On this page
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- Oregon Archives Month
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- 25th Celebration of Pastoral and Community Leadership of Bishop C. T. Wells and Lady DeAngeloa Wells
The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, Oct. 7, celebrated its monthly Proclamation Day, adopting seven proclamations observing childhood cancer, domestic violence awareness, cybersecurity, County archives, disability employment awareness, Indigenous people, and Bishop C. T. Wells and Lady DeAngeloa Wells.
“Proclamations serve to honor, celebrate and recognize groups and individuals for their contributions and achievements or to raise awareness of significant issues affecting our community here in Multnomah County,” Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said.
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
The Board proclaimed September 2026 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, bringing awareness and solidarity to children and families impacted by cancer. An estimated 400,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer globally each year. Commissioners Vince Jones-Dixon, Julia Brim-Edwards and Shannon Singleton co-sponsored the proclamation.
Before reading from the proclamation, Commissioner Brim-Edwards thanked “the many dedicated community partners, nurses, doctors, and medical teams who treat and provide support and care to these young patients and their families.”
According to the American Cancer Fund for Children and the Kids Cancer Connection report, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among U.S. children between infancy and age 15, and is detected in more than 16,000 of our country's young people every year, said Commissioner Brim-Edwards, reading from the proclamation.
One in 5 of our nation's children loses his or her battle with cancer, the proclamation notes. Many infants, children and teens will suffer from long-term effects of comprehensive treatment, including secondary cancers.
“The American Cancer Fund for Children and Kids Cancer Connection provide a variety of vital patient psychosocial services to children undergoing cancer treatment at Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel, Doernbecher Children's Hospital and Shriners Children's Portland, Ronald McDonald House of Oregon and SW Washington, as well as participating hospitals throughout the country, thereby enhancing the quality of life for these children and their families,” Commissioner Singleton read.
Multnomah County “encourages all community members to recognize the courage of young patients and their families, while supporting the vital organizations dedicated to treatment, care and psychosocial relief,” Commissioner Singleton continued.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The Board proclaimed October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence is, according to the proclamation, “a pervasive public health and safety issue that affects people across economic, racial, gender, educational, religious and societal lines. Domestic violence is not limited to physical violence; it can include emotional, psychological, sexual, financial, technological and spiritual abuse, coercive control, and harm or threats involving children, pets, family members, housing or economic security.
Commissioner Meghan Moyer, who sponsored the proclamation, said that the occasion was an opportunity to raise awareness about domestic violence in the community and was hopeful it would inspire others to see what can be done locally to fight domestic violence, as well as to provide services people need to leave dangerous situations for safety.
She also shared words of gratitude, saying that she “appreciated the opportunity to get to work with our Domestic and Sexual Violence Coordination Office (DSVCO) and the incredible workers at the Gateway Center… I had the opportunity last month to go to the Gateway Center and I am so grateful for the work that's being done there, and the amazing dedication that staff and partners are bringing to this work.”
According to the proclamation, approximately 40% of women and 36% of men in Oregon experience intimate partner violence during their lifetimes; 1 in 15 children are exposed to domestic violence each year, affecting their physical and emotional health, development and sense of safety and increasing their risk of future exposure to violence.
Karina Rutova, a program specialist who has worked at the Gateway Center for Domestic and Sexual Violence Coordination Office since it opened 16 years ago, held a moment to recognize domestic violence partners, asking those in the audience to stand for a moment of applause. She also thanked community members, including survivors, for their contributions to ending domestic violence in our community.
“We want to thank you past and current members of the DSVCO Community Advisory Board for their time, energy and education for improving services for survivors in Multnomah County,” Rutova said.
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
The Board issued a proclamation recognizing October 2026 as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The proclamation was sponsored by the Department of County Assets and its Information Technology Division.
“Protecting our staff, systems and the data entrusted to us by the community from ongoing threats around the clock is one of the most critical responsibilities IT provides to the County,” said Chief Information Officer Sim Ogle. “We are here to highlight our ongoing commitment to cybersecurity.”
October has been recognized as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month since 2004. Over the 20-plus years since, technology has advanced significantly — as have the cybersecurity threats.
“Today’s cyber threats have evolved beyond simple phishing emails into multi-channel attacks — including text scams, artificial intelligence voice cloning and malicious QR codes — specifically designed to exploit human trust and our natural desire to be helpful,” said Chief Information Security Officer Ranee Bray, reading from the proclamation.
The proclamation makes clear that maintaining cybersecurity is a collaborative effort.
“Cybersecurity protects both our professional work and our personal lives, and requires a commitment from each of us,” Bray read. “We encourage all employees and residents to take time this month to learn and practice everyday cybersecurity habits.”
Oregon Archives Month
The Board of County Commissioners recognized October 2026 as Oregon Archives Month. The proclamation was sponsored by the Department of County Assets, which includes the County’s Records and Archives Division.
Presenters from the division described records and archives as tools for both connecting with the past and building a better future.
“I like to think of (archives and records) as a way for us to communicate through time and through space with our ancestors. They think of important things, they record them, they pass them down,” said County Archivist Terry Baxter. “We look at them and we pass them forward into the future. And that’s the way we communicate through time, and how we build bonds with community.”
Baxter read the proclamation aloud and was joined at the dais by Digital Archivist Nikki Koehlert.
“Archival institutions have a responsibility to provide the public with access to their records, and it is a goal of these institutions to increase public awareness of the vital role they play in safeguarding knowledge of our intellectual, cultural, social and governmental heritage,” Baxter read. “They provide context to our histories, provide evidence of our common and individual rights and obligations, and inform our collective journey forward to a just and equitable future.”
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
The Board declared October 2026 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month in Multnomah County. The annual observance celebrates the contributions of people experiencing disabilities in the workforce and the importance of an inclusive workplace.
“One of the issues that I care deeply about is how we are as a society, but specifically as a county, missing out on a really significant untapped talent pool, which is people who experience disabilities,” said Commissioner Meghan Moyer, who sponsored the proclamation. “There is so much research that says that people with lived experience, people from diverse backgrounds, significantly improve the outcomes of group work by bringing unique perspectives that are often not considered by those who do not have that life experience.”
Tammorra Barnes, the interim division director for the County’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Services Division, shared, “We are just so happy to be here and honored to have this proclamation.
“In our office, we support many individuals — over 6,000 individuals who have an intellectual developmental disability — and it’s wonderful to hear the words that you said, to be able to honor those who are bringing their talents and their work to Multnomah County’s workforce and making those contributions that benefit all of us.”
Also joining the presentation to help read the proclamation were Jennifer Bestulic, I/DD program manager; Brenda Linden, chair of the Multnomah County I/DD Advisory Council and the state director for Dungarvin Oregon, an organization offering developmental disability support and community living services; and Donald Talbert, an I/DD Services Division client who has successfully received employment services through the program.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
The Board proclaimed Oct. 12, 2026, as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Multnomah County. The proclamation honors and celebrates the many contributions made by Indigenous peoples locally and across the world.
The proclamation, co-sponsor Commissioner Meghan Moyer said, “begins an opportunity for a continued conversation... Let us use the acknowledgement of this proclamation as motivation to continue a conversation — one that can feel uncomfortable at times and is difficult — which is about promises made and not kept, relationships not respected, and a seat at the table that is not only deserved, but required.”
Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards, who co-sponsored the proclamation, spoke to the importance of the occasion and the contributions by Indigenous community members.
“We’re honored to acknowledge Oct. 12 as a time to reflect on the ways Indigenous people all over the world and right here in Multnomah County have improved our daily lives,” Commissioner Brim-Edwards said. “It’s an opportunity for us to also celebrate the values and traditions that you’ve brought to our community.”
The commissioner also recognized that Sept. 30 was the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, when “Indigenous people memorialize the atrocities and multi-generational effects of the Indian boarding school system.”
County Tribal Relations Liaison JR Lilly (Diné), a co-sponsor of the proclamation, noted that “it's really important to acknowledge the host people of the land.”
Indigenous County staff and community members joined the presentation to read the proclamation: Indigenous KSA Library Assistant Steela Robedeaux (Otoe-Missouria Tribe); Derek Smith (Anishinaabe), HIV Grant Administration and Planning Manager; and Autumn Jones BigBoy (Northern Cheyenne), a family advocate with the Future Generations Collaborative.
“Indigenous Peoples and Nations have lived here since time immemorial with their own knowledge, languages, relations with the environment, advocacy, science, philosophy, arts and culture,” read Smith. “Their historical and present-day contributions, relationships, history, and advocacy continue to shape the character of our region.”
25th Celebration of Pastoral and Community Leadership of Bishop C. T. Wells and Lady DeAngeloa Wells
The Board of County Commissioners recognized Bishop C. T. Wells and Lady DeAngeloa Wells, proclaiming September 2026 as the 25th celebration of the bishop’s pastoral and community leadership. The proclamation was co-sponsored by Commissioners Vince Jones-Dixon and Shannon Singleton.
Bishop Wells has served as the leader of Emmanuel Church — located in Commissioner Singleton’s district in Northeast Portland — for a quarter-century.
“I’ve known you and watched your service to our community from a distance over the last 20 years,” said Commissioner Jones-Dixon. “I first met Bishop Wells and Lady Wells in a parking lot outside my high school, and that moment planted the first seeds for me of what loving parents look like. As a funeral director, I’ve also shepherded a number of families to your church. When our community was having conversations around public safety, economic development, or youth leadership and development, I was at the church and those seeds continued to be planted.”
Bishop Wells’ late father, Bishop A. A. Wells, founded Emmanuel Church in Northeast Portland on April 11, 1965. This year, the church celebrated 61 years of serving its parishioners.
“Emmanuel Temple has been more than just a church for so many Black Portlanders,” said Commissioner Singleton. “Your poise and grace have helped so many people in the community, and I’m happy to present this proclamation honoring your legacy, work and care that you’ve brought to our community.”
Emmanuel Church has initiated 60 different programs — from purchasing a grocery store to create jobs to opening a housing center for women and children experiencing homelessness — all to serve as a “solid light to our community,” said Bishop Wells.
“It’s more than just the gospel we preach on Sunday morning, but how we are impacting our city,” he continued. “This recognition represents more than an individual achievement; it celebrates the collective effort of Emmanuel Church and everyone who believes in the power and the collective strength of our city.”
Bishop Wells was joined by his wife, Lady Wells, as well as Pastor Deshawn Hardy and Karen Frank.
“I’ve had the privilege of serving Bishop Wells closely and seeing not only the leader people see publicly, but the man behind the mantle,” said Pastor Hardy. “I’ve witnessed his sacrifice, his heart, his commitment to this church and his unwavering desire to see lives changed.”
“For 25 years, Bishop Wells has demonstrated the enduring value of servant leadership through preaching, teaching, pastoral care, music ministry, mentorship, community engagement and a continued commitment to the spiritual and personal development of others,” read Frank from the proclamation.
