Shemia Fagan
District 51, Clackamas
Shemia Fagan
for State Representative
For Immediate Release: For More Information:
November 21, 2011 Shemia Fagan: 503-757-3426
Shemia Fagan formally announces candidacy for House District 51
Her unique background and commitment to education propels her to enter the race
Today, Shemia Fagan announces her candidacy for House District 51, which includes portions of Gresham, East Portland, Happy Valley, Boring, Damascus, and unincorporated Clackamas County. Fagan says she is running to find stable funding for education and to bring middle class families back to prosperity.
Shemia was raised by a single father and her two older brothers in eastern Oregon. Her father struggled to make ends meet, but Shemia benefitted from a close family and the community spirit of small Oregon towns. She quickly learned the power of a good teacher and a quality public education when her fourth grade teacher invited her to join his chess club and she went on to become the State Chess Champion.
“For the first time, I knew that it didn’t matter that I didn’t have what other kids had, I could compete on a level playing field.” Fagan recounts. “The excellent teachers I had gave me the capacity to see a life beyond the struggles my family faced. I worry that teacher layoffs and increasing class sizes are preventing kids from having the same opportunity I did.” Shemia’s passion for public education propelled her to run for the David Douglas School Board, where she currently holds a seat, and now for the Legislature.
Shemia is currently a business lawyer at the Ater Wynne law firm. She works with businesses to help them resolve disputes, a skill that will be useful in the Legislature to end gridlock.
“Ideological battle lines and political games are not working for Oregon’s middle class families.” said Fagan. “As someone who grew up in a family struggling to make ends meet, I know the stress that families are under during this recession. We can’t wait any longer for solutions. I want to go to the Legislature to create jobs and re-training opportunities for people looking for work, make sure families can stay in their homes, ensure kids have access to a quality education, and to bring middle class families back to prosperity.”
Shemia will bring years of hard work to the Legislature. She worked her way through both college and law school. Since settling down in East Portland with her husband Richard, Shemia has been very active in her community including painting over neighborhood graffiti and planting flowers along Springwater Trail.
Her ability to find common ground and attract unlikely allies is evident in her growing friendship with Mike Centoni, the long time David Douglas school board member she unseated in May. “I am a Republican and she’s a Democrat, but what I value most is integrity. As I have gotten to know Shemia, it is apparent we share many of the same values.” said Centoni. “As a long time resident of East Portland and a former David Douglas school board member, I admire Shemia's commitment to our community.”
House District 51 is split among 5 cities and unincorporated Clackamas County. Shemia understands the unique strengths and challenges of each community. “I’ve never met an elected official who is so genuinely concerned about the well-being of our families, schools, and neighborhoods." said Christina Pearl, mother and resident of Clackamas County. "Shemia approaches everything with enthusiasm and an amazing ability to get things done. She is definitely ‘one of us,’ combining both strength and compassion in her work for our community.”
Shemia has already started building a strong campaign. Since filing for office in September she has raised over $17,000 from 85 different donors and is reaching out to the various communities in her district.
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