OREGON LEAGUE OF MINORITY VOTERS

Oregon League of Minority Voters to hold first year anniversary celebration

PORTLAND, Ore. — Happy Birthday!

The Oregon League of Minority Voters (OLMV) is inviting the public to a free dinner 5:30-8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 17, in Portland City Hall to celebrate its first year anniversary.

The agenda will include exotic ethnic food, birthday cake, dancing and a tribute to Portland lawyer and civil rights advocate Bill Crow, one of the founding members and the first chair of the non-profit, non-partisan group.

“Our accomplishment this year is a profound demonstration that people of goodwill from all colors could come together to promote genuine concern for issues that impact communities of color in Oregon,” said State Treasurer Randall Edwards, who currently serves as OLMV board co-chair with Sho Dozono. “The imperative of building bonds of racial reconciliation and understanding takes on a greater meaning for the sake of our generation and the generation to come.”

At the event, the group will celebrate its first-year accomplishments, which include:

Holding successful debates in Portland, Forest Grove and Salem among candidates running for the U.S. Senate, Congress and Portland City Council to promote awareness of issues around poverty and diversity.
Holding its inaugural Dinner of Hope where it presented Liberty Awards to Mayor Tom Potter and Providence Health System Chief Executive Russ Danielson in recognition of their efforts on behalf of people of color.
Working with high schools to create student debate teams.

Creating a board of high energy members from a broad cross-section of the community.

The league’s goals for 2009 include organizing a Poverty Summit event, followed by a two-year Poverty Campaign, to raise awareness of the social and economic issues that uniquely challenge people of color.

CONTACT

Promise King, Oregon League of Minority Voters, 503-289-7520

Click here to RSVP for the anniversary party today, or call (503) 289-7520

ABOUT OLMV

A concerned group of volunteers and leaders founded the OLMV to advocate for public policies that uniquely impact all people of color throughout Oregon a year ago. The OLMV works to support the rights of all groups. It serves as a liaison between communities of color, policy leaders and institutions.