Public Statement on Violence in Our Community:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

P R E S S    R E L E A S E
CONTACT:  Marc Fernandes, 503.793.1691, marc.fernandes@multco.us
 
Multnomah Youth Commission Public Statement on Violence in our Community

We the Multnomah Youth Commission are writing this letter in response to the violence directed towards young people through hate crimes and gang violence over the last several months. As the official youth policy body for the City of Portland and Multnomah County, we will not tolerate these acts, which create a hostile environment throughout our city and county.

“Our Bill of Rights, Children + Youth” was adopted five years ago by the City of Portland and Multnomah County. This document was the first bill of rights in the United States created by young people, for young people, and supported by local government. As stated in Article 5, we have the right to be safe and protected in our families, homes and communities. Article 5 also says we have the right to freedom from discrimination and prejudice. These violent attacks violate our rights.

Gang violence and hate crimes affect people who have long experienced oppression in many ways. To truly solve these problems we must work for social justice in every aspect of our community.

In order to protect our rights, we ask community members to:

• Be considerate of harmful language, and stop others from using harmful language too.
• Speak out when you see people being mistreated, especially if they are young people. If you see something, say something. To report crimes, call Crime Stoppers at 503-823-HELP (4357).
• Talk to your family and friends about the rights we all have as people, regardless of our differences.
• Walk through Holladay Park with Connected, a group of volunteers who patrol every Friday from 4:30 to 8:00 or walk through your own neighborhood park with a couple of friends to engage with struggling youth.

We also ask elected officials to:

• Stand up and speak out to constituents about “Our Bill of Rights, Children + Youth” to raise awareness of our fundamental human rights.
• Increase public safety presence and resources in order to guarantee the safety of all people.
• Become informed about what your bureaus and offices are doing, or could be doing to promote LGBTQ rights.
• Assess resources committed to combating gang violence and make improvements.

Finally, through the actions listed above, we ask businesses, faith groups, and community leaders to join us in creating a safe community free of prejudice and discriminations for everyone.
 
Sincerely,
 
Youth Against Violence Committee
Multnomah Youth Commission