As part of its three-year Time to Act Plan for Equity & Racial Justice, PSU hosted a series of affinity conversations this summer and fall with BIPOC communities in the Portland region to dream up what a thriving future would look like for them — and what role PSU can and should play as Portland's anchor institution.
"Thriving means to prosper, flourish, vigorously develop," said Ame Lambert, vice president for Global Diversity and Inclusion at PSU. "BIPOC communities deserve to thrive. As we look ahead to the future, we need equitable access to postsecondary education, healthcare, living wages, leadership positions, and ultimately power and agency. Communities must collectively chart a course to ensure their future is one where they are thriving, and they need partners, critical agents and stakeholders to come alongside to ensure this plan becomes a reality."
Lambert and PSU President Stephen Percy acknowledged that for too long, PSU has missed the mark or hasn't done enough to uplift BIPOC communities and center their voices and needs. The summits and convenings were an opportunity for PSU to renew its commitment about what it means to be an anchor institution for BIPOC communities. The gatherings brought together PSU faculty, staff and students alongside community members from cultural organizations, education, community-based organizations, business, philanthropy, and government.
"The future of Portland State, the future of the city, the future of BIPOC communities are intertwined," Percy said. "If we do it right — and we haven't always done that — we'll thrive together and that's why this type of engagement is so important."
Five affinity convenings were held between June and November this year: Latiné Futures Convening; Convening on the Future of Black Thriving & Joy; Convening for a Thriving Future for Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, Asian, and Asian American Communities; Convening for a Prosperous Future for Middle East, North African and South Asian Community; and Native Leaders Roundtable. On Nov. 4, PSU will host a macro convening for all of those groups and other underrepresented communities — The Future and Thriving of BIPOC Communities — to advance the work that emerged from the individual gatherings and elevate collective needs.
"What would it take for us to repair and to find new paths to move forward together?" Lambert said. "That is the work before us. We are here to find a pathway to our next because the current reality is not serving us well. We know we cannot get to our next from here without doing things differently. … We need all of us to do this."
Register for The Future and Thriving of BIPOC Communities macro convening.
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