Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Congressional candidate chooses PCC’s Willow Creek for announcement

Photos and story by Dana Haynes

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Brad Avakian, Oregon commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industry, chose Portland Community College’s Willow Creek Center to launch his campaign for Oregon’s 1st Congressional District.

Approximately 70 supporters turned out on Monday, April 18, for the campaign kick-off. Avakian chose Willow Creek, in part because it houses services for unemployed Oregonians throughout Washington County. The facility opened in March 2010 with such partners as TriMet, Worksystems Inc. and Portland State University.

Oregon’s 1st Congressional District runs from the Oregon Coast to Portland, taking up the northwestern portion of the state. Avakian, a Democrat, will challenge incumbent Democrat Rep. David Wu in the 2012 primary.

Speaking at Monday’s event were Roy Jay, president of the African American Chamber of Commerce in Portland; Tom Hughes, president of the Metro regional government; Celia Nunez, Wilsonville City Councilor and board members of the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce; Dave Williams, vice president of Northwest Natural and chairman of the Oregon Workforce Investment Board; Stephen Ying, executive director of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association; and Jada Pearson, a kindergarten teacher from Beaverton.

Avakian served in both the Oregon House of Representatives and Oregon Senate from 2002 to 2008, and has led the Bureau of Labor and Industries since 2008. He is a Washington County native and resident.

The campaign rented a room at Willow Creek to make the announcement. The selection of that site does not constitute an endorsement by either PCC or PCC officials.