Meet Durrell Kinsey Bey, candidate for Portland mayor

Editor’s note: Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Stay informed with OPB on the presidential race, key congressional battles and other local contests and ballot measures in Oregon and Southwest Washington at opb.org/elections.

Portland is facing a historic election involving a new voting system and an unusually high number of candidates. Journalists at The Oregonian/OregonLive and Oregon Public Broadcasting share a goal of ensuring that Portland voters have the information they need to make informed choices, and we also know candidates’ time is valuable and limited.

That’s why the two news organizations teamed up this cycle to solicit Portland mayoral candidates’ perspectives on the big issues in this election. Here’s what they had to say.

For each of the following questions, we asked candidates to limit their answers to 150 words.

About the candidate

Name: Durrell Kinsey Bey

Neighborhood: Centennial

Renter/homeowner: Homeowner

Education: Peer support specialist, ASIST training & adept degree of The Moorish Science Temple of America

Occupation: Youth advocate & youth essentials coordinator at REAP Inc., director of development of KwaSha Enterprise LLC, co-founder of The BIPOC Rise Moor Healing Center, national prison outreach ambassador of The Moorish Science Temple of America

How long you’ve lived in the city of Portland: Since Jan. 1, 2021

Age: 30

Pronouns: He/Him

Why are you the best candidate to serve as mayor at this time? Please point to specific accomplishments as part of your answer.

I’m actively leading four exciting initiatives in our city, focusing on youth advocacy from third graders to college-bound seniors. As a Moorish American Agrarian Moslem, I’m deeply committed to food sovereignty and have been involved in Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs since arriving in the City of Roses. In response to the COVID-19 impact, housing crisis and business closures, my campaign team now offers growth capital and various forms of funding to qualifying restaurant owners and other businesses.

What are one or two issues that you’d like to draw attention to or champion as mayor that are overlooked or receiving less attention than they deserve?

While many issues need attention, tackling homelessness through urban farming is a promising approach to lowering citywide food costs. By integrating urban farming, we can provide fresh, affordable produce and create jobs, which can help alleviate homelessness. Additionally, with anticipated increases in energy rates, expanding the Poop-to-Power Project and improving the (Critical Energy Infrastructure) hub will offer clean, renewable energy. This initiative will enhance environmental safety and sustainability, addressing both energy and waste management challenges.

What specific examples do you have that demonstrate your competence to oversee a city with an $8.2 billion budget?

At the Department of Energy’s nuclear vitrification plant, working alongside laborers, ironworkers, pipefitters, steamfitters, painters, teamsters, electricians, and engineers, I learned the importance of building rapport and trust to ensure safety and adhere to OSHA and federal standards. Currently, in the David Douglas School District, I am dedicated to fostering strong relationships with colleagues at REAP Inc., students, parents, school administrators and district board members. This role enhances my ability to build a sincere, expert team and promote effective collaboration and camaraderie.

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What are your biggest concerns, if any, about the new form of government? What role do you think the mayor should play in it?

While skepticism is natural, we have a unique opportunity to demonstrate that Portland’s challenges are temporary. We need a mayor who is a true leader and visionary, committed to the well-being of all Portlanders — from the homeless and students to veterans, the elderly and marginalized communities. The mayor should not display any form of performative activism but act with strong principles, high moral standards, and innovative thinking.

How would you work to promote and boost Portland nationally as mayor and reinvigorate people’s sense of civic pride?

My campaign aims to make Portland internationally relevant by leveraging my strong national relationships to bring economic and cultural empowerment to the city. Partnering with Bey Group of Companies, InKind Capital and National Business Capital, we will secure significant funding for small businesses. I will advocate for reintroducing civic-based curriculum in schools and work with all 95 neighborhood associations to strengthen community involvement. By uplifting neighborhood association administrations, we can enhance collaboration with the Office of Civic Life and Portland Street Response, giving the community a greater voice in public safety.

Mayor Ted Wheeler has already warned that next year’s budget will be a difficult one as costs rise and forecasts call for lower revenue. What would guide your decisions in developing a budget, what specific ideas would you explore to minimize service reductions and are there specific areas where you would look to make cuts?

I believe that “it’s not the possession of things but knowing how to use them” — emphasizing intent versus impact. As mayor, my goal is to lower costs for Portlanders by leveraging our resources effectively. Within the first week in office, I will assess our strengths and weaknesses to create strategic pathways for economic relief. Collaboration with nonprofits that share our vision is crucial to this process. By aligning efforts with these organizations, we can enhance our impact and address community needs more effectively.

How can the city of Portland and Multnomah County improve their existing partnership to more effectively address the homelessness, addiction and behavioral health crises?

As a community member collaborator with Multnomah County’s community justice department, I demonstrate the power of building effective relationships through humility and collaboration. To improve our partnership and address homelessness, addiction, and behavioral health crises, we must prioritize collective action over personal agendas. By setting aside egos and focusing on shared goals, we can tackle these pressing issues more effectively. With thousands of lives at stake, it’s crucial that we move beyond superficial efforts and implement comprehensive, coordinated strategies to address the dire conditions faced by many Portlanders.

If elected, you will oversee the police chief. What is your opinion of police bureau priorities and operations and what changes, if any, would you make? Would you push for the city to fund hundreds more police officers than the City Council has already authorized? If yes, where would you find the money?

As one of the youngest mayors since 1973, I will prioritize open communication with the Police Bureau and all community members, from District 1 to District 4, and work closely with neighborhood associations to enhance public safety. My approach will focus on fostering collaboration between Portland Street Response and the Portland Police Bureau without increasing police presence. Instead, I will strengthen efforts against bank fraud, identity theft, drug trafficking and human trafficking by coordinating with the National Guard, state police, sheriff’s department and FBI. Additionally, I will support and expand Neighborhood Emergency Teams (NET) to boost community resilience and safety.

Related: Issues important to Oregon voters

For the five remaining questions, we asked candidates to answer in 50 words or fewer:

Do you favor arresting and jailing people who camp on public property in Portland who have refused repeated offers of shelter, such as the option to sleep in a city-designated tiny home cluster?

Emphatically, no. My ancestors endured too much for me to replicate the injustices from chattel slavery to the war on drugs initiated by the Reagan Administration. Such measures have proven ineffective and unjust.

Have the problems impacting downtown Portland received too much or too little attention among current city leaders? Are there other specific neighborhoods in the city that have not received enough attention?

Of course, the issue has become conflated. East Portland has been neglected for over 30 years, and now, with increased attention due to the presence of more businesses downtown, the disparity is more apparent.

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Do you support the decision to use millions from the Portland Clean Energy Fund to backfill budget holes in various city bureaus? Would you seek to continue, expand or halt that practice?

The Portland Clean Energy Fund is poised to be a national top-tier program. In my opinion, its funds should be dedicated exclusively to program operations and community leadership development.

Do you support a potential change to the region’s homeless services tax that would direct some of the program’s unanticipated revenue to construct more affordable housing? Why or why not?

Yes, I support this. To address housing affordability, we need to revise zoning laws and incorporate infill development with sustainable practices to enhance our approach to affordable housing.

Describe the qualities and experience you will seek in a city administrator. Describe the working relationship you plan to build with the top administrator and their half dozen deputies.

The city administrator must avoid performative activism and uphold high moral standards, remaining uncompromised. A strong, trustworthy relationship is crucial for the success of our term in office.