Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane Announces Support for Councilor Loretta Smith’s Ordinance to Rename Street to Campesinos Boulevard

Portland, OR — Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane, representing District 3, is announcing her support for an ordinance to rename the street currently designated César E. Chávez Blvd to Campesinos Blvd, following months of public input and community organizing around the proposal.

Councilor Koyama Lane has signed on to co-sponsor Councilor Smith's ordinance, which recognizes the many farmworkers and immigrants who make up transformative, intergenerational labor movements like la causa. The ordinance acknowledges that farmworkers, or campesinos, have historically and continue to provide the labor for the food our community needs and selflessly support food justice programs, even while facing food insecurity themselves. It asserts that the City stands in solidarity against indiscriminate deportations, the targeting of the Latinx community, and ongoing unlawful federal overreach and that the most anti-racist, equitable, collaborative, and fiscally responsible action is a swift renaming to Campesinos, rather than the erasure of previous labor, partnership, and process.

The proposal to rename the street Campesinos Blvd has drawn support from a wide range of community advocates and organizations, including many Portlanders who have been closely involved in the effort for years (see below). Advocates have stated that simply reverting back to "39th Ave" feels like a painful form of erasure. The original renaming to César E. Chávez Blvd came after years of organizing by Latinx leaders and advocates who endured significant racially-motivated hostility and barriers throughout that process. "I think that history matters," Councilor Koyama Lane said.

"At a time when our Latino neighbors are being targeted, abducted, and tortured – and even left to die – in federal detention camps for doing literally nothing wrong, this feels like a declaration that says, ‘Portland sees you, values you, and recognizes your contributions," Councilor Koyama Lane said. "This has been a community-led effort by residents, farmworkers, and many organizations and leaders to honor the collective contributions of so many whose labor often goes unnoticed and unrecognized."

The councilor's office noted that some residents have advocated reverting the street name to the numbered name, 39th Avenue, citing ease of navigation, consistency with neighboring numbered streets, expense, and a desire to avoid renaming the street again in the future. Koyama Lane's office said she takes those concerns seriously and will continue to engage residents on all sides as the ordinance moves through the council process.

Members of the public are invited to share their views by contacting their district councilors' offices, submitting testimony, and/or attending the upcoming council session on Wednesday, September 2 from 9:30am-12:30pm. Learn more HERE.

Partial list of community members in support of changing the name to Campesinos Blvd:

Organizations:

Abuelas en Acción (Verde Action), American Friends Service Committee, Albina Ministerial Alliance Coalition for Justice and Police Reform CAPACES, Leadership Institute Coalition of African American Pastors, Coalition of Communities of Color, Centro Cultural, Children's Institute, Educate Ya, East European Coalition, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, El Programa Hispano Catolico, Evolve International and Associates, Gordly Burch Center for Black Leadership and Civic Engagement, Hacienda CDC, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), Latino Network, Lara Media Services LLC, Lincoln High School, MECHA, Luna Jiménez Institute for Social Transformation, Mandos Mundo Entertainment, Native American Youth & Family Center, NAACP - Western Conference (Alaska, Oregon, and Washington State Area), Oregon For All, PCUN - Oregon's Farmworkers Union, PODER - Oregon Latino Leadership Network, Urban League of Portland, Under the Blood Ministries

Current and Former Elected Officials:

Andrea Valderrama, Oregon State Representative for House District 47; Carmen Rubio, Former City of Portland Councilor; Councilor Ana Gonzalez Muñoz, School Board Director - Reynold School District; Duncan Hwang, Metro Councilor District 6; Helen Ying, Former Board Director, MESD Position 2 At Large; Maria Rojo de Steffey, Former Multnomah County Commissioner;

Mike Schmidt, Former Multnomah County DA; Serena Cruz, Former Multnomah County Commissioner; Susheela Jayapal, former Multnomah County Commissioner; Tawna Sanchez, Representative; Tom Potter, Former City of Portland Mayor; Former Police Chief; William Miller, MHCC Board of Education Member

Community Leaders:

Consuelo Saragoza, Representative Pedro Sosa, Pacific Northwest Director, AFSC Dr. Leroy Haynes, President Apostle Levell Thomas Pastor Mark Jackson Jaime Arredondo, Executive Director Marcus C. Mundy, Executive Director Maria Caballero Rubio, Executive Director Kali Thorne Ladd, CEO Rafael Arellano-Barrera, Executive Director Vadim Risken, President, EEC Frank J So, Executive Director Brigitte Rodriguez, Executive Director Carolina Castañeda, Founder and President Lakeitha Elliot, Executive Director Dr. Ernesto Fonseca Lee Po Cha, Executive Director Victoria Lara, CEO and Founder Nanci E. Luna Jiménez, President and Founder Armando Gonzalez, CEO Oscar Arana, Chief Executive Officer Tony Freeman, Vice President Jess Montoya, Director Reyna Lopez, Executive Director Anthony Veliz, Executive Director Thomas Mack Lauderdale, Pink Martini Bandleader and Founder Nkenge Harmon, President and CEO Pastor Robin Wisner Community Advocates,

Leaders & Supporters

Antoinette Edwards, Community Elder Antonio Lopez, Educator Catherine Ming T'len Duffly, Associate Professor Of Theater, Reed College Charlene McGee, public health professional Christian Kroll, Associate Professor of Spanish and Humanities, Reed College Cynthia Carmina Gómez, Latino Network Executive Board Member Dr. Angel Dorantes Byron Beck, Community Advocate Dani Ledezma, Community Advocate David Martinez, Past Chair, CECLC Edna Vazquez, Musical Artist, Cantautora, Songwriter Erika Silver, Community Avocate Faye Burch, CEO Owner Gisela Garcia Rolon, Community Avocate George Rede, Community Member Hiriani Valdivia Vázquez, community advocate Isa Peña, Director of Strategy of Innovation Law Lab and Oregon for all tri-chair Jose Romero, Co-Chair Por La Causa Joaquien Lopez, Artist and Lic. Counselor Kathleen Saadat, Retired Community Activist Katie Porter, Retired PPB, Queer Community Activist Karin Hensen, Community Member Kevin Modica, Retired Assistant Chief of PPB Rev. Linda Jaramillo, Community Leader in honor of her mother Doña Luisa Jaramillo Linda Castillo, Community Leader Lisa Watson, community member Dra. Luz Maciel Villarroel, Founder, Random Acts of Kindness Marta Guembes, Co-Chair Por La Causa Mirna Ortiz, Community Avocate Maria Lisa Johnson, Community Member Marty Davis, LGBTQ+ Social Media Page – Former Publisher, Just Out Miriam Calderon, Community Advocate Michael Gourski, Ukrainian-speaking Community Member Nate Wass Shull, Education Avocate Natalia Fernandez, community member Dr. Octaviano Merecias Cuevas, Community Member Olga Filinov, Russian-speaking Community Member Octaviano Macias, Community Advocate Ronnie Herndon, Community Elder Shelli Romero, Rose City Chica, LLC; Community Activist Sonny Montes, Retired Educator Stephen Manning, Executive Director of the Innovation Law Lab Tiffani Penson, community member Vanessa Mendoza Cruz, Chief of Staff, Hacienda CDC Victoria Mickelsen, Ukrainian-speaking Community Member