Photo: Wiki/Arthuralex
Avel Gordly, a trailblazing lawmaker who became the first Black woman elected to the Oregon State Senate, has died. She was 79.
Gordly passed away on February 16 at her home from natural causes, according to reports. Her death marks the loss of a political pioneer whose career reshaped Oregon’s legislative landscape and expanded opportunities for generations.
Gordly began her service in the Oregon House of Representatives in 1991, representing parts of north and northeast Portland for three terms. In 1996, she made history with her election to the Oregon State Senate, where she served until 2009.
During her time in office, Gordly focused on education, racial equity, and public health. She sponsored Senate Bill 300, known as the Expanded Options Bill, which allows Oregon high school students to take college-level courses and earn credit before graduation — a program that continues to impact students statewide.
She also worked to remove discriminatory language from Oregon’s constitution, including provisions that once banned Black people from settling in the state — a legacy rooted in Oregon’s exclusion laws.
Beyond education policy, Gordly was a strong advocate for mental health reform and racial health equity. She co-chaired then-Gov. John Kitzhaber’s Task Force on Racial and Ethnic Health pushed for broader recognition of Juneteenth. She also collaborated with community leaders to support the creation of Harriet Tubman Middle School in Portland.
Community members described her as both a leader and a mentor.
After retiring from public office in 2009, Gordly returned to academia, teaching in the Black Studies Department at Portland State University, her alma mater. In 2017, the university awarded her an honorary Doctor of Letters.
Gordly is survived by her son, Tyrone Wayne Waters; her sister, Faye Burch; and extended family and community members whose lives she touched.
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