Workshop | Upholding Values: Navigating Ethical and Legal Responsibilities During Global Conflict and Genocide

What role does a local government play during global conflict and genocide? Do we have ethical and legal responsibilities as local municipalities during these conflicts? Are our local elected officials and municipal governments aware of these responsibilities and accountable to their community to uphold them? In this training, participants will:

• Understand the role of local government, both in their local community and in a larger global context.

• Learn how western imperialism and U.S. genocidal policy influence local government.

• Understand the challenges that local governments may face during global conflict and how this impacts follow through on the ethical and legal responsibilities they may have.

• Learn what ethical and legal responsibilities a local municipality may have during global conflict and genocide.

• Be able to identify practical pathways forward to ensure local government upholds their responsibilities.

All presenters are part of the group Multnomah County Workers for Peace (MCWP), a collective of Multnomah County workers organizing outside of their roles as government employees towards comprehensive divestment policy in our local communities. Established in May 2024, MCWP has supported local community efforts towards divestment in collaboration with other community groups, including the Portland DSA, Jewish Voice for Peace Portland, and Healthcare Workers for Palestine. Our coalition of employees include represented and non-represented employees from multiple departments and professions, including librarians, healthcare workers, homeless services workers, legal professionals, and more.

Emilie Azorr is a Program Specialist for the Homeless Services Department at Multnomah County where she is a family system program specialist. Emilie supports the family shelter system and manages contracts within the family team. Emilie has a Master of Science in Victim Services Management, and her primary background is in gender-based violence. She is extremely passionate about the impact of violence in communities, and how these impacts show up for the families she continues to support in the Homeless Services Department.

Emilie is a 3rd generation Arab American, with her family being one of the original Arab immigrant families to Multnomah County/Oregon. She has co-organized Multnomah County events for Arab American Heritage Month and participates in advocacy efforts with other SWANA employees to better improve the culture for SWANA people in her community. Emilie brings both lived experience and professional experience with advancing racial equity, advocating for belonging, and creating safety for people who have experienced harm from severe othering.

Drew Bibee is the resolution and development coordinator for the Complaints Investigation Unit at Multnomah County focused on supporting employees through interpersonal and identity-based conflicts in the workplace. She graduated from the University of Oregon, School of Law in 2013 with her J.D. focused on International Human Rights Law and her M.A. in Conflict and Dispute Resolution. Outside of the County, Drew is an organizing member of Corvallis Palestine Solidarity group and frequently hosts public events on historical, legal, and ethical issues related to the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine.

Robin Easton-Davis is an experienced equity trainer and has 22+ years of frontline experience in community-based organizations and 8+ years in local government systems. She holds an MSW from Portland State University and a Trauma-Informed Oregon Certification. Robin designs and delivers powerful training on critical issues, including topics like:

• Historic and holistic analysis of oppression (race, class, patriarchy, imperial and colonial violence);

• Dismantling systemic inequities (racism, classism, gentrification, homelessness);

• Implementing trauma-informed, anti-racist practices in DV, homeless services, and early childhood education;

• Building cultures of collective care. Focuses on practical, community and person-centered, strengths-based applications in workplace settings.

Alis Smbatyan is a naturalized immigrant from Armenia, who’s spent the majority of her life in the US advocating for Immigrants and Refugees. Alis graduated from the University of North Texas, with an MA in Art History, focusing on Armenian Genocide, art in the Diaspora, and Indian and Middle Eastern cultural studies. She dedicates a majority of her personal time to advocate for the recognition and reparation of the Armenian Genocide as well as teaching communities how to recognize and resist genocide in your day to day life.

Alis Smbatyan currently works as a Sr. IT Business Systems Analyst at Multnomah County’s IT division. Additionally, Alis is serving out her 4th year as the Immigrants and Refugees(I&R) Employee Resource Group Chair where she consistently advocates for the needs of I&R employees and communities. Along with facilitating numerous cultural events for the ERG, she’s worked closely with colleagues for the last several years to sponsor Arab American Heritage Month, as well as done an Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day proclamation both in the City of Portland as well as Multnomah County.