Race and Ethnic Relations in Portland

On March 28th, Community Outreach hosted a Community Conversation entitled “Improving Race and Ethnic Relations in Portland.” People from neighborhoods across Portland came together for an evening of robust conversation, inspiration, and a shared meal at the East Portland Community Center.

The event created a space for participants to connect across cultures and beyond differences, to foster an equitable community in Portland, and to identify ways – personally and collectively – in which they can impact race and ethnic relations in a positive way. Participants began the conversation by sharing their perceptions of the current state of race and ethnic relations in Portland. They identified a range of factors that make addressing race relations in Portland unique. Assets identified included groups talking about race, research describing the state of communities of color, and a growing awareness around race dynamics. Barriers included cultural and institutional obstacles and the proportionately small size of Portland’s communities of color.

The evening included an opportunity for small group discussions in which participants addressed these questions:

In what way has race influenced your family?
What do you think is our greatest challenge in connecting with each other to build community?
What ideas do you have for cultivating an equitable community?

They recounted family experiences of segregation in the 1950’s; shared the perspectives they gained and challenges they faced growing up in multiracial or multicultural families; and reflected on ways in which their families have faced discrimination or have benefited from privilege. Participants spoke of Portland’s history of segregation and gentrification, and of feelings of discomfort, helplessness or fear around addressing racism.

Concluding the small group discussions, each group shared their ideas of actions to build equitable community with the entire room. It was an exciting opportunity to make connections and find inspiration. Suggestions included:

Building broader networks working on equity: connecting people across organizations and communities to share information, share ideas, and mobilize in response to incidents.
Creating positive experiences and caring relationships across difference. Using inclusive collaborative projects as a way to build relationships.
Providing diverse mentorship for youth.
Bringing your children to meetings to expose them to conversations about race.
Developing a mandatory core curriculum on race and equity in the schools.
Hosting a free, annual summit on equity in Portland.
Creating safe spaces for conversations about race.
Attending monthly police precinct meetings and ask questions about race.
Using a public works program to create jobs. (like the Works Progress Administration during the Depression)
Encouraging organizations and government to see their work through an equity lens.
Working to heal wounds of racist incidents through dialogue
Cultivating white allies to take more responsibility to address racism

As the event wrapped up, participants were encouraged to reconnect and to build momentum behind their equity-building ideas. A parting message from one participant called upon the group to carry “courageous conversations” about race beyond the evening’s dialogue, to family, friends, and community.

For handouts related to this event, please visit our Community Resource Lists page. If you are interested in reading a web review from the 2007 Improving Race Relations Dialogues, click here.

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Race and Ethnic Relations in Portland