Jo Ann Hardesty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jo Ann Hardesty
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| Portland City Commissioner | |
| In office January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Dan Saltzman |
| Succeeded by | Rene Gonzalez |
| Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 19th district |
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| In office January 1995 – February 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Avel Gordly |
| Succeeded by | Jackie Dingfelder |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 15, 1957 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residences | Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Education | Baltimore City Community College (AA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Joann for Portland[Usurped!] |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
Jo Ann A. Hardesty (born October 15, 1957) is an American politician from the Democratic Party. She served as a Portland City Commissioner from 2019 to 2022. Before that, she was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001.
Hardesty made history as the first African American woman and the first minority woman to serve on the Portland City Council. She is known for working to improve racial justice and other important community issues. She has also been a strong supporter of changing how police departments work. In 2021, an investigation found that some police officers spread a false story about her. This was done as a way to get back at her. Hardesty faced some challenges during her time in office, including questions about her vacation time and a call she made to 9-1-1 during a disagreement with a driver.
In November 2022, Hardesty ran for a second term as City Commissioner but lost the election to Rene Gonzalez.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jo Ann Hardesty was born and grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. She was one of 10 children. Her father worked as a longshoreman, which means he loaded and unloaded ships. Her mother stayed home to care for the family. Hardesty finished high school at Edmondson-Westside High School. She later earned an Associate of Arts degree in business and accounting from the Baltimore City Community College.
Career Highlights
After finishing high school, Hardesty joined the United States Navy. She served for six years and was stationed in the Philippines.
After leaving the Navy, Hardesty moved to Portland, Oregon. She was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1994. She served there until 2001. Later, she became the executive director of Oregon Action. In January 2015, she became the president of the Portland chapter of the NAACP. The NAACP is a civil rights organization that works for justice and equality.
In 2007, Hardesty started hosting a radio show called "Voices from the Edge" on KBOO, a community radio station in Portland. The show talked about topics like fairness for different groups of people, how the government should be held responsible, and environmental issues.
Serving as Portland City Commissioner
The 2018 Election
Hardesty decided to run for Portland City Council in 2018. She was running for a seat that was becoming open because the current commissioner was retiring. Many groups supported her, including a local workers' union. Hardesty won the election with 61.8% of the votes.
Her Time as Commissioner
Hardesty officially became a city commissioner on January 2, 2019. She was the first Black woman and the first minority woman to serve on the council. She often spoke about her views on the Portland Police Bureau. In 2020, she voted to change how $18 million of the police budget was used. This vote did not pass.
As the commissioner in charge of the Fire Bureau, Hardesty took a month-long vacation in August 2021. This time of year is often when there are many fires in the region. It was unusual for a city commissioner to take a full month away from their duties.
The 2022 Election
Hardesty ran for reelection to the City Council in 2022. Many unions and groups that support progressive ideas endorsed her. Important political figures like U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer also supported her. She placed first in the primary election with 44% of the votes.
Because she received less than 50% of the vote, she had to go to a second election in November 2022. The Portland Firefighters Association, which she was assigned to manage, did not support her for reelection. Instead, they supported her opponent, Rene Gonzalez. In October 2022, a local newspaper also changed its support to Rene Gonzalez. By early November 2022, it was clear that Rene Gonzalez had won the election. Hardesty accepted the results later that day.
Personal Life
Jo Ann Hardesty was married to Skip Elliott Bowman in 1995. They divorced in 2008. By 2014, she was married to Roger Hardesty.
In November 2020, Hardesty called 9-1-1 during a disagreement with a driver. She felt unsafe because the driver was going to drop her off in a dark area. She told the dispatcher she was not getting out of the car in the dark.
In 2021, Hardesty was wrongly accused of being involved in a car accident where someone left the scene. An investigation by the Portland Police Bureau found that the claims were false. It was discovered that three police officers had made up the story and shared it with news outlets. The investigation confirmed that the officers' actions were done to get back at Hardesty. As a result, two officers faced discipline, and one was fired. In September 2023, Hardesty reached a settlement with the police union for $680,000 regarding this false accusation.
In March 2022, Hardesty was ordered by a judge to pay $16,000 for unpaid credit card debt. She had not appeared in court for the matter. She was ordered to pay the full amount.
Images for kids
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Jo Ann Hardesty's signature
