Antoinette Edwards, Director
City of Portland Office of Youth Violence Prevention
Héctor López, Retired Conference Minister
United Church of Christ
Continental Breakfast & Networking at 8:00
Presentation at 8:30
The Civil Rights Movement has reached its 50-year milestone. Through the years, we have seen successful collaborative efforts between Latino and African-American communities. When a protestor was fatally shot in a demonstration relating to voting rights in Selma, Alabama, Dr. Martin Luther King called for all civil rights activists to join him in a nonviolent action. On March 7, 1965, also known as, “Bloody Sunday,” African-American and Latino protestors joined him in solidarity. These types of partnerships helped spark dialogue and a unified approach to societal change.
Today, the prejudice that originally spurred the civil rights movement is still a glaring issue. These biases can drive overt discriminatory actions, or subtle microaggressions on various marginalized groups. Mainstream media has also fueled and maintained institutional racism and a culture of oppression in the United States.
Our demographic landscape is changing, and the Latino population is growing rapidly. Through media, we have seen the “Latinos Overtake Blacks,” narrative play out. The same competitive dynamic was in play during Barack Obama’s run for second term. Media outlets had proclaimed the “Latino Factor” would make a difference in the election. As a result, the Latino and African-American communities were pitted against each other, causing a deeper a divide.
In this session, you will understand why cross racial collaborations are important in Oregon. You will also learn about some successful Black/Brown partnerships that are successful in our communities. The course will outline successful leadership models which support cross racial partnerships, providing you with the tools to help you sort through your own role in ensuring these partnerships succeed. You will leave with a better understanding of the challenges around building cross racial partnerships as well as what types of resources it takes for sustaining collaboration.
About the Presenters
Antoinette Edwards is a tireless and passionate worker who has provided over 30 years reaching out to the most vulnerable populations in our community providing leadership, policy development, service provisions, and advocacy for children and families of North, Northeast Portland. She co-founded the African American Alliance Community Unity Breakfast and founded the first African American PFLAG Chapter in the nation. She is featured on Portland’s Women Making History Mural and has received numerous awards. Antoinette served as the first Director of Diversity at the Oregon Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross and she currently serves as the Director of the Office of Youth Violence Prevention with the City of Portland with Mayor Hales staff.
Héctor López has served in the areas of multiracial and multicultural justice ministries and service since 1964. Mr. López has worked in South America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and throughout the United States as an ally in the self-development of diverse indigenous people and multi-racial communities with a focus on poor and oppressed communities. He has spent decades working with various churches and communities addressing the challenge of racial justice. As the lead consultant to Orange County Together, Mr. López organized hundreds of people from various racial and ethnic communities in developing a proactive response to the rebellion in Los Angeles following the Rodney King attack. He has chaired the Citizen Review Committee of Independent Police Review, and also chaired the Community Police Relations Committee of the Portland Human Rights Commission. Currently, Mr. López actively partners with Muslim and Interfaith colleagues. Mr. López is committed to the one-ness of humanity, to the realization of love, affection, and respect for all people, to the "homogestalt" of community, and to the eventual and long overdue gathering of people as one family with all of their distinct uniqueness.
About the Network
Most nonprofit leaders want to create inclusive work environments, address social and economic disparities, and engage diverse communities in their programing, yet the path to achieve greater equity is not always clear, and the work can be isolating. Equity and Inclusion Leaders Network brings nonprofit leaders together to share best practices, connect among peers, and engage in deeper learning with thought leaders and practitioners in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Become a Season Pass Holder
We encourage organizations and individuals to attend the entire series by purchasing a season pass. Season pass holders save up to $95 off of the individual session registration fees and are pre-registered for all five network sessions. Purchase a season pass today!
721 NW 9th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209
Multnomah
| NAO Members | $25.00 |
| Nonmembers | $50.00 |