Leading with Race

OPB Article :: Coalition Report Reveals Inequality In Washington County

OPB_og-logo.png

Coalition Report Reveals Inequality In Washington County

by Erica Morrison Follow OPB June 18, 2018 5:24 p.m. | Beaverton, Oregon

The Coalition of Communities of Color released their comprehensive report on racial inequities in Washington County on Monday.

“Leading With Race: Research Justice in Washington County” comes after two years of research, and explores the lived experiences of eight communities in Oregon’s most diverse county.

The report focuses on Native American, African-American, African, Asian and Asian-American, Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders and Slavic communities in Washington County.

Leading with Race Book Mark.png

CCC presented the report to officials and community members at Beaverton Library. Attendees received a 31-page booklet of the study’s executive summary. The summary details the population sizes of the identified communities and addresses key issues that affect them.

The mayors of Hillsboro, Tigard and Beaverton community leaders spoke at the meeting. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, also delivered remarks.

Bonanmici said Washington County is the “economic engine” of the state and the struggle for equity has been long and is far from over.

The findings of the report prove that to be true.

Researcher Shweta Moorthy found Latino applicants are 125 percent more likely to have their home loan application denied compared to high income whites.

When asked what surprised her the most about her research, Moorthy replied, “How willing people were to get uncomfortable.”

The study confirms many things members of communities of color already know; there are greater disparities when it comes to homeownership, education and interactions with law enforcement.

The report includes an eight-step call to action to improve racial equity in the county.

Moorthy said she hopes the report gets people to realize the expertise of people of color and the need to respect that expertise.

CCC Receives the IAP2 Cascade Best Practices Award Winner For Research Category!

The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Cascade Chapter Selects the CCC for A Best Practices Award for "Leading with Race" Report

The Research Justice Center of the Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC) was nominated for an International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Cascade Chapter Best Practices Award because of the "Leading With Race: Research Justice in Washington County". The selection committee received many outstanding nominations and it was a competitive evaluation process in which each nominee’s community engagement processes were held to high esteem through the lens of our IAP2 Core Values.

The CCC was selected as the IAP2 Cascade Best Practices Award Winner in the category of Research!

The Research Justice Center of the CCC will be presented with an award this Friday, June 22nd!

As a winner, the CCC will be recognized through the IAP2 Cascade Chapter and IAP2 USA e-newsletters, website, and through social media accounts. As part of this honor and selection, the CCC will be put forth for further consideration and compete for the national IAP2 Core Values Awards in 2019, as eligible.