RACE TALKS: Uniting to Break the Chains of Racism

Community + Conversations
2022-08-03 18:00 - 20:00, 2022-05-04 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom
Community + Conversations: White Ally Affinity Night
A Brave Space for White Ally Community Members
We invite community members who identify as White Allies to join us on the following days: February 2nd, May 4th, August 3rd, and November 2nd. We will engage in affinity conversations in a brave space for White Allies to discuss historical and contemporary issues through the lens of race and racism.
If you can please make a donation to RACE TALKS to support this work.

RACE TALKS Community Forum
2022-07-12 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | Hybrid: McMenamins Kennedy School Gym & Zoom, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97211, United States
How did Critical Race Theory go from being a methodology taught in law school to being protested at school board meetings? How did it become so politicized? How should race be taught in schools? What does the Oregon Department of Education say about Critical Race Theory?
RACE TALKS Community Forums are FREE and open to the public. If you can, please make a donation to keep this programming free.
In-person seating is limited, please RSVP your spot in advance. Participants must adhere to all COVID-19 guidelines, and must be fully vaccinated or have proof of 72 hour negative test. They will still be required to wear a mask unless actively eating or drinking.

Community + Conversations
2022-07-06 18:00 - 20:00, 2022-04-06 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom

The History of Black Drag in Portland: An Evening of Conversation & Performance
2022-06-16 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | McMenamins Kennedy School Theater, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97211, United States
Doors at 6:00 PM, Program at 6:45 PM
KEEP SCROLLING FOR TICKETS!
VISIT OUR EVENT SITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INTERSECTIONALITY BETWEEN PRIDE AND JUNETEENTH

TICKETS
Virtual Tickets will be available until 10:00 PM
Community Supported Tickets are available upon request for anyone who identifies as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA2S+, as well as students and seniors (65+).
STEP 1: Sign up for Community Supported Tickets Program here.
STEP 2: Return to this event page and RSVP for your in-person or virtual Community Supported ticket.

Books + Conversations
2022-06-14 19:00 - 21:30 (America/Vancouver) | McMenamins Kennedy School Theater, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97211, United States
Representatives from North Portland and Multnomah County Library will be at the RACE TALKS Books + Conversations Community Town Hall to discuss the upcoming renovation of the library building, which will result in a temporary closure. We will also discuss plans for a Cultural Heritage Center.
About Books + Conversations
The RACE TALKS Books + Conversations is an opportunity to participate in a book group facilitated by RACE TALKS: Uniting the Break the Chains of Racism. In-person or virtual participation may vary based on COVID protocols. Sign-up is offered quarterly and tickets will include the purchase of that month’s featured book. Books + Conversations are partnering exclusively with Third Eye Books.
For the past 11 years, RACE TALKS has offered a monthly community program. Each month a panel, usually comprised primarily of People of Color, is invited to discuss “a Historical or Contemporary Experience through the lens of RACE and RACISM.” From these discussions, we’re hoping to start a life-long dialogue between groups of people who generally talk about each other, but not to each other.

Community + Conversations
2022-06-01 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Hybrid – Q Center & Zoom, 4115 N. Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR, 97217, United States
Community + Conversations: LGBTQIA2S+ Affinity Night
We invite those who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Questioning, Intersexual, Asexual, Two-Spirited (LGBTQIA2S), Non-Binary, and non-listed queer community members to join us on the following days: March 2nd, June 1st, September 7th & December 7th. We will engage in affinity conversations in a safe space for our LGBTQIA2S+ allies to discuss historical and contemporary issues through the lens of race and racism.
If you can please make a donation to RACE TALKS to support this work.

POSTPONED Due to COVID - National Virtual Tour - New York, New York
2022-05-19 16:00 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
In 2020, the world was hit with a pandemic that triggered social, economic, and political unrest throughout the world. The global pandemic forced everyone to reconsider how we interface and communicate, especially when sharing personal space was no longer an option. Like most of the world, RACE TALKS pivoted to a virtual platform. For the past 11 years, we challenged Portlanders to consider how to make the world a better place by getting to know your neighbors and becoming more aware of individual privilege, all while exploring how race and racism play a role in our daily lives and interactions.
As we enter 2022, social unrest still smolders as systems of white supremacy are slowly torn apart, especially within the criminal justice and educational environments. On this virtual tour, RACE TALKS will visit cities across the United States; and highlight practitioners in the fields of academia, business, government, and law.
We will seek to understand how these cities are working to address matters of race and racism in their respective communities. Join RACE TALKS on Thursday, May 19, 2022, as we hope to answer the question: How are issues of race and racism being addressed in New York, New York?
*This event will take place in Eastern Standard Time*

Movies + Conversations
2022-05-10 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | Hybrid: McMenamins Kennedy School Gym & Zoom, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97211, United States
Join RACE TALKS and Mitzi Asai Loftus (Survivor) & Toby Asai Loftus (Descendant) as they explore the correlations between the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII and present-day refugee policies and protests.
Screening of: OPB Oregon Experience – Japanese Oregon Americans: Beyond the Wire
“Program provided courtesy of Oregon Public Broadcasting and the Oregon Historical Society. Funding for Oregon Experience “Oregon’s Japanese Americans: Beyond the Wire” was provided by the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Care Foundation, Arlene Schnitzer and Jordan Schnitzer, the Robert D. & Marcia H. Randall Charitable Trust Fund for Lifelong Learning, the Clark Foundation, the Stephen D. and Marilyn C. Kerman Charitable Fund, Kay Kitagawa and Andy Johnson-Laird, Jon and Nancy Decherd, and Russell and Sylvia Yamada.”
RACE TALKS Community Forums are FREE and open to the public. If you can, please make a donation to keep this programming free.
In-person seating is limited, please RSVP your spot in advance. Participants must adhere to all COVID-19 guidelines, and must be fully vaccinated or have proof of 72 hour negative test. They will still be required to wear a mask unless actively eating or drinking.

Candidate Forum
2022-04-21 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | VIRTUAL EVENT
Join us for our RACE TALKS 2022 May Primary Candidates Forum. We invited candidates from the Portland City Commissioner, Positions 2 & 3 races, as well as Portland City Auditor. We will select candidates on a first-come, first-served basis, and space is reserved for incumbents running for re-election.
We are a non-partisan organization, so we will not discuss specific matters regarding an individual’s platform or priority areas that go beyond matters of race, equity, and inclusion. This forum is an opportunity to allow voters to hear the candidates’ race-focused values that, if elected, will influence their decision-making around policy and the rule of law.

RACE TALKS Community Forum
2022-04-12 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | Hybrid: McMenamins Kennedy School Gym & Zoom, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97211, United States
How did Critical Race Theory go from being a methodology taught in law school to being protested at school board meetings? How did it become so politicized? How should race be taught in schools? What does the Oregon Department of Education say about Critical Race Theory? Join us for our second part of a four-part conversation series as we bring together experts to look at Critical Race Theory and how it is impacting K-12 schools and Higher Education in Oregon.
RACE TALKS Community Forums are FREE and open to the public. If you can, please make a donation to keep this programming free.
In-person seating is limited, please RSVP your spot in advance. Participants must adhere to all COVID-19 guidelines, and must be fully vaccinated or have proof of 72 hour negative test. They will still be required to wear a mask unless actively eating or drinking.

Books + Conversations
2022-03-08 19:00 - 21:30 (America/Vancouver) | McMenamins Kennedy School Theater, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97211, United States
March 2022 Books + Conversations
For our first RACE TALKS Books + Conversations, we will be reading All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, A Black Family Keepsake by Dr. Tiya Miles. Michelle Lewis, co-owner of Third Eye Books, Oregon’s only Black-owned brick-and-mortar bookstore in Oregon, will moderate the discussion with Dr. Miles. Following their discussion, there will be a 15 minute Q&A, and afterward, we will break out into our RACE TALKS facilitated discussion groups to discuss the program.
Purchase All That She Carried through Third Eye Books, Oregon’s only Black-owned brick-and-mortar book store. Use the code RACETALKS2022 at checkout for a discount.
Get Your Copy Now
About Books + Conversations
The RACE TALKS Books + Conversations is an opportunity to participate in a book group facilitated by RACE TALKS: Uniting the Break the Chains of Racism. In-person or virtual participation may vary based on COVID protocols. Sign-up is offered quarterly and tickets will include the purchase of that month’s featured book. Books + Conversations are partnering exclusively with Third Eye Books.
For the past 11 years, RACE TALKS has offered a monthly community program. Each month a panel, usually comprised primarily of People of Color, is invited to discuss “a Historical or Contemporary Experience through the lens of RACE and RACISM.” From these discussions, we’re hoping to start a life-long dialogue between groups of people who generally talk about each other, but not to each other.

AfricaNXT Conference Lagos, Nigeria (virtual access)
2022-03-03 05:30 - 07:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
It is no secret that Africa is the newest frontier for technology development and experiencing a bit of a global glow up. With an abundance of natural resources, the Continent continues to offer Western investors an abundance of opportunities. Through the pandemic, society has become dependent on technology in new and profound ways. Similarly, the global digital divide remains vast and polarizing. African nations are no exception to these disparities, and ultimately, will face challenges of discerning true investment from exploitation. While richly melinated people of the Continent do not experience a white supremacist problem like their Black sisters and brothers in the United States, Africa is still recovering from the effects of imperial colonialism and fighting against further exploitation from outside nations seeking her abundance.
This workshop will take a deep dive to collectively explore the consistent pattern of intersectional disenfranchisement that occurs along racial, gender, and socio-economic lines and experienced by black people globally.
Workshop facilitators will leverage their experience as a Black women-led organization based in the United States focusing specifically on building community relationships by using race and racism as a vehicle to engage people in conversation, and by extension, build community. Outside of the United States, gender and socio-economic disparities remain consistent; however, where racial lines are not dominant, there are still issues of classism, sexual orientation, religious and tribal affiliations that create barriers for collaboration and community building. Facilitators will discuss how much of this is deeply rooted in colonialism, and by extension, white supremacy.
The goal of this session is to offer tools that can help to dismantle colonialism and strengthen relationships among Black leaders in tech. While technology is part of our collective future and gives Black people throughout the diaspora a foothold into generational wealth, it is an extension of capitalism, a colonial system. While we can not single-handedly dismantle colonialism, we of the global majority can create and expand without imitating our colonizers.

Community + Conversations
2022-03-02 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Hybrid – Q Center & Zoom, 4115 N. Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR, 97217, United States

Press Conference
2022-02-25 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Youtube Stream
Portland Community Leaders Demand Accountability Following Normandale Park Shooting
PORTLAND, OR (February 24, 2022) – A hate-motivated mass shooting. A mayor refusing to acknowledge or act on the increase in targeted white supremacist violence. A police department whose inconsistent approach shows clear bias. Elected officials failing to ensure the safety of our Portland community and their civil rights. A resulting disinformation campaign by right-wing extremists. Broken public trust and a community in trauma
Hear from long-time Portland Civil Right Leaders who’ve fought these battles on both the legal and legislative fronts as they demand accountability and action in the wake of these tragic events. The city must not set a precedent of silence in the face of an increase in violent hate crimes that have targeted Portland.
**Please note: this is not a press conference held on behalf of victims.

Postponed - RACE TALKS National Virtual Tour: NEW YORK CITY
2022-02-17 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | VIRTUAL EVENT
We are rescheduling the NYC panel to Spring 2022 due to COVID, weather, and scheduling challenges with our speakers.Purchased tickets will be transferred to our new date.
About this event

Newcomer Welcome 6:45 PM | Forum 7:00 PM
Virtual, pre-registration is required
All Ages, $25 per household (Community supported and sliding scale tickets available, see below for more information.)
In 2020, the world was hit with a pandemic that triggered social, economic, and political unrest throughout the world. The global pandemic forced everyone to reconsider how we interface and communicate, especially when sharing personal space was no longer an option. Like most of the world, RACE TALKS pivoted to a virtual platform. For the past 11 years, we challenged Portlanders to consider how to make the world a better place by getting to know your neighbors and becoming more aware of individual privilege, all while exploring how race and racism play a role in our daily lives and interactions.As we enter 2022, social unrest still smolders as systems of white supremacy are slowly torn apart especially within the criminal justice and educational environments. On this virtual tour, RACE TALKS will visit 11 cities and highlight practitioners in the fields of academia, business, government, and law. We will seek to understand how these cities are working to address matters of race and racism in their respective communities. Join RACE TALKS on the third Thursday of each month.
Sliding Scale
We have created sliding scale tickets for community members who are unable to pay the general ticket admission price. We recognize that financial circumstances shift and appreciate people accessing the sliding scale on an as needed basis.
We would appreciate anyone who is able to make a donation toward our sliding scale and community-supported tickets to do so. We rely on your generous contributions to support this work and keep it available to all community members.
Community-Supported Tickets:
We are pleased to announce that we offer free, community-supported tickets. These tickets require a verification process. Start the verification process here. Please allow up to 5 business days for us to review your submission.
There will be no same-day event sales for the community-supported tickets, so make sure to get your tickets in advance.
Community-supported tickets are available to:

Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)
LGBTQIA2S+
Students
Seniors (65+)

Movies + Conversations Series
2022-02-08 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | McMenamins Kennedy School Theater, 5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97211, United States
About this event
This will be a HYBRID event, at McMenamins Kennedy School and on Zoom.

Tuesday, February 8, 2022
In-Person: Doors: 6:00 PMVirtual & In-Person:Newcomer Welcome 6:45 PM | Forum 7:00 PM
In-Person – McMenamins Kennedy School, Portland, OR All ages, $25 voluntary donation per adult to support RACE TALKS programming.
Virtual – ZoomAll ages, $25 voluntary donation per household to support RACE TALKS programming
(Community supported and sliding scale tickets available, see below for more information.)
Join us next week for our very first Movies + Conversations where we revisit the history of Vanport, the largest flood in U.S. history prior to Katrina!
We are very excited to be partnering with Vanport Mosaic, Spirited Justice, and McMenamins.
Sliding Scale
We have created sliding scale tickets for community members who are unable to pay the general ticket admission price. We recognize that financial circumstances shift and appreciate people accessing the sliding scale on an as-needed basis.
We would appreciate anyone who is able to make a donation toward our sliding scale and community-supported tickets to do so. We rely on your generous contributions to support this work and keep it available to all community members.
Community-Supported Tickets:
We are pleased to announce that we offer free, community-supported tickets. These tickets require a verification process. Start the verification process here. Please allow up to 5 business days for us to review your submission.
There will be no same-day event sales for the community-supported tickets, so make sure to get your tickets in advance.
Community-supported tickets are available to:

Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)
LGBTQIA2S+
Students
Seniors (65+)

RACE TALKS Conference
2021-09-23
Making Our Lives Matter: Filling the Spaces Between Races with Compassion & Education
We are excited to present our first annual RACE TALKS Conference, Thursday, September 23, 2021. This virtual conference will tackle many themes of the year as we continue to fight for equity and social justice.

RACE TALKS June Forum
2021-06-17 18:45 - 20:30 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom

RACE TALKS May Forum
2021-05-26 18:45 - 20:30 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom

RACE TALKS April Forum
2021-04-29 18:45 - 20:30 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom
Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict provided our nation and community some relief as we approach the first anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. Like the rest of the country, Portland was shaken by Floyd’s killing, and it prompted our city to reexamine policing and systemic racism. In the spirit of collective healing, RACE TALKS invites you to join us for a special edition forum on Thursday, April 29, 6-8:30 p.m., where we continue to explore the P’s & Q’s of 2021.
Community leaders with widely varying perspectives will discuss topics of lawful gatherings, protest and policing, and quarantine. After the panel discussion, participants will be invited to either join the Community Feedback Breakout Rooms or a moderated Q&A. Anyone who attended the panel may stay for the moderated Q&A. The Community Feedback Breakout Rooms will be available to 150 participants only (registration will be first-come, first-served) and will allow the opportunity to provide invaluable feedback to city leaders. Join us in open dialogue to discuss how the year affected us all, and what we can do to move forward together in healing and conciliation.

Karaoke & Conversations
2021-03-26 18:00 - 23:00 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom
Join us the last Friday of every month from 5:00 PM PST (8:00 PM EST) ‘til late for our Karaoke and Conversations Series. $5 suggested donation. This is an 18 +, grown and sexy event, bring your dancing shoes and be prepared to kick back and have fun.

RACE TALKS March Forum
2021-03-18 18:45 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom
In 2018, RACE TALKS hosted, “Overturning Marijuana Convictions: Equitizing Marijuana Convictions for the Poor and People of Color.” This month, we discuss the new “Green Rush,” and explore the disproportional access that BIPOC have to the cannabis industry, especially Black people who remain incarcerated. The legalization of cannabis in 30+ states, and the impending federal legalization have given way to innovative and lucrative business opportunities derived wholly from cannabis. At the forefront of this new wealth creation are CIS white men, so we shift the focus for Women’s History Month to four Black women who are boldly pioneering their own path to level the cannabis playing field.

Community and Conversations
2021-03-17 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom
We invite our community members who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) to join us on the third Wednesday of each month, the day before our RACE TALKS forum, to engage in affinity conversations. For our white community members, we invite you to donate through our website to support this program.

RACE TALKS February Forum
2021-02-18 18:45 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom
As a group, LGBTQIP2SAA+, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Queer, Intersex, Pansexual, Two-Spirit (2S), Androgynous and Asexual+, AKA the Rainbow Community, have traditionally been the least understood kinship in the US. However, their activism has led to changes that we are continuing to see with this newly elected administration. The 2020 Presidential debates, November elections, and 2021 installation of the President’s Cabinet bear witness to the decades of activism of the Rainbow Community.
In 2018, RACE TALKS hosted “CROSSING OVER: Transgender People of Color” where our speakers shared their transition journey. Today, we are re-visited by our former speakers who will share how the Rainbow Community’s activism has evolved; and how they, as BIPOC, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, are leading that (r)evolution.

Karaoke
2021-01-29 17:00 - 23:00 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom

Community and Conversations: A Safe Space for BIPOC Community Members
2021-01-20 18:00 (America/Vancouver) | Zoom
We invite our BIPOC community members to join us on the third Wednesday of each month, the day before our RACE TALKS forum to engage in contemporary conversations.
