INCLUDES RALLY VIDEO | Here’s why this substantial group of folks were on the street in the northwest corner of the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood, speaking out for their preferred candidates …
On the sidewalk along SE Division Street, at 82nd Avenue of Roses, Chinese-Americans gather with other supporters at a rally for political candidates of their choice.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Because East Portland News has no “Editorial Board of Directors” who are separated from our day-to-day reporting operations, we haven’t covered, or reported on, political events that feature a single candidate or ballot measure. Nor do we issue endorsements for candidate or measures.
However, the political gathering at noon, on Saturday, March 14, on the sidewalk of the southeast corner of 82nd Avenue of Roses and Division Street, was truly unique – different from anything we’ve seen, in our decades of reporting in outer East Portland: We saw Chinese-Americans holding public political rally.
It doesn’t take long for dozens of participants to gather a friendly crowd of hundreds at this rally.
By 11:30 a.m., several dozen people had already turned out there. Some came with signs of support for their candidate of choice already made, others created signage on the spot.
Some of their placards were written in English – but many of them were written in Mandarin or Hanyu pinyin, the phonetic symbols for Chinese characters.
Holding signs they made, these participants appeared proud to be publicly supporting their preferred candidates in the May election.
“I thank the Chinese community for coming out today, after too many years of silence, prompted by too-often being the target of crimes,” one of the participants, Jennifer Li, told East Portland News.
“Now we think that we need to speak out, and [that the people here] see us, and our faces,” Li continued. “People need to know that we are Americans, we are Portlanders, we are neighbors and business owners in outer East Portland, and we are part of the community.
“We have helped build our community . . . and, just like anybody else, we want to have peace of mind, safety, and a better community for all of us.”
On the march, this rally stayed on the sidewalk.
Thinking for a moment, Li concluded, “This is not a time for us to be silent; we need to show people that we also have voices, and ask all people to listen to us. We need to be silent no longer.”
See what it was like to be at this unique political rally:
Being busy while the rally was taking place, organizer Kevin Wang – of Chinese Americans United – asked if we could talk afterward.
When we did, Wang explained, “It was the Chinese Americans United political committee who organized and promoted this rally.”
Asked how that location was chosen for the rally, Wang said, “Based on the latest U.S. census results, the highest concentration of Chinese-speaking people is here, right around SE 82nd Avenue.”
He estimated that as many as 200 people participated in this very peaceful demonstration.
The peaceful crowd swirls around the candidates who arrive at the rally.
“After a lot of research, the organizers decided that the [Multnomah County District Attorney] election in May is the most important ‘lever’ voters can ‘pull’ to improve safety in the metro area,” Wang remarked. “[This is, in part, our response to] the brutal attack on a lone Chinese senior gentleman, Mr. Liang, on March 12th, [on the Eastbank Esplanade] which became our catalyst.”
The organizers felt the rally was a resounding success, Wang reported. “The Chinese community used to be quite passive on politics; and was mainly focused on their own family affairs.
Candidates for office in Portland and Multnomah County pause to pose for the many photos taken at the rally.
“This gathering served as a ‘rally call’ to have more people care more about what’s going on beyond their extended families,” added Wang. “The organizers were surprised to hear all the positive comments, and received more donations and volunteer sign-ups than we originally expected.”
To learn more about Chinese Americans United, visit their website: CLICK HERE.
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ENDORSE ANY CANDIDATES OR BALLOT MEASURES.
© 2024 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News ™
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