On Friday May 24, 2019, Lake Oswego Junior High hosted Better Together Day, a daylong celebration of the diversity in the community that included a panel featuring Lake Oswego High School students, as well as workshops on a variety of subjects, including everything from gender identity and expression to the connection between culture and music theory. During Better Together Day, LOJ student Sarah Al Quirem and I led a discussion on using public art and spaces to promote inclu

Check out the second batch of videos from the Respond to Racism and LO for LOve School Board Candidate Forum below. Once again, thanks to RtR steering committee member Ian Egan for capturing the evening. #lakeoswegoschooldistrict #education #lakeoswegoschoolboard #schoolboardcandidateforum #youth #equity #diversity #inclusion #loforlove #respondtoracism

Videos from the Respond to Racism and LO for LOve School Board Candidate Forum are now up. Check out the first batch below, courtesy of RtR steering committee member Ian Egan. #lakeoswegoschooldistrict #lakeoswegoschoolboard #education #youth #politics #respondtoracism #loforlove #equity #diversity #inclusion

On Monday, Apr. 29, Respond to Racism and LO for LOve hosted a candidate forum for the upcoming Lake Oswego School Board election. The forum, which was held at Lake Oswego United Church of Christ, focused on the role of school board members in fostering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in LO schools. The hosts for the evening were RtR co-founder Willie Poinsette and LO for LOve co-founder Amy Waterbury. Participating on the panel were LOSD board candidates Kelly Calabria

If we hope to make diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities in LO schools, then we have to make sure these issues are an integral part of any decision-making discussion. To that end, Respond to Racism and LO for LOve are coming together again to host a candidate forum for the upcoming Lake Oswego School District School Board Election. Our previous city council candidate forum turned out to be a pivotal moment in putting the town on notice that diversity, equity, and inclus

Diversity, equity, and inclusion have been issues in Lake Oswego dating back to discriminatory exclusionary property ownership policies. Headlines in the past few years have shined a light on current racist incidents in our community, further contributing to the infamous nickname “Lake No Negro.” Fortunately, this has spurred a groundswell of advocacy and support among residents and elected officials to chart a more inclusive course for the future of our city. While the non-w