Our top three picks for the District 2 City Council race—ranked for your convenience. by The Mercury Election Strike Force [Hello! You know, putting these endorsements together takes LOTS of hard work—and that's on top of our regular excellent reporting. Show your appreciation for the Mercury with a small contribution, please, and thank you!—eds] District 2 is located in the north/ northeast part of Portland, and consists of neighborhoods including St. Johns, Eliot, Alameda, and Irvington. Top concerns in the district include gentrification, public safety, and environmental issues. There are 22 District 2 candidates, and those who end up being elected will serve a four-year term. 1) SAMEER KANAL Sameer Kanal is one of the more recent additions to the City Council candidate lineup, and we admit we were excited when he announced his candidacy. We weren’t the only ones: Even though Kanal hasn’t been in the race as long as many others, he’s managed to rack up a lengthy list of endorsements, finding support among progressive Portlanders impressed by his positions and experience.  Kanal’s work in various roles at the city is proof of his leadership capacity, even in contentious political areas. He currently serves as the inclusive policy manager for the new Public Safety service area, where he’s been tasked with supporting the work of the city’s several police accountability and advisory committees and planning for the future of Portland Street Response, among other responsibilities. He has also worked in community engagement for the city’s Community Safety Division and as a project manager for the Police Accountability Commission. In the latter role, Kanal helped a team of volunteers craft the details of the Community Board for Police Accountability, which voters approved in a 2020 ballot measure.  In an interview with the Mercury, Kanal pointed to the time he spent working with the 20 volunteer members of the Police Accountability Commission as an example of his ability to build consensus. He said the volunteers had “different ideologies, backgrounds, and experiences,” and yet they unanimously approved their recommendations for the oversight board.  Born and raised in North Portland, Kanal is deeply familiar with the area that now makes up District 2. When he talks about wanting to serve the people of Portland as a city councilor, it’s clear he means it, and has clear policy objectives in mind. Many of Portland’s elected officials tend to fixate on the problems the city is currently facing, forgetting to also articulate an inspiring vision for what could be. Kanal is the kind of person who can recognize the city’s current challenges, but can also look beyond where we’re at to focus on what’s possible. We think his energy will be a valuable asset in City Hall.  Michelle DePass Courtesy Depass campaign 2) MICHELLE DePASS Michelle DePass’ history of involvement in North and Northeast Portland (which now makes up the area encompassing District 2) goes back to her childhood. When she was 12 years old, DePass worked at the Black Panthers’ free health clinic on North Williams Avenue, in the heart of the historic Albina neighborhood—formerly home to the majority of Portland’s Black residents. Though her local engagement has since extended far beyond just one neighborhood, Depass’ strong District 2 roots automatically make her an intriguing contender in our book—and a look into the full breadth of her career just confirms her qualifications. Aside from leading the Portland School Board and pushing for better outcomes for Portland’s Black and brown students, DePass also works for the city of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. That combination of experience makes her keenly aware of how the city works, both internally and externally, and what major projects lie ahead.  DePass says she entered the City Council race to “address our city’s housing and drug crises with compassion and innovation, focus on development that doesn’t result in displacement” and to “nurture and grow our small businesses, and ensure access to essential services for all Portland residents.”  Since announcing her candidacy this spring, DePass has nabbed the endorsement of former Gov. Kate Brown, former Oregon Sen. Stephen Kafoury, Rep. Andrea Valderama, and City Commissioner Carmen Rubio, among others. She’s also been endorsed by progressive groups like Bernie PDX, Portland Neighbors Welcome, and Friends of Portland Street Response.  DePass knows what it takes to bring everyone to the table when making difficult decisions. During an interview with the Mercury, DePass underscored the importance of “counting to nine,” referencing her goal to seek support for future policies from a large swath of council, not just the simple majority required to pass legislation. DePass is more likely to make values-based decisions than support what’s politically expedient. If elected, she stands to be a unifying force on the Council, bringing a wealth of diverse career experiences with her.  Jonathan Tasini Courtesy tasini campaign 3) JONATHAN TASINI Compared to Kanal and DePass, who were both born and raised in District 2, Jonathan Tasini is a new arrival to Portland and its political scene. But his chops as a mover-and-shaker in the national left-wing political and labor spaces shouldn’t be dismissed. Portland City Hall has seen a rightward shift in recent years, and the upcoming election offers an opportunity to turn the tides. Amid that atmosphere, Tasini offers a clear-minded, sharp vision for a Portland that truly embraces working people.  Among the several City Council candidates with an impressive history of union involvement and labor activism, Tasini stands out. He was president of the National Writers Union for 13 years, helping set a national legal precedent for freelance writer labor rights. More recently, Tasini began the organization Just Transition for All, a project intended to help guide the global decarbonization effort to be transformative for the economy and ensure workers and unions are part of the clean energy movement. The initiative captures Tasini’s priorities, which focus on workers’ rights but also encompass other critical issues, like climate change, transportation reform, and housing.  We were particularly impressed with one of Tasini’s answers to a questionnaire from the organization Onward Oregon, in which he made the matter-of-fact observation that “virtually every challenge we face comes down to people not earning enough money. Our city is no different than cities nationwide where the rich and the powerful are protected, the working person bears a disproportionate burden of the costs to create a functioning society, and our valuable tax dollars are squandered.”  Tasini is an excellent communicator with experience that makes him a formidable force against Portland’s powerful business lobbyists during a critical political moment. He knows that Portland’s workers will be instrumental in making progress on the obstacles the city faces, and his dedication to labor will serve Portland well.  Other Impressive Candidates of Note: Jennifer Park — Park is compassionate and intelligent, with a knack for public policy and a dedication to public service. She’s spent much of her career working in nonprofits to advance social justice principles, and has thought about how to turn her values and priorities into action. Portland’s government would benefit from her justice-minded vision, and we hope to see more of Park in the future. Nat West — Before running for City Council, “Reverend” Nat West was well known for his hard cider company, which he started out of his Woodlawn basement and grew into a nationally-recognized (and beloved) brand. As West has seamlessly transitioned from cider-maker into political candidate, he’s displayed his skills as a coalition builder and shown dedication to helping the city’s small businesses. West is versatile and clearly passionate about the people of Portland, and we’re excited to see him in the city’s political sphere. Marnie Glickman — Glickman balances progressive idealism with a long career of working on successful political campaigns across the US. A longtime environmentalist, Glickman was one of the co-authors of the 2010 Green New Deal, and we appreciate her dedication to climate action in her campaign for Portland City Council. If Glickman is elected as councilor, we’re sure City Hall would benefit from her energy and well-informed passion.  The Mercury Election Strike Force is news editor Courtney Vaughn, reporter Taylor Griggs, arts & culture editor Suzette Smith, and editor-in-chief Wm. Steven Humphrey.