This one's quick! Meet our friend Sameer...

Author

Lisa Freeman
August 13, 2024

Hi - It’s Jenn, Lisa’s campaign manager. Just popping in to share some pics and a message from Lisa about candidate for City Council (2nd District) Sameer Kanal. Sameer and Lisa had a joint house recently, hosted by Robyn Burek, former manager of Portland Street Response.

The event was lovely, thank you Robyn! Lisa and Sameer are former colleagues, and knowing them both, we would ALL benefit from them working together again as Portland City Councillors. I’ll let Lisa take it from here:

I had the pleasure of working with Sameer for over two years at the City of Portland’s Community Safety Division. Sameer was the first official employee of the Division and I was the second official employee, so we spent a lot of time together in those early days and as part of the CSD Leadership Team. I consider Sameer a dear friend and a Portland treasure. Sameer is brilliant, articulate, strategic, and caring. In our leadership team meetings, he consistently reminded us to consider the perspectives of those underrepresented and underserved by City government. He challenged us to take the time to meaningfully engage people impacted by our decisions, and to truly listen and respond based on what we heard. He heroically program managed the Police Accountability Commission (PAC), the resident-led commission to design the new Police Oversight Board authorized by 82% of voters in 2020. He made sure the commission had the tools to complete their work on time and unanimously. The City Council session where Sameer and the PAC presented their recommendations was one of the most beautiful democratic processes I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing. 

I was thrilled when Sameer told me he was going to run for City Council in District 2, the place where he was born and raised, and I hope I get to serve alongside him next year. If you’ve already donated to me, please donate $5-$20 to Sameer to help him qualify for City matching funds under the Small Donor Program! And if you live in District 2, please vote for Sameer in November!

Lisa, Robyn, and Sameer

EVENTS THIS WEEKEND! Come hang out….

Friday: Meet and greet with Lisa at Sellwood Cycles

Time: 5:30-7 pm. Refreshments provided!

Saturday: Very Chill Dodgeball (foam ball)

Time: 9am-2pm

Sameer’s incredible team has put together this sweet event (details below)Play for Portland is a relaxed, recreational dodgeball tournament (using foam balls) based on a simple yet meaningful idea: Our public spaces - parks, community centers, plazas, squares, and more - belong to all of us.

This event will benefit candidates who commit to pursuing policy actions to make our public spaces easier to access, in particular by reducing barriers to booking them for community events. These barriers include costs to book the spaces, long wait times for permits, and expensive insurance requirements.

I’m playing! Be on my team! - Jenn Player registration is $35 and is through: https://tinyurl.com/playforportland

ALSO Saturday: Multnomah Days

Time: All day-ish. Join Lisa for one of the oldest street fairs in Portland! This beloved annual event incorporates a one-day open-air family-friendly street festival with vendor booths, a community parade, live music, Kids Zone, art fair, food & beverage - a more!

Lisa and Sameer at the Kanal for Portland Kickoff event!