BYOB to my house via Zoom
6 - 6:45 PM Thursday May 7
Metro District 5 candidate Chris Smith
Dear Active Transportation Friends and Allies,
I’ve asked my friend and long-term ally, Chris Smith, to tailor a virtual house party for us to specifically discuss the inextricable link between
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diverse (in every way) neighborhoods and
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active transportation.
I am concerned about the Metro District 5 race for several reasons:
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the high quality of Chris’s opponents, (I would consider voting for Cameron Whitten or Mary Nolan in almost any other race)
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many people will not vote for him because they believe in the (largely hyped IMO) “bikes vs cars war” and see Chris as a threat to their side, and
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seeing that our largest newspaper barely mentioned him in their endorsements as an also-ran, instead of as the worthy top contender that he is.
It is get-out-the-vote time. Close elections are won by door-knocking and person-to-person conversations in the final days. We cannot hit the streets now due to the pandemic, but we also cannot allow that to lead to inaction and complacency in this or our upcoming presidential election. I’m asking my active transportation friends and allies to attend this short house party to pick up some talking points and to make a verbal commitment to phoning their friends and neighbors who live in District 5 to vote for Chris.
If affordable housing, active transportation, and climate change are high priorities, then the Metro District 5 race will be very important and Chris Smith is the clear top choice. Please BYOB and join me this Thursday at 6 PM for a 45-minute house party and let him tell you why.
Betsy
RSVP to betsy.w.reese@gmail.com - include your Zoom name
Invitation list includes:
BikeLoudPDX
Oregon Walks
The Street Trust
Rosewood Initiative
Southeast in Motion
Inner Southeast Action
Albina Vision
Portland Shoupistas
Community Cycling Center
Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Bicycle Advisory Committee
Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Shift2Bikes Calendar
Various individual active transportation advocates
Please do let me know additional groups or individuals to invite, or invite them yourself by forwarding this email and cc’ing me.
Some links to peruse:
Chris’s campaign website:
A delightful 2006 Oregonian article that will give you a little insight into Chris Smith the man:
“Chris Smith Geeky. Informed. Workaholic. He’s no average activist”
Did you know that District 5 includes all of N. Portland where so many injustices wrought by past land use and transportation development have taken place, as well as a large portion of NE, and west of the river including all of our central downtown, and NW Portland? Please start going over the map and identifying your friends, neighbors, and associates who will be voting for the District 5 position. Please come to the house party prepared to share how many people you may be in a position to influence in this race.
BikePortland.org on Chris’s candidacy:
An off-the-cuff personal comment I recently made online about Chris:
Willamette Week endorsement:
Portland Mercury endorsement:
You can join this meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88455194641
You can also dial in using your phone.
US: +1 929 205 6099, +1 301 715 8592, +1 312 626 6799, +1 669 900 6833, +1 253 215 8782, +1 346 248 7799
Meeting ID: 884-551-94641