RtR Community,

The remainder of the month is full of meaningful events in celebration of Black History Month. On Feb. 22 bring your family to the Portland-Metro BSU Culture Fest at LHS. Hosted by Lakeridge HS BSU and Tualatin HS BSU, this is an event we strongly encourage you to attend! 

Supporting student-led organizing for events like this falls in line with the recommendations of the Cultivating Belonging in Clackamas County report. The youth can lead the movement, but we as the adults, have to have their backs!

RtR will be tabling, as well participating in a panel discussion, and also a storytelling workshop for this event. Don't miss out!

RtR Executive Director, Bruce Poinsette, will be speaking on uplifting local Black history at Ainsworth United Church of Christ during their Feb. 16 service, which starts at 10am. Community members who can't make it in-person can view it on Ainsworth's YouTube page.

On Feb. 27, Mariah Rocker from the Oregon Black Pioneers will be exploring the history and dynamics of black exclusion during the formation of the State of Oregon, and its lasting impact on Oregon's black community.

This event will be live-streamed here on LO Library's Youtube Channel.

Our friends at Imagine Black have invited us to a Feb. 23 screening and panel of Beyond Walls. In their words, "This powerful film amplifies the voices of incarcerated individuals and their families while highlighting the systemic barriers they face." 

Admission is FREE for Black and frontline community members and also includes accessibility pricing options for other community members. Imagine Black is an example of a community based organization that provides culturally specific services, which falls in line with both the Cultivating Belonging Report's recommendations for supporting community based organizations and peer-to-peer support systems.

We hope to see you at one or more of these events this month. You can always check our events page on our website to easily add any upcoming events directly into your calendar. 

In solidarity, 

Troy