Makeup of gang group questioned

Mayoral round table meets Friday without Hispanics on the panel

By Jim Redden

The Portland Tribune, Nov 18, 2003, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Hispanic leaders are wondering why there are no Hispanics on the 13-member panel that will meet Friday to consider the region’s growing gang problem.

The panel, which was appointed by Portland Mayor Vera Katz, includes 10 whites and three blacks. Although it includes Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers, it does not include Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo, who is Hispanic.

“Whenever a panel or commission is appointed, it’s always best to have diversity,” said Clara Padilla Andrews, publisher of El Hispanic News.

Multnomah County Commissioner Serena Cruz agrees. According to Cruz, Hispanic gangs represent a large and growing threat that should be addressed by community leaders and members.

“Of course, the black community has a stake in this, but so does the Latino community,” Cruz said.

The public session, called the Gang Violence Roundtable, is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to noon Friday at the Portland Conference Center, 300 N.E. Multnomah St. It will bring together dozens of representatives from public, educational, religious and cultural institutions. Some will make presentations to the panel appointed by Katz.

Scott Farris, the mayor’s press aide, said Katz did not intentionally exclude Hispanics from the panel. Instead, Farris said, it is made up of chief executive officers of organizations that work directly on gang issues. Diane Linn is representing the Multnomah County Commission because she is its chairwoman.

Two exceptions Ñ state Sens. Margaret Carter, D-Portland, and Avel Gordly, D-Portland Ñ were chosen because the Oregon Legislature funds programs that deal with gangs. The other black member is Portland Police Chief Derrick Foxworth.

“It is not intended to be a general community discussion on the problem of gang violence,” Farris said.

Cruz would make a logical candidate for the panel and not only because she is a Latina; she appointed a task force to study Hispanic youth violence a year and a half ago. The task force includes several Hispanics, including Andrews and Gail Castillo, director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,

Cruz declined to comment on whether she should have been asked to serve on the panel, saying the issue of stopping gang violence transcends personalities.

“I’m just glad that people are coming together to talk about it,” she said.

At the same time, Cruz said, she is puzzled as to why it took Katz so long to realize that gang violence was spinning out of control. Portland Police Bureau statistics show that gang-related shootings have more than doubled, from 37 in 1999 to 84 in 2002, and are on track to increase again this year.

“I’m very supportive of what the mayor is doing, but I have to ask, What took her so long?” Cruz said.

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