Avel Louise Gordly

Avel Louise Gordly is the first African American woman elected to the Oregon State Senate, where she served for three terms, after serving three terms in the Oregon House of Representatives. She has received numerous awards for her work as a legislator and community organizer on behalf of many organizations, including the Black United Front, Portlanders Organized for Southern African Freedom, the American Friends Service Committee, the Urban League of Portland, and the House of Umoja. She lives in Portland, Oregon and is an Associate Professor in the Black Studies Department at Portland State University.