Respond to Racism

A group called LO Change is calling on the Lake Oswego School District School Board to make immediate changes to be a more anti-racist organization. The group of educators is circulating a petition that includes suggested next steps, such as reconsidering the use of school resource officers, conducting a thorough equity audit of curriculum, and funding an equity department. You can read the text of the letter below and sign the petition here. To further support these efforts,

With Senator Rob Wagner stepping down from the Lake Oswego School District Board of Directors, Position 2 is currently vacant. This is a crucial opportunity for champions of justice and equity to continue pushing LOSD forward. Senator Wagner has been a strong voice and we cannot afford to lose any of that momentum. In many ways, our school system is the epicenter for the racism that fuels LO's "Lake No Negro" reputation and those most affected have little representation in po

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 membe

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 lo

Vindictive organizations and individuals attacking the safety and wellbeing of our children is an unfortunate reality. However, we do not have to allow them to promote bigotry unopposed or let them hide behind platitudes about First Amendment rights without exercising ours. With that in mind, Basic Rights Oregon is calling upon all concerned community members to stand up to anti-LGTBQ group Parents Rights in Education, who plan to disrupt the Dec. 16 Lake Oswego School Board

It's no secret that the creative arts are a great vehicle for bringing people together to engage with insightful, often difficult discussions about issues like race. The Clackamas Repertory Theatre will be hosting such an opportunity with the west coast premier of "Queens Girl in the World." The play, written by Caleen Sinnette Jennings, directed by Damaris Webb, and featuring Lauren Steele will be showing from Sep. 5-29 and will feature post and pre-show lectures on select d

Last fall, I sat down with some of the original members of the Lakeridge High School Equity Council to discuss their origins, the state of racism in LO schools, and their vision for helping move the community forward. The full video below, in addition to being available on YouTube, will also be airing on Open Signal, the local public access network. To find out when it will be airing, go to opensignalpdx.org. Check out shortened clips from the interview below: #lhsequitycounc

In case you missed it, RtR now has a monthly column in the Lake Oswego Review. Our hope is to provide insight into the critical race theory terms and concepts that many in the community hear in passing but haven't otherwise taken the time to investigate. In the most recent column, RtR steering committee member Ian Egan discusses intersectionality. Here's an excerpt: "If you haven’t heard of 'intersectionality' yet, you will. Like the familiar concept of roads converging and i

In late 2018, I interviewed Anna Nakano-Baker, a fellow Lake Oswego High School Class of 2007 graduate about her experiences with race and racism in LO. She returned the favor and put me in front of the camera in early 2019. #storytellingproject #schools #education #losd #foresthillselementary #history #equity #diversity #inclusion #brucepoinsette

On April 28, 2019, members of the Lakeridge High School Equity Council visited LHS alum Troy Douglass at his award-winning business Cultural Blends to discuss ways in which the racial climate has changed and stayed the same, advice he'd give to current students, and how growing up in LO influenced his business. Check out the interview in the playlist below: #troydouglass #culturalblends #lakeoswego #losd #lakeridgehighschool #lhsequitycouncil #education #respondtoracism #port