Welcome to the February 2020 edition of the Equity Lens! The year has continued to be as busy as ever and the CCC staff has welcomed new leaders to the team.
HERE'S A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THIS EDITION OF THE EQUITY LENS:
Executive Director's Update
Dear Members, Partners, and Community,
I have been reminded over and over again the reason why the work that is done at the Coalition of Communities of Color, and our members, and our extended family of allies and collaborators in the region, is so vital.
In the last few months, I have:
Heard and been inspired by the words of a living icon, Dolores Huerta, a co-founder with Cesar Chavez of what became the United Farmworkers Union.
Had the opportunity to be present among the poetry and ponderous reality of the Japanese American Historical Plaza on Portland's waterfront. The Plaza stands as a public exhibit that recounts the harsh and unjust history, 78 years ago this week, of the Japanese internment camp experience resulting from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signing Executive Order 9066, which ordered the unjust internment of over 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry.
Visited the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a memorial in Montgomery, AL chronicling the lynchings and murders of thousands of African Americans over hundreds of years, by name, county, and state, when possible.
Witnessed the opening of Nesika Illahee, a 59 unit housing enterprise led by our partners at NAYA and their brethren from Siletz and other tribes in Oregon.
Ween at least three of CCC's leaders declare for elected office, and several more CCC members already hold elected office, including two of the leaders at CCC itself.
The work of the CCC and our partners is life and death. If our housing advocacy gets more people off of the streets and into a warm home, we save lives. If our environmental justice work gets air and water and food toxins out of our region, we save lives. If our transportation justice work makes 82nd Avenue SE, or TV Highway, or McLoughlin Blvd. a safer place, we save lives. If our criminal and administration of justice advocacy make it safer to be a man or woman or boy or girl of color in this region, we save lives. If we count the census right, we get more resources into Oregon, which can save lives. The work of the CCC and our partners is life and death.
The work of the Coalition of Communities of Color, and our 19 Members, represents the most necessary and meaningful effort being performed for people of color, immigrants and refugees in the region and, in some cases, around the state of Oregon. It is dedicated to us, for us, and by us, and the strategies we bring to problem-solving and the organizing that we do is reflective of our lived experiences and unique cultures. We have always contended that because of this focus and direction, our outcomes and solutions would be more enduring and self determinative than those driven by historical or majority power structures.
In the last week alone, the Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC):
Held a legislative and lobbying day at the state capitol in Salem, in partnership with our member the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), to advance the many issues identified by CCC members as critical to their work;
Attended a national convening on Environmental Justice (with our members/partners Verde and NAYA, and also representing APANO);
Began the next phases of research projects focusing on Black Families in Multnomah County (through the Library system), and a statewide health project researching behavioral health implications for communities of color around the state;
Hired a Leadership Development and Training Director to begin the expansion of our Bridges Leadership Development programs;
Participated in or led efforts with Metro and Here Together to lift up the conversation around solutions to homelessness and permanent supportive housing in our region, and possible revenue measures to address this chronic, critical issue;
Met with all three regional Oregon counties (Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington) to discuss research, housing, advocacy, and other collaborations;
Began the arduous but critical implementation phase of the Census work (this effort was bolstered by the consistent advocacy and strategy of APANO's Executive Director, Chi Nguyen (a co-chair of the Complete Count and We Count Oregon committees). Chi is working with several CCC members participating in this effort as Census Assistance Centers or otherwise (Muslim Educational Trust, Hacienda CDC, IRCO, Self Enhancement, Inc., Slavic Community Center, APANO, Unite Oregon, PAALF, etc.).
This list is just a snapshot of our collective efforts, and there's so much more we have ahead of us. All of these efforts are essential, as well as the individual efforts of our 19 members, which we support in a myriad of ways, but mainly through our four focus areas:
Advocacy (led by Andrea Valderrama, Advocacy Director)
Environmental Justice (led by Taren Evans, Environmental Justice Director)
Leadership Development and Training (led by See Eun Kim, Leadership Development and Training Director)
Research Justice (led by Andres Lopez, Ph.D., Research Director)
As you can tell from the names listed, all of our staff have joined the CCC within the last year. While relatively new to CCC, their respective experience in their chosen areas is deep and expansive, and I urge you to reach out to them to share in that expertise, and to welcome them into our family. That there has been so much change at CCC indicates that we are doing something right as we cultivate staff for their next challenges. Each team member makes us stronger with their additions, and such movement supports my contention that no single leader at CCC, no individual member, no single staff makes CCC great: it is the power of the collective. This small but mighty staff coordinates many of the efforts you know that emerge through CCC. Please continue to let them know your needs, how they can help you, and please offer them your ongoing support as well.
While the activities of our members are too numerous to mention, I urge you to visit our member page and visit the websites of each of our member organizations. Each member has events, programs, cultural events, strategy sessions, and opportunities for the community to plugin, support, lead or participate.
Our newsletter will restart its regular quarterly cycle, with the next iterations occurring in April, July, October, and January, to remain on that cycle after that.
Please check out our website regularly in the next few months. We will be creating calendars of activities and events (for both CCC and its members), including our annual fundraiser, which will be a luncheon this year on June 10 (details to follow).
I continue to be inspired by my incredible staff, by the leaders I have the honor of working with, from my strong and engaged Board of Directors, from our many partners and funders and, above all, from the community we serve.
Respectfully,
Marcus Mundy, Executive Director
Coalition of Communities of Color
CCC ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATES
virtual portland mayoral debate
We are pleased to co host this virtual Portland Mayoral Debate to Call for Accountability and Economic Development for Black, Indigenous, Latino and other People of Color with the National Association of Minority Contractors-Oregon, Oregon Native American Chamber, LatinoBuilt, Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, and the Coalition of Black Men. Participating candidates include Osvaldo Gonzalez, Sarah Iannarone, Teressa Raiford, and Ted Wheeler.
Thursday, May 7th, 2020
Debate >
3:30pm
Candidates “After Party” Post Debate > 5:00pm
Interested?
City policies have a direct impact on the economic and social well-being of Portlanders – and on communities of color in particular. The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated, and deepened economic inequality and access to recovery resources, and the next mayor must close this gap and pursue economic and racial justice in all of the city's policies, processes, and projects. This inequality of economic development exists in housing, transportation, jobs, and workforce development, small business assistance, and many other areas. This Zoom town hall debate will ask candidates to spell out exactly how they intend to close these gaps if elected and give our communities the opportunity to hold them accountable once in office.
Members in the news
Muslim Educational Trust // Oregonian: Portland’s Muslim community springs into action to feed the needy during coronavirus crisis
Latino Network & Voz // Portland Mercury: Immigrant Rights Groups Call for Unemployment Support for Undocumented Oregonians
Welcome Anissa Pemberton the ccc’s new Portland Clean Energy Fund Coalition Coordinator
Anissa Pemberton has joined the CCC as the Portland Clean Energy Fund Coalition Coordinator. Growing up in rural Illinois, Anissa faced the climate crisis at a young age in the pollution from industrial agriculture and manufacturing in their community. After moving to Portland, they served as an AmeriCorps VISTA at a disability organization for two years. Anissa began working with the Portland Clean Energy Fund as a field organizer for 350PDX, and then worked for two years as the Coalition Manager at 350PDX. Their duties at CCC include advocacy and management of the Portland Clean Energy Fund. They hold a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Augustana College. You can contact Anissa at anissa@coalitioncommunitiescolor.org.
CCC ADVOCACY UPDATES
We are in high gear for the 2020 state legislative session. I’ll be in Salem for the majority of the month advocating on behalf of the coalition and moving forward our agenda, which includes:
Reducing carbon emissions
Expansion of Tuition Equity for refugees
Oral health as part of health education curriculum
Eliminating police officers from conducting fare enforcement
Supporting vulnerable youth guardianship
Stay tuned for more details on the specific bills, messaging, and strategy associated with our legislative agenda. We are also advocating for resources to preserve Oregon’s IDA initiative, for the preservation of the Portland Clean Energy Fund, and to establish a taskforce on student success for underrepresented students in higher education. I’ll be sharing updates with you all throughout the session via the CCC Advocacy google group. If you’d like to join, you can reach out to andrea@coalitioncommunitiescolor.org.
The following are some brief updates on specific policy priorities identified by members. For more specific information, feel free to reach out to Andrea at andrea@coalitioncommunitiescolor.org.
Climate Emergency Resolution. We are working with the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability on the development of their climate emergency resolution. At the direction of the Mayor, the bureau slowed down the process to conduct meaningful community engagement prior to the development of a new draft. Once that draft is developed, I’ll share it to the google group.
Middle Housing/RIP Update. We have been participating in the Rulemaking Advisory Committee for the implementation of HB 2001 & HB 2003, previous legislation that the coalition supported related to middle housing. We’ve also been involved at the City of Portland level regarding the Residential Infill Project, and have been in communication with ADPDX on their amendments.
PPB Contract Negotiations. We have been working with Unite Oregon and the Portland Police Reform Network on their advocacy related to the Portland Police Bureau contract as negotiations move forward this year.
Census 2020. Member organizations are getting into full gear with Census 2020 efforts, including acting as Census Action Centers, hiring up field staff, and joining us in advocacy efforts to the County and City regarding additional funding for engagement efforts. More specifics will be posted soon in the google group.
City of Portland Districting. We are working with the City Club of Portland to lead engagement efforts within communities of color to lay the groundwork for changing the commission form of government at the City of Portland. This work is still in the very early stages of development, with timelines still to be finalized. Once this project is more established, I will post an update in the google group.
REDEFINE: ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE UPDATE
CCC’s environmental justice program is ramping up for what promises to be an exciting year. For the past few years CCC has spent a great deal of time and effort on supporting the Portland Clean Energy Fund. These efforts began with a small group of people organizing in a church basement and grew into a broad based coalition that passed what Van Jones described as, “the most important ballot initiative in the country.”
While an important victory was won in November 2018, with 65% of voters supporting the Portland Clean Energy Initiative, there is still an enormous amount of work to be done. The real test of the measure will be in its implementation and ensuring that the work is centered in equity. Together, our communities organized and worked to pass groundbreaking legislation. Together we must also work to ensure that benefits flow to our communities and that the intent of the initiative is realized. Over the next few months the Portland Clean Energy Grant Committee will be working to develop guiding principles and goals and defining RFP grant criteria. It is imperative that frontline communities, who are most impacted by the deleterious impacts of climate change, are engaged during this critical phase. There will be a public comment period projected to start in February and run throughout the spring. Additionally, grant committee meetings are open to the public and provide an opportunity for public testimony.
This groundbreaking measure is illustrative of what can be accomplished when we work together. Environmental, faith, and labor organizations worked collaboratively to achieve what was viewed as un-achievable by many and fundamentally shifted the power structure. It also shows the interrelatedness of varying areas of focus within the broader social justice movement. All too often, our work can be viewed as siloed, or even competing, but our ultimate success is dependent upon the recognition of interdependence and connectedness. Seemingly disparate areas are related, often in profound ways.
A map from Vivek Shandas' 2018 analysis shows temperature disparities in Portland. Source: Oregonian
This year CCC in collaboration with Verde, APANO, NAYA, OPAL are collaborating on an exciting project elucidating the relationship between climate and health through developing a community-informed plan outlining opportunities to advance more equitable outcomes at the intersection of these two areas. Climate and health, of course, intersect with many others as well, including housing and transportation among others. A recently published PSU study focuses on the relationship between historical discriminatory housing practices and the impacts of climate change in low-income neighborhoods. The study demonstrated that urban heat islands are more prevalent in formerly redlined neighborhoods. These neighborhoods, where communities of color were concentrated, had the very fabric of their communities ripped apart by urban renewal projects, by highway construction, and the resultant diminishment of green space and air quality degradation.
Though historically, and even currently, redevelopment has more often than not negatively impacted communities of color, there is an opportunity to fundamentally reshape this dynamic. A concrete example of this exists in the Broadway Corridor redevelopment project. Several CCC member organizations are a part of the Healthy Communities Coalition (HCC) , working to negotiate a community benefits agreement to advance good jobs, affordable housing and equity for communities of color in the redevelopment of the site. Similar to the PCEF Coalition, this group is comprised of a diverse group of organizations, including communities of color, environmental and environmental justice communities, transportation justice advocates, and the trades. HCC gathered along with community members, including representatives from CCC, at City Hall on Thursday, January 30th to support the CBA and show that the future of development can look much different in our city, and must benefit communities that have historically been harmed by such projects.
Vivian Satterfield, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Verde, speaks at a community briefing prior to City Council presentation
CCC’s Redefine program, has a full load of exciting projects to engage in this year. These projects collectively demonstrate how important it is that we remain mindful of the nexus between things and explore opportunities to work at the intersections of our work in order to strengthen our movement, and bring benefit to our communities.
For information related to CCC’s Redefine program contact Taren Evans at taren@coalitioncommunitiescolor.org
For more details about the Portland Clean Energy Fund: https://beta.portland.gov/cleanenergy
The Effects of Historical Housing Policies on Resident Exposure to Intra-Urban Heat: A Study of 108 US Urban Areas: https://www.mdpi.com/2225-1154/8/1/12/htm
For more details about the Healthy Communities Coalition: https://healthycommunitiespdx.org/
Research Justice Update
Under the new leadership of Andres, the Research Justice Center is moving forward with its established research projects, engaging new research prospects, and developing tools for capturing data on our communities and organizing researchers of color. Below is more information on these three areas.
Established Research Projects
Equitable Education Project (Multnomah County)
Researcher: Andres Lopez, PhD
Evaluator: Nelda Reyes
Partners: Multnomah County Library (MCL) and steering committee members: CCC member organizations, culturally specific & responsive organizations, individual experts, one topic-specific agency, and one publicly funded agency
Grantee/funders: Meyer Memorial Trust & MCL
Overview: We are conducting PAR with black families (Afro-Caribbean, African American, and African immigrants) to understand black children’s preparedness and transition to Kindergarten better. These efforts will aid the MCL to serve black families and their children better and as a framework to replicate similar initiatives for other communities of color (COC).
Current Status: The Steering Committee has conveyed and is moving into the research design, participant recruitment, and community engagement phases.
COC Access to Behavioral Health (Statewide)
Researcher: Mira Mohsini, PhD & Andres Lopez, PhD
Partners: Latino Health Coalition and steering committee members (yet to be formally identified)
Grantee/funders: Oregon Health Association (OHA) Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI)
Overview: We are conducting a statewide PAR study on communities of color access to behavioral health services. These data will lead to recommendations for best practices around culturally and linguistically appropriate care standards that the OHA will provide as a guide to their Coordinated Care Organizations across the state.
Current Status: Identifying and confirming the steering committee
Report Hate PDX Data Analysis (PDX Metro Area)
Researcher: Andres Lopez, PhD
Partners: Portland United Against Hate (PUAH) Coalition Chairs, Steering Committee, and partners; Pablo Barreyro (developer & analysis)
Grantee/funders: PUAH and City of Portland (pending other grantees)
Overview: The CCC is working with PUAH to provide quarterly commentary on the data gathered from the www.reporthatepdx.com website. The website is intended for folks to confidentially report hate-motivated violence they have experienced in the Portland Metro Area. The analysis of these data will help PUAH and the City of Portland to track and respond to hate activity in the city.
Current Status: The city council has received initial data analysis. The CCC and PUAH Chairs are working closely together to develop a structured and robust quarterly update on these data. For more information on PUAH, check out their website: https://www.portlandunitedagainsthate.org/home
Possible Forthcoming Research Projects
Clackamas County is in discussions with the CCC to consider conducting a large scale research project, similar to our Leading with Race project in Washington County, to help them understand, elevate, connect with, and support the needs of communities of color and their organizations in the county.
The OHA has asked the CCC to help them facilitate a working group of Latinx and Black community leaders and survey and health experts to recommend culturally responsive changes to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey and the Oregon Healthy Teens Survey.
Tools for Data Collection on our Communities
Transparency of Communities of Color — We are developing online tools for the CCC and its members to use for collecting data on which communities are participating in our events, meetings, and research studies. The goal is to have a stronger understanding of which communities are collaborating with us in what areas. Further, this will allow for the CCC to provide transparency on who is/not included when using the broad term communities of color.
Research Network — One of Andres’ goals as Research Director is to establish a research network of both early career and professional researchers. Andres is developing an online tool for folks to register their interest, skills, credentials, and needs with the CCC, aiding us in developing resources, programming, and collaborative opportunities for people of color in the metro area. More information will come on these tools and how we plan to implement them.
For more information on Research Justice Center projects, please contact: andres@coalitioncommunitescolor.org