Meet Chelsea, Michelle, Shanice & Pamela

There is an election this month. And your ballot is in your mailbox or on your kitchen table just waiting to be filled out and returned!

Emerge women are on many of those ballots, so it’s that time again to highlight our alumnae running to serve their communities.

Between now and Election Day, we’ll share with you a few of the candidates each week and why they are running.

Below is our fifth email in this series. You can read our previous emails on the new section of our website.

Sincerely,

I am running for re-election because the work I have done the past four years to create the educational experience of nearly 10,000 students is meaningful and important. Our students have been directly impacted by the outcome of decisions I have made about School Safety and Security, Equitable Policies, Budgets, Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education Plans, Capital Bond Management, Professional Development and more. When decisions are made about how to spend millions of dollars, which superintendent to hire, how to adopt curriculum to meet standards around consent, gender identity and reproductive health, emergency preparedness protocols, and equal access for all students, it is important who is sitting around that table. I have seen the impact of my participation and I am dedicated to continuing to show up for this work. Learn more here.

Chelsea is running for re-election to serve her second term – and she has one opponent. 

Michelle DePass, Portland Public School Board, Zone 2

I am a community member, rooted in Portland’s Public Schools. I attended four schools in the district. My kids are PPS kids. Two generations of my family worked at PPS. As a mother, I work hard to make sure my own kids can succeed in this world. I spent many hours as a parent-volunteer in the classroom, on field trips, and at PTA meetings. We need better oversight and stronger program evaluation. We need to put our hard-earned money into programs with demonstrated success and make sure all our students are benefiting. We mustn’t be afraid of expecting better for the more than $600 million we invest in our schools every year. By working together – teachers, parents, education leaders, and community members – we can ensure that every child succeeds, and is ready for their next steps in life, be it college, trade school or meaningful work. Learn more here.

This is Michelle’s first run for office – and she has two opponents, including another Emerge women, Shanice Clark, listed below. 

Shanice Clarke, Portland Public School Board, Zone 2

I am a queer, first-generation Jamaican, Portland educator, and community organizer who is on the frontlines with PPS students, educators, and families. I am running because we need better representation of youth and students on the frontlines to inform policy creation. Being a young educator closely connects me to the everyday experiences of Portland students, and I was recruited to run because I bring relevant education administration experience and lived experience that would improve the outcomes of the school board. The future of our greater community depends on our ability to meet the educational needs of all students, and my value for community-oriented governance can bring the district closer towards stability. Learn more here.

This is Shanice’s first run for office – and she has two opponents, including another Emerge woman, Michelle DePass, listed above. 

Pamela White, Oregon City School Board, Position 7

This is the Pamela’s first run for Oregon City School Board – and she has one opponent.