, “You don’t just get sick. It poisons democracy, it poisons communities, it poisons values.”

With Portland and Multnomah County’s recent advances on the Climate Action Plan, along with the closure of our only Oregon-based coal plant by 2020, a 180 turn that allows Portland to become middle man for coal demand for China’s alarming pollution levels seems contradictory to all of our hard work.

But it’s bigger than that. As Steve asked: will our current approach to fighting coal exports actually do anything to deter the global dependence on coal, or is it just a symbolic action that allows us activists to pump out our chests with our prevailing ideology?

I fully support Amanda Fritz and the resolution to be proactive against coal, but it isn’t the finish line. It’s the springboard that we must use to push our sustainability agenda further. We as a community need to accept responsibility of the mantra, ‘Power Past Coal’ and improve the solutions for energy demand and conservation, otherwise coal will make its’ move while we are caught off guard.

Sometimes, these conversations will produce wonky new ideas. Most importantly, it will help us realize that even an overwhelmingly progressive community can be victim to unproductive political infighting, arguing over process instead of outcome. City Council has always been on our side against coal, and Commissioners like Amanda and Steve have proven their commitment to stimulating public dialogue and adhering to a fair, democratic process. Let’s focus on heightening the standard for the rest of the Northwest.

On August 4th, around 40 activists rallied in the Rockwood area of Gresham, to decry the excessive use of police force in Anaheim, California: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-chen/terror-in-anaheim_b_1708254.html

This is my speech.

“I get a little sick of coming to these rallies.

It’s not because I don’t like you guys. We’re cool, trust me. I just don’t like to acknowledge the fact that we live in a society which suffers unmatched levels of violence and death, compared to any other industrialized nation.

There have been 8 Police Shootings in Anaheim since January 1st, 2012. Most of these victims were unarmed, most of these victims are dead. Their families will receive no justice, as these killings qualify under the category of justifiable homicide. There will be no compensation for the innocent civilians who were bruised by bean bags and rubber bullets while recording these shootings. FBI statistics cover every detail of every break-in, theft, and felony that happens in America, but there is an informational drought when it comes to investigations of police misconduct and the breach of civil liberties.

I’ve stood in these shoes before. November 17th, 2011- Portland Police, Beaverton Police, Gresham Police, and Police from wherever hell else they came from, swarmed the streets of Portland, dressed in the height of Militarized fashion. I was assaulted by two Police Officers, Officer D. Scott and Officer Mawdley, for refusing to evacuate a public sidewalk and put myself at risk by moving into the street. They rammed me into a mounted horse. They smashed my laptop. They slammed me to the ground and tried to arrest me. After People dragged me into the streets, I rose to find an Officer with a rubber bullet shotgun pointed directly at my chest, a mere two feet away. I was so lucky he didn’t pull the trigger.

Trayvon Martin was not neither the beginning nor the end of systemic violence against an economically and socially underserved community of color. Since then, we’ve had a 12 Year Old BLack Daughter tasered by Police while they arrested her mother over unpaid traffic tickets in a St. Louis’ Victoria’s Secrets. We’ve had a 8 Month Pregnant Black Mother tasered for ripping up a parking ticket outside her car in Chicago. Her two children were forced to witness this act against humanity from the back seat. FBI statistics capture every detail of every break-in, theft, and felony, but there is an informational drought whenever there is a question of excessive police force.

I don’t personally know any white supremacists, and I don’t personally know any domestic terrorists. But the statistics don’t like. We are living in a State of Terror, and People of Color are the most common victim.

When you witness this injustice, don’t sell your cellphones to the authorities. The powers that be will exploit our vulnerability to poverty, and tempt us to betray truth and our community.

I have one question for you. Are you going to take this anymore?

Commemorating the birthday of social critic and award-winning author Aldous Huxley, Portland activist Cameron Whitten has declared a determined end date for his Hunger Strike at City Hall. The 24/7 camping demonstration was launched on June 2nd, and has been fairly reminiscent of last Fall’s Occupation of Downtown Public Squares. After 55 Days, Whitten’s weight has dropped to 159 of an initial 193.7 pounds: shedding 34.7 pounds in total.

Whitten, a former Mayoral Candidate, student, and active volunteer, said he felt the exponentially growing housing crisis was not receiving enough visibility, “There are less safe places for Portlanders to sleep, which contributes to crime, mental health issues, lower quality of living, and death.”
The statistics of homelessness in Multnomah County are staggering.

2,727 people are experiencing homelessness
1,928 are sleeping in transitional housing
35% are unsheltered families with children
46% are people of color
12% are U.S. military veterans
Total 4,655 people as identified by the Portland/Multnomah County “Point-In Time Study,” 2011

Whitten launched his campaign with three resolutions: petitioning Bureau of Development Services to waive fines levied on the property owners of lot 323, where Right 2 Dream Too shelters over 80 houseless individuals per night without governmental aid, for County Sheriff to issue a one-year moratorium on foreclosure evictions for homeowners, and for City Council to add a housing levy measure to the November 2012 General Election ballot.

Many City Officials, including the Mayor, had conversations with Whitten during the 55 Day protest. Although they acknowledged the merit of the requests, each was denied as an immediate course of action. Tensions came to a boil when Whitten, surrounded by supporters at his 30 Day rally, announced he was switching to a more dangerous water-only fast, prompting a few City Commissioners to cease communications with him, save for Commissioner Fritz, who spent time outside the campaign trail to check his health and exchange ideas. He continued to organize within the community and build public support, gaining the attention of both Mayoral Candidates, Jefferson Smith and Charlie Hales. For weeks, local media was in the air about how the end game would turn out.

Tuesday Morning, Whitten tweeted that he was returning to the liquid diet he had adopted in the first 30 days of his protest, which was retweeted by Mayor Adams and received strong approval from supporters. Both parties were nothing more than ambiguous about claims of a negotiation being hammered out.

One of his most active, and inspired supporters has been Kate Lore of First Unitarian Church, which Whitten attends. “…I am profoundly moved by all that Cameron has managed to do…As a result, he brought together a powerful coalition of government, faith, and community leaders to collaboratively address this crisis. I am so impressed by his passion for justice and his resolve to make a difference.”

Whitten notes a number of groundbreaking victories for Housing Justice have occurred over the past 55 Days:

Renewed visibility to the housing crisis, promotion of “Housing First” policy.
Located services for various houseless individuals.
July 1 Slumber Party, where over 70 housing advocates slept outside City Hall.
July 20 Rally at Terry Schrunk Park, with over 200 attendees.
Initiation of legal procedures on behalf of Right 2 Dream Too.
New Dialogue on Housing Reform, such as Steve Novick’s Eminent Domain proposal (which Whitten promoted during his Primary campaign).
Public Letter from Mayor Sam Adams, announcing an Annual Regional Housing Summit, TBA.

Over the weeks, he has been visited by hundreds of well-wishers, provided interviews and background information to a diversity of news outlets, and attended classes at Portland Community College, Cascade Campus. When asked what his favorite experience over his 8 week journey was, he wittingly responded, “Not starving to death.”
Whitten states that he couldn’t have made this much progress on the Hunger Strike by himself. He gives credits and many thanks to supporters in a long list, including:
Israel Bayer, Street Roots
Amy Ruiz, Office of Mayor Sam Adams
Ibrahim Mubarak and Mark Kramer, R2D2 Advocates
Mayoral Candidates Jefferson Smith and Charlie Hales,
Commissioner Amanada Fritz,
Midge Purcell, Urban League of Portland
Billy Scheibner, Co-Striker
Jobs With Justice, KBOO, KGW News, PQ Monthly, and the Portland Mercury
Kate Lore, First Unitarian Church of Portland
Jason Renauld, Mental Health Association
Jim Flanagan, Overseeing Physician
Phiamma Elias, RADIANTFLUXproductions
Gardner Mein, PCC Creative Writing Professor
And his list goes on at: http://www.cameronwhitten.com/honors-and-thanks/

Whitten is planning an open Press Conference to declare his victory, on the steps of City Hall. Thursday, July 26th at 10AM, supporters will be able to observe him scarf down his first item of solid food in the past 55 Days. He hasn’t clued anyone in on what it will be, but you can be sure it will be vegan.

For more information, visit: www.cameronwhitten.com

I have been outside of City Hall on hunger strike for over 50 days, here’s a short explanation of my perspective. I was raised in Northern Virginia with an abusive father who left my family in utter dysfunction. I graduated H.S. with IB Honors, and enrolled into college on a scholarship from the Rotary Club. My future was jeopardized the longer I remained near my broken home, so I fled to the West Coast in search of more promising opportunities.

I gravitated to Portland. For two months I lived in a shelter for at-risk youth before transitioning into housing. I now study at PCC with a 3.25 GPA, and avidly volunteer with a dozen non-profits, including Portland Homeless Family Solutions. I’ve invested thousands of hours into serving others, because I never want to inflict any harm into the world like I experienced as a child.

My small sacrifices were never enough to quench my concerns over the increasing gap of inequality in our society, as systemic racism, sexism, ableism, xenophobia, and homophobia prevails while basic essentials are denied to invaluable human beings.

The Occupy Movement inspired me to optimize my role in life. I amplified my voice to inspire others, motivating my run for Mayor of Portland. I was endorsed by both the Green and Progressive Parties, placing 5th out of 23 candidates.

I’m pleased by the success of the Movement and my Campaign, but there’s still an intolerable level of apathy towards our socioeconomic crisis. Some expect our leaders to solve the issue for us, yet the interests of the highest income-earners tend to dominate the conversation. I view my activism as a way to insert morality, instead of money, to influence politics.

I chose to hunger, because the crisis cannot be ignored any longer. It’s a dangerous tactic, uncommon in American culture. I felt it was necessary, overcoming this epidemic will take a heroic amount of sacrifice. I have frequent medical and psychological supervision to ensure my first strike is practiced safely.

Locally, the largest injustice I’ve observed is R2D2. A community of houseless individuals have provided themselves a safe place to sleep without government assistance, but are criminalized by the City, despite more working families entering homelessness throughout this recession.

The cycle of homelessness cannot be escaped without having a safe place to sleep. The “Housing First” theory states that permanent housing is more cost-effective than hospitalization, mental/drug treatment, or incarceration of the houseless population. Ending homelessness must address a mixture of amending our anti-camping policies and funding for affordable housing, benefiting Portlanders of every background.

I respect City Council for their tireless and often thankless achievements that keep our City working. I look forward to serving in their Commissions, although I believe that the bridge between activism and politics must precede the solution.

There is no determined end date for this protest, but there is a rare chance that our Progressive community and local government can take advantage of this visibility to broaden our approach in combating poverty.

I expect so much from humanity, and still have so much hope. Thank you.

I would like to thank the speakers, and the rest of you all for attending.

There is a coldness in the heat of our society. As the highest tier of Americans continue to profit, the gap of inequality widens, and invaluable lives are deprived of the basic essentials for survival.

Some may think that a hunger strike is a dangerous, ineffective tactic to address this crisis.

Some may think that its not enough, where even in the worlds most prosperous nation, every 53 minutes an American child dies due to poverty.

How many more are we willing to let die, before we act?

The theory of “housing first” states that providing a stable place to sleep significantly enables a person to find employment, recover from substance abuse, refrain from violence and crime, and seek mental health counseling at a lower cost to government.

In a Progressive and Thriving City such as ours, if we were able to adapt such a powerful resolution, we would be more successful and resourceful in combating systemic poverty, rather than having our police force sweep vulnerable human beings from bridge, to doorways, to jail cells.

We entered this protest with three distinct goals. So far, advancement with the City has appeared a little bleak.

But if you pay close attention, you can see a subtle change in our approach on the issue.

I’d like to thank the Mayor and City Council for their responsiveness, their advocacy, and endless work behind the scenes to address our general welfare. We have their attention, and are beginning to broaden their policies to deal with the housing crisis.

Now, it is time for the citizenry do to their part.

August 10th will be an observance of the 70th day of my hunger strike, and the day the United States’ Declaration of Independence first reached the streets of London. Beginning right here, we will host a rally, march, potluck, dance party, and slumber party. I strongly encourage the students, the workers, the unemployed and poor, those left in endless debt, and all others looked as being less than “middle class” to participate in our Day of Economic Justice.

There is so much visibility for this great cause, the whole world is watching. Now is the time for unity, not to divide amongst ourselves.

I can see the light inside of every single one of you right now. Never surrender that power. Thank you,