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

Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially in areas with deeply ingrained issues like Lake Oswego, requires intentionality. While RTR and other organizations are working to provide community engagement opportunities, the reality is that these efforts can only go so far if we don't integrate the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion into the everyday lives and activities of LO community members. Many would consider our schools ground zero for addressing this n

The Feb. 18 Respond to Racism student panel was full of powerful, poignant, and at times, heartbreaking moments. Recently, we released the first batch of videos so those who missed it or would just like relive the event could watch it in full or broken up into two parts. Now, for those looking for more bite-sized clips, we've heard your requests and those videos are now available. Check them out below. #rtrstudentpanel #respondtoracism #lakeoswegohighschool #lakeridgehighscho

On Feb. 18, 2019, Respond to Racism hosted a student panel on experiences with race and racism in Lake Oswego. The panel featured students from Lake Oswego and Lakeridge High School who are heavily involved with equity work in their schools and communities. These panelists included Lake Oswego High School students Anushka Nair, Penelope Spurr, and Janelle Pranger, and Lakeridge High School students Anna-Marie Guenther, Evan Melendez, Mya Gordon, and Maximus Herrera. Below is

Correction: Earlier versions of this post inaccurately framed Mya Hudson as the founder of the Black Student Union. The group was actually founded by another group of students before Hudson got involved. On behalf of Respond to Racism, I apologize both to Mya and the other founding members for mischaracterizing the story and contributing in any way to the erasure of their contributions to Lake Oswego High School and the greater LO community. In August 2018, I sat down with La

An artist whose name will not be mentioned once said the prophetic words, “Listen to the kids bro.” For our Feb. 4 Respond to Racism meeting, we will be doing just that. This special community meeting will feature a packed panel of students from both Lake Oswego and Lakeridge High School who are heavily involved in equity work in their respective schools and communities. The fact is, too often we find ourselves talking about young people but not talking to them, and perhaps m