Respond to Racism

On Nov. 25, 2019, Respond to Racism hosted a student panel for the Lake Oswego School District's Professional Development Day featuring a diverse group of students from Lakeridge and Lake Oswego High School. During the event, the students discussed the pervasiveness of racism in the school district, how teachers and staff tend to respond, daily microaggressions, and more. It should be noted, that while these panels can be enlightening, the ultimate goal is for community members to use these stories and suggestions as a catalyst for systemic change. As the moderator, I was particularly struck by the theme of burnout and the fact that so many of these students feel like they're effectively fig

If we want to change the culture of racism in LO, we need to attack it at all levels. That includes applying pressure to local government to make sure they prioritize funding, resources, and space for anti-racism work. The LO City Council is accepting public comment for their 2020 goals until Jan. 10. You can help contribute to making sure anti-racism stays on their radar by submitting comments that highlight these needs. If you're looking for an example of what that might look like, here are the priorities RtR is submitting: 1) Make the DEI Taskforce a Standing Committee that will actively look at the diversity, equity, and inclusion policy and practices of the City Council and make annual

LO doesn't always do the greatest job of celebrating the history makers in our midst. With that in mind, we would like to congratulate RtR steering committee member Gloria Brown on publishing her new book "Black Woman in Green: Gloria Brown and the Unmarked Trail of Forest Service Leadership." You can read more about the book here. #gloriabrown #usforestservice #history #respondtoracism #racism #oregon #california #government