The Multnomah Democrats' 2012 Celsi Celebration will recognize our leading volunteers, and will include the presentation of the Dick Celsi Wward to an outstanding volunteer, the Gladys McCoy Award for outstanding service as a Democratic elected official, and the Barbara Roberts Young Democrat Award for outstanding activism as a young Democrat.

This year's event will be on Friday night, February 17, 2012, at the Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St. in Portland.

Our special guest will be Rep. Mark Pocan, State Representative from Wisconsin and our own Rep. Greg Matthews will MC.

Representative Mark Pocan

Mark Pocan has spent the last 13 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly representing one of the strongest progressive districts in the state. Yet his political roots took hold in blue-collar Kenosha, Wisconsin where he got his start at age eight delivering campaign lit door-to-door for his father, a long- time city alderman.

In his six terms as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, Pocan has earned numerous awards for both his legislative victories and his community service. He helped create the Wisconsin Quality Home Care Commission, authored the American Jobs Act and the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Act and was deeply involved in many progressive initiatives focused on collective bargaining rights, public financing of clean elections, domestic partner protections and corrections reform.

During recent turmoil in Wisconsin in the fight for workers’ rights against an attack from Gov. Scott Walker, Pocan took a visible, leading role, fighting hard for what he believes in, as a legislator and a union member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.

Pocan and his partner Phil married in Canada in 2006. They live on Madison’s downtown Isthmus, with their dog, just two miles from the state Capitol.

See Rep. Pocan's full bio

Watch Rep. Pocan in action!