Q Center's "Volunteer of the Year" Dismissed after Failed Background Check

25ey_1678_x_281.png
donation_events_839_x_281.png catalog_web_banner.png

 

Produced by: 
KBOO
Program:: 
Air date: 
Thu, 04/18/2013 - 12:00am
Q Center's "Volunteer of the Year" Dismissed after Failed Background Check

Portlander Natalie Marie, local LGBT advocacy and service non-profit Q Center's "Volunteer of the Year," has been dismissed after failing a state-mandated criminal background check. 

In her past, Natalie's struggle with addiction landed her in prison for seven years, and then in a halfway house, where she was targeted for her gender identity and denied medical care. 

She argues that her involvement with Q Center has been essential in facilitating her transition out of incarceration. 

But in recent months, she learned of a state statute, ORS 443.004, that says public funds cannot support the employment in any capacity of individuals in "certain positions" if they have "specific convictions." 

Because the Q Center receives state funding, and works with youth and elderly populations, they are effectively required to submit to background checks on all their employees and volunteers. 

In spite of ample documentation supporting Natalie's continued work, her background check was denied last month, leading to her dismissal. 

KBOO's Jenn Chavez spoke with Natalie for more details on her story and how she thinks the system needs to change.

Topic tags: 

Episode Playlist

  • Time
    11:00
    Artist
    The Diskords
    Song
    Life During Wartime
    Album
    Blame it on the kids
    Label
    Vinyl Warning
  • Time
    11:01
    Artist
    Black Flag
    Song
    Nervous Breakdown
    Album
    Nervous Breakdown
    Label
    SST
  • Time
    11:02
    Artist
    The Scientists
    Song
    Swampland
    Album
    Heading For A Trauma
    Label
    Au Go Go
  • Time
    11:03
    Artist
    Regulations
    Song
    I Feel Sick
    Album
    S/T
    Label
    Kick N Punch/Ny Vag
  • Time
    11:04
    Artist
    Therapists
    Song
    I Don't Like Myself
    Album
    Hate Sweats
    Label
    Jonny Cat
  • Time
    11:05
    Artist
    The Replacements
    Song
    Unsatisfied
    Album
    Let It Be
    Label
    Twin/Tone
  • Time
    11:06
    Artist
    Social Unrest
    Song
    Mental breakdown
    Album
    Rat In A Maze
    Label
    Libertine
  • Time
    11:07
    Artist
    Husker Du
    Song
    Broken Home, Broken Heart
    Album
    Zen Arcade
    Label
    SST
  • Time
    11:08
    Artist
    The Units
    Song
    Mission
    Album
    Bay Area Retrograde
    Label
    Dark Entries
  • Time
    11:09
    Artist
    Neon Boys
    Song
    Time Keeps Time
    Album
    Crumbling Myths
    Label
  • Time
    11:10
    Artist
    Superchunk
    Song
    Sidewalk
    Album
    No Pocky for Kitty
    Label
    Merge
  • Time
    11:11
    Artist
    Marked Men
    Song
    Fortune
    Album
    Ghosts
    Label
    dirtnap
  • Time
    11:12
    Artist
    Mark Sultan
    Song
    I Am the End
    Album
    Mark Sultan ep
    Label
    In The Red
  • Time
    11:13
    Artist
    The Ramones
    Song
    Why is it always this Way
    Album
    Rocket to Russia
    Label
    Sire
  • Time
    11:14
    Artist
    Joey Ramone
    Song
    Life's A Gas
    Album
    ...Ya Know?
    Label
  • Time
    11:15
    Artist
    Sleepwalkers RIP
    Song
    Death By Broken Heart
    Album
    Sleepwalkers RIP EP
    Label
  • Time
    11:16
    Artist
    TSOL
    Song
    I'm Tired Of Life
    Album
    Dance With Me
    Label
    Epitaph
  • Time
    11:17
    Artist
    Poison Idea
    Song
    Feel The Darkness
    Album
    Feel the Darkness
    Label
    American Leather
  • Time
    11:18
    Artist
    Onion Flavored Rings
    Song
    I Kill Butterflies
    Album
    Used To It
    Label
    Onion Flavored
  • Time
    11:19
    Artist
    No Hope For The Kids
    Song
    Rainy Day
    Album
    s/t
    Label
    Kick n Punch
  • Time
    11:20
    Artist
    Ramones
    Song
    Go mental
    Album
    Road To Ruin
    Label
    Sire
  • Time
    11:21
    Artist
    NEGATIVE APPROACH
    Song
    Nothing
    Album
    Pressure
    Label
    Boot
  • Time
    11:22
    Artist
    The Mob
    Song
    Cry Of The Morning
    Album
    Let the Tribe Increase
    Label
    Overground Records
  • Time
    11:23
    Artist
    Menace
    Song
    Screwed Up
    Album
    GLC - The Final Vinyl
    Label
    Get Back
  • Time
    11:24
    Artist
    Dead Kennedys
    Song
    Moon over Marin
    Album
    Plastic Surgery Disasters
    Label
    Alternative Tentacles/Statik
  • Time
    11:25
    Artist
    Crimpshrine
    Song
    Sleep, what's that?
    Album
    Sleep, what's that? ep
    Label
    Lookout
  • Time
    11:26
    Artist
    Embrace
    Song
    Building
    Album
    Embrace
    Label
    Dischord
  • Time
    11:27
    Artist
    Swell Maps
    Song
    Another Song
    Album
    A Trip To Marineville
    Label
    Secretly Canadian
  • Time
    11:28
    Artist
    The Mekons
    Song
    Where were you?
    Album
    The Mekons Double A side
    Label
  • Time
    11:29
    Artist
    Dog Faced Hermans
    Song
    Fortune
    Album
    Mental Blocks for All Ages
    Label
    Konkurrel
  • Time
    11:30
    Artist
    La Broma De Satan
    Song
    Conflicto Mundial
    Album
    Conflicto Mundial
    Label
  • Time
    11:31
    Artist
    Dead Moon
    Song
    54/40 Or Fight
    Album
    Unknown Passage
    Label
    Tombstone
  • Time
    11:32
    Artist
    Dead Kennedys
    Song
    Forward To Death
    Album
    Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
    Label
    Cherry Red
  • Time
    11:33
    Artist
    Masshysteri
    Song
    Masshysteri Del Tva
    Album
    S/T
    Label
    Feral Ward
  • Time
    11:34
    Artist
    The Marked Men
    Song
    Going Crazy
    Album
    Fix My Brain
    Label
    dirtnap
  • Time
    11:35
    Artist
    Joy Division
    Song
    Disorder
    Album
    Unknown Pleasures
    Label
    Factory
  • Time
    11:36
    Artist
    Jerry's Kids
    Song
    I Don't Belong
    Album
    Is This My World?
    Label
    Funhouse
  • Time
    11:37
    Artist
    The Dictators
    Song
    No Tomorrow
    Album
    Bloodbrothers
    Label
    asylum
  • Time
    11:38
    Artist
    Death
    Song
    Freakin' Out
    Album
    ...For The Whole World To See
    Label
    Drag City Inc.
  • Time
    11:39
    Artist
    Mission of Burma
    Song
    Photograph
    Album
    A Gun to the Head
    Label
  • Time
    11:40
    Artist
    Sam & Joe
    Song
    ?
    Album
    Fear of Smell
    Label
  • Time
    11:41
    Artist
    No Age
    Song
    Everybody's Down
    Album
    Weirdo Rippers
    Label
    FatCat
  • Time
    11:59
    Artist
    Really Red
    Song
    Decay
    Album
    Teaching You The Fear
    Label

Audio by Topic: