2022 Imagine Black Candidate Endorsements
After a thorough endorsement process, Imagine Black is proud to announce our endorsement of the following candidates. Each candidate received enthusiastic support from Imagine Black Kinfolk members, staff, and the board of directors.
All candidates have:
pledged to reject donations from police unions and private prisons. Learn more about Oregon's No Police Money Pledge. here: https://www.nopolicemoney.org
believes that Black people and families are experts in their lives and the solutions needed to build a better future for themselves and each other. Black voices;
believe that Black leadership belongs in meaningful decision-making roles, including voters and appointed and elected leaders;
believe in environmental racism and that Black and Indigenous people have been disproportionately affected by years of decisions that have negatively impacted our living and working environments;
believe that violations of property should never be equated with the violation of human life; believe that the rights of protestors should be respected and protected;
believe in reparations for Black Oregonians;
believe in the right for workers to organize in public and private sectors; believe that housing and shelter are human rights;
believe that immigration is a human right; believe in the land back movement and Indigenous sovereignty;
believe that systematic anti-Black racism exists in Oregon and needs to be dismantled;
believe that everyone should have access to the full range of reproductive health care services, including access to safe abortion;
believe that federal, state, regional, and local governments share the responsibility to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline in Oregon;
believe that critical race and ethnic studies are essential to Oregon K-12 education and require state budget investment to ensure implementation.
commits to creating policies with a Black Queer Feminist lens and supporting legislation protecting LGBTQIA2+ Oregonians from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity;
commit to defending the rights of all working people, including those who are unable to form unions at this time - domestic workers, migrant workers, and sex workers;
supports decriminalizing sex work; supports a just transition, shifting from an extractive to a regenerative economy;
supports the call to reimagine public safety and create democratic community control over safety and justice systems rooted in restoration and healing; and
supports laws banning the sale or transfer of military-style assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.
Imagine Black collectively donated $20,000 to our endorsed candidates. We encourage you to get to know each candidate and consider donating to their efforts.
Imagine Black is one of few Black-led and Black-servicing 501c4 organizations endorsing candidates in Oregon elections. We are proud to be building Black political power with all of you.
Brian Decker for Washington County District Attorney
As a former prosecutor and public defender, Brian Decker has been on the front lines of the criminal justice system for years. Learn more about Brian’s campaign here.
Ashton D. Simpson for Metro Council District 1
Ashton has a proven track record of bringing people together and solving pressing issues, all with a focus on equity and accessibility. Learn more about Ashton’s campaign here.
Juan Carlos Gonzalez for Metro Council District 4
Throughout his term as a Metro Councilor, Juan Carlos Gonzalez has centered Washington County as a regional policy maker, drawing on his experiences as a lifelong community member and working to ensure underrepresented communities are heard. Learn more about Juan Carlos’s campaign here.
Duncan Hwang for Metro Council District 6
Duncan has spent much of the last decade successfully bringing tangible improvements like affordable housing and crosswalks to our community by working with local, regional and state governments. Learn more about Duncan’s campaign here.
Libra Forde for Clackamas County Commissioner Position No. 2
As an advocate for education, a non-profit leader, management expert, former professional athlete, and mother of three, Libra Forde stands ready to move Clackamas County forward to better serve our community. Learn more about Libra’s campaign here.
Susheela Jayapal for Multnomah County Commissioner District 2
Throughout her term as a Multnomah County Commissioner, Susheela has been a champion for those who are marginalized, left behind, and left out by our systems, insisting that they be seen, heard, and centered. Learn more about Susheela’s campaign here.
Jessica Vega Pederson for Multnomah County Chair
Throughout her term in public office, Jessica Vega has worked tirelessly to support those most vulnerable within our community. Learn more about Jessica Vega Pederson’s campaign here.
Alanna (AJ) McCreary for Portland Commissioner Position No. 2
Alanna (AJ) McCreary’s campaign values are community, bold action and abundance, as in, Portland has all the resources we need to thrive. Learn more about Alanna’s campaign here.
Jo Ann Hardesty for Portland Commissioner Position No. 3.
Commissioner Hardesty is the first Black woman elected to the city council and holds a proven record of transformational leadership. Learn more about Jo Ann’s campaign here.
Simone Rede for City of Portland Auditor
Simone is a Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Government Auditing Professional with more than 15 years of public service experience. Simone is also deeply committed to improving economic conditions for Oregonians. Learn more about Simone’s campaign here.
Stacey Vieyra-Braendle for Salem City Council, Ward 6
Stacey Vieyra-Braendle is running to prioritize accountability and compassion. She is pushing for Salem to officially adopt an equity lens and creates tools that actively incorporate equity into her decision-making processes. Learn more about Stacey’s campaign here.
Kayse Jama for Oregon Senate District 24
Kayse Jama is a community-trusted leader who has spent the last 20 years fighting for those most vulnerable within our community. Learn more about Kayse’s campaign here.
Zeloszelos Marchandt for Oregon House District 35
Zeloszelos Marchandt will work tirelessly to deliver results for Beaverton and Aloha, and preserve and improve the quality of life for our community here in House District 35. Learn more about Zeloszelos’s campaign here.
Travis Nelson for Oregon House District 44
Travis Nelson is ready to take bold action and work alongside local leaders to find solutions on topics such as healthcare, Climate change, housing, and houselessness.
Learn more about Travis’s campaign here.
Khanh Pham for Oregon House District 46
Khanh Pham is the State Representative for Oregon House District 46 (Jade District, SE/NE Portland). Khanh brings years of experience in community organizing and a deep commitment to Environmental and Climate Justice. Learn more about Khanh’s campaign here.
Andrea Valderrama for Oregon House District 47
Andrea Valderrama aligns her platform with values of racial, gender, and economic justice. She is committed to the intentional work of dismantling white supremacist systems of oppression that have harmed our Black, Indigenous, AAPI, Latine, People of Color, queer, disabled, and immigrant and refugee communities. Learn more about Andrea’s campaign here.
Hoa Nguyen for Oregon House District 48
Hoa Nguyen has a proven record of advocating and fighting for access for those who are underserved, which is a benefit to everyone. Learn more about Hoa’s campaign here.