No doubt 2020 will demand an entire section in history books. There's no need to recap everything, and instead I'd encourage us to look forward, especially when considering the strength and vitality of our neighborhood.
Earlier this year a neighbor approached me about advice on how to react to an
unprovoked racist incident he experienced with fellow Beaumont Wilshire resident. That
discussion prompted me to do research on resources that I might suggest for help to
anyone experiencing bias, racism or hate crimes.
In my search, I discovered Portland United Against Hate (PUAH) and connected with PUAH director, Rabbi Deb Kolodny. Through our conversations and her suggestions, I've been able to work with the BWNA Board to take action and articulate our message. As a board, we have reinforced our stance against racist behavior. It's our charter to make our neighborhood a safer and inclusive environment for all residents to live and work.
Periodically I joined the small, but dedicated, band of supporters who protested on 33 rd
by Wilshire Park through the summer and into fall, this group was but one local visual
example of the spirit espoused by the BWNA inclusion statement -- everyone deserves
equal opportunity, respect and justice.
As an ongoing effort, the BWNA Board is committed to working harder to strengthen our
outreach to all neighbors. It's our hope to help include and utilize the diverse and varying
backgrounds of our Beaumont Wilshire family to further efforts at improving
neighborhood life.
Along those lines, the BWNA Board is partnering with PUAH to utilize sponsored workshops listed here. We invite all neighbors to make use of these opportunities, if you have any questions please contact BWNA at info@bwnapdx.org.