NAYA Action Fund Announces Its First Candidate Endorsements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 15, 2021
CONTACT:
William Miller
(503) 894.1794
NAYA Action Fund Announces Its First Candidate Endorsements
Kim Harless and Diana Perez for Vancouver City Council
VANCOUVER, WA. —The NAYA Action Fund launched in 2020 to expand political advocacy and build electoral power in partnership with the Native community throughout Oregon and Washington. We are pleased to announce our candidate endorsement for Vancouver City Council: Kim Harless, Position 1 and Diana Perez, Position 3.
After thoughtful consideration, the NAYA Action Fund endorsed both Harless and Perez. Paul Lumley, Chief Executive Officer of the NAYA Action Fund said, “The Native community is often overlooked, marginalized, and disregarded in our political systems. As City Councilor’s, we felt Harless and Perez would work to represent all communities, specifically the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.”
Once both candidates were notified of the endorsement, Perez stated, “I am incredibly honored to receive NAYA Action Fund’s endorsement. I tis important to me that the voices of our Native American and Alaska Native community are heard, included at the table and helping to shape a thriving city for everyone.”
Harless was deeply moved by the support of the NAYA Action Fund and went on to say, "I am incredibly honored to receive the endorsement of the NAYA Action Fund. As an indigenous person whose tribe is fighting for recognition still, it is a great honor to be recognized and supported by NAYA and the greater indigenous community. It is important that we uplift one another and fight for the unique challenges our community faces, including access to inclusive public health, safe housing, and economic resiliency, while simultaneously protecting and growing our culture. We are the decedents of our ancestors who were the original inhabitants of this land, the survivors, and we are still here to continue the legacy of stewarding it."
More information on the NAYA Action Fund endorsements for Vancouver City Council can be found at www.NAYAAction.org/politicalendorsements.
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NAYA Action Fund
Founded by the community, for the community, NAYA Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization with a mission to expand political advocacy and build electoral power in partnership with the Native community. The NAYA Action Fund provides tools to shape public policy, cultivate leadership, and elect champions for issues impacting Native people. Our vision of systemic change is youth centered, family driven, and elder guided. The NAYA Action Fund incorporated in November 2020.
