It is with great honor that I humbly endorse Briana Spencer for Pendleton School Board, Position 7. I h ave had the pleasure of working closely with Ms. Spencer over the past year on several community service projects and community activism events that aim to uplift and bring awareness to BIPOC and marginalized communities. Ms. Spencer is dedicated to the enrichment of our youth and community through education.

Through her work with Pendleton Community Action Coalition, she has organized several educational webinars focused on BIPOC and women’s history. She volunteers as a steering committee member for Luchadores por Cambio, a Latino/a/e organization in the Tri-Cities, organizing a personal protection equipment distribution event that, due to an abundance of donations, not only benefitted the Latino/a/e community in the Tri-Cities but was also able to benefit the CTUIR and houseless individuals.

Ms. Spencer’s dedication to her community is incomparable. She dedicates endless hours to serving marginalized communities and cleaning up the Earth. She is selfless when it comes to supporting her friends and family, and she advocates fiercely for her community.

Briana’s rich history in Pendleton as a lifelong resident, gives her a perspective that is unmatched, as Pendleton is part of her ancestral and tribal lands since time immemorial. Her experience serving on educational boards and committees give her the experience needed to navigate the Pendleton School Board and be a true advocate for our children.

I would trust my son’s educational future in her hands, and I encourage you to trust her with your child’s educational future by giving her your vote and elect her as the Pendleton School Board member for Position 7!

Vanessa Algarin-Benitez

Pasco, Washington

The East Oregonian does not run endorsements of more than 400 words.

The East Oregonian will institute a deadline for letters to the editor, so we can be fair with all the letters we receive and allow for responses before Election Day, if necessary.

We run the letters on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please submit your endorsement letters to the editor by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 7. You can email them to editor@eastoregonian.com, or mail them to East Oregonian, c/o Andrew Cutler, 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton, OR 97801.

We will publish our last letters on Saturday, May 15. Any letters received after the deadline will not run. Election Day is May 18.