When we talk about racial justice organizing, I think we often imagine this work happening in major urban centers with storied movement histories, like Chicago, Oakland, and Jackson, Mississippi. But as cities have changed over the last two decades due to gentrification and shifting job markets, suburbs are now the most diverse areas in the U.S.
So, what does racial justice organizing look like in these communities? In this episode, host Jordan Thierry interviews Siobhana McEwen from the Southwest Washington Equity Coalition, who speaks to that very point. She talks about how her organization grew during the 2020 uprising, addressing a sharp need for advocacy and policy change to address the needs of people of color and immigrants in this stretch of the Portland metro region.
We deep-dive into grassroots activism, the challenges of nonprofit leadership, and the power of community trust and collaboration.
If you’re inspired by Siobhana and found this episode helpful, you can show your appreciation by making a donation to her organization at https://southwest-washington-equity-coalition.monkeypod.io/give/support-southwest-washington-equity-coalition
This episode was produced by Jordan Thierry of Dream Chase Media, with essential production and marketing expertise from Aranza Garcia and Issac Gsoria.
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