Lew Frederick for Multnomah County Commissioner, District 2

Background:

I was born in Pullman, Washington, and my upbringing included time in urban, suburban and rural communities in the South, Midwest and Eastern Seaboard, from university to sharecropper communities. I was the named plaintiff in Frederick v. Atlanta Public Schools, the final court case that desegregated Atlanta High School. I spent many weekends as a youth marching with my family for voting rights and other civil rights issues.

I am a graduate of Earlham College and studied at the University of Evansville, Morehouse College and Portland Community College. I was a Bush/Knight Fellow at M.I.T. in 1984-85 and a Science Writing Fellow at the Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory.

I have lived in Portland for over 30 years, and in this County Commissioner District for 28. I was a teacher in an Alternative School (Metropolitan Learning Center) in the Portland Public Schools. I was a TV reporter for 17 years, doing in-depth stories (such as are not seen these days) primarily on education, politics and science. I was a public information officer for the Portland Public Schools for 13 years, handling everything from the intricacies of school finance policies to crisis communications. I am currently a PhD candidate at Portland State University in Urban Studies and Communications.

I have been a DFA meetup co-host since September 2003 (Billy Reed’s Meetup), and was a Delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

Goals:

I am running because after over 30 years of active participation in, and reporting on, my community, it is time for me to move into a decision-making role.

The division of labor among local governments in our region assigns County government responsibility for core human needs, such as emergency preparedness, sheriff and jails, health clinics in schools, justice services for children and youth, libraries, after school programs and mental health services.

These are also my core interests, especially because of their impact on how families thrive in our community.

I am running because my life is tied to this community and I believe a politician’s role is to bring together information from stakeholders and clients, from taxpayers, from experts and service providers and from research and data, and to work together to craft priorities for public service. My background of working with people from all walks of life as well as my commitment to the well-being of the generations that follow us will be an asset to the Board of Commissioners.

My goal is sound decision-making, based on the question: “How does this make life better for the people in our community?�

Issues:

Heath care, including mental health services
After-school programs
Emergency preparedness

Grassroots Support:

A very large role. We are currently gathering signatures to file for office by petition instead of by fee. I and many volunteers are going door-to-door in neighborhoods and small business districts to collect signatures to put me on the ballot. This will continue after the petition process is completed, with an extensive and targeted program of directly contacting voters to familiarize them with my candidacy. While direct mail and other advertising will play a significant role in my campaign, direct voter contact will be the primary strategy

DFA Values:

My commitment to social progress reaches back to the era of the Civil Rights Movement, when I felt tear gas for the first time at age nine. As an adult I have supported many progressive social and political organizations, including Democracy for America,