Item C: City Council Priority Issue - Communities of Color Meeting Debrief

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know you’re afraid.” Once we alleviate fear, they will come. Our community unique. (Just like others.) Commitment for one meeting. Phyllis said it would be a series of meetings. A lot of us don’t believe in government support. Council establishing this as priority. Taken 1.5 years to get to this point. Not from lack of interest. I will continue to push forward. I don’t know where this is going to go. Can say I will stay involved in this strong commitment. Lots of racial tensions in big cities. In big city (San Francisco, Chicago) don’t see mayor or council. Communities separate. Here communities talk to each other. Doesn’t happen in other countries. For me hopeful that there is a place here in Eugene where we can discuss and resolve. Only way to ease tension is through knowledge, education, activities to learn about other cultures. Common here - with events. Once you get to know people, like making friends. Once you make friends, you don’t hate them. Asian celebration - unique here. Collective Asian Council. Only because of our size. Portland can’t do it. Very few Asian Councils. Very important City is involved. Need more cohesiveness with cultural groups. We need to create that amongst ourselves. Believe City has grown without knowledge of how it grew. When I came – 64,000 - lily white except for campus. Now more. Can’t identify Eugene well. Not as aware of other cultures. A lot of knowledge to be brought up. We forget we are bringing our homeland conflicts with us. Arabs/Jews here. There’s tension. We expect City to deal with our relations with other groups. So silly. Can’t expect you to know these. Unrealistic for us to expect that you understand that. We need to present ourselves as package that City can understand. I don’t expect Jim C. to put fire out at my house. I have expectations that City has resources to deal with things. Infrastructure in place. Various officials and councilors have continuity of knowledge. In this topic, I want to see continuity. My 20-year-old son shouldn’t have to be at a meeting like this when he’s grown. Diversity doesn’t have to be priority - should be just what we do. Why it’s a priority now - nothing has been actually done to bring us to 2006. By establishing as priority, we’re saying we’re bringing tools up to 2006. Ethnic groups getting together – sounds cool. My personal frustrations - police diversity training. Community people came free to share. In candid moments - they (Police) said this was dumb. I find myself trying to accommodate. I’ll help you understand. I no longer want to do this - to work harder (than groups I’m educating). We shield each other from real conversation. Example - street cop can’t really say how he feels. This overall process - so slow. My frustration - bureaucracy of diversity with no motion. A lot of elders I speak with - couple of people who should be here aren’t. They feel disrespected (by City). Core of problem we don’t know how to resolve race issues/conflicts. No systematic way. Can’t deal with it, but need to prevent it. City can’t resolve those issues, but City can acknowledge it. Communities of Color 14 July 12, 2006