VISION: All people of Corvallis have a sense of belonging; they are treated justly, have a sense of connection, and are represented in the community. We acknowledge that, as an organization and as a community, we have a long way to go to realize that vision. The work of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition is guided by the Community Sustainability Action Framework that was created by hundreds of members of our community. The “Community Inclusion” section of that framework begins with the following vision:
VISION: All people of Corvallis have a sense of belonging; they are treated justly, have a sense of connection, and are represented in the community. We acknowledge that, as an organization and as a community, we have a long way to go to realize that vision.
But we also know that standing in solidarity with people of color who have suffered injustices, exclusion, and even death means we need to evaluate all of our work through the lens of equity and inclusion to understand the ways in which racism and bias are systemic, and then act on that knowledge in ways that will lead to more just treatment, greater connection, and fair representation.
Toward that end, Sustainability Coalition action teams have been learning to use an Equity Impact Assessment during the past year to evaluate our projects. We recognize there are many similar tools, and we’ve chosen to use one that was shared with us by Jane Waite, Senior Associate for Social Justice Learning and Engagement at Oregon State University. It has changed the way we work, leading to deeper discussions and new insights as we have planned and implemented various activities. We will continue to use it, knowing that this is just the first step and that there is much more we need to do.
Johannah Hamilton, Co-leader of the Coalition’s Community Inclusion Action Team, has been touched in a very personal way by recent tragic events, as her cousin, Kenneth Walker, was the partner of Breonna Taylor, who was killed in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 13, 2020, the innocent victim of systemic racial injustice. Johannah recommends that those wishing to take immediate individual action go to the Black Lives Matter website. You may also want to check out local opportunities at Linn Benton NAACP.
In community,
Steering Committee of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition
Annette Mills, Facilitator Brandon
Trelstad, Vice Facilitator
Cindee Lolik, Secretary
Lorie Bailey, Treasurer
Sami Al-AbdRabbuh
Anna Brousseau
Loma Hammond
Callie Kennel
Marie Loiseau
Sean McGuire
Marjorie Stevens
June 12, 2020