DiverCity Works!

LGBTQ Community Meeting!

2008-05-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

Come share your ideas for the City's Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan!

DATE: Wednesday, May 28, 2008
TIME: 6:00 – 7:30 PM, come at 5:45 for food.
PLACE: Bascom-Tykeson Room, Eugene Public Library, West 10th Ave. & Olive St.
Everyone is welcome, including children.
Please RSVP to eugenediversityproject@gmail.com

The City of Eugene is collaborating with the communities it serves to develop a Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan that will help the City make decisions, adopt policies, design and deliver services, and work together in ways that meet the needs and demands of all members of the community. We want to hear what you have to say!

The meeting location is wheelchair accessible. For individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, an interpreter or assistive listening system can be provided with 48 hours notice. Spanish-language interpretation will also be provided with 48 hours notice. To arrange for these services or for more information about the City of Eugene's Diversity and Equity Outreach Project, please contact project staff at (541)346-3615 or eugenediversityproject@gmail.com

If you cannot make it or are not interested in attending this meeting, but are still interested in being involved in the project, feel free to contact us.

Diversity & Equity Strategic Plan Survey

2008-05-20T16:56:00.000-07:00

The City of Eugene needs your input and ideas to help shape a five-year strategic plan to improve the quality of life for all people here in Eugene.

As a concerned member of our diverse community, I hope you will take a few minutes to fill-out and answer this brief online survey. Your responses will help the City identify actions it can take to make its services, recruiting and hiring practices, marketing, and outreach efforts more accessible, inclusive and equitable for all people. As an added incentive to take the survey, the City of Eugene will randomly select one participant to be awarded a $25 gift certificate to Market of Choice grocery store.

So again, I hope you will take a few minutes to share you experience and opinion with the City of Eugene. Thank you very much in advance for your time.

Please Fill out the Diversity Survey!

City of Eugene Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan Outreach Project – Update

2008-05-20T16:34:00.000-07:00

04/25/2008

City of Eugene Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan Outreach Project – Update

By Tim Brass, UO CPW Graduate Student

I am part of the Community Planning Workshop (U of O) team that is gathering community ideas, opinions and beliefs on how the City can better serve the needs of all residents. To begin gathering information from the community, I went to the Food for Lane County Dining Room and talked with the diners about the steps the city could take to better serve their needs. I also asked a number of more specific questions which related to the draft goals of the Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan (DESP).

I found these conversations to be quite informative. Most people were more than willing to share their opinions and ideas, and for the most part, Eugene was described as a friendly place where people are generally taken care of (especially at the Food for Lane County Dining Room). At the same time, it is clear that people feel there is room for improvement. Some of the broad issues which seemed to be of interest were; medical care, aid for the elderly, affordable housing, shelter options and the City’s camping/ lay-down laws. Over the next couple months, I will continue to conduct interviews, surveys and focus groups with community members who are interested in sharing their ideas. It is my hope that this information will be integrated into specific actions that the city can take to improve services to all.

Tim Brass

tbrass@uoregon.edu

Feel free to contact me with any suggestions, comments, questions, etc. in regards to these efforts.

2008-05-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

04/11/2008

City of Eugene Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan Outreach Project – Update

By Katie MacKendrick, UO CPW Graduate Student

The City of Eugene and the UO Community Planning Workshop (CPW) are moving forward efforts to create a culturally competent public engagement outreach guide for City staff and the community. So far CPW has interviewed formal and informal community leaders, researched outreach best practices, conducted intercept surveys, and held meetings with City staff.

This week and next CPW and the City of Eugene will hold meetings with community members to further define considerations for effective outreach, and to outline a process for gathering input from the broader community for the Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan. Meetings are planned as follows:

Monday, April 14th – LGBTQ, 6:30 - 7:45 PM, Eugene Public Library - Tykeson Room
Friday, April 18 – Race/Ethnicity, 12:00 – 1:30 PM, Eugene Public Library – Singer Room
Monday, April 21 - Women's/Gender, 12:00-1:00 PM, Eugene Public Library – Singer Room
Tuesday, April 22nd, Religion/Faith, Noon-1:15pm, Eugene Public Library – Tykeson Room

Many more meetings and opportunities for input will occur in the coming weeks and months. Please check out the City of Eugene’s Office of Diversity & Equity’s website for further project details: http://www.eugene-or.gov/diversity/

Poverty Simulation by the City of Savannah

2007-12-10T10:10:00.000-08:00

Check out what the City of Savannah is doing to both help and educate people around poverty. Pretty cool stuff:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5232545

and

http://stepupsavannah.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/25%20families%20Final%20Evaluation.pdf

Oregon Grants Honorary Degrees to Japanese American Internees

2007-05-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

From: Suzuki Carol
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 5:23 PMSubject: Invitation to a bill signing ceremony for HB 2823 - Thursday, May 31, 9:00 AM - please RSVPImportance: High

Dear Friends:
I want to invite you to a very special event. A bill signing ceremony for House Bill 2823 will be held this Thursday, May 31 at 9:00 AM. Please arrive by 8:45 AM.

Governor Ted Kulongoski will sign House Bill 2823 which will enable Japanese Americans who were interned during World War II to receive an honorary degree from an Oregon state college or university if they were unable to complete their education due to their incarceration during World War II. Family members may also request honorary degrees on behalf of deceased relatives.

The bill signing ceremony will be held in the Governor's Ceremonial Office in the Oregon State Capitol (900 Court St. NE, Salem, OR 97301).

House Bill 2823 was introduced by chief co-sponsors Representative Tina Kotek (D-Portland) and Representative Brian Clem (D-Salem). The bill passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate. The signing ceremony is the final step before the bill becomes law.

This is truly a historic moment. I hope you can attend!

Carol Suzuki
Commissioner
Oregon Commission on Asian Affairs
503-986-1076
carol.suzuki[at]state.or.us

Two Latino men attacked at Oregon park

2007-05-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

Two Latino men attacked at Oregon park
Published: May 29, 2007

The Associated Press

MULINO — A score of white teenagers attacked two Salem men at a park south of Portland, chanting "Go back to Mexico" as they delivered the beating, police said.

The violence erupted Thursday night at Wagon Wheel Park in Mulino, a town about 25 miles south of Portland. Edwin Gonzales, 27, and Alex Guzman, 26, were drinking beer and talking with two girls who were at the park with a large group of male teens.

At one point, Guzman, Gonzales and the girls went for more beer. When they returned, more than 20 male teens jumped Gonzales and Guzman, police said.

"These poor souls were terrified," said Detective Jim Strovink, spokesman for the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. "They were minding their own business, and they were attacked with absolutely no provocation."

Read the rest at:
http://www.newsregister.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=222291

Diversity Outreach Resources

2007-04-04T14:01:00.000-07:00

Thought all you folks who are looking to do outreach nationally to many diverse groups would be interested in this resource:

MULTICULTURAL PUBLIC RELATIONS PLANNING TOOLKIT
http://www.prsa.org/diversity/documents/PRPLANNINGTOOLKIT_FINAL.pdf

Diversity and Human Rights Consortium Survey

2007-03-14T16:27:00.000-07:00

Here is an RG article on the results of a climate survey done by some of the Diversity and Human Rights Consortium members (see http://www.dhrc.net for more info). Specificallly it points to the survey that was recently completed by LTD.

Check it out here: http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/03/13/e1.cr.ltdsider.0313.p1.php?section=cityregion

Senate Anti-Discrimination Legislation to Include Sexual Orientation

2007-03-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates lately...I've been under the weather recently...

The Register-Guard on Tuesday reported that an Oregon Senate panel sent Senate Bill 2 to the floor that would extend legal protection from discrimination to GLBT individuals.

Check it out: http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/03/13/printable/e1.cr.discrimination.0313.O8ChjDIt.phtml?section=cityregion

Cherokee Nation Revokes Citizenship to Black Indians

2007-03-09T08:16:00.000-08:00

Found this on the Colorlines RaceWire Blog...facinating. For those unfamiliar some Cherokees held blacks as slaves.

Cherokees Cast Out Black Indians
Andre Banks
The Cherokee Nation voted this weekend to expel some 2,800 descendants of freed slaves. In a landslide victory, the decision to revoke citizenship was supported by 76% of voters.

The central question at hand is whether to offer the benefits of tribal citizenship, including medical care, to the descendants of freed Black slaves who gained full tribal memebership in the late-1800s. The tribe is defending itself against charges of racism by claiming it allowed members to simply exercise their democratic right. But pretty much any way you look at it, this seems like plain old-fashioned discrimination.

Read the rest here: http://www.racewire.org/archives/2007/03/cherokees_cast_out_black_india.html

Ping Yang, the True Story of an Oregon School Bombing

2007-03-05T17:13:00.000-08:00

A coworker sent me this link to a very sad piece of Oregon history. Read it here:
http://www.efn.org/~opal/pingyang.htm

Colorado Willing to Replace Migrant Workers with Prison Inmates

2007-03-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

This is fascinating. Farmers in Colorado can't find people to work their farms after more anti-immigration legislation...even after offering higher wages...so they turn to the prison-industrial complex. I wonder what percentage of the Colorado prison inmates are disproportionately people of color...read more below.

Update: "Ethnicity of Commitments Fiscal Year 2006" from the Colorado Department of Corrections Statistical Report for 2006 are 48.1% White, 33% Hispanic, 16.2% African American, 1.9% Native American, 0.8% Asian. Over 51% of their prison population are people of color.

Comparatively from U.S. Census 2000 data, Colorado is 75% White, 12.3% Black or African American, .9% American Indian, 3.6% Asian, and 12.5% Hispanic or Latino. That means that only 25% of the population are people of color, which shows that people of color are overrepresented by TWO times in the prision-industrial complex. Most those numbers are Latinos! Ironic, considering Colorado wants to get rid of "illegal aliens" and replacing them with "illegals" from the prision system. Hey, at least they are paying more for labor (migrant vs. prison labor)...although the prisioners who "volunteer" their time will never see a penny of it.

Colorado farmers could be using prison inmates to fill void left by immigration crackdown
Associated Press

DENVER - Colorado is considering letting prison inmates work on private farms after farmers complained that an illegal-immigration crackdown has left them short-handed, officials said.

Two vegetable farmers told prison officials and lawmakers that they need five to 20 workers and will pay up to $9.60 an hour - more than they've paid migrant workers in the past - but can't find anyone to do the work.

Read more here: http://www.elpasotimes.com/business/ci_5332558

Another article from the LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-inmates1mar01,1,1597348.story?coll=la-headlines-nation&track=crosspromo

14 Year City Manager Fired for Wanting a Sex Change

2007-03-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

Wow. This really underscores the need for basic equal employment opportunity laws that protect everyone. This is from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette News...

Friday, March 2, 2007
Sex change operation plan gets 14-year city manager fired
Activists say gender identity nondiscrimination laws needed
A CLOSER LOOK

By Phil Davis THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
People follow the proceedings of a special meeting of the Largo City Council on a television monitor.

LARGO, Fla.— Steve Stanton professed his love for the city and asked the people of Largo to support his decision to undergo a sex change and allow him to keep his $140,000-a-year job as city manager.

To his sorrow, the answer came back no.

Read more here: http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070302/NEWS/703020378/1052

Listen to it on NPR.org: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7648733

Benefit for Winnemem Wintu People at Longhouse

2007-03-02T15:54:00.000-08:00

There will be a benefit program at the UO Longhouse this Sunday at 2PM for the Winnemem Wintu people who are fighting the Bureau of Reclamation plans to construct the Shasta Dam, since it would flood sacred sites and villages. Admission is a $5 minimum donation.

For more info: http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/03/02/14.tk.slowponies.0302.p1.php?section=ticket

"Everywhere I Go, I'm White"

2007-03-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

Ruth Wren from Lane Community College sent me her article entitled "Everywhere I go, I'm White: Facing the Responsibility of Privilege" orgininally published in the Community College Moment, Spring 2005. It's a very insightful article. Here is a taste:

"The legacy of privilege is one aspect of my identity, but it does not fully define me. Rather than reject my whiteness, I have learned that there are “different ways of being white.” I appreciate the wide variety and beauty of cultures of European ancestry, and I identify with those white people throughout history all over the world who have fought against racism and worked for social justice. I understand that the problem is not my white skin. The problem is a social system based on dominance, racism and ignorance."

Check it out here in PDF format:
http://www.eugene-or.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_221731_0_0_18/Everywhere%20I%20go%20I

Diversity Recruiting Best Practices

2007-03-01T08:59:00.000-08:00

Here is a great resource for all those HR recruiting folks who are looking to diversify the workforce. The "Diversity Recruiting Marketing Best Practices Checklist" is a compliation of the "most effective marketing strategies for Diversity recruitment" and not suprisingly, many are quite easy to do. Like I always say, where there's a will there's a way. Check it out: http://www.recruitingnevada.com/downloads/diversity-whitepapers/diversity-best-practices.pdf

"Ask the DiverCity Guy"

2007-02-28T15:36:00.002-08:00

Q: Assume a citizen approached you on the street and asked you…"How does the City of Eugene value Diversity?"...How would you answer this? - Wanting To Know

Dear Wanting,
I would say that Diversity is a core value of our City. We see this in the City Council Priorities (Homelessness & Race Relations), City Manager Dennis Taylor's Five Core Values (Democracy, Public Service, Public Ethics, Professionalism, and Diversity), within our operating principles, and interagency agreements such as the Memorandum of Understanding on Diversity and Human Rights we signed with LCC, UO, Lane County, City of Springfield, LTD, Springfield School District, Bethel School District, 4J School District, and others . Also, we are one of the very few municipalities to have a Human Rights Program as well as an internal Diversity Consultant. For me personally, it gives me great hope and inspiration that our Mayor, City Council, City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and our executive leadership personally and professionally support diversity in their respective roles.

Also, the new rough draft of our new Diversity Statement outlines a vision of the future of our City:

Our DiverCity Vision
Diversity is a core value of the City of Eugene. We are committed to working with our community to make Eugene a safe, dynamic and livable place, where all people are afforded dignity and respect. As a municipal government, we recognize our position of power and privilege. Therefore, we take seriously our responsibility to ensure equitable outcomes in our decision-making, policies, and service delivery. We work hard to ensure that our workforce is reflective of the community we serve and has the skills to deliver culturally competent services. We envision a City where diversity and human rights are integral parts of all city programs.

What do we mean by "diversity"?
The City of Eugene is dedicated to equity, social justice and human rights for everyone, across the breadth of human difference. This includes, but is not limited to, differences and similarities in race, color, ethnicity, sex, age, national origin, dis/Ability, sexual orientation, language, socio-economic status, gender, religion, culture, veteran, marital, or family status. This definition is broad and inclusive of all. While we do our best to address as many issues as possible, we understand that we need to prioritize based upon greatest need and our available resources.

The Importance of Diversity for a Municipal Government: A Business Case

Reinforces systems of inclusive democratic processes by involving a broad range of employees and citizens.
Keeps us focused on outcomes for the community by focusing on equity and human rights for all.
Maintains public trust by having multiple systems of accountability in place to ensure ethical and participatory decision-making.
Better and more effective communication both externally and internally.
Help us meet the organizational mission, vision, and goals having an organization better able to deliver services that meet the needs of an ever changing and diverse population.
Diversity initiatives and successful results attract quality employees who are motivated, flexible, and multi-talented.
Diversity initiatives positively affect the quality of an organization's workforce and therefore the services a City provides.
Varied perspectives inform and enrich organizational decision making.
Successful diversity initiatives protect the bottom line and minimize risk to an organization.
Fewer conflicts and interruptions in the workplace means higher productivity and higher retention rates.
Better training and buy-in means less negative press.
Ultimately, diversity makes Eugene a more livable and sustainable city.

As you can see, diversity for a municipal government is the lifeblood of a truly democratic process because it is about including all people. To that end, we as a City have a multitude of ways we express this commitment. For example, just recently we reorganized our Assistant City Manager position to include a portfolio with Diversity and Human Rights as a core strategy for the organization. That is a strong statement of commitment from our top leadership. While we understand that we are in no way perfect around diversity issues, we take to heart that diversity is a continuous process of learning, education, and advocacy. While some may consider us to be further along than many other municipalities, there is still much work to do. We can and must do better.

Anti-Gay Slurs Stirs Congress to Act?

2007-02-27T08:47:00.000-08:00

Remember NBA's Tim Hardaway's "I hate gay people" diatribe and Gray's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington's anti-gay slurs used against one of his co-stars? Well ironically, it appears that with a Democratically controlled Congress, gay rights are back on the table. Read about it here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070224/ap_on_re_us/gay_rights

"Darfur Diaries" Film to Show at Eugene Public Library

2007-02-26T12:47:00.000-08:00

On First Friday, March 2 at 6 p.m., the Downtown Eugene Public Library hosts a free showing of Darfur Diaries: Message From Home, an acclaimed documentary sharing personal stories of Darfur. The United Nations calls Darfur “the world's worst humanitarian crisis," where more than one million people have no access to meet basic needs for food, water, and medical care.

Following the film, viewers are invited to join in discussion, questions, and answers with representatives from the Lane County Darfur Coalition, including:
- Paul Slovic, UO psychology professor who studies genocide and its impact on individuals;
- Ken Goyer, who's traveled to refugee camps in Darfur to teach people how to build cooking stoves; and
- Becky Schenck, a Springfield teacher who worked on the Mennonite Central Committee's project to collect blankets and assemble school kits for civilians in Darfur.

At 6:30 the same evening in the Downtown Library's Rotunda, the Eugene Recorder Ensemble performs music from medieval to modern artfully played on instruments ranging from a 9-inch sopranino to a 5-foot great bass.

The First Friday of each month, in connection with the Lane Arts Council ArtWalk, the Downtown Library stays open until 8 p.m. featuring free cultural events as well as full library services. For more information, call Eugene Public Library at 682-5450.

Housing Discrimination Display by Planning and Development

2007-02-26T12:42:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Oregon’s first constitution passed in 1857, denied African-Americans the right to live in the state? Did you know that before the Fair Housing Act was amended in 1988, more than 60% of the state’s rental units were off-limits to families with children? Many more astonishing facts, perspectives, and images on the history of housing discrimination in Oregon can be experienced by viewing the display Anywhere But Here: A History of Housing Discrimination in Oregon, presented by the Fair Housing Council of Oregon and sponsored by the Planning & Development Diversity Committee.

The display will be on exhibit from February 21 to March 21 in the lobby of the Atrium building downtown. The goal of the display and reception is to educate the community on impediments to fair housing in the Eugene/Springfield area and Oregon. The display consists of six interconnected panels that chronicle Oregon’s history using photographs, text and personal quotes.A reception for the display will be held on Monday, February 26 at 11:00am at the same location. City Councilor Andrea Ortiz and Eugene Human Rights Commission Chair, Carmen Urbina will speak about the importance of fair housing in our local community. Light refreshments will be provided.

The display and reception are a precursor to March, Fair Housing Month and are sponsored by the Eugene Planning & Development Diversity Committee.

For more information, contact Lorna Flormoe, Fair Housing Liaison. She may be reached at 682-5293 or via e-mail (lorna.r.flormoe@ci.eugene.or.us).

Oregon's Racist Past Editorial in the RG

2007-02-26T10:51:00.000-08:00

Here is a great guest viewpoint by Douglas Card called "State must overcome racist past" in the Monday (Feb 26, 2007) editorial section of the Register-Guard about the legacy of Oregon's racist past. He writes, "The more I learn about Oregon history, the more I realize how wonderful, yet how terrible, it was."

Check it out: http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/02/26/ed.col.card.0226.p1.php?section=opinion

Rev. Al Sharpton's Family Held as Slaves to Descendants of Strom Thurmond?

2007-02-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

Big news today. Civil Rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton learned of his family's history of being held as slaves to Strom Thurmond's great-great-grandfather. This is facinating since the late Sen. Strom Thurmond was a strong proponent of racial segregation. Read more here: http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/02/26/a1.sharpton.0226.p1.php?section=nation_world

'Catch an Illegal Immigrant' Game Draws Furor

2007-02-26T10:36:00.000-08:00

A student Republican group at New York University, who created a game called "Catch the Illegal Immigrant", is protested by several hundred people. Read the article on the NY Times website: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/23/nyregion/23illegal.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Welcome!

2007-02-26T10:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome to to the City of Eugene's first Diversity Program blog. I'll be posting interesting diversity news, both locally and nationally. Please help spread the word about this blog to your friends and coworkers! Email me at jason.d.mak[at]ci.eugene.or.us (replace the [at] with @).