Political Quotes

“I rise today to honor the far too short life and legacy of Cayle Tern, a community leader, a fierce advocate for immigrant and refugee families, and a beloved son of east county and of Oregon. Cayle came to Portland as a young child, an Iu Mien refugee from Laos, whose family spent years in a refugee camp before finding safety here. That story became the foundation of his life's work: ensuring that other immigrant and refugee families had what his family did not, a voice in the decisions of their lives. He brought that purpose to everything he touched. As civic engagement manager at APANO, he fought tirelessly for Asian-Pacific-American communities across Oregon. He served as president of the Iu-Mien Association of Oregon, board chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Community Coalition of Oregon, a member of the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization Governance Board, and a board member of the Reynolds School District. He helped build a school in Laos and was instrumental in founding MINTeD, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Southeast Asian youth. His commitment was steadfast, and it was genuine. In the final chapter of his work, as ICE escalated its targeting of Laotian and Southeast Asian community members across Oregon, Cayle immersed himself in the effort to protect his neighbors.”