Since joining Council, I have been recieving Racist Hate mail, recently I sat down with KOIN to talk about it
As a Black man in public office in Portland, I’ve unfortunately received my share of racist hate mail, just as I’ve experienced similar abuse throughout my life. Sadly, this kind of hatred tends to increase during election season.
I want to be clear: this behavior isn’t unique to me, and it’s not new. Racial threats and harassment are a painful reality for many people of color in public life. What saddens me most is that despite all the progress we’ve made as a city, these toxic messages persist. I had hoped my children would grow up in a world free from this kind of hate, but here we are, still having these conversations.
What’s clear to me is that the people sending these messages are deeply consumed by fear. I pity them for that. But pity won’t stop me from condemning this hatred outright. Fear does not justify spreading bigotry, and we, as a community, must stand firm in rejecting it.
I call on all Portlanders to join in this fight. We are better than this. We cannot allow fear and hatred to shape our city or our politics. Together, we can continue building a city where our children can thrive, without having to endure the same battles for basic dignity.
Watch my conversation about this issue with Ken Boddie here -