I am proud to give my full support and recommendation to my personal associate Briana Spencer as a candidate for Position 7 of the Pendleton School District.

I have known Briana for several years now. Over the years, Briana has demonstrated she is reliable, determined, and that she is a hardworking individual. In most recent years, her involvement in the community has been extensive.

If elected, Briana would bring diversity to the panel with her Native American and Latina background, and she would represent a portion of the community who is often dismissed or overlooked. As a person of color myself, I appreciate Briana’s constant advocacy for those who feel unheard or silenced.

She has been a positive force and is the textbook definition of a leader. She has participated in, organized, and even led multiple events pertaining to social issues occurring across the nation today, with the purpose of bringing a substantial and positive change within our own, as well as surrounding communities. She is respectful, but is not afraid to speak her mind, and will always fight for what is right.

She is authentic, engaging and knowledgeable. Briana also enjoys a challenge, once she has an end goal, she is unstoppable. I know that whatever Briana sets her mind to, she will accomplish. She deserves every potential opportunity presented to her and will, without a doubt, be successful in exceeding any and all expectations.

As a mother of a student who is enrolled in the Pendleton School District, I know my daughter’s future and education is in good hands with Briana.

Tonya Cortez

Pendleton

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 local letters of endorsement 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.