Shannon Singleton, Community Leader, Advocate, and Public Sector Executive announces run for Multnomah County Commissioner District 2
Portland, OR– Shannon Singleton, a longtime community leader, announced today that she is running for District 2 position on the Multnomah County
Commission.
“We deserve systems and programs that are responsive to the demands of our community and have clear goals that are set and met. I'm running for Multnomah County Commissioner to help jumpstart an overdue transformation. I will fulfill our mission of providing critical safety net services for our most vulnerable families, friends, and neighbors,” Singleton said.
Singleton served as Executive Director of the SAFE Shelter and later, JOIN, and as the leader of Oregon’s Racial Justice Council, the first of its kind in the United States. Working in the public sector, she oversaw the development of hundreds of shelter beds, and made sure thousands of people got into permanent housing as the director of the Joint Office of Homeless Services, a partnership between the City of Portland and Multnomah County.
Singleton has a track record of getting things done. Working for Governor Kate Brown, she negotiated the compromise for the Rose Quarter Improvement Project by bringing together community leaders, resolving disagreements between local governments, and building the case for a project that will create jobs and help Portland restore community in the historic Albina neighborhood. Leading the Racial Justice Council, she helped secure $100 Million to expand Medicaid for thousands of Oregonians, funds to relocate Harriet Tubman Middle School, and investments in the State’s first restorative justice program.
“I have spent my life finding ways to support and help people; I know we can do better,” said Singleton. “And as a proud member of the North/Northeast Portland community, I know we are a community of hard working people, full of empathy and compassion, and desire elected officials with a track record to get things done.”
“My passion for helping others grew out of my Philadelphia upbringing and watching my single mom open our home to others in need, despite working multiple jobs to make ends meet,” Singleton said. “It led me to pursue Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from Temple University and Portland State University.” Her career began in Delaware County, PA where she interned at an emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness before moving to Taos, NM, where she provided support to survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Her career path continued in California where she worked to support children in the foster care system, and then to Portland, where she continued to work hard to help people find shelter and permanent housing.
Marcus Mundy, a long-time Portland advocate who sits on many advisory boards, had this to say. “I have worked with Shannon when she was a nonprofit executive, in the Governor’s office, and now in her role in the private sector. She knows what works and what doesn’t because she’s done the work on the ground. Shannon is uniquely adept at getting things done for individuals and the community at large. She’s the best person for the job, will bring equity at every level of the work, and will find solutions for the crises we face.”
“I have so much hope for the future of our community. In the weeks and months ahead, I look forward to the opportunity to continue to hear your ideas and concerns,” Singleton said. “And I hope to share more about why my managerial skills, experience, and track record make me the right person at the right time to represent District 2 as County Commissioner.”
Singleton has already secured endorsements from individuals such as community leaders Marcus Mundy, Candace Avalos, State Representative Maxine Dexter, State Senator Kayse Jama, and many more.
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