Senate Appointment Not About Race

The appointment for Senate District 22 is not the typical black vs. white scenario Willamette Week implies [“Race to the Top,” Aug. 26. 2009], because Rep. Chip Shields is hardly typical.

As president of the African-American Chamber of Commerce and director of Project Clean Slate, I have seen and experienced how Rep. Shields has delivered for our community. He was instrumental in providing funding to Project Clean Slate. Since then thousands of local residents have opportunity to change their lives, most of whom were African-American.

He broke the log jam that kept African-American firms from getting highway construction work. He championed a historic investment in low-income housing. He passed a bill that invests $1.5 million in pre-apprenticeship training for women and people of color. That’s why virtually all African-American leaders I know, people like community matriarch Willie Mae Hart, PCRI Housing President Maxine Fitzpatrick and National Association of Minority Contractors President Maurice Rahming, are supporting Shields’ appointment to Senator Margaret Carter’s seat.

When Shields gains this appointment, there is a diverse group that will pursue his house seat. But this appointment to the Senate is about more than race. It’s also about who has delivered real results for the community and who has the skills to deliver real results in the future. Rep. Shields has earned the community’s respect. He should be appointed to fill the very big shoes being left by Senator Margaret Carter.

Roy Jay
President/ CEO
Project Clean Slate, African American Chamber of Commerce

Corrections

Tom Breuckman, the principal of Beach School, was erroneously listed in a Murmur on Aug. 26 with other new principals whose salaries are thousands of dollars more than their colleagues.

In last week’s article about Ramona Falls, “Idea Man,” WW twice mistakenly referred to frontman Brent Knopf as “Brett.”

WW regrets the errors.