Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter.

This is not a controversial statement. Let us listen to the voices of the Black community now and make room for what is needed—immediate action in terms of policing and criminal justice, AND systemic changes in our public and private lives that could create a more just and equitable world.

It is not just changes to the criminal justice system that is called for: systems of oppression and White privilege have caused inequalities across our neighborhood and city in terms of housing choices,  exposure to pollutants, access to parks and community services, educational and employment opportunities, and participation in civic life and organizations (including our own). 

These inequities won’t go away on their own and Lloyd EcoDistrict stands in solidarity with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities to make a difference in Lloyd and across Portland.  Over the past years, we’ve made progress in better centering BIPOC lives in our work. This includes: 

Kids with Color Outside the Lines help paint an intersection mural in Lloyd
Foster kids with Color Outside the Lines help paint an intersection mural in Lloyd.
  • Expanding our mission to prioritize social equity as we create a sustainable, crisis-resilient Lloyd.
  • Engaging the community in a year-long Imperative Commitment process to integrate Equity, along with Resilience and Climate Protection into our current and future program work.

This current crisis renews our energy to be more accountable and to push forward with initiatives that lift up BIPOC voices that will create more impactful program outcomes for underrepresented communities. These initiatives include: 

  • Improving our organizational and leadership diversity.
  • Updating our Energy Action Plan to look at how we can meet our goals with equity as the lead driver.
  • Finding and nurturing more long-lasting partnerships with frontline and BIPOC organizations, particularly as we update our Declaration of Cooperation with the community.
  • Supporting a permanent memorial at NE 6th & Halsey to honor the life of Keaton Otis, a young Black man who was killed by police in 2010.

We will continue to keep equity at the center of our mission. We are imperfect allies, but we look forward to the journey, shoulder to shoulder toward a more perfect world. We hope that you will join us. If you are interested in joining us in this critical work and have feedback on our priorities, please do reach out.

Tags: , , ,