Signing:
Intergovernmental Agreement signing between the Oregon Department of Justice and the City of Portland Office of Community & Civic Life
Time & Location:
Tuesday, September 10 at 12:30 p.m.
Oregon Department of Justice Portland Building
Tilikum Conference Room
100 SW Market St., Portland, OR 97201
Notable Participants:
Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ)
Fay Stetz-Waters, Director of Civil Rights and Social Justice, Oregon DOJ
Dan Ryan, Commissioner, City of Portland
Mourad Ratbi, Interim Director, Office of Community & Civic Life
Summary:
The signing of an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the City of Portland’s Office of Community & Civic Life and ODOJ’s Civil Rights Unit to solidify the partnership between the agencies for supporting victims of hate crimes, bias incidents and those targeted in violation of Oregon’s sanctuary laws. The IGA includes training City of Portland employees regarding hate/bias and sanctuary laws, educating community members about support resources available if these laws are violated—namely Oregon’s Bias Response Hotline and Sanctuary Promise Hotline, participating in Welcoming Week, and attending New Portlanders Policy Commission meetings.
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About Office of Community & Civic Life
The Office of Community & Civic Life connects the people of Portland with their City government to promote the common good. Founded in 1974, Civic Life works to build stronger communities by supporting and empowering Portlanders to get involved with their local government through civic engagement, community leadership, and support for neighbors. We work every day with a wide range of partners to build systems that serve the needs of all Portlanders, ensuring equitable outcomes for our communities. Learn more at portland.gov/civic.
About ODOJ Civil Rights Unit
The Civil Rights Unit (CRU) is part of the Crime Victim and Survivor Services Division in the Oregon Department of Justice. The CRU works closely with the Attorney General’s Civil Rights and Social Justice Director, Fay Stetz-Waters, who advises the Oregon Attorney General on civil rights issues. Upon passage of SB 577 in 2019, the CRU founded, structured, and staffed the nation’s first statewide Hate Crimes and Bias Incidents Response Hotline dedicated to supporting victims and witnesses targeted with hate or bias based on their protected class. After the passage of HB 3265 in 2021, the CRU also founded, structured, and staffed the state’s Sanctuary Promise program and hotline, which investigates violations of Oregon’s sanctuary laws and support victims and families targeted with these law violations. The CRU additionally engages in community, government, and law enforcement outreach and training regarding civil rights issues affecting marginalized and vulnerable Oregonians.
Learn more at StandAgainstHate.Oregon.gov, SanctuaryPromise.Oregon.gov, and PromesaSantuario.Oregon.gov.