Progress Portland

Ep 15: Candace Avalos, District 1 Candidate

"The way [City Council] is structured, it allows them to disregard the community's voice. And so I'm hoping that now, with this new form of government, not only will you have your representative in your backyard, you'll have a much closer connection to them. But also they're going to be more policy-driven, and so that's where the community's voice is most important." - Candace Avalos
Candace Avalos has a long history of engagement in Portland politics as a community advocate and grassroots organizer. She's a self-described "Blacktina", the daughter of Black Americans from southern Virginia and Guatemalan immigrants who immigrated in the 1970s. She's currently Executive Director at Verde, a nonprofit dedicated to building environmental wealth through social enterprise. Kip and Tim talk to her about her work at Verde, her experience working for police accountability, her mission to visit every one of Portland's 200+ parks, and so much more. 

Episode 14: District Attorney Mike Schmidt

"This old idea of, 'We'll just double the penalty, triple the penalty - one time you're out." Nobody knows what the penalties are, much less the people who we're prosecuting for a lot of these crimes. They're not tracking the decisions being made in the Legislative session. So we fool ourselves into thinking, "oh, I'm going to say these tough on crime things, they'll read the papers and sit down and do a cost benefit analysis and say, "Crime no longer pays, I'm going to get out of this industry." That's nonsense."
- Mike Schmidt
We are so excited to bring you this interview with Portland's own progressive district attorney Mike Schmidt. Mike is not alone in his data-driven policies that result in real change that is about reform instead of revenge - he's one of a handful of D.A.s like George Gascon in Los Angeles and Jason Williams in New Orleans. And now he's up for reelection in May 2024, and he's facing a loud and angry opposition that doesn't understand his approach. In our interview, we discuss the awful billboards around town, the obvious but effective solution for catalytic converter theft, and Mike's rough few years as our new D.A. 

Episode 13: Robin Ye, District 3 candidate

“Working people, average Portlanders, are left to wonder who exactly our government is working for when certain politicians seem to be listening more to the largest corporations or the wealthy few who are really accustomed to dominating politics through their campaign contributions…we deserve a government that works for all of us, no matter how far we live from City Hall.” – Robin Ye
 
Robin Ye was Chief of Staff for Oregon State Representative Khanh Pham – the first Vietnamese American elected to state government. In this conversation, Tim talks to Robin about his passion for improving Portland’s air quality, the “epidemic of traffic violence” on the East Side, and his priorities for the new City Council.

Episode 12: Steph Routh, District 1 Candidate (re-play of Episode 2)

Hey everyone, this is a re-play of our interview with Steph Routh, City Council candidate for District 1. She was our very first interview, and with her campaign launch happening today we thought it was worth a re-listen.
We talk about what makes the East Side different, building consensus when things are contentious, and, of course, housing and houselessness. 

Episode 11: Timur Ender, District 1 candidate

"I'm not sure if people realize this, but East Portlanders have about 10 years lower life expectancy than the rest of the city. And that's due to traffic crashes, gun violence, historic disinvestment. And one of the reasons I jumped in this race is this is the first time we will have politically drawn boundries that are accountable to those health outcomes." - Timur Ender
Through his experience working with PBOT and his years of living there with his family, Timur has an intimate knowledge of the streets of the Eastside. He would clearly be a passionate advocate for his community. Our conversation ranged from supporting small business owners to kids walking in ditches, Timur's year living in Turkey and defending immigrants along the Texas border.

Episode 10: Christopher Olson, District 2 candidate

"What I want to do is bring a new attitude to how we think about government. It starts with who we are, who the people are we're electing. Ideas are great, but ideas don't always pan out. Definitely come with practical ideas that can make a real difference, please do and I want to offer those, but it depends on who you are as a person too. That really matters. I want to make sure we're electing people that really and truly can connect with all kinds of people, everyday Portlanders, the disenfranchised." - Christopher Olson
Christopher Olson came to our studio wearing his trademark "Practice Radical Empathy" sweatshirt. Olson is newish to Portland, but he sees that as an asset. Our conversation ranged from the secret City Hall bunker, embracing data, and thinking long term on police reform. Find out more at www.olsonforpdx.com. 
 
 

Episode 9: Jesse Cornett, District 3 Candidate

"What I want to do is represent those in our community that need it the most. The folks that are in the tents, the folks that are in the throes of their addiction, folks that are having a mental health crisis. We don't have the resources we need as a community, and it's a shame because we have the resources financially to do what we need to do. We've had leadership that has not performed at a level that I think is acceptable at the City or County level." - Jesse Cornett
Jesse Cornett has a fascinating career path, from his early days as a member of the National Guard and a county sheriff to being Bernie Sanders' "body man" during his run for President. He's also been an HR manager, a veterans' caseworker, and a yoga teacher, as well as a variety of roles in politics. In this freewheeling conversation, Jesse talks about Portland's lost history as a climate leader, keeping our music culture flourishing, and the long, slow process of truly reforming the police. 

Episode 8: Jon Seibert of Blanchet House

"This shelter is opening, that shelter is opening, is this the answer, is that the answer?' My answer is always "Yes, and." There are so many different needs out there. There are people struggling with substance abuse, there are people who are struggling with mental health, there are some people who just aren't making enough money. And if we're trying to throw a one-size-fits-all solution on any of that, then we are missing the point." - Jon Seibert
Housing, homelessness and hunger are on everyone's mind here in Portland. Jon Seibert, Director of Programs at Blanchet House in Old Town Portland, says that one of the best ways they're tackling the issue is communication and cooperation between the different non-profits taking on different aspects of the problem. Kip and Tim talk to Jon about the importance of data and also the pitfalls inherent in those numbers, and provide advice for today's City Council and our batch of candidates for 2024.

Episode 7: Chad Lykins, District 4 candidate

"When you have more people living in a place, it has this huge lift. The small businesses downtown are struggling. It is so hard. And a lot of it is a perception issue. If you go to the Park Blocks District and it is empty except for six people who all look like they are probably suffering from addiction and probably don't have a place to live. Now you think this is a city under distress. If those same six people are there, but also 600 people are gathered there for Art in the Park, then you see a thriving city. The same problem is there, same need to be addressed, but the perception is very different." - Chad Lykins, District 4 candidate
Chad Lykins is big into chess - he's the Founder of Rose City Chess, President of Oregon Scholastic Chess Federation, and Oregon’s Scholastic Coordinator and State Delegate to the United States Chess Federation. He also has a PhD in Leadership and Policy Studies from Vanderbilt University, so he knows a thing or two about how city government works. In this episode, Chad talks about being the "evidence-based candidate" and how arts and culture pay back big on small investments. 

Episode 6: Kip and Tim Check In

We thought it would be good to sit down without a guest this week and check in. We hash out the latest news, like the current City Council's recent decision to gut the Independent Police Commission. Tim asks the tough question: why is Portland's current government such a mess?
We also put out the call to Mike Schmidt to come on the podcast...