Jess Falero is an advocate for the unhoused, a person with lived experience and a social worker in the community. 

Jess has lived in Portland since 2016 and early in that time became a leader and advocate, becoming known as a strong voice for vulnerable populations. 

Their direct experience of being unhoused and advocating for their community members makes them a fresh face in Portland politics, and their years of organizing experience give them the drive to get the job done. 

Jess has shared their experience through their advocacy on the local, state, and national levels, including organizing direct actions, as well as attending trainings and conferences across the United States. 

This experience gives them the ability to see issues clearly and make decisions through critical thinking, without ever losing track of the voices of the vulnerable and the ways our systems impact the disenfranchised.  

Through their work with Portland’s unhoused community, Jess became familiar with the experience of losing friends and colleagues to death, and has organized multiple memorials for those who have died on the streets of the city. Moved by these memories, Jess wants to build a city where no one has to die on the streets again.

With a city councilor who will listen to the voices of all constituents, Portland can take powerful and meaningful steps and clear decisions for a more equitable and vibrant city.