Statement from Jeana Frazzini and Nancy Haque, who served 14 years as Basic Rights Oregon Executive Directors, combined
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2026
Media Contact
Kyndall Mason, Executive Director: kyndall@basicrights.org
Basic Rights Oregon had an ethical responsibility to rescind its Brim-Edwards endorsement
Elected leaders must defend transgender students in public and private
PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregonians deserve leaders who stand with us not only when the cameras are rolling and the spotlight is warm, but also behind closed doors when critical decisions are being made about our lives. That standard matters — especially now, when transgender people and their families are facing unprecedented attacks across the country.
Basic Rights Oregon's PAC Board has an ethical responsibility to rescind its endorsement of Julia Brim-Edwards for Multnomah County Chair after learning she made private statements that contradicted her public comments. The nine-member PAC Board voted unanimously to withdraw its endorsement after confidential conversations with three people who attended a private Portland Public Schools meeting where Brim-Edwards raised unfounded concerns that trans athletes might harm scholarship opportunities for other students – a false claim that mirrors language used by Trump and his allies. Brim-Edwards also encouraged PPS to consider stricter guidelines for trans athletes to participate in sports, in direct conflict with Oregon’s statewide protections.
Combined, we served more than 14 years as Executive Director for Basic Rights Oregon, the statewide LGBTQ2SIA+ organization. During our tenures, we worked with community leaders to build a state where transgender adults and children could live free of discrimination. This meant holding elected leaders accountable for defending their freedom to fully participate in school activities, including sports.
This work has only grown more urgent since 2017, when President Donald Trump and his allies began exploiting the public’s lack of familiarity with what it means to be transgender to stoke fear and consolidate power. They have proposed 840 anti-trans bills nationwide, with 63 passed, according to a website tracking this data.
In this climate, Oregon remains one of the safest states in the country for transgender people and transgender kids — not by accident, but because leaders here have consistently chosen courage over convenience.
That safety is due in part to the work Basic Rights Oregon led with Governor Kate Brown’s administration to release Oregon’s first statewide guidelines to help school districts support transgender and gender-nonconforming students. Those guidelines set a clear expectation: Oregon’s leaders must protect transgender youth in public and in private.
When private statements contradict public commitments, trust is broken — and accountability is required. Oregonians deserve leaders who meet this moment with integrity, consistency, and a willingness to stand with our communities when it matters most.
Jeana Frazzini, Basic Rights Oregon Executive Director, 2008-16
Nancy Haque, Basic Rights Oregon Executive Director, 2015-22