Restorative Justice and Equity Group in Bend holds panel to address C.O. racial issues
'Students of color here in Bend carry a pervasive, ambient, high level of stress with them daily.'
BEND, Ore (KTVZ) -- The shooting death of 22-year-old Barry Washington Jr. in downtown Bend on Sept. 19 has left a lot of anger and heartache among Central Oregon's community of color.
The Restorative Justice and Equity Group hosted a panel with several organizations Tuesday. Though the conference was catapulted into motion by the death of Washington, it hinged on a much deeper examination of race and the experiences people of color have in Central Oregon.
“None of us can understand the pain and disappointment that Barry Washington Jr.'s family is going through," said Dr. Dalton Miller-Jones, chair and head of the Restorative Justice and Equity Group.
For contesting parties debating whether Washington's death was racially motivated, the group made it clear that Washington's death isn't just a singular tragedy, but adds a layer of suffering that has plagued the Black community long before Sept. 19.
The group called on the Bend community to stand in solidarity, requesting that the local governing bodies take fair and appropriate action on criminal behaviors and consequences.
A spectrum of topics were brought to the forefront of discussion, including the trauma that comes with racial injustice, and restorative practices and workshops to have in schools, to protect and support present and future students of color.
A few organizations that participated in the panel also banded together to hold three town hall meetings on the theme "Let's Talk About Race," where they distributed student surveys to assess how students of color are impacted in Central Oregon. Over 200 high school students and Central Oregon Community College students attended.
“Thirty-three percent, one out of every three people of color said they felt unsafe at their school. Fifty-seven percent, a majority, said like they felt like they belonged only a little, or not at all. Eighty-seven percent of students said they heard racist remarks frequently or often. Seventy-four percent said when they hear racist remarks and a teacher or staff member is present, the adult never, or only some of the time says or does anything about it," Miller-Jones said.
"Students of color here in Bend carry a pervasive, ambient, high level of stress with them daily. They are acutely aware that they are viewed by many as 'the other,'" Miller-Jones added.
One of the executive board members of The Fathers Group, Bend-La Pine School Board member Marcus LeGrand, spoke on the importance of shedding light on racial matters in the middle school, high school and college classrooms.
“I had a student come up to me Thursday of last week, and she says, 'Why aren't we talking about this in our classes? Why aren't we communicating, having this discussion?'" LeGrand said.
Kenny Adams, a member of The Fathers Group and of the Bend La Pine School Equity Coalition, demanded a call to action.
“We need to engage with the community that this affects, -- not just telling the community what happened to us, but actually seeing how it affects us," Adams said.
Alandra Johnson, assistant director of communications for Bend-La Pine Schools, said she recognizes students of color have a different experience, and the Bend La-Pine School Board will continue to implement programs and practices that work to ensure all students feel welcome.
Here's a list of the organizations that participated in the panel:
Asians and Pacific Islanders of Central Oregon
Central Oregon Diversity Project
