Would you say that Oregon is a racially diverse place?
It is a question we are not asked very often, and for a group of LBCC students and staff, a few weeks ago it was one many of us considered for the first time. In the end, the truth surprised us all.
On February 23, Willamette University professor, Emily Drew visited the Fireside Room to give a presentation titled "White Out: the Future of Racial Diversity in Oregon." As the student coordinator for our campuses Gay Straight Alliance, I went, hoping to broaden my knowledge on issues of racial discrimination within our culture. Even with my own experiences of cultural and societal exclusion, I was as blown away as the rest of the attendees to learn how our perception of how far we think society has grown in regards to race and tolerance can be far off the mark of the reality of where we still are.
I had grown up with stories of my grandmother, who had lived in Oklahoma in the 1930's, talking of towns with signs posted on the outskirts that told people of color "Don’t let the sun set on your ass in this town." Even with the heated rhetoric of the 2008 election cycle, and the Birther Movement, it was so easy to think that, for the most part, such things were in the past.
However, have we really come as far as we think we have?
The notion of a Sun-Down Town (as exemplified by the sign from my grandmother's memory) is one that is easy to overlook. However, even here in Oregon, there are places that though there are no outward expressions of it as visceral as a threatening billboard, still qualify as a place ethnic and racial minorities would not want to risk being out past sunset. Even our very own capital, Salem, appears on a list of Sun-Down Towns in our state.
However, the question of how to deal with these inequities within our society can be hard to talk about openly. As the presenter put it:
"A starting point would be for us to be honest, and not afraid about our history, not push it away," said visiting professor Emily Drew, "I think that conversation is the hardest part. From the conversation, we can begin doing the work."
Before the recent economic recession, the income gap between racial and ethnic groups was 1/8th the average wealth of a Caucasian family. It is an idea that is made even more startling and concerning when one considers that since the recession, the gap has grown to 1/20th of what the average Caucasian family brings in.
As much as we would like to think our society has grown, and made progress, the reality is this journey is ongoing. We are not moving as fast as we think we are. Numbers, like those above, show us the systemic failures of our economic system. Those figures, like many in the presentation, drew surprised murmurs from the gathered crowd, and for this student, have been echoing in my head in the weeks since.
One of our very own Communications instructors, Dana Emerson, who helped bring the presentation to LBCC, echoed the point:
"The first thing I think students really need to do is address their perception of apathy," she said of the need for discussion. "They need to figure out how they see it, and how it plays in their life, before they can begin a broader conversation about it."
While the White Out presentation opened the eyes of attendees to issues oft overlooked, it also was a call to continue the discussion. Aside from classes exploring minority issues and perspectives, students can also actively participate in shaping the dialogue on campus about issues of diversity.
The Diversity Achievement Center here on campus is always open to hosting events and discussion on a variety of subjects, and any student wishing to host such an event are welcome to stop by, and get a slot on the calendar.
As a representative of the D.A.C. said of the need for student involvement in these discussions, she summed it up as "Reach one, teach one", as a philosphy that is at the core of what the D.A.C. seeks to do on campus.
The students are in no way powerless to continue these discussions, and help broaden our perception of the realities diversity and discrimination pose.
At a Glance: Racial Diversity in Albany Oregon, Census 2010
| Race & Origin (Hispanic) | % |
|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic | |
| White | 82.9 |
| Black | 0.5 |
| Indian | 0.9 |
| Asian | 1.3 |
| Islander | 0.2 |
| Other | 0.1 |
| Two | 2.6 |
| Hispanic | 11.4 |
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