Respond to Racism

Mark your calendars.

We are thrilled to share that the Lake Oswego Public Library is partnering with Respond to Racism for the Library’s December First Friday Film Discussion Group.  The Library's Film Discussion Group meets monthly at the Lake Theater & Café, and the Library plans to partner with Respond to Racism for these events on a semi-regular basis.  This partnership is an opportunity to bring community members together...

Community members of Lake Oswego,

As we approach the two-year anniversary of Respond to Racism, it’s important to recognize progress. In regards to the City of Lake Oswego, we were happy to see the adoption of a resolution affirming LO as a welcoming and inclusive city. Likewise, we are excited about the possibilities surrounding the City’s upcoming diversity task force. That said, based on how the process has gone so far, we h...

Respond to Racism is excited to announce that we're partnering with the West Linn Alliance for Inclusive Community and Mary's Woods to host renowned scholar, activist, and author Walidah Imarisha and her presentation "Why Aren't There More Black People in Oregon?" at Mary's Woods on July 23. The interactive discussion delves into the history of Oregon's anti-Black laws and lingering effects that we can still feel to this day....

The City of Lake Oswego is putting together a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ad Hoc Task Force and applications are due Jun. 21, 2019. The task force will meet once a month for six months and, according to the City, will focus on identifying "barriers to participation on the City’s Boards & Commissions" and "methods by which to increase the applicant pool for City job openings."

Furthermore, the City has identified a number o...

On Apr. 10, Respond to Racism co-founder Willie Poinsette appeared on OPB's Think Out Loud with Dave Miller. During the interview, Poinsette discussed the changes she's seen in Lake Oswego over the course of her 32 years living in town, the events that led to the creation of RTR, and what inspired her to put the town on notice during her Community Leader of the Year Award speech to the LO Chamber of Commerce. Listen to the ful...

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...

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 cons...

The West Linn Alliance for Inclusive Community, Respond to Racism, and Mary’s Woods Diversity Task Force have invited State Senator Rob Wagner (D - District 19) to speak on equity diversity, and inclusion policy issues, primarily as they relate to Oregon public schools. Senator Wagner chairs the Oregon Senate Education Committee, and also sits on the Lake Oswego School Board. He will address two pieces of legislation that he h...

One of the most common requests we receive from Respond to Racism attendees is the desire for more opportunities to participate in anti-racism training. With that in mind, we'd like to inform you about an upcoming opportunity right here in Lake Oswego.

Learning to Undo Racism: A Workshop of Discovery & Understanding is a three session series that will be running on Saturdays from Apr. 6 through Apr. 20. Featuring presenters Kat...

As human beings, especially in our current political environment, we have a tendency to view all political decisions as all-or-nothing. If someone proposes something that isn't a magic bullet, there is inevitably a chorus of, "Well, what's the point?" Unfortunately, this collective mindset often squanders opportunities to build on important steps in the justice process.

Currently, community organizers in Clackamas County are wo...