Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Millicent Williams attended a conference in Saudi Arabia from December 7 – 9.
Williams participated in a panel at CoMotion Global ’25, an event held in the city of Riyadh that, “connects the brightest minds, cities, and companies shaping the next chapter of transportation — globally.” Her panel was titled, “Managing Cities in the New Age of Data” (you can watch it here). The front page of the event website features a TriMet MAX train in downtown Portland.
According to an official press release, CoMotion Global is supported by, “key Saudi government partners shaping the Kingdom’s mobility future.”
Traveling to Saudi Arabia as a representative of the City of Portland is likely to give many Portlanders pause. The country’s government has an abysmal human rights record and they use major conferences, along with sports and entertainment events to whitewash their actions.
In 2018, men working for the Saudi government murdered a Washington Post journalist who had been critical of the ruling family. Cracking down on free media is just one black mark against Saudi Arabia. Amnesty International’s list of 10 ways Saudi Arabia violates human rights includes mass executions, discrimination against women, unfair trials, lack of free speech, and a law against public protests.
But the first thing I thought about when I learned Williams was helping Saudi Arabia burnish their international reputation, was the killing of Fallon Smart.
In August of 2016, 20-year old Abdulrahman Noorah drove recklessly down the center lane of Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard at a speed police estimated at 55-60 mph. As he approached SE 43rd Ave, he ran into 15-year-old Fallon Smart. She died in the street. Smart’s death sparked widespread outcry and sadness in our community. I recall crying in the street as I tried to cover a memorial event with Smart’s family.
Two weeks before Noorah would face justice at a court trial, men working for the Saudi government helped him escape the country and he’s never been seen or heard from since. That episode remains a very deep open wound for many in our community, and Williams’ attendance at this event does nothing to help with the healing.
According to PBOT Communications Director Hannah Schafer, “The conference paid for Director Williams’ travel and accommodations, and her travel was reviewed and approved by City Administrator Michael Jordan.”
Thanks for reading.
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Agreed!!
It’s disgusting that she went there. I expect (but do not forgive) that kind of thing from the current administration and it is horrible to see that the City Council and the Mayor were okay with her going to Saudi.
With all that Jonathan mentioned, slavery (fully legal until 1962 and still ongoing) , slave like conditions and sex trafficking is still something that goes on there.
No conference or event is worth a representative of Portland or Oregon going there.
https://www.walkfree.org/global-slavery-index/country-studies/saudi-arabia/
https://www.hrw.org/report/2024/12/04/die-first-and-ill-pay-you-later/saudi-arabias-giga-projects-built-widespread
http://www.gvnet.com/humantrafficking/SaudiArabia.htm
Just a few of the many articles.
Unfortunately, slavery, slave like conditions, and sex trafficking are all too common in the USA too, particularly in our (legal) government-sanctioned prisons since 1865 (license plates anyone? Firefighting in California?). It’s been a regular criticism of our human rights record by numerous NGOs worldwide including in the USA.
Thanks for bringing attention to this shameful appearance of a city employee at a mobility event funded by a petro state. Makes me wonder if she was on the clock or off, if she received an appearance fee, and who paid for her travel. How is lending a veneer of legitimacy to the Saudi government appropriate for a senior city employee?
Well clearly she was on the clock because she was representing PBOT. But City of Portland didn’t pay for it. The event organizers paid for the trip.
It doesn’t matter. She shouldn’t have gone, the City shouldn’t have approved the time away, and there is absolutely nothing to be happy about with this story.
I don’t really care how many “good ideas” were brought home. Saudi Arabia doesn’t need Portland’s help with their fraudulent theatrics. This was a mistake.
I agree
Unless she was on leave and not drawing pay while there then we were paying for it. Also, we paid for the time for her staffers to put the presentation together.
Also, this org has conferences in LA and Miami this year (neither of which is exactly a standout in enlightened approaches to transportation hahaha). She could have attended one of those and gotten more or less the same learnings…no valid need to go to Riyadh.
She can’t keep the bikes lanes swept, yet she has time to travel to Saudi and burnish the reputation of brutal dictatorship. WTF!?
Mayor Wilson, you are also to blame for this fiasco. You should have said no.