February 2025 - “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” - Marcus Garvey
· Do you know about the “LCInclusidates” calendar in Outlook? Add this calendar to view multi-faith holidays and observations taking place throughout the year.
· Check out the Diverse Business Directory (DBD) to support Black-owned and other underrepresented businesses in Lane County.
Equity Program Advisory Board (EPAB): Our group last met on January 28th and our newly selected co-chairs did an amazing job facilitating their first meeting together.
· During this meeting, they voted to focus on goal 5 (Foster an inclusive and equitable framework for community engagement and civic participation) of the Equity Strategic Plan (ESP). The EPAB will further decide on one shared question to ask their networks related to this goal to exercise their data collection skills and assist with accountability for the ESP.
Equity Program's Historical Research Intern: Our program will host an intern through the UO Division of Equity and Inclusion's Leadership Enrichment Internship (LEI) program. We are grateful for this opportunity to mentor a student and support their career development.
· Our intern will be with us from February to May 2025 and they will engage in uncovering and documenting historical displacement of Black pioneer families from the Ferry Street area and beyond in Lane County. This role involves researching archives, reviewing old films and agendas, and collaborating with the NAACP.
Equity and Education (E2) DEI Competency Workgroup Update: The consultant we are working with created draft language and recommendations with us. We presented the consultant’s draft to the E2 and Competency workgroup in January and received feedback from both groups. We plan to continue flushing out the draft within our workgroup and present the update to the Management Team in the near future.
· DEI competency changes forecasted for 2025 – in progress
ILLUMINATION Exhibit at the Lane County Courthouse Art Display (1 hr DEI): In partnership with the Springfield History Museum, we will host and display the ILLUMINATION exhibits featured from 2021 to 2024. Over the past three years, this exhibit captured interviews, photographs, and personal objects that share stories to illuminate the intersectionality of the Springfield identity in the land we now call Springfield and rural East Lane County.
· Come by and check it out! The art display is available from January through March 2025 at the Lane County Courthouse Entry art display area. Register via LEAP to learn more and enroll for DEI credit.