CCC Research Justice Announcement :: Call for Applications for CCC Research Justice in Washington County Fellowship

Call for Applications: CCC Research Justice IN WASHINGTON COUNTY Fellowship

The Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC) is an alliance of 19 culturally specific organizations that come together to work for racial justice transformation in the region. We are proud of the work we have accomplished through our research justice, advocacy and leadership development programs in the racial justice movement.

The CCC is proud to announce our first Research Justice Fellowship to develop community leadership in data and research in order to build power, organize and advocate for racial justice in the region.  If you are interested in learning how to use research and data to build power and advocate for racial justice, this is the right opportunity for you. Learn more about our Research Justice vision here.

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What is the Research Justice Fellowship?

This program is designed to help community members learn how to design and implement small-scale research projects around issues that derive from their experiences with institutional racism. In the process, the cohort will give feedback and inform the creation of an online data tool called the Regional Equity Atlas that will hold the research they generate.

We will provide training, stipends, research expenses and the opportunity to create and implement research projects that create knowledge and build power to organize and advocate for change.

Our goal is to build a cohort of strong community leaders with an understanding of the role of research in organizing and advocacy for racial justice. The project is guided by a vision of research justice, which seeks to amplify and emphasize the voices of those most directly impacted by institutional racism – in particular, people of color – in the work of making our communities equitable.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does the fellowship pay?

• Research Justice Fellows will receive a $,1000 stipend. CCC will cover costs for research-related expenses such as supplies (flipcharts, photocopies, printouts etc) and public transit/mileage reimbursement.

Are there geographical, age, education, or experience requirements?

• The fellowship is open to everyone 18 years or older who identifies as a person of color.
• There are no education, experience and immigration requirements.
• Research Justice Fellows need to live or work or have a strong relationship to Washington County.

What are expectations from the program and the hours worked?

• This is a 2 month program from Oct-Nov 2018 and it requires a 60 hour time commitment, which includes:
  • Participating in trainings on Oct 6-7, 2018
  • Implementing the research
  • Participating in the development of the online data tool
• In the trainings, community researchers will develop a timeline of research implementation including scheduling check-ins with CCC for guidance, assistance and accountability in implementation of research in October and November.

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How do I apply and ask other questions?

To apply or ask other questions, please fill out this simple application form to join the 2018 Community Researchers Program cohort. Applications are due by Monday, September 24, 2018. Up to 12 accepted applicants will receive email and phone notification and information no later than September 28, 2018. The trainings will take place on Saturday-Sunday October 6-7, 2018. Please send any questions to Shweta Moorthy, Researcher, at researchjustice@coalitioncommunitiescolor.org or call 217-621-2096.

OPB Article :: Coalition Report Reveals Inequality In Washington County

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.

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.

June 2017 Equity Lens :: Research Update

We at the CCC have steadfastly moved towards our mission of racial justice despite the challenges and aggressions of white supremacy and racism exacerbated under the Trump presidency. In 2017, the community-based participatory research project in Washington county has made progress in its efforts to consult with public entities to share and inform equitable data collection practices as well as partner with local nonprofits to share our principles of research justice and raise awareness of online data equity tools. In addition to the Washington county project, CCC's research justice efforts have taken a leadership role in co-founding the Portland United Against Hate Initiative with CCC members, community-based organizations and the City of Portland. 

Washington county research project: The steering committee outlined and proposed a resilience-based understanding of racial equity as well as a shift away from the ‘white savior complex’ of achieving racial equity through policymaking. At its core, the project seeks to understand the lived realities of communities of color, their experience with systemic oppression (both historical and contemporary), and reflect the strengths, resilience, and aspirations of communities of color. This project is rooted in equitable partnership and collaboration with impacted communities. Community leaders are playing an integral role in defining their priorities, articulating their experiences, and identifying strengths that can inform the research but also build the capacity of their community. Our inclusive, community-driven process is invaluable as it informs both the quantitative data analysis and the planned community specific conversations in Washington county over the summer. 

We have also formed partnerships and created initiatives with CCC members and organizations (both public and private) that share our research justice vision of racial equity and will work to implement similar efforts into their practices. In the immediate aftermath of the US presidential elections, the CCC joined a group of community organizations to create a short and long term response to the uptick in hate behavior against communities of color. Through this collaborative partnership, the CCC helped found the Portland United Against Hate (PUAH) initiative. The CCC research justice program leads the data response efforts of PUAH and is working collaboratively with partners to create a hate documentation process that serves an authoritative memory and evidence of racism driven hate in a seemingly progressive city. In addition to PUAH, the CCC is also a stakeholder in the Regional Equity Atlas and leverages that role in advocating for community-driven research agendas and equity driven data.

Aside from starting new projects to progress our racial justice mission, the CCC research program has also worked with public partners to ensure the continuity of past advocacy. So far this year, the CCC has completed their research consultation with West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District and helped them create culturally appropriate, data collection surveys that assist in determining the extent of racial disparities in their jurisdiction. We have also commenced a consultation with Oregon Health Authority about the Race Ethnicity Language and Accessibility data collection standards, and have begun advising Portland State University (PSU) and Joint Office of Homeless Services on research methods to accurately capture the houselessness experiences of communities of color in Multnomah County. 

December 2016 Equity Lens :: Research End of Year Update

Research End of Year Update

The Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC) adopts a ‘research justice’ framework that centers communities of color as the experts of their lives and acknowledges their right to self-determine, their priorities, and their right to impart that as authoritative knowledge to policymakers and other audiences. This year the CCC hired a full-time researcher to lead our data and research strategy as well as implement culturally appropriate data and research projects that advance racial justice.

In the last nine months, the CCC has launched a multi-stakeholder community-based participatory research project into the lived realities of communities of color in Washington County. Also, the CCC is continually exploring collaborative and consultation opportunities focused on culturally appropriate and equitable data projects with institutions of higher education and local governments.

Click Here To Download Summary

After the tremendous impact of CCC’s An Unsettling Profile research series in Multnomah County, we are leading the first comprehensive community-based research project about the state of racial equity in Washington County. We are seeking to shift common understandings of racial equity from a deficit framework of perceiving communities of color as victims to a strength-based approach that allows communities of color to identify their strengths and sources of resilience and re-frame racial disparities as repercussions of institutional racism that are barriers to their well-being. 

The CCC has also been invited to consult on data gathering and collection projects by Portland State University (PSU), Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS), Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (WMSWCD). The CCC is on OHA’s ad-hoc Race, Ethnicity, Language And Disability (REALD) committee to ensure that state and county health datasets collect culturally appropriate data and that the great community advocacy that had led to the adoption of REALD is sustained. We are also working in collaboration with PSU to recommend the best methodologies to JOHS to identify homelessness among communities of color. Lastly, we are consulting with WMSWCD to assess racial disparities in their service provision. 

Looking forward to 2017, the CCC is committed to providing responsive and strategic research to advance racial justice advocacy and movement building with our communities, member organizations and outside partners.

For more information and questions, please contact Shweta Moorthy, Researcher, at: shweta@coalitioncommunitiescolor.org (503) 200-5722 Ext 555.

April 2016 Equity Lens :: Research Update

Communities of Color in Washington County Research

The Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC) is launching a community-based participatory research project into the lived realities of communities of color in Washington County, Oregon. This is a collaborative project in partnership with CCC members, community-based organizations and local jurisdictions in Washington County. Since the release of our ground-breaking research on Multnomah County in 2010, the CCC has received numerous requests to conduct research in Washington County. The time is ripe to expand the CCC’s research work to document the lived realities of communities of color in Washington County. The county’s demographics are rapidly changing, primarily through increased numbers of communities of color and immigrants and refugees. Racial equity has to be a priority for the county.

This research project has three aims. First, building knowledge about communities of color in Washington County. The project will bring Washington County’s diverse communities into focus and help create awareness for less visible communities of color. Second, develop stronger relationships between communities of color in Washington County and build social capital. The project will support communities of color in Washington County by heightening leadership roles for people of color in the County and will bring additional resources into Washington County by providing the data and research needed for grant proposals and for funders to target their investments. Third, increasing the regional capacity of the CCC to be a resource to Washington County. The project will greatly increase the CCC’s network of relationships with organizations and leaders across the County.

The Washington County research project is both a testament to the CCC’s stature as a leading racial equity advocate using social justice informed research and is an opportunity to broaden the current advocacy lens to improve outcomes for communities of color in Washington County.