TM Published Quarterly by Oregon Women Lawyers Volume 29, No. 2 Spring 2018 Roberts & Deiz Award Presented to Chanpone Sinlapasai Okamura By Amy Heverly he 26th Roberts & police officers about Deiz Awards Din- human trafficking, Tner was held at helping them under- the Portland Art Museum stand the complexity on Friday, March 16. OWLS of those cases, identify In This Issue presented the Roberts & red flags, and conduct Chanpone Sinlapasai Okamura Deiz Award to Chanpone more sensitive inter- Sinlapasai Okamura. views. President’s Message Chanpone is an immigra- Luis Garcia, Chan- Upcoming OWLS Events tion attorney and partner pone’s protégé, spoke Fall CLE on Oct. 26 at Marandas Sinlapasai in about her mentorship Lake Oswego. and her work for oth- Yamhill OWLS Chapter Chanpone has dedi- ers. He described her OWLS Members on May Ballot cated her life and career as “the most selfless Awards Dinner Sponsors to protecting the civil person I’ve ever met.” OWLS Foundation rights of some of the most OWLS President vulnerable members of Angela Franco Lucero Capitol Update society. One example of then introduced Chan- OWLS Mary Leonard Chapter her work is the Catholic Photo: Mike Reynolds, Dreams in Bloom Photography pone. Angela recount- Five Justices at Willamette Charities annual event ed the moment she called Refugee Adjustment Day, which Chanpone met Chanpone in law school and spoke about Clackamas Women Lawyers initiated to bring together volunteer groups to Chanpone’s background and accomplishments Nominate a Workplace Leader help refugees adjust their immigration status to and how much she admired her. Chanpone, Judge Stacie Beckerman become legal permanent residents. Additionally, Angela said, is often the hardest worker in the Chanpone has worked with national and local room, yet the first to compliment others. Angela Thank You, Board Members law enforcement agencies to advocate for crime concluded her introduction by saying, “As she Board Member Amanda Thorpe victims who may be afraid to come forward. rises, she always lifts up those individuals behind OWLS Mary Leonard Chapter Last year, Chanpone mobilized attorneys to her. Chanpone embodies the characteristics of Queen’s Bench greet people at the airport in the wake of the Justice Betty Roberts and Judge Mercedes Deiz.” federal travel ban and to help Deferred Action In her remarks, Chanpone said that her expe- Book Review: Imbeciles on Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients complete rience as a refugee inspired her to help others. their renewal applications. At the pre-dinner reception, Chanpone and her Before Chanpone was introduced at the dinner, family had provided hundreds of plumeria flowers a video was played that highlighted some of her that guests could attach to their hair or clothing. work and personal history through testimonials The plumeria flower is the national flower of from people who have worked with her. The Laos. Additionally, on each flower was the word video also featured many photographs, including “resist” or “persist.” These sentiments were photos of Chanpone and her family in Laos and echoed in Chanpone’s remarks, which encouraged in a refugee camp in Thailand, before her family each of us to get involved by volunteering in our immigrated to the United States. community and at events like Refugee Adjust- Helietta González Hernández, consul for ment Day. This year, Refugee Adjustment Day is protection and legal affairs in the Consulate of May 12, and volunteers are needed. Mexico’s Portland office, and John Herrera of Chanpone’s family had placed on each table an Catholic Charities described Chanpone’s energetic envelope containing pieces of white string that and tireless work on behalf of migrant workers. had been blessed by a Laotian monk. Chanpone Natasha Haunsperger of the Portland Police concluded her remarks by inviting each of us to Bureau spoke about Chanpone’s work to educate Continued on page 6 OREGON WOMEN LAWYERS AdvanceSheet 1 SPRING 2018 President’s Message s I reflect OWLS is also committed to asking hard Aupon this questions about our own institution and past year as its practices. While this work takes time, OWLS presi- we are starting to see meaningful change. dent, a theme Those who attended our most recent that resonates Roberts & Deiz Awards Dinner will have President Angela Franco Lucero with me is that noted a change of structure; this year, this has been a OWLS began recognizing the recipient(s) Vice President, President-Elect Amber Hollister year of change. of a unified Roberts & Deiz Award. This Secretary As a nation we shift was the result of a long conversation Hon. Allison Boomer have witnessed about how we can mindfully address and Treasurer Angela Franco Lucero a harrowing remedy the implicit and structural bias Megan Burgess shift in our that we found to exist within the Justice Historian political climate and an assault on the Betty Roberts and Judge Mercedes Deiz Maya Crawford basic civil rights of marginalized individ- Awards nomination and selection process. Board Members uals within our communities. We have We observed that historically, the awards Jacqueline Alarcón Maya Crawford witnessed acts of discrimination toward process had resulted in the Justice Betty Sara Kobak people of color, immigrants and refugees, Roberts Award being bestowed on a Katharine DiSalle members of the LGBTQ community, wom- white lawyer, and the Judge Mercedes Hon. Valeri Love Aruna Masih en, and people with disabilities, and the Deiz Award being most often bestowed Jennifer Nicholls demonization of low-income people. I, on a lawyer from a non-dominant culture. Kathryn Olney too, have grieved for the degradation The OWLS Board of Directors, Roberts Yumi O’Neil Susan Pitchford of our national discourse and for the & Deiz Awards Dinner Committee, and Adele Ridenour alarming erosion of the fundamental other OWLS committees sought to face Kristin Sterling principles of equal protection, justice, this pattern with transparency and a Amanda Thorpe Val Tomasi and fair play. self-critical eye. After receiving meaning- Gloria Trainor Yet in the face of hateful and ful and welcome input from specialty bar Past Presidents mean-spirited acts we have witnessed groups and members of non-dominant Laura Craska Cooper a heartening response. People across cultures and marginalized communities, Elizabeth Tedesco Milesnick Kendra Matthews Oregon and throughout the nation have OWLS reached a decision last year to Kathleen Rastetter joined together to rise up and work to alter the structure of the Roberts & Deiz Megan Livermore protect the rights of communities under Awards. As of 2018, the Justice Betty Heather L. Weigler Concetta Schwesinger attack. Roberts Award and the Judge Mercedes Gwyneth McAlpine OWLS is committed to fighting to make Deiz Award have been unified into a sin- Heather Van Meter our legal community and our community gular award honoring the contributions Laura Caldera Taylor Kellie Johnson at large more diverse and inclusive. We of both of these seminal OWLS leaders. Norma S. Freitas have joined with the specialty bars in Any attempt to engage in undoing Kate A. Wilkinson taking a stand against white nationalism. institutional racism will be a formidable Jennifer K. De Wald Sarah J. Crooks We are currently partnering with the process. We did not arrive here in a day, Elizabeth Schwartz Multnomah Bar Association to develop and it will take time to see change. So, Lori E. Deveny programing that will address the les- we must continue with stamina and hope. Debra Pilcher Velure Marilyn E. Litzenberger sons of the #MeToo movement for our Going forward, OWLS will continue this Teresa M. Kraemer legal community. We are committed to important work by considering how to Patricia L. Heatherman continuing to partner with lawyers and overcome implicit and structural bias Julie Levie Caron Phylis Chadwell Myles advocates across Oregon to help create within the current vetting and selection Helle Rode and implement policies that disrupt dis- process for the award. While 2018 has Diana Craine Kathryn M. Ricciardelli crimination in all forms. The OWLS board presented important opportunities for Agnes Sowle is taking steps to educate ourselves about change, I will be proud to stand with Katherine H. O’Neil anti-racism and structural bias while OWLS as we identify additional opportu- Executive Director seeking funding to engage in in-depth nities for growth and implement changes Linda Tomassi board-wide training. As an organization, still to come. executivedirector@ oregonwomenlawyers.org we want to be educated and mindful Without reservation, it has been a Editor when exploring ways to promote and great honor and a privilege to serve on [email protected] increase diversity, equity, and inclusion the OWLS board and as OWLS president www.oregonwomenlawyers.org in the OWLS community. this past year. As the first Latinx OWLS Continued on page 3 Our mission is to transform the practice of law and ensure justice and equality by advancing women and minorities in the legal profession. OREGON WOMEN LAWYERS AdvanceSheet 2 SPRING 2018 Upcoming OWLS Events Professionalism Panel: OWLS Contract Lawyers CLE: Sexual Harassment and Practicing Diversity and Sole Practitioners the Law: Everything You Need OWLS & Multnomah Bar Assoc. Portland and remotely to Know Portland Friday, April 20, 12–1 p.m. Lane County Women Lawyers Friday, April 13, 12–1:30 p.m. OWLS Headquarters Eugene Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse 121 SW Morrison St., Suite 1100 Friday, April 27, 8 a.m.–12:15 p.m. 1000 SW Third Ave. Downtown Athletic Club Jury Assembly Room CLE: Implicit Bias in the Workplace 999 Willamette St. OWLS, OSB Diversity and Inclusion CLE: Bystander Intervention Training Dept., and American Constitution Women’s Wellness Retreat Portland Society, Oregon Lawyer Chapter OWLS & OAAP Wednesday, April 18, 1–5 p.m. Portland Cannon Beach Mark O. Hatfield U.S.