American politician
Travis E. Nelson is an American politician and nurse serving as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 44th district. He assumed office on February 1, 2022. He is the first openly LGBTQ+ man of color and the first openly LGBTQ+ African American to ever serve in the Oregon Legislature.
Early life and education.
Nelson is the grandson of Louisiana sharecroppers and his parents grew up under Jim Crow segregation. He was born in poverty in northern Louisiana to a teen mother. His parents moved he and his sister to Kennewick, Washington as a child, in search of a better life. While working as a janitor, landscaper, and coach, he earned an Associate of Science in Nursing degree from Columbia Basin Community College and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Washington State University.
Career.
Travis Nelson started his career as a nurse for PeaceHealth in the Portland, Oregon area, specializing in medical, surgical, cardiac, rehabilitation and emergency nursing. Nelson is currently a union representative and the former vice president of the Oregon Nurses Association. Nelson was appointed to the Oregon House of Representatives in February 2022 by members of the Multnomah County Commission, succeeding Tina Kotek who went on to become governor.
Oregon House of Representatives.
In his first legislative session, he secured $15 million for a new aquatic complex in North Portland. in 2022, he was appointed to serve on the state Reproductive Health and Access to Care Work Group in anticipation of the overturning of Roe Vs. Wade. This workgroup was charged with ensuring that Oregon closed gaps in reproductive health rights.
Political views.
Nelson is a staunch progressive and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. He is known for his support of unions, workers' rights, single payer healthcare, climate activism, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights and racial justice.
Democratic Party Activism.
In 2017, Nelson became an officer of the Democratic Party of Oregon when he was elected to serve as one of Oregon's representatives to the Democratic National Committee. One of his first acts as a Democratic National Committee Rep was supporting Keith Ellison in the 2017 Democratic National Committee Chair Race.
Nelson has authored and successfully passed multiple resolutions in an effort to make the Democratic Party of Oregon more progressive. Some of those resolutions include:
In 2020, Nelson served as chair of Oregon's Bernie Sanders delegation and Oregon delegation co-chair to the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Electoral history.
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References.
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