Friends and Neighbors, 

We have hard work to do as a country, a state, and a community to undo the impact of centuries of racism. Black Americans still have the highest prevalence of asthma, diabetes, and hypertension which impacts their lives, and black women are still three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes as their white counterparts. And as we’ve seen this past week, and too many times over the years, black lives continue to be taken in our streets.  

The coronavirus pandemic is showing us how systemic racism impacts communities, as we witness the disproportionate harm the virus is causing in communities of color. In Oregon, the Latinx community makes up 33% of diagnosed cases of coronavirus despite making up approximately 13% of the state’s population. Nationwide, members of the black community are dying at a far higher rate from coronavirus than other Americans. 

Institutional and structural racism has a substantial and pervasive bearing on people’s lives and it’s our responsibility to face it.  As a healthcare provider who advocates for her patients, and a state representative who advocates for justice, I will always stand up for the vulnerable members of our communities. 

It’s why during my first session, I championed a bill that requires healthcare providers to be equipped to provide care that reflects their patients’ personal, social, and cultural experiences. All patients must be treated by licensed health professionals who have this basic core competency.  HB2011, which has now become law, directs healthcare professional boards to require cultural competency continuing education as a condition of renewal of the authorization to practice. This is just one small piece of the puzzle, but I’m going to continue doing my part and speaking up however I can.        

The dehumanization of black and brown people in this country has caused more pain, violence, and death than we can ever fully quantify. From a public health perspective, it is slow motion violence, that quietly eats away at the health of individuals and families. Sometimes and all too often it explodes into inescapable view, as it did last week with the killing of George Floyd and its aftermath.  None of us should think about this as a problem for others to deal with. We must work together to identify and correct our own biases. The structural maintenance of racism in our society’s systems is a fact, it is pervasive and continues to take American lives. We must not look away.

Celebrating Students of HD 37

I am so proud of high school students in HD 37! Over the weekend a group of West Linn High School students organized a vigil for George Floyd. They invited Micheal Fesser, who runs a prison ministry and transitional program to support men getting out of prison. He is also a man who has very publicly been subject to racism in our own community in the past. This is what healing looks like. To learn more about the case go here: 

Also this weekend and every weekend during the pandemic high school students from Tigard Tualatin School District have been volunteering their time to prep and load boxes to be delivered to families of students in the TTSD. Learn more to donate or volunteer here.

Washington County Re-opening

Unemployment Update

The House Interim Committee on Business and Labor met in a special Saturday morning meeting to question the Oregon Employment Department about the agency’s handling of unemployment benefit claims. You can read coverage of that meeting here.

Over the weekend Governor Brown called for, and received, the resignation of the department’s director, Kay Erickson. I support any change that is meant to improve customer service and get Oregonians the money they are owed. We must see better results.

I hope the new director and the agency get the full support of the Governor. Whatever it takes, things have to be better for Oregonians. A crisis management, all-hands-on-deck approach is absolutely necessary.

In the meantime, my office continues to receive emails from individuals stuck in processing limbo. My team is staying on top of the inquiries, and we are working directly with the department to help resolve them. 

If you need help on a claim please email my team at rep.rachelprusak@oregonlegislature.gov and include:

• Your name

• Phone number

• Employment department Customer ID or last four digits of your SS number

• Mailing address

• Initial filing date 

• Your last contact with the employment department

We will continue to do everything we can to assist you.

Oregon Law Center 

A lot has changed over the last two months, and low-income Oregonians around our state are seeing unprecedented levels of uncertainty and instability. The landscape of safety-net programs has also been changing, with new federal and state policies and a growing need for assistance. 

In an effort to help communicate these changes, Oregon Law Center (OLC) and Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) have put together a number of resources for low-income community members. OLC and LASO keep resources as up-to-date as possible and you can find broad information at Oregon Law Help or use the specific links below to answer some of the most common questions. 

• Housing

  • Overview of Resources

  • One-Page Explanation for tenants (also available in Spanish, Mandarin, Chinese, Russian, and Vietnamese)

  • Video Explanation (English) (Spanish)

• Family Law

  • Overview of Domestic Violence Resources

  • Information for people experiencing DVSA

• Public Benefits

  • Overview of resources 

All legal aid staff are working remotely, and intake for every office remains open by phone for clients. You can find information about your local office here. Please keep in mind that due to limited resources, legal aid offices cannot accept every case, but they will do their best to provide helpful information and resources.

A statewide hotline is also available at 1-800-520-5292. It provides legal advice to low-income Oregonians who are having problems with government benefits. The hours can vary, and when you call the hotline you will hear a message about the days and hours of operation.

Please email me if you have specific concerns. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians. 

To read past newsletters, you can go here. 

For up-to-date information, please check this link to the Oregon Health Authority.

Governor Brown’s COVID-19 Resource page. 

Thank you for reading! We will get through this together.      

Sincerely,

Rachel Prusak