HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packet 9-12-18 Work SessionSeptember 12, 2018, Work Session
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
September 12, 2018
12:00 p.m. CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Meeting of September 12, 2018;
Her Honor Mayor Lucy Vinis Presiding
Councilors Mike Clark, President Betty Taylor, Vice President Greg Evans Chris Pryor Emily Semple Claire Syrett Jennifer Yeh Alan Zelenka
12:00 p.m. CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
.
1.WORK SESSION: Marginalized Voices Report and Recommendations
2.WORK SESSION: City Council Process Session
September 12, 2018, Work Session
The Eugene City Council welcomes your interest in these agenda items. This meeting location is wheelchair-accessible. For the hearing impaired, an interpreter can be provided with 48 hours' notice prior to the meeting. Spanish-language interpretation will also be provided with 48 hours' notice. To arrange for these services, contact the receptionist at 541-682-5010. City Council meetings are telecast live on Metro Television, Comcast channel 21, and rebroadcast later in the week. El consejo de la Ciudad de Eugene agradece su interés en estos asuntos de la agenda. El lugar de la reunión tiene acceso para sillas de ruedas. Se puede proveer a un intérprete para las personas con discapacidad auditiva si avisa con 48 horas de anticipación. También se puede proveer interpretación para español si avisa con 48 horas de anticipación. Para reservar estos servicios llame al 541-682-5010. Las reuniones del consejo de la ciudad se transmiten en vivo por Metro Television, Canal 21 de Comcast y son retransmitidas durante la semana.
For more information, contact the Council Coordinator at 541-682-5010, or visit us online at www.eugene-or.gov.
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EUGENE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Marginalized Voices Report and Recommendations Meeting Date: September 12, 2018 Agenda Item Number: 1 Department: Central Services Staff Contact: Katie Babits
www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5277
ISSUE STATEMENT This Work Session is the result of the Human Rights Commission’s request to provide the City Council a presentation on “Marginalized Voices in Eugene: Report on Focus Groups in Eugene’s Communities of Color, Muslim and LGBTQ Communities” and to share recommendations.
BACKGROUND The Human Rights Commission unanimously approved “Marginalized Voices in Eugene: Report on Focus Groups in Eugene’s Communities of Color, Muslim and LGBTQ Communities” on June 20, 2017. The City Council received a copy of the report on July 10, 2017, which was the culmination of a multiyear project to learn about the experiences of marginalized people in Eugene. Between February 2016 and April 2017, the Anti-Discrimination Work Group of the Eugene Human Rights Commission hosted 10 focus groups comprised of people from communities of color and the Muslim and LGBTQ communities in Eugene. The purpose of the focus groups was to listen and learn about the experiences of marginalized individuals living in Eugene at this moment in time and to glean possible ways that the City could help make Eugene a more welcoming, comfortable and safe place for these particular communities and for all of Eugene’s residents. The focus group participants all live in Eugene and are members of the following communities: African American, African American/Biracial Youth, Asian American, Latinx, Latinx Families, Muslim, Native American/Alaska Native, Pacific Islanders, LGBTQ and Trans. The report includes themes and statements intended to demonstrate a range of experiences of marginalized people in Eugene. While the report found the experience of living in Eugene distinctly challenging for marginalized communities, it also found a profound sense of resilience on the part of these community members in the face of adversity. Recommendations, developed by people directly experiencing the problems, are offered at the end of the report. These recommendations are goals offered to the City of Eugene with short and long time frames. Many of these recommendations are in alignment with work that City staff are currently working on including improving the Rights Assistance Program and expanding cultural competency and gender diversity awareness trainings for all City employees.
September 12, 2018, Work Session – Item 1
After the Human Rights Commission approved the Marginalized Voices report in June 2017, members from the focus groups were invited to join a work group of the Human Rights Commission. The work group members selected the name Whole Eugene Community United and began meeting on a monthly basis. The first large project they accomplished together was planning the International Human Rights Day celebration in December 2017. Once the celebration was completed, the group began to spend their time assessing the recommendations put forth in the Marginalized Voices report with the intent of determining which recommendations were the most pertinent and accessible for the City of Eugene to achieve. Following several months of meetings, the WeCU team identified three priority items for consideration outlined in the attached memo that was approved by the Human Right Commission at its August 2018 retreat: 1. Hiring or assigning a full-time liaison to serve as bridge between City of Eugene and its marginalized communities 2. Develop and implement a public facing rapid response to hate crimes and other threatening acts against vulnerable communities 3. Establish a planning committee for a multi-cultural center Following a review of these recommendations, City staff have committed to considering the full-time liaison position as part of the proposed budget process, continuing work on developing a rapid response process to hate crimes and other threatening acts, and moving forward with establishing a City planning committee for a centrally-located multi-cultural center.
RELATED CITY POLICIES
• City of Eugene Human Rights Code Provisions, EC 4.613-4.655
• City Ordinance 20579, passed March 13,2017, Protections for Individuals
• Council Resolution No. 5013, passed July 26, 2010, A Resolution to Denounce Hate, Intolerance and Bias Activities in the City of Eugene
• Council Resolution No. 5073, passed November 13, 2012, A resolution in Support of a Statement of Principles for Immigrant Integration
• Council Resolution No 5154, passed May 23, 2016, A Resolution Declaring the City of Eugene’s Commitment in Protecting Refugees and Celebrating the Contributions of Refugees to their New Communities in the United States
• Council Resolution No. 5174, passed November 14, 2016, A Resolution Declaring the City of Eugene’s Commitment to Being a Welcoming, Inclusive and Safe Community for Everyone
COUNCIL OPTIONS The council may provide input and direction for staff for additional follow-up on the recommendations discussed.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION There is no City Manager recommendation at this time. The City Manager has already directed
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staff follow up on items as outlined above.
SUGGESTED MOTION No motions are offered by the City Manager.
ATTACHMENTS A. Marginalized Voices in Eugene: Report on Focus Groups in Eugene’s Communities of Color, Muslim and LGBTQ Communities B. Whole Eugene Community United Work Group of the Eugene Human Rights Commission Memo “Marginalized Voices Report and Recommendations”
FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff Contact: Katie Babits Telephone: 541-682-5277 Staff E-Mail: kbabits@eugene-or.gov
Marginalized Voices in
Eugene:
Report on Focus Groups
in Eugene’s Communities of Color,
Muslim and LGBTQ Communities
Bonnie Souza and Ken Neubeck, Co-Chairs
Anti-Discrimination Work Group
Eugene Human Rights Commission
June 2017
This report was
unanimously approved by the
Eugene Human Rights Commission
on June 20, 2017
Report also available online:
https://www.eugene-or.gov/526/Human-Rights-Commission
https://www.eugene-or.gov/DocumentCenter/View/35353
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Report
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Findings: Theme-Based . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Appendices
Focus Group Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Information Sheet, Eugene Human Rights Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
African American Focus Group Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
African American/Biracial Youth Focus Group Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Asian American Focus Group Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Latinx Focus Group Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Latinx Families Focus Group Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Muslim Focus Group Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Native American/Alaska Native Focus Group Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Pacific Islander Focus Group Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
LGBTQ Focus Group Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Trans Focus Group Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
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“Marginalized Voices in Eugene”
A Report by
Eugene Human Rights Commission
Anti-Discrimination Work Group
June 2017
Introduction
Between February 2016 and April 2017, the Anti-Discrimination Work Group of the Eugene
Human Rights Commission hosted 10 focus groups comprised of people from communities of
color and the Muslim and LGBTQ communities in Eugene. The purpose of the focus groups was to
listen and learn about the experiences of marginalized individuals living in Eugene at this moment
in time and to glean possible ways that the City could help make Eugene a more welcoming,
comfortable and safe place for these particular communities and for all of Eugene’s residents.
The focus group participants all live in Eugene and are members of the following communities:
African American, African American/Biracial Youth, Asian American, Latinx, Latinx Families,
Muslim, Native American/Alaska Native, Pacific Islanders, LGBTQ and Trans.
We want to note that, while the above groups represent a significant number of marginalized
individuals in Eugene, there are certainly others. These include members of the Jewish
community, which in recent months has increasingly become a target of blatant bigotry, bias and
hate, as well as people who are homeless, those with disabilities and undocumented immigrants.
While focus group participants made it clear that they do not speak in behalf of their entire
community, their personal stories do reflect common experiences of many others. In the attached
appendices, we are providing significant raw data in order to offer the Mayor and City Councilors a
better understanding of the life experience of a large number of Eugene’s residents, many of
whom are members of marginalized and vulnerable communities.
Although not a quantitative or scientific study, participants in these focus groups provided
valuable information for the City to reflect on as it considers the recommendations in this report.
Methodology
Human Rights Commissioners Bonnie Souza and Ken Neubeck co-chaired the Anti-Discrimination
Work Group. Both planned and facilitated each of the focus groups, often with the assistance of
one or two community members who helped put together the list of invitees for individual groups
and, at times, arranged invitations and helped plan the food as well. The Office of Human Rights
and Neighborhood Involvement (HRNI) provided staff support and other Commissioners assisted
us in a variety of ways. We cannot be more thankful or appreciative of everyone’s efforts; without
them, it would have been a much greater challenge to complete this project.
Each of the focus groups included between 6 and 10 people, with at least two youth (ages 17-27)
in each group, and met for two hours, including one-half hour for dinner and an hour and a half for
discussion. A set of questions was prepared prior to hosting the first focus group, taking into
consideration feedback from individuals in the different communities about the questions we September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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should be asking (questions attached, see Appendix). The same set of questions was asked in each
of the groups. At the commencement of each discussion, we advised all of the participants that the
information they provided would not be confidential, but that it would be shared anonymously;
their names would not be associated with any of their stories or comments.
The focus groups themselves were informal, and oftentimes the facilitators only asked the first
two questions or so and the discussions then took on a life of their own, with many of the
questions being answered without being asked. Each of the groups was also provided with an
information sheet about the Eugene Human Rights Commission (see Appendix), and information
was shared about the process for reporting hate and bias crimes. The main role of the facilitators
was to bring the discussions back to the questions, if necessary, and to otherwise listen and take
comprehensive notes for this report.
Each group was informed that, once all of the focus group meetings were completed, the Anti-
Discrimination Work Group would draft a report and recommendations for the City Council and
share it with each of the participants prior to its completion. All of the participants were invited to
a large gathering held on May 31, 2017, to share a meal and give their feedback about the report
and recommendations. Representatives from most of the focus groups attended this event, and a
rich and passionate discussion took place, partly in small groups and then with everyone together
in the same room. Their feedback was taken into account and helped us finalize the report for
presentation to the full Human Rights Commission at their June 2017 meeting.
This is the finalized report and recommendations, approved unanimously by the Eugene Human
Rights Commission. We submit this to the Mayor and City Council for your consideration and
action.
Overview
We have organized our findings around a number of themes that arose during the course of
discussions in the ten focus groups. In the case of each theme, we have selected statements
illustrative of the kinds of things that were being said. (For a fuller accounting of what was shared,
see attached Appendix for each focus group.)
Taken together, the themes and statements collectively serve to demonstrate how it feels to be a
member of a marginalized group in Eugene. (In fact, the themes and statements likely
demonstrate how it feels to be a member of a marginalized group in many places across the
country.) In multiple instances, focus group participants also expressed that they held
membership in more than one marginalized group, a topic we discuss under the theme of
“Intersectionality” below.
As stated above, we invited focus group participants to a May 31 gathering to give us feedback on
our draft report. Almost all of the focus groups were represented at this meeting, typically by two
to four people. One of the most striking features of the discussion that took place was participants’
frequent references to the current political climate. Fear of violence or of being mistreated, always
present, was said to have escalated among people of color, Muslims and the LGBTQ population
since the November 2016 election.
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As one participant put it, “People feel like they won and have permission [to mistreat others]. This
makes it scary. Many of us now don’t want to shop, send kids to school. We fear harassment in
public.” Another participant: “I have been in this country since 1951. As an immigrant, this is the
most hateful and fearful time. It has always been here, but [now] it is huge and dangerous and
scary. I am more aware of other communities. I want this community to figure out how to respond
in a real way, quickly and loudly, and not wait until someone gets killed.”
One of the most striking features of those participating in the ten focus groups – despite the post-
election fear factor – is their resilience in the face of adversity. While we will speak below about
the types of emotionally damaging and sometimes frightening experiences members of all groups
have undergone and continue to confront, all were intent on finding ways to thrive. In this regard,
resilience was clearly reliant on in-group relationships of support, coupled with a shared sense of
group pride and worth. Being with people like themselves, when it was possible, provided
members of the focus groups sanctuary from being judged by members of the dominant majority*
and being found to be “less than.” As one Asian American participant put it, “People in Eugene are
interested in Asian cultures, but not in getting to know the people.” A similar distancing was
experienced by members of all of the focus groups.
Each of the ten groups had a unique flavor, depending upon the makeup of the group. There were
differences in each group’s characteristics in terms of participants’ ages, length of time residing in
Eugene, experiences prior to residing here, current degree of engagement with the broader
Eugene community and their visibility as being different from members of the dominant majority.
Each focus group’s characteristics helped to drive its discussion. Though each group was
presented with identical questions, participants often responded to one another’s comments and
moved the discussion in new directions. Out of these varying focus groups and discussions, flowed
our findings and recommendations.
* The “dominant majority” refers to whites in the case of communities of color; non-Muslims in the case of Muslims; non-members
of the LGBTQ community in the case of those who are part of the LBGTQ population; and, at times, white LGBTQ community
members in the case of people of color in the LGBTQ community.
Findings: Theme-Based
Theme #1: Characteristics of Discrimination
The discrimination that participants in our ten focus groups have faced has involved race, sexual
orientation, religion, national origin, class, housing status and gender discrimination.
Discrimination comes in many forms: institutional discrimination, group discrimination and
personal discrimination. Whether it is intentional or unintentional, discrimination is harmful to
the persons on the receiving end and reduces the quality of life for all. Here are some of the
comments made by focus group participants. (The labels in parentheses refer to the focus group in
which the statement was expressed.)
• You are acceptable “because you are acting white”. (African American)
• I would tell a parent not to send their kid to Sheldon; I have never felt welcome there. Too
white to hang out with the black kids and too black to hang out with the white kids.
(Biracial Youth)
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• It is annoying to be grouped by color; people are proud of their ethnicity and need respect.
(Pacific Islander)
• Never had incidents until this past year, with the presidential election and hate wave in the
media. Had three incidents where people yelled at me to go home, all after the conventions.
(Muslim)
• Movies create stereotypes. (Native American/Alaska Native)
• “I will not hold my wife’s hand” in public. (LGBTQ)
• Is crazy-making; this community values not being racist, deny that they are because they
don’t want to be a bad person. (African American)
• Blacks here have always been pushed aside. Biggest problem, no one wants to own up to it.
Living here, you are going to be confronted with racism. (African American)
• Eugene is progressive, but there is passive-aggressive racism and implicit bias. (African
American)
• Told to wash my skin. (Native American/Alaska Native)
• When you talk with people here, they’re nice to your face but masters at saying one thing to
your face and something else behind your back. “When you leave the room, the script flips.”
(African American/Biracial Youth)
• Until coming to mainland, never knew I was a woman of color; Pacific Islanders identify
with ethnicity, not color of skin. (Pacific Islander)
• There is an attitude in Eugene among whites that we don’t need to talk about racism; they
see themselves as beyond that, post-racial. (Asian American)
• Latinos are seen as a threat when they complain about their treatment. (Latinx)
• Restaurant vandalized (bricks thrown through window) after 2001; was very frightening;
also had a smoke bomb thrown into the dining room once. Need to be vigilant with rise of
right. (Muslim)
• The folks in my circles who struggle the most are trans and gender queer people. (LGBTQ)
• Am always on guard, never know when someone is going to strike – verbal remarks, looks,
lot of people feel uncomfortable. (Trans)
• “We deal with the same issues,” referring to all focus groups. (Latinx)
Theme #2: Intersectionality
Another feature that clearly emerged during focus group discussions is the role that
intersectionality played for members of these groups. In the U.S., each of us is simultaneously a
member of multiple systems of inequality, such as class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,
disability status and age. Where we are positioned in each of these systems mediates our life
experience and affects our life chances. For example, people of color who are gay or are thought to
be gay are not only vulnerable to harm from heterosexism and homophobia by whites and other
people of color; they are also subject to expressions of racism by whites, including by some of their
own white gay peers.
• I did not feel like part of the black community; being in Eugene’s lesbian community was a
more welcoming place. (African American)
• Gay Latinos are ignored by the white LGBTQ community; lack of diversity and racism go
unrecognized. (Latinx)
• I knew I would have to work twice as hard because I came from a low income family.
(LGBTQ)
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• From what people are sharing, the experiences of men are different because, looking at us,
you wouldn’t know I’m Muslim. With women wearing headscarves, people know right
away. With men they get to know us first and then find out. (Muslim)
• White LGBTQ people have white privilege; people of color are more subject to
mistreatment. (LGBTQ)
• In my experience, I cannot separate homophobia, xenophobia, accent, old or look young;
my heart is pounding because the stories of folks of color around the table are my stories as
well. (Latinx)
• Homeless trans people can’t get jobs because homeless. (Trans)
• Daily stories about mistreatment of people who are trans or gay and are also of color.
(Latinx)
• White women murdered or missing get media attention, not women who are people of
color. (Native American/Alaska Native)
• Being a POC and LGBTQ is very different. I was harassed by a white gay man; it caused a lot
of trauma. I was still trying to figure out who I was. (LGBTQ)
• I don’t feel welcome in Eugene at all ever, not because I’m queer but because of my race. I
spend most of my time in my house. (LGBTQ)
• I have a friend who is autistic and biracial (black). It’s really easy for him to get into trouble.
(Trans)
Theme #3: Institutional Expressions of Discrimination
The City of Eugene
The City of Eugene government and staff have no established means of systematically listening to
and tapping into the issues and concerns of vulnerable and marginalized groups. Participants in
our focus groups expressed gratitude that the Human Rights Commission had undertaken this
project. In the course of discussions, they mentioned a number of matters on which they would
like to see definitive actions taken. Focus group members look to the City to be an ally and expect
it to be more supportive than they feel is presently the case.
• City needs to get information about people’s rights and what is going on, what the City
offers. City web site is not very accessible—it’s in English. Churches can be used to provide
information. (Latinx Families)
• Know someone who quit City job due to chronic misgendering; creates hostile work
environment. (Trans)
• I find that Eugene is unique with its events. I’m really pissed we don’t have the Eugene
Celebration any more… have the African square, the Hawaiian square, the Taste of Chicago,
through food... (African American)
• Asian Americans are a resource to the City when it needs their help, but when Asian
Americans need help, the City does not respond. (Asian American)
• If you go to the parks to meet other Native Americans, do not go by yourself – it’s safer.
(Native American/Alaska Native)
• Skinner Butte has KKK plaque celebrating “illuminated crosses.” Systemic white power
structure(s). (Latinx)
• City organization does not know how to engage with the Latino community; needs to
diversify. (Latinx)
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• We have a very expensive, new skate park near where many Latinos live, but they don’t
skate. Need multicultural centers built and events held. (Latinx)
• It should not be the responsibility of POC to educate whites. (Asian American)
Law Enforcement
Members of the various focus groups had interacted with the Eugene Police Department and
sometimes with local campus police (LCC and UO). Because of the gravity of the relationship
between the police and all of Eugene’s residents, but particularly the fact that the police hold the
life and death of people in their hands, included here is a sampling of focus group participants’
experiences with law enforcement.
Eugene Police Department
• Once the police were called on me because a neighbor had reported that I was stealing a
car; I was getting into my own car. It feels like they come when they’re called ON us, but not
when they’re called BY us. (Latinx Family Member)
• “I feel the least safe when I’m driving.” It’s a fear because of my experiences. There was a
question about, is this really you, could you step out of the car. I’m afraid because I don’t
know what is going to happen. (Trans)
• My voice is not valued; I’m treated as a criminal. Police are scared of people of color.
(Latinx)
• I feel scared to call the police after seeing blacks being shot and killed. I won’t call the police
because of that; I don’t trust them the way I did growing up. (Muslim)
• After the tazing of the Chinese students, Chief Kerns was to set up an advisory group of
Asian Americans, but it doesn’t meet. (Asian American)
• I get pulled over a lot; my husband does not (he is white). (African American)
• Latinos are profiled by whites, who call police about “suspicious” people – treated like
criminals. (Latinx)
• Seems less safe for Latinos in Eugene than decades ago, e.g., police behavior and public
attitudes. (Latinx)
• My sister was here, a Filipina, someone in “police gear” was trying to flirt with her –
exotification of Asian women. (Asian American)
• If a Latino is the victim, they don’t help. If a Latino may be the perpetrator, they come.
(Latinx Family Member)
• I called the cops. When they come in, and see these two guys, they are going to arrest US!
(Pacific Islander)
• No-one is going to call the cops. (Pacific Islander)
• I have had really bad experiences with the police department. Showing my identification,
gender doesn’t align. Officer took my license with him in Springfield. Towed my car because
he didn’t believe it was me. (LGBTQ)
• I do not trust police; I would never invite police to my home ever. (Native American/Alaska
Native)
Campus Police (LCC and UO)
• I do not feel safe on campus, especially when police are armed or could be in the future.
(Latinx)
• Police are afraid of us; a lot of officers want to get armed. (Latinx)
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• What trainings are they getting? Cultural training? Who is giving that training? (Latinx)
• No police of color. (Latinx)
• Police on and off campus treat Latinos with negative bias. (Latinx)
• Police are so sassy on campus; it’s unnecessary sassiness. (Muslim)
Across the Community
Focus group members also touched on their experiences interacting with people across the
community, including: fellow shoppers and employees at local businesses; landlords and
neighbors; staff in public schools, higher education institutions and social services; with potential
employers and as employees. We heard many stories of the ways in which they were made to feel
uncomfortable, unwelcome, and even fearful in certain settings. Many of the participants found
themselves constantly on guard when they walked out the door of their homes, which provided
most of them with a sense of safety and a setting in which they could relax, socialize with others
like themselves and feel protected.
Businesses
• I always get followed in a store by the mall; they don’t train. Staring at me, I make eye
contact, looks away. (African American/Biracial Youth)
• Am followed around at malls and stores, asked “Can I help you?” – or ignored if you have a
question or want to buy something. (Native American/Alaska Native)
• Was in line in Safeway, not paying attention, person in front of me left, checker asked “Is
this WIC?” We were dressed nice. It was offensive. “Could raise hell, but it’s every day, am
just going to go home. People don’t get it.” (Pacific Islander)
• I feel least comfortable in commercial areas because people think that black people steal
things; I get looks, glances, people watch me when I’m in stores. (LGBTQ)
• Am hypervigilant in malls. “Not all people are accepting and to know there are people who
would be quite happy to shoot me in the head; I am aware of that all the time.” (Trans)
• Latinos are blamed when others start trouble or cause conflicts, e.g., at local bars. (Latinx)
• Racism is expressed by rudeness in the provision of services, e.g., library, coffee shop…
(Latinx)
Housing
• Tried to rent houses; it’s “a real struggle, had to go through the university.” (African
American)
• Friend was booted from the Mission as soon as workers there realized she was trans.
(Trans)
• Very hard to find places to live. Landlords charging higher rents, not getting deposits back.
(Latinx)
K-12 Education
• Teachers: Don’t ask a black person how they feel if you are talking about a black issue; let
them raise their hand if they want to share. Don’t put them on the spot. Don’t purposely
split up or clump the kids of color together. They put us in the same area or separate us if
we are too close. (African American/Biracial Youth)
• My son was asked to welcome a new student in middle school. He met and greeted her with
a kiss on the cheek (a custom in our culture). The girl was not offended. Someone down the
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hall saw and accused him of sexual harassment; he was suspended from school for three
days. (Pacific Islander)
• Level of ignorance about diversity is root of the problem --- not just having knowledge of
the issue, many people not really wanting to have that knowledge, don’t want to learn.
(African American/Biracial Youth)
• We need to be strong advocates for our kids. The administration is not taking responsibility
for teaching our children. My child was getting all A’s before we came to Oregon and is now
being defined as unlikely to be successful in school. (Latinx Family Member)
• Youth try to connect with other Polynesians, just like blacks or Mexicans. “If I see a
Polynesian in school, I want his number, to hang out. I am happy to see someone.” (Pacific
Islander)
• Child in middle school was harassed and called a terrorist. The principal couldn’t control
the situation and blamed my son for the problem; said he was not allowed to come to
school or attend the graduation party. I had to fight with the principal to get this
harassment recognized and stopped. (Muslim)
• Kids are embarrassed for who they are. (Native American/Alaska Native)
• Is “Sheldon way of doing things,” meaning the white way; makes POC feel marginalized
(e.g., kid on football team knelt and was admonished “this is not the Sheldon way”). Staff at
the time made our kids feel marginalized, disguised as a school thing. (Pacific Islander)
• South Eugene High School would allow stuff to happen. Senior pranks, kids driving trucks
across lawn and teachers helped. Okay to do that if you’re white. (African
American/Biracial Youth)
Social Services
• Need to educate medical providers, both doctors and nurses. We do the education about
the treatment they are giving us; we should not have to do that. (Trans)
• Latinos not taught how to work the system; it sucks not being able to navigate systems.
(Latinx)
• Frequently asked where to find a primary care physician who understands gay men’s
issues, therapist who is familiar with gay men’s mental health issues (LGBTQ)
• Agencies need cultural competence, are not providing services, very few materials in
Spanish. (Latinx)
Theme #4: Hostile Political Environment
Participants in all ten focus groups were acutely tuned in to the dynamics and rhetoric of the
recent presidential campaign and the role played by Donald Trump and his supporters in
maligning people of color, Muslims and members of the LGBTQ population. They could see that
incidents of bias and hate crimes were increasing locally and across the nation. They felt that the
campaign (and its outcome) had given license to reported attacks by bigots and hate groups. They
expressed a sense of insecurity, had concerns about their safety, and were anxious about being out
in the larger community, fearing something bad could happen to them.
• Nationalism is very real right now – the undertone is just hate. (African American)
• Presidential campaign was to “make America great again”. What does that mean? When
things were worse for people of color? (Pacific Islander)
• Lots of people, hippies, Rainbow Gathering raising funds for Standing Rock but, when there,
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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they are stealing culture—calling gatherings powwows when they are not powwows,
burning sage, all inappropriately. (Native American/Alaska Native)
• People not being able to get drivers’ licenses is discrimination. (Latinx Family Member)
• Bathroom bills are designed to dehumanize. Extremely painful on a personal level.
Fundamental religious organizations back these laws. (Trans)
• Jewish community has said they will register as Muslims if there is a registration. (Muslim)
• After the election, I started attending NAACP meetings and I lost a handful of friends;
people said I can’t hang anymore because I’m doing the black thing. (African
American/Biracial Youth)
• Daughter in high school wears headscarf; do not feel safe any longer having her walk to
school. Especially after the election, I drive her to school. (Muslim)
• People who fight racism get pushback. (African American)
• My best friend from grade school told me to stop talking to her the day after the election;
she had a Trump shirt on; it’s like it’s ok to be racist now. “Brought out peoples’ true
colors.” (African American/Biracial Youth)
• Our liberals can hurt us too; they can fall back into the mainstream – every day we walk out
the door, we are dark. (African American)
• Today we’re hearing Muslims will be forced to register; it’s telling everyone who is a bigot
that it’s ok to go and do whatever you want with others who are different from you.
(Muslim)
• Trucks with confederate flags go around the city, striking fear in people. (African
American)
• The incident in Springfield, with the Nazis in the street, is being normalized. I was getting
some pizza late at night and somebody said to me to be sure to record when I get beat up
by the Nazis. I’ve never felt more unsafe by myself on the streets.” (Latinx)
• Don’t tread on me – images that are meaning to cause fear. (African American)
• This is an urgent time. People who have the ability, power and voice to say something need
to act. (Latinx)
• At May 31st meeting, with most focus groups represented: "Now that I know you, if I see
anyone saying anything to you out of line, I’m going to be there for you. I wouldn't care
about going to jail. I’m not going to tolerate it until somebody really snaps on someone –
thinking they can tolerate it. Two innocent white people died [in Portland] trying to protect
people of color. I never wanted a gun and now I want one." (African American)
Theme #5: Micro-aggressions
A micro-aggression is an often-subtle statement or action that intentionally or unintentionally
insults, degrades, or stereotypes members of a marginalized group. Our focus groups expressed a
variety of examples of ways in which, day in and day out, participants experienced micro-
aggressions from the dominant majority.
Whether these offensive statements or acts on the part of majority group members occurred due
to ignorance or prejudicial attitudes is important, but not nearly as important as the accumulated
hurt that results from micro-aggressions. When experienced again and again, albeit in different
places and different forms, one cannot help but develop a sense of “other,” of not being accepted,
of being different and in a negative way.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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• I have been in places where I felt comfortable and then I realize that I am not comfortable –
stares, whispering, you feel people move away from you. (African American)
• Constant micro-aggressions occur. You need to be with other people of color to survive
them. (Asian American)
• People tell me I am in America, to speak English. (Latinx Family Member)
• I was rejected by a customer (while working at a City of Eugene service counter) as
someone to provide him with customer service. (Trans individual)
• I am trying to teach my son to drive, driving slow, white guy flips us off, tried to run us off
the road, “go back to where you came from” (go back to Seattle?? My kid is in the car…).
Ignorance. (Pacific Islander)
• Last week we were doing a training on the computer and this one group named themselves
the Knee Grows. We asked them about the name and they acted like they were joking.
(African American/Biracial Youth)
• Commonly individuals are asked to “speak for your community”. No white person is going
to ask you to speak for all whites. (Latinx)
• People have come to me to say they have voted for Trump and then say sorry; I don’t have
time for that. (Muslim)
• People expect Muslims to apologize if terrorism occurs elsewhere; it’s not my job to
apologize for these acts. (Muslim)
• Racism is not recognized; people get mad if you point it out. (Native American/Alaska
Native)
• We need to support each other. We are out there on our own, and there is no-one
advocating for us. (Pacific Islander)
• Am hypervigilant. When guard is let down, that is when bias incidents happen. (Trans)
• As a trans person, relate to not seeing people like you in authority. (Trans)
Theme #6: Isolation and Need for Safe Space
Members of all of the focus groups talked of the need to be with others like themselves. Many
newcomers to Eugene said the first thing they did was to seek out others who would be accepting
and supportive. A few groups had a safe space in which this could happen. Native Americans had
longhouses, Muslims had a mosque and older African Americans had black churches. Most of the
focus group participants said there was not a safe space in which persons like themselves could
regularly gather, make new friends, network with others and enjoy a sense of belonging. Many
expressed a desire for there to be such a gathering place.
• No place to go. No barrio, tortillas, a place to feel supported. You need physical space, a
place where you can go and feel safe. (Latinx)
• If you don’t want to talk about where you come from, who you are, you do not have to
worry about that coming here (to longhouse). (Native American/Alaska Native)
• Need some news in Spanish or Spanish caption, especially when dealing with safety and
with things the whole community needs to know about. (Latinx Family Member)
• Still don’t see a safe place here in Eugene for LGBTQ people of color; they opened the Lamb,
great place to go dance, but not open to dance to other music and experiences. (LGBTQ)
• “[Church] is where we are safe; doesn’t extend into the community.” (African American)
• It is not safe to be invisible—the majority assumes you are doing well even when you are
not. Don’t feel like I belong, am thinking of leaving. (Asian American)
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• Church is a bedrock for older generation; it is a sanctuary and black people have power
there, but not in the community. (African American)
• Would like to see more faces of color. Coming to Eugene, “it’s a bit of a culture shock to be
around so few people of color.” (African American)
• Have always felt unsafe in Eugene, felt like the “other.” Is important to find other POC.
(Asian American)
Theme #7: Differences Within Communities
Communities are not monolithic; there are differences within all of them. So it is with the
communities from which participants in our focus groups came to us. Views on life in Eugene and
toward one another was often conditioned by such things as how long participants had resided in
Eugene, where they had lived before, their ethnicity, their skin color, their ages, their cultures, and
how much their behavior and appearance stood out from that of the dominant majority. And yet
the omnipresent, majority-dominating environment within which all must function encouraged
within-group acceptance, cooperation and collaboration among most of the focus group
participants.
• Diversity in NA community not recognized—all are just “Redskins,” when every tribe, every
clan and band is different. (Native American/Alaska Native)
• Two communities here, by generation. Older generation are bedrock of black community.
Younger, educated people have different experiences – classism with racism. “You are not
black. You’re not from the ghetto.” (African American)
• Pacific Islander cultures are different from one another, not all Hawaiian. (Pacific Islander)
• No one person speaks for Latinos. Need forums instead. (Latinx)
• You do not have to represent all Indians at longhouse. Each tribe is different… (Native
American/Alaska Native)
• My first identity doesn’t come through lens of race, but being a child of God, though I have
experienced racism and recognize social injustices. (African American)
• Older generation has disconnected, is self-secluded, and doesn’t go out for civic
engagement (“it’s not for us”); church is safe and outside world is distrusted. (African
American)
Theme #8: Needs of Communities
The themes we have discussed point to a body of fears, concerns and grievances that most
members of the dominant majority are unlikely to know, or upon hearing about them, may be
prone to be dismissive. Race in particular seems to be a difficult topic for members of Eugene’s
white majority. It would be helpful if Eugeneans listened to the ways in which behavior on the part
of the dominant majority (and the institutions controlled by the dominant majority) is limiting the
life chances, and thus the opportunity to make contributions to our community as a whole, of all
those whose voices are reflected in these ten focus groups.
• I wish there was somewhere to go where people could gather – really helpful as a
community, to celebrate holidays that are unique to our culture, to make connections, a
place for our kids to go. (Pacific Islander) (also strongly expressed by Asian American,
Latinx, LGBTQ and Trans)
• Anselmo Villanueva’s “Exit Files” show many professional people of color coming to Eugene September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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and then leaving for reasons discussed—no cultural center, too few events, food, lack of
cultural competency, sense of isolation, etc. (Asian American)
• Cultural competency is important. Learning how to engage community is important.
(Latinx)
• Number one concern of Muslim community is safety at work, on street, at mall. (Muslim)
• We are asked to many focus groups and want to see the results. (Native American/Alaska
Native)
• Need some news in Spanish or Spanish caption, especially when dealing with safety and
things the whole community needs to know about. (Latinx Family Member)
• There is a need for centralized information. In other big cities you have a queer community
center where you know to go for information. (LGBTQ)
• Need gender diversity awareness program for City employees and for employers.
Transponder can help. (Trans)
• Need training in community on what hate crimes are and about City process for responding
to bias incidents and hate crimes. (Native American/Alaska Native)
• Cultural Competency: Extreme amount of ignorance, the amount of knowledge when it
comes to diversity, not taught in school, not enough to reinforce understanding. (African
American/Biracial Youth)
• Cultural Competency: You’re watching a slavery movie and the teacher says, if it’s too
uncomfortable you can leave the room (everyone looks at the one African American kid); it
pushes people farther into their shell. (African American/Biracial Youth)
• Need more teachers of color: Black teachers go the extra mile to help us. White teachers
might, but there’s no one who has gone as far as the black teachers do. They push harder
for us because they know about our barriers. (African American/Biracial Youth)
Recommendations
From a human rights perspective, those who are experiencing human rights violations – in
this case the right to be free from discrimination – should take the lead in defining the problems
they are experiencing and in identifying solutions. For this reason, we invited people from
marginalized communities to review and help shape the questions asked in the ten focus groups
and used contacts from these communities to help identify participants and organize the groups.
We functioned primarily as note-takers for the focus groups so as to concentrate on capturing the
participants’ words and voices, and shared a draft of our findings and recommendations with all
participants to get feedback before preparing this final report. The recommendations made here
flow from what we heard during the focus group discussions and from the feedback we received
from the participants on our draft of this report.
Goals attainable within a short time frame
1. Implement a rapid response policy for immediate public response by top city officials (e.g.,
Mayor, City Council Chair, City Manager, Chief of Police) to hate crimes and other activities
that threaten or bring harm to vulnerable communities in Eugene. People with power and
voice need to show vulnerable communities they care.
2. Recruit or assign a staff member who will serve as a full-time liaison between the City of
Eugene and people of color, Muslims, the LGBTQ population and other marginalized
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groups, and charge this staff member with coordinating a campaign of public awareness
building and advocacy for those experiencing discrimination.
3. Charge the Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Office with making the Rights
Assistance Program (RAP) much more visible and user friendly to marginalized
communities, and reporting quarterly to these communities on the types of complaints
received by RAP and from which groups, along with their disposition.
4. Make organizations that advocate for Eugene’s vulnerable communities more visible and
their activities more easily accessible by using the City’s website to describe and provide
links to these organizations, their leaders, their programs and resources, and their
calendars of activities.
5. Designate City-owned physical space(s) for members of marginalized groups to gather on a
regular basis to welcome newcomers, make new friends, network with others, share
common concerns and celebrate cultural traditions.
6. Establish a planning committee for a centrally located, comprehensive multi-cultural center
in Eugene, with the majority of committee membership drawn from marginalized groups.
7. Require the City staff members responsible for programming events downtown in the Park
Blocks, in Kesey Square and elsewhere in Eugene to systematically reach out to
marginalized communities each year to find out what events they would like to see occur,
what events they would like to participate in and if/how they would like to showcase their
presence to the broader community.
8. Fund a summit for marginalized communities where attendees explore common problems
and needs, discuss ways in which they can cooperate with and support one another, and
identify issues on which it would be most effective to speak with a common voice.
9. Provide Know Your Rights trainings on a regular basis aimed at marginalized communities.
Goals attainable in the longer term
1. Establish a centrally located, City-owned, multi-cultural center that provides a home base
where members of marginalized communities – young and old – can gather, meet, teach,
provide information and celebrate their cultural traditions.
2. Expand cultural competency and gender diversity awareness trainings for all City
employees, including police, which focus on marginalized communities in Eugene, and open
these trainings up to teachers and administrators at 4J and Bethel Schools. Seek
recommendations directly from marginalized community members as to which trainings
and trainers would be most effective.
3. Provide City resources and support to groups in the community interested in resurrecting
the annual Eugene Celebration in the form of a Multicultural Parade and Festival, an event
showcasing the foodstuffs, music and other cultural attributes of the different communities
that make up Eugene.
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4. Work with all marginalized communities to stir interest among their young people in
pipelines – including summer high school and college internships – that offer a potential
route to full-time employment with the City of Eugene.
5. In planning for a new City Hall, incorporate artwork and photos that represent Eugene’s
many different communities. Also include signage in different languages.
Conclusion
The human right to freedom from discrimination is being denied members of Eugene's
communities of color as well as its Muslim, LGBTQ and other marginalized communities.
Their many contributions to the broader community are too often bypassed or ignored, a product
of their marginalization by the dominant majority. In our large group gathering on May 31st,
participants expressed appreciation for hearing about others’ experiences and the similar themes
among the groups. Indeed, a lot of people have felt overlooked, a lot of voices unheard.
In the course of the focus group meetings, it was not unusual for participants to thank the Human
Rights Commission for reaching out and "really listening" to their experiences in Eugene. All
groups had positive things to say about the City. At the same time, they expressed hurt,
resentment and anger over repeated assaults on their dignity and worth, assaults that ranged
from blatant to subtle.
Fearful of a political climate in which they are maligned by officials at the highest levels of
government, focus group participants at times expressed anxiety over where this was leading. It is
not surprising then that many look to local government for support in resisting discrimination and
gaining respect for their unique identities and contributions. The recommendations in this report
logically track what these marginalized groups believe needs to be changed.
One participant expressed a sentiment heard throughout the focus groups, “I have an internal
dialogue full of cynicism. I’ve participated a lot and given tons of feedback. I’m doing it again. I
want to see what will happen this time. I’m trying not to be cynical.”
We thank all who participated in the ten focus groups and urge the City Council to view acting on
these recommendations as critical to improving the quality of life for all of Eugene’s residents.
Bonnie Souza Ken Neubeck
Eugene Human Rights Commissioner Eugene Human Rights Commissioner
June 2017
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APPENDICES
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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Eugene Human Rights Commission
Human Rights & Neighborhood Involvement office
99 W. 10th Avenue, Suite 116
Eugene, OR 97401
ATTN: Katie Babits
Katie.E.Babits@ci.eugene.or.us
541-682-5277
Eugene Human Rights Commission
Anti-Discrimination Workgroup
Focus Group Questions
1. How do you feel about living here?
a. Let’s imagine that you just met someone new to Eugene who is a (fill in
focus group community name, e.g. Pacific Islander). What are some of the
things you would tell them about living here as a (focus group name)?
Would you offer them any advice as they settle into Eugene?
b. Do you feel welcome in Eugene?
i. How do you feel in parks and open spaces?
ii. At work?
iii. Schools?
iv. Walking around your neighborhood? (And which neighborhood is
that?)
v. Local Businesses?
vi. Malls?
vii. Commercial Districts?
c. From your perspective, what are the key concerns you have for yourself,
your family and the (focus group name) community? Of the things you have
identified, which do you feel are the top two concerns in your community?
d. Are there places or times that you feel more comfortable than others?
2. Has your treatment in the Eugene community been affected by the presidential
campaign and election? If so, how?
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3. What if any experiences have you had with discrimination, hate or bias in Eugene?
a. In the Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Office we track
incidents of hate, bias and discrimination. Do you have or do you hear stories from
community members about incidents of hate, bias or discrimination in Eugene? Do you
hear these stories regularly?
b. From these experiences, which are the most common experiences? Do you
think they are reported, and to whom?
4. When you have experienced discrimination, hate or bias what do you think could
be done to help you?
a. Given what we just talked about, do you have ideas that would help make
our community or your neighborhood a better place to live for you?
b. When you or others in your community have these kinds of experiences,
what are the types of community support or solidarity you as an individual
or your community would find most helpful?
c. Reporting hate and bias incidents is one of the most effective ways to ensure
we do not have repeat offenders. What do you think would encourage people
in your community to report these incidents? How can we ease the process?
If time permits, additional questions are…
A. Who are your strongest allies in the Eugene community? Which organizations do
you turn to for support in this work, and why?
B. Are there groups or individuals in your community that you feel are not as well
represented or served by organizations, service providers or by the City?
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C. What role do you think City government and commissions can play in
helping your community feel more welcome and included in Eugene?
a. One of the things we really want to focus in on is how the HRC is serving the
community. What are your perceptions and thoughts about the Eugene Human
Rights Commission?
b. (Refer to the Is/Is Not piece) - Does this document clarify anything for you
about the Human Rights Commission? Do you have questions/comments about
the function of the HRC?
D. Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
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City of Eugene Human Rights Commission
Mission Statement
The mission of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) is to promote implementation of human rights values and
principles in all City of Eugene programs and throughout the wider community.
To carry out this mission the Commission shall affirm, encourage and initiate programs and services within the
City of Eugene’s government and the wider community designed to place priority upon respecting, protecting,
and fulfilling the full range of universal human rights as enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. To support and promote human rights, the Commission will:
a) Provide human rights education
b) Be proactive in human rights efforts
c) Address human rights violations
d) Help ensure active public participation
e) Be transparent and open
f) Be publicly accountable for human rights progress
SOME EXAMPLES OF WORK THE EUGENE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HAS DONE
• Bringing a human rights lens to City operations. Examples: The Commission successfully pressed for
creation of a community-based oversight committee, including a human rights representative, on
building projects proposed by developers seeking tax incentives under the City’s Multi-Use Property Tax
Exemption (MUPTE). Internal to the City, the Commission has been working with City staff on carrying
out their Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan, which includes implementation of human rights values and
principles in all City departments. A Commissioner serves on the staff’s Equity and Human Rights Board
which oversees the Plan. Commissioners also serve as liaisons from the HRC to other City boards,
committees or commissions, including the Police Commission and Civilian Review Board.
• Advising the Mayor, City Council, and City Manager. The Commission: sought and received Council
endorsement of the Integration Network for Immigrants of Lane County Statement of Principles that
welcomes immigrants to our community; has advised Council on the need to address the criminalization
of homelessness in Eugene; and received the Council’s unanimous approval for revising the City’s
Human Rights Ordinance to include the full range of human rights in response to findings from a 2011
Human Rights Listening project involving wide community participation.
• Outreach to and collaboration with community groups. Commission members have established
relationships with such community groups as: Eugene/Springfield NAACP, Integration Network for
Immigrants of Lane County, Springfield/Eugene Showing Up for Racial Justice, Beyond Toxics, Juventud
FACETA, the PRIDE Festival, Lane County Fair Shot, Eugene Winnemem Support Group and many others.
• Bringing human rights education to the community. The Human Rights Commission stages a variety of
public events, often in collaboration with other social justice groups in the community. For example, the
Commission partnered with the Community Alliance of Lane County (CALC) on a forum called “Voices of
the Homeless,” with CALC and the First Congregational Church on “Human Rights and the Crisis of Youth
Homelessness,” and with LGBTQ groups on the annual “Transgender Remembrance Day.”
• Annual Celebrations of International Human Rights Day Each December, the Commission hosts a
public celebration of the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that focuses upon
human rights issues in Eugene. Themes vary and have included “Intersections of Racism and Rights” and
“Immigrant Rights Are Human Rights!”
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THE CITY OF EUGENE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
IS:
IS NOT:
An advisory body on human rights
A human rights enforcement agency
Made up of community volunteers and a liaison
member of the City Council
Made up of City employees or paid Commission
members
Appointed by City Council, which reviews applications
to fill Commission openings
Elected
A group that seeks to amplify the voice of those who
are being or have been marginalized or excluded in
Eugene
A group that only listens or answers to City of Eugene
elected officials and staff and/or powerful and
influential people and businesses
Concerned with the full range of human rights and the
elimination of human rights violations in Eugene
A group with the capacity to be sufficiently informed
about and take positions on human rights violations in
other nations
Interested in learning from and working with all
segments of the community who experience human
rights violations
A group whose focus is single issue
Guided by an annual work plan created by Commission
members with the help of the Human Rights and
Neighborhood Involvement Office staff
Able to take on all emergent human rights issues,
mainly because of limitations in capacity
Required by City ordinance to submit its annual work
plan to the City Council for approval
Subject to interference by the City Council in its work
Mandated to follow state public meetings law
requiring public notice of HRC and HRC work group
meetings and keeping notes on attendees, topics
discussed and decisions or recommendations made
Permitted to meet or conduct its business outside of
the public eye (in the interest of transparency and
public participation in providing input to the
Commission)
Prohibited by state law to endorse political candidates,
take a position on state referendums or lobby on bills
Prohibited from allowing its members to be politically
partisan as private individuals
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AFRICAN AMERICAN Focus Group Themes
Characteristics of Racism
• People don’t want to appear racist, but there is a lot of racism. It goes back a long ways.
• Is crazy-making; this community values not being racist, deny that they are because they don’t want to be a bad
person.
• Blacks here have always been pushed aside. Biggest problem, no one wants to own up to it. Living here, you are
going to be confronted with it.
• You are going to experience [racism] from jobs, education…
• There have been black communities here, such as on the north bank of the Willamette River, where the Ferry Street
Bridge and Alton Baker Park now stand.
• Was Klan cross on Skinner Butte, starting in the 1920s. For years (1964-1997), concrete cross on Skinner Butte.
• Klan activity like ISIS, Taliban.
• When new in Eugene, you are going to interact with people who hold more progressive values.
• Eugene is progressive, but there is passive-aggressive racism and implicit bias.
• People are nice, but not honest.
• You are acceptable “because you are acting white.”
• If you come in confident, dress well, speak white, smile at everyone, you will be accepted—but that is racism too.
• We have internal conversations on how people will deal with you and how you should act.
• I expend a lot of energy when I speak.
• We go to the back door always; when the front door opens we still go to the back door—don’t want to hurt whites’
feelings.
Intersectionality
• Did not feel part of the black community; being in Eugene’s lesbian community, a more welcoming place.
Institutional Expressions of Racism
The City of Eugene
Across the Community
Police
• Know I’m a target. Been pulled over for license plate. 11 moving violations on my record.
• Police seem to have gone through training, more than other places I have been in my life.
• I get pulled over a lot; my husband does not (he is white).
Businesses
• Depends on who you encounter in stores; people assume I don’t know things
Housing
• It is a struggle to find housing with private landlords.
• Tried to rent houses, a real struggle, had to go through the university.
• 75 years ago, my uncle had the money, only place he could buy a home (2800 block of Monroe), considered out of
the city.
Jobs
K-12 Education
• There is no narrative to explain black identity except the slave narrative; ancient civilizations and accomplishments
are denied so there is nothing positive about black history; education sticks to this.
• I am an ancient African whose people were captured; through our fortitude, we came through it.
• Mental confusion – “Who am I? Where do I fit in? Am I a thug maybe, or am I authentically black because I am a
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black person?” Self-identity issue.
• Knowing one’s history is stabilizing to identity. We would be so much better off if we learned a different narrative.
• “If a person doesn’t remember where he came from, it’s hard to get to where you want to go.”
• Grew up “white” in her mind until age 26—didn’t accept mistreatment.
• He had to work really hard in school to survive, co-exist.
• Lack of respect for black achievement.
• “Bedrock” of being African American – “seen generational discrimination in educational achievement, employment,
housing.”
Higher Education
• U of O is dealing with KKK names on buildings.
• Because of racism, we have not been able to have our books in UO.
Social Services
• In emergency room, people not knowing how to act, how to react – Is it okay to call you black or African American?
What should we call you?
Hostile Political Environment
• People who fight racism get pushback.
• Nationalism is very real right now – the undertone is just hate.
• Trucks with confederate flags go around the city, striking fear in people.
• Don’t tread on me – images that are meaning to cause fear.
Micro-aggressions
• Moved into Amazon neighborhood—people stop and stare
• People know they are new—no other black people here; people don’t know how to react.
• Moved into neighborhood, smiled at everyone, found people to be friendly, but had to prove my hippy credentials.
But I am not a hippy; I am a leftist.
Isolation and Need for Safe Space
• “I am a redneck in disguise; makes it easier for me.” Hunts and fishes, thus passes.
• “We choose different paths, but don’t forget we are black.”
• Propensity to stay in our own space. Why are you here? Self-secluded, keep to ourselves, not a lot of civic
engagement.
• Church is a bedrock for older generation; it is a sanctuary and black people have power there, but not in the
community.
• “[Church] is where we are safe; doesn’t extend into the community.”
• Confidence of faith.
• Black church is more powerful than is imagined; it is not embracing other religions, young people, and greater
community.
• Black people are not only Christians – Muslim, Buddhists, Atheists…
• “Granddaughter 4-5 years old looks in the mirror and says ‘I want to be white’.”
• “We need our spiritual people.”
• White pastors who would like to reach out – long-standing history of whites not engaging.
• Would like to see more faces of color. Coming to Eugene, “it’s a bit of a culture shock to be around so few people of
color.”
• Where higher population of African Americans, people are more comfortable.
Differences Within African American Community
• Have two communities here, by generation.
• Older generation experienced racism—they are the bedrock of the black community.
• Younger, educated people have different experiences—classism w/racism.
• “You are not black. You’re not from the ghetto.” “I think we really are experiencing some classism around racism.”
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• Where do I fit in? Young people have few positive role models.
• It is important for us to acknowledge men in our community.
• My first identity doesn’t come through lens of race, but being a child of god, though I have experienced racism and
recognize social injustices.
• A lot of the time, we are fighting each other – we all have differences.
• “Our real enemy has nothing to do with color or economics – it is a spiritual thing. Once we can work those things
out, a lot can take care of itself.”
• I am learning things about people who are local to this area. Different sources of hurt that I have experienced. I step
back and acknowledge that we live in a hurting world.
• Early generation has disconnected, is self-secluded, and doesn’t go out for civic engagement (“it’s not for us”);
church is safe and outside world is distrusted.
Needs of African American Community
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AFRICAN AMERICAN/BI-RACIAL YOUTH Focus Group Themes
Characteristics of Racism
• Eugene is a very welcoming place, never had any racist or bad things, but I’m not darker.
• Don’t let the color of your skin keep you from doing something.
• I don’t think race determines anything with my experiences; it’s welcoming.
• I would tell a parent not to send their kid to Sheldon; I have never felt welcome there. Too white to hang out with
the black kids and too black to hang out with the white kids. Hung with Asian girl.
• When you talk with people here, they’re nice to your face but masters at saying one thing to your face and
something else behind your back. “When you leave the room, the script flips.”
• I am not a big fan of Eugene. I am a Senior and will leave here. I will return to visit my parents, but I do not want to
be here.
• You should probably re-title this group to be bi-racial; others’ responses would be different.
Intersectionality
• Racism fuels other oppressions.
Institutional Expressions of Racism
The City of Eugene
• I find that Eugene is unique with its events. I’m really pissed we don’t have the Eugene Celebration any more. The
HRC should make that a recommendation. Have the African square, the Hawaiian square, the Taste of Chicago,
through food...
Across the Community
Police
• I just got my license and I haven’t been stopped. I’ve never had an encounter with the police.
Businesses
• The day after Trump was inaugurated, I’ve been to that Safeway hundreds of times. I felt like people were looking at
me like, what are you doing in that store, can you even afford to be there?
• There have been concerns in stores, about being out at night.
• You get followed in stores; it’s really bad. I always get followed in a store by the mall; they don’t train. Staring at
me, I make eye contact, they look away.
• They watch until you leave.
• I hadn’t been followed since I was 18 or 19, but last year I was at a store in the mall and it was really obvious. I
came back later and talked with the manager. That’s me at 24. I’m an adult.
• It was my 18th birthday and we went to the sex store because that’s what you do, right? And they kept being there
right behind us. I just left.
Housing
Jobs
K-12 Education
• As long as you’re fitting the part, taking the classes they think you should take, fitting their narrative; when you
push the boundaries, they don’t like it.
• Walk into physics, calculus, I was the only brown person in the class; I was the only African American taking the
full IB program (only five of us in the entire city).
• We have other brown students who are strong in math and other high level courses but they’re not pushing through
and doing it; they’re capable but for whatever reason, they stop pushing.
• Extreme amount of ignorance, the amount of knowledge when it comes to diversity, not taught in school, not enough
to reinforce understanding.
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• Level of ignorance is root of the problem --- not just having knowledge of the issue, many people not really wanting
to have that knowledge, don’t want to learn.
• In my ethics class I did a presentation with my friend on white privilege. We weren’t asked any questions but all
other presenters were. It was awkward and there are still kids from that class who won’t talk to me now.
• There was a dude in a truck with a confederate flag and he called middle schoolers who were walking the N-word.
• People think my sister is Mexican and treat her differently now.
• My little brother is in elementary school. He looks Mexican and got called “Juanita”.
• The problems at South, it’s never outright; it’s all the professors’ kids. They’re going to do it when you leave the
room.
• I have Courageous Conversations class and I stand up for stuff when the kids are saying something.
• We did an implicit bias thing and this guy was, like it says, I’m more comfortable around white people but I don’t
believe it. I said c’mon, you would be so uncomfortable if you were the only white person in a room full of black
people.
• Teachers: Don’t ask a brown person how they feel if you are talking about a black issue; let them raise their hand if
they want to share. Don’t put them on the spot. Don’t purposely split up or clump the kids of color together. They
put us in the same area or separate us if we are too close.
• Everyone stares intently at you when you’re talking about racism. Then they clap when you are finished speaking!
• You call somebody a racist in Eugene and everything stops. No one wants to be called a racist; it’s the most
offensive thing.
• You’re watching a slavery movie and the teacher says, if it’s too uncomfortable you can leave the room (everyone
looks at the one African American kid); it pushes people farther into their shell.
• The teacher brought up that African American people are most likely to have AIDS and everyone turned and looked
at the only black kid in the room. The student came to me (a teacher) and said I like white girls, and now they are all
going to think I have AIDS.
• Black teachers go the extra mile to help us. White teachers might, but there’s no one who has gone as far as the
black teachers do. They push harder for us because they know about our barriers. I had none at Sheldon, but I do at
Churchill.
• I had one black teacher, actually a principal, became like family.
• We need more teachers of color, black computer science professors…
• At one basketball game we didn’t stand for the pledge of allegiance. Why should I stand for people who don’t
respect me? And all they can say is what about the veterans. But they fought for us to have the right to choose if we
want to stand, not for us to have to stand.
• 4J put more teachers of color at Churchill, concentrating the few they had in the District all in one school, so they
could say Churchill is equitable. It is the system that is broken.
• South Eugene High School would allow stuff to happen. Senior pranks, kids driving trucks across lawn and teachers
helped. Okay to do that if you’re white.
• At school, there isn’t enough training for teachers and administrators. Teachers don’t have support of staff; students
asked for ethnic studies class and principal said No.
Higher Education
• Want more teachers of color, but colleges don’t provide support for their graduate students of color.
Social Services
Hostile Political Environment
• After the election, I started attending NAACP meetings and I lost a handful of friends; people said I can’t hang
anymore because I’m doing the black thing.
• My best friend from grade school told me to stop talking to her the day after the election; she had a Trump shirt on;
it’s like it’s okay to be racist now. “Brought out peoples’ true colors.”
• Making America great again is a code for making America white again.
• Kids have gotten really bold; confederate flag on truck.
• If you don’t assimilate to making a lot of money or running with rich people, you’re going to be called the N-word,
you’re going to be called less than.
• Our liberals can hurt us too; they can fall back into the mainstream – every day we walk out the door, we are dark.
• People who support Trump are bolder. We are seeing it a lot more than we were before.
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Micro-aggressions
• I live over by the mall and was walking with a mixed friend; an old man out watering his lawn starts watching us
and followed us. I was in middle school then. Even if the person was in his 20s, it could happen; racism is passed
down, no one is born like that.
• The level of ignorance is so high. I got called black face, said I was wearing it as a Halloween costume.
• Friends have taken screen shots of others (white kids) using the N-word on snapchat.
• I do not understand why people use the N-word. It is poison and you cannot turn poison into kool aid.
• I have been in places where I felt comfortable and then I realize that I am not comfortable – stares, whispering, you
feel people move away from you.
• We went up to my old basketball coach, the parent of my friend. He said, “congrats on me being Student of the
Month, it beats jail.” You laugh it off, maybe that’s a saying or something, but why would you say that?
• Lately I haven’t been hanging out with white people. It’s all black girls. We get looks; I feel like we look
intimidating so people don’t try us.
• Last week we were doing a training on the computer and this one group named themselves the Knee Grows. We
asked them about the name and they acted like they were joking.
Isolation and Need for Safe Space
• Not a lot of black people here but we’re pretty close knit.
• I moved from Portland to Eugene in ‘99. Had lived in a black neighborhood where communities take care of kids.
No neighborhoods like that in Eugene. African Americans are spread out. To see a black person was like seeing
Bigfoot; there were pockets at institutions, U of O.
• Get involved in community stuff; that is where there are people who are allies.
• Nowhere to walk outside of school – my house, the Y, the mall.
Differences Within African American/Bi-Racial Community
Needs of African American/Bi-Racial Community
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ASIAN AMERICAN Focus Group Themes
Characteristics of Racism
• If you were raised in a predominantly white environment where there were few or no POC and are used to white
dominance, your view on experiences here is different than if you came from San Francisco or Seattle.
• It’s really white here.
• My experience in Eugene is not a white experience. I learned to be safe, going toward fairness and justice, and found
my place with other POC.
• Been here for 25 years. “There are times when you feel you don’t belong. South Eugene feels safer, more
progressive, more inclusive.”
• My third week here, I was told to go back to China.
• Came from Hawaii to the mainland in the hopes of being “white” but you can’t try to be white, so I was forced to
think about my identity—found my way to Asian American groups.
• People in Eugene are interested in Asian American cultures, but not the people.
• “It is more safe to be invisible. I am grateful that we have this focus group.”
• There is an attitude in Eugene among whites that we don’t need to talk about racism; they see themselves as beyond
that, post-racial.
• Will not walk downtown alone. Am subject to catcalls with racist undertones.
• In this town, it is seen as a negative if a person doesn’t speak English as a first language.
• Racism is important to us. We want a safe place. No one will back us up but ourselves.
• The white ally part has not developed for us.
Intersectionality
Institutional Expressions of Racism
City of Eugene
• The City does not really support the Asian American community.
• It does not provide financial support for events at the level it provides for NAACP/African Americans.
• The City supports events but does not support Asian American people.
• Need to get City electeds to come to Asian American cultural events where they can build their awareness and begin
to gain some cultural competency.
• Asian Americans are a resource to the City when it needs their help, but when Asian Americans need help, the City
does not respond. Community word of mouth is most important in Asian Americans deciding to come to Eugene,
not the information put out by the City about itself.
• We challenge the Human Rights Commission to make something happen in this city.
• It is tiring and taxing to have to help our own community; the City and County need to play more of a role and to
work with Asian Americans as allies.
• Asian Americans need space for young people to learn Taiko – a cultural space.
• We need to present the City with a plan for what we want in a cultural center, costs, timetables, and what is needed
from the City to make this plan happen, but the Asian American population is very small and lacks the critical mass
of professionals that could create this plan.
Across the Community
Police
• After the tazing of the students, Chief Kerns was to set up an advisory group of Asian Americans, but it doesn’t
meet.
• My sister was here, a Filipina, someone in “police gear” was trying to flirt with her – exotification of Asian women.
Businesses
• There are few places to get food that truly reflect our culture. “Not a single dim sum place.”
• Asian American businesses and churches do their own thing, don’t get involved with the larger community.
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Housing
• South Eugene seems like a safe environment in which to live.
• 40 years ago, could not get a house if you were Indian, Asian American, Latino.
• It is a good place to live.
Jobs
• I was asked at work (Lane County) if I can translate for Korean or Japanese.
K-12 Education
• 4J has not changed in years. The staff is not necessarily safe. It is still necessary for POC to try to educate people
there that they work with. Cultural competency is lacking.
• It should not be the responsibility of POC to educate whites.
Higher Education
• We need to find space for people in the community and at U of O to meet that is off campus; many people don’t feel
comfortable coming to campus.
• Will be happy to graduate and to get out of Eugene.
• International students are very vulnerable to racial abuse. There have been unreported sexual assaults of Asian
women. We should have a focus group to hear from international students.
• Students avoid coming downtown, don’t feel safe or welcome.
Social Services
Hostile Political Environment
• It’s not safe to be political here, as an Asian American woman. Whites see you as a threat.
• There can be backlashes to speaking up—you can get fired.
Micro-aggressions
• There is a lack of cultural competency in Eugene.
• Consistent micro-aggressions every day—without connections, could not survive.
• It is necessary to behave as expected at work, to fit in and “act white.”
• We have a duty not to respond to expressions of racism with anger, but instead should respond in a way that
educates.
• Anselmo Villanueva’s “Exit Files” show many professional POC coming to Eugene and then leaving for reasons
discussed—no cultural center, too few events, food, lack of cultural competency, sense of isolation, etc.
Isolation and Need for Safe Space
• There are times you feel you don’t belong.
• Have always felt unsafe in Eugene, felt like the “other.” Is important to find other POC.
• I keep my mouth shut a lot.
• If you are not black, brown, or white, you are invisible in Eugene.
• It is not safe to be invisible—the majority assumes you are doing well even when you are not.
• People need to network with other groups to survive here.
• Don’t feel like I belong, am thinking of leaving.
• Retention is a big problem.
• The Asian American population is small, which contributes to its invisibility.
• Many people do not interact with the community or engage in political or civic activities, but stepped up in response
to the tazing of the Chinese students.
• There is no place for youth to gather.
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Differences Within Asian American Community
• There is racial prejudice among and between Asian American populations.
• Asian Celebration helps to bring these populations together; “for a lot of us, only time we see each other.”
• All Asian American groups support each other’s events—that is something unique about this community.
Needs of Asian American Community
• We need space where we can gather, be with people like us, teach about our history and what they are not teaching
in schools, practice our own cultures (e.g., line dancing), “a space for people to just go and be.”
• Finding someplace to have events. “We have members who don’t feel comfortable meeting on campus.”
• Finding and funding a communal space would be a big step forward.
• We don’t know where or how to report complaints.
• Most times people reach out in severe cases. We want to report, but we don’t. If being catcalled, for example, the
process isn’t easy enough when you want an immediate resolution.
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LATINX Focus Group Themes
Characteristics of Racism
• Racism is highly systemic.
• Builds on its own history.
• Name-calling and milk shake thrown at me and my brother when I was 11.
• White privilege prevails.
• Not bad people; bad actions, because of their privilege to ignore.
• Oregon and Eugene are progressive, but only on the surface.
• Whites believe they know the experiences of people of color when they do not.
• Latinos are seen as a threat when they complain about their treatment.
• 1964 before people of color (POC) could move here.
• Occupy needed representation from POC.
• We deal with the same issues,” referring to all focus groups.
Intersectionality
• Intersectionality is important to understand as racism impacts people differently.
• No Latino nights for gay Latinos or other people of color in white dominated clubs.
• Gay Latinos are ignored by the white LGBTQ community; lack of diversity and racism unrecognized.
• A lot of hetero-normative directed at you; you are going to feel out of place, uncomfortable.
• Daily stories about mistreatment of people who are trans or gay and are also of color.
• “I knew I would have to work twice as hard because I came from a low income family.”
Institutional Expressions of Racism
• A lot of systems set in place to benefit white people – segregation, slavery…
• Housing access, loans from banks, ban the box…
City of Eugene
• City organization does not know how to engage with the Latino community; needs to diversify.
• Reporting experiences of hate or bias does not help stop these incidents.
• We have a very expensive, new skate park near where many Latinos live, but they don’t skate. Need multicultural
centers built and events held.
• Skinner Butte has KKK plaque celebrating “illuminated crosses.” Systemic white power structure(s).
Across the Community
Police
• Latinos are profiled by whites, who call police about “suspicious” people – treated like criminals.
• Latinos are followed by and stopped by police (profiling) when not doing anything wrong.
• I do not feel safe on campus, especially when police are armed or could be in the future.
• Seems less safe for Latinos in Eugene than decades ago, e.g., police behavior and public attitudes.
• They flagged their lights, detained me 15-20 minutes, searched (I allowed) and found nothing, have to call more
officers every time.
• My voice is not valued; I’m treated as a criminal. Police are scared of POC.
• May seem safe here to Latinos who have escaped much worse places, e.g., South LA.
• “Police are afraid of us, a lot of officers want to get armed.”
• Police do not listen, can feel threatened by efforts to explain or to disagree; scary when they’re armed.
• How am I supposed to feel safe? Police must be held accountable.
• No police of color.
• What trainings are they getting? Cultural training? Who is giving that training?
Businesses
• Latinos are blamed when others start trouble or cause conflicts, e.g., at local bars.
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• Racism is expressed by rudeness in the provision of services, e.g., library, coffee shop.
• Customer service, person in front of you treated well, then not the same for you, different, rude.
• Hard for a minority to date here. Dating apps allow expression of racial preference and discrimination: “whites only,
just a preference, sorry”.
• VRC, Gateway, followed by security, randomly checked.
Housing
• Very hard to find places to live. Landlords charging higher rents, not getting deposits back.
Jobs
K-12 Education
• Have been patted down by school security, but not white students.
• Schools are not culturally competent.
• Name calling, “beaner”, educational system.
• PBS Video “Precious Knowledge” shows culturally competent curriculum in Tucson.
Higher Education
• Parents don’t speak English, no help. If I came from white, middle class family, parents would be taking care.
• Undocumented don’t get a lot of info or resources.
• Police on and off campus treat Latinos with negative bias.
• People rude to me.
• U of O has statues of oppressors; buildings named after racists, e.g., Deady Hall.
• If mistreatment is bad on campuses, how bad can it be in the outside world?
• Get discouraged by this treatment, lose confidence and ability to strive and achieve in school/college.
• Pay attention to movements by students of color on the campuses; they carry significant messages.
Social Services
• White Anglo social service providers route people to Centro Latino, hardly serve Latinos.
• Agencies need cultural competence, are not providing services, very few materials in Spanish.
• Latino professionals are tokenized and kept on a leash; everyone just refers Latinos to them.
• Mental health services for Latinos are lacking or do not exist in Spanish.
Hostile Political Environment
• I have been in this country since 1951. As an immigrant, this is the most hateful and fearful time. It has always been
here, but [now] it is huge and dangerous and scary. I am more aware of other communities. I want this community to
figure out how to respond in a real way, quickly and loudly, and not wait until someone gets killed.
• Dave Ralston picks up on racist attitudes, speaks out, and reinforces those attitudes.
• The incident in Springfield, with the Nazis in the street, is being normalized. I was getting some pizza late at night
and somebody said to me to be sure to record when I get beat up by the Nazis. I’ve never felt more unsafe by myself
on the streets.
• This is an urgent time. People who have the ability, power and voice to say something need to act.
• Is there a way for the City to respond (to hate and bias incidents/crimes) so that people feel like somebody cares?
Micro-aggressions
• Micro aggressions go on all the time, every day.
• Commonly individuals are asked to “speak for your community”. No white person is going to ask you to speak for
all whites.
Isolation and Need for Safe Space
• Feel out of place, uncomfortable, in the absence of people who look like me.
• Here we have the need to blend in, not stand out.
• On arrival one needs to find (make) their own community and space; it’s what keeps you sane.
• Some places are not safe to be, you know when it is time not to be there or to leave.
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• No place to go. No barrio, tortillas, a place to feel supported.
• You need physical space, a place where you can go and feel safe.
• Just not a lot of brown faces in Eugene and in its institutions.
• Moving from Arizona, experienced culture shock in awareness of lack of brown faces here.
• You need to find your community to have safe space to be Latino, be yourself.
• I have experienced more problems in Eugene than in Arizona, more comfortable because my people were there; the
Latino community is not connected here. Community can provide a safe space to be.
Differences Within Latino Community
• Other Latinos may try to pull you down.
• Must mind who you align yourself with in the community.
• White power structure uses people of color; no one person speaks for Latinos, need forums instead.
Needs of Latino Community
• Latinos not taught how to work the system; it sucks not being able to navigate systems.
• Need cultural centers for community members, not just on the campus; they can provide resources.
• Community needs a center to gather; Latinos are spread out.
• Few Latino cultural events occur.
• People don’t understand they have rights.
• Need information and community services in their native language.
• Hard to find ways around because of lack of Spanish language signage.
• Need to hold police and others accountable for their behavior in order to change it.
• Power centers need to be diversified.
• Police training and curricula need to be examined.
• With systemic racism, specific policies are needed to tear down racism.
• Eugene needs to become a sanctuary city that protects and cares for Latino immigrants.
• Need to follow up on this focus group and report out, so folks know what was done with their input.
• Ethnic studies should be mandatory.
• Cultural competency is important. Learning how to engage community is important.
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Latinx Families Focus Group Themes
Characteristics of Racism
• Feel more safe here than in California.
• Have experienced racism in schools, businesses, at work.
• Racism happens more like jokes and playing around, mostly from younger people.
• Calmer here, no rush hour.
Intersectionality
Institutional Expressions of Racism
• The fact that undocumented people cannot get licenses is discrimination.
City of Eugene
• Should report discrimination (e.g., at stores) to the City. We need to know our rights.
• City needs to get information about people’s rights and what is going on, what the City offers. City website is not
very accessible—it’s in English. Churches can be used to provide information.
• There are 10-14 year old kids smoking in parks. When I ask them to move away from where my children are
playing, they don’t. What can be done? Police don’t come to check their ages. They are supposed to be smoke-free,
but is it being enforced equitably?
• Make the smoking kids do volunteer work.
• At parks, we need more basketball hoops and lower levels of hoops for smaller children.
• Skate park in Barger area is good.
Institutional Expressions of Racism
Police
• I have been stopped and followed by police, once by four officers. Once stopped, police were cordial.
• Police would not help with vandalism.
• They would not come out for two stolen cars.
• If a Latino is the victim, they don’t help. If a Latino may be the perpetrator, they come.
• Once the police were called on me because a neighbor had reported that I was stealing a car; I was getting into my
own car. It feels like they come when they’re called ON us, but not when they’re called BY us. This happened in
South Eugene.
• When I’ve called and needed help, the police came right away.
• Police did not respond to the report of a stolen truck. Went to EPD and they would not allow me to report it.
Businesses
• Royal Avenue store will not sell me lottery tickets without ID, and will not accept my passport; said it was not legal.
This happens to other Latinos. Also happens at Springfield Mall.
• Happens to Latinos in stores if they do not speak English. ID’s are not accepted, even if they are totally legal, such
as the Oregon ID Card.
• You are followed in the store. They don’t trust you.
• If you don’t speak English, more problems at stores and in restaurants. I find myself helping in those situations and
defending people.
Housing
Jobs
• People experience discrimination at work.
• I see discrimination in how people are served or treated at my job. I was asked to leave and, while I was walking
out, I was watched carefully the entire way to the car to make sure I didn’t take anything. Felt I was let go because
of discrimination.
• People at work question if I’m documented. When my papers weren’t in order, I was very concerned about this.
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They were willing to help somebody else with a similar problem, but not me.
• When I was applying for a job, I was told I couldn’t have my son’s help in filling out the application. It was returned
to me. Treated me badly.
• There is little upward mobility for Latinos at work; difficult to move up, increase pay.
• Need to find ways to get some time off so we can be with our kids.
K-12 Education
• Daughter defends herself from bullying in school and she gets in trouble with the teacher, often substitutes. Once it
gets to Administration, they respond well.
• They are substitute teachers, and new principal needs to know about incidents.
• Latinos are singled out during afterschool programs.
• Once, my son and others were lined up in school and blamed when bathrooms were found dirty. This happened after
school when regular staff were not there.
• After school programs need to follow school rules in treatment of children.
• We need to be strong advocates for our kids. The administration is not taking responsibility for teaching our
children. My child was getting all A’s before we came to Oregon and is now being defined as unlikely to be
successful in school.
• Good for parents to get involved in the school so they can see what is going on.
• Playground equipment needs to be adjusted to accommodate different age kids. Some is too low for older kids.
Higher Education
Social Services
• People getting child welfare called on them because they leave their kids in the car. Our families don’t always
understand the rules in the U.S. There is a disconnect between ways of doing things culturally versus the laws here.
• Need trainings to communicate what is neglect, what are the laws, different themes, including immigration, would
help us do the right thing.
Hostile Political Environment
• People not able to get drivers licenses is discrimination.
• People feel like they won and have permission [to mistreat others]. This makes it scary. Many of us now don’t want
to shop, send kids to school. We fear harassment in public.
Micro-aggressions
• People tell her she is in America, speak English.
• Followed in businesses, treated like criminals.
Isolation and Need for Safe Space
• Need some news in Spanish or Spanish caption, especially when dealing with safety and with things the whole
community needs to know about.
• Are two AM and one FM radio stations in Eugene. One station has news in Spanish.
Differences Within Latino Family Community
Needs of Latino Family Community
• Helpful if city could share “know your rights” information. Also what the City offers and what events are
happening.
• It would help if, when news is shared, especially concerning community safety, if it was also captioned in Spanish.
• City web site is not very accessible—it’s in English.
• Good outreach for the City – use churches that serve the Latino community. Can be used to provide information.
• We have 3 Spanish-language radio stations here and the City could share information with our community that way.
• Bosses may not know what their employees are doing. The City needs to educate employers and put them on notice
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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about discrimination, such as at the store mentioned on Royal Avenue.
• Could police regularly drive by parks to monitor 10-14 year olds smoking? It’s supposed to be smoke free, the
smokers don’t listen to me.
• It would help for the parks to think about better serving a range of ages.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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MUSLIM Focus Group Themes
Characteristics of Islamophobia
• One incident in my two years here, but good place. One guy told me “No Syria” while I was walking downtown.
• Moved here six years ago. Never had incidents until this past year, with the presidential election and hate wave in
the media. Had three incidents where people yelled at me to go home, all after the conventions.
• The majority of what I experience is on campus. The hate things and of go home and you don’t belong here is
simply for being Muslim, instead of being treated as an individual. That is wrong.
• On campus, since Trump won, I’ve been attending rallies to spread compassion and stand up to that.
• Restaurant vandalized (bricks thrown through window) after 2001; was very frightening; people sent flowers and
offered sanctuary. Also had a smoke bomb thrown into the dining room once. Need to be vigilant with rise of right.
• Been here for five years, had two incidents when I first got here, both at Costco; I believe they were the expressions
of country people.
• From what people are sharing, the experiences of men are different because, looking at us, you wouldn’t know I’m
Muslim. With women wearing headscarves, people know right away. With men they get to know us first and then
find out.
Intersectionality
Institutional Expressions of Islamophobia
City of Eugene
Across the Community
Police
• Feel comfortable calling the police in an emergency.
• Do have trust in the police.
• Kids watch that the police shoot someone because of who they are; sometimes the person shot is not armed or
anything and then the kids have a memory that the police may hurt you.
• I feel scared to call the police after seeing blacks being shot and killed. I won’t call the police because of that; I
don’t trust them the way I did growing up.
• Police are so sassy on campus; it’s unnecessary sassiness.
Businesses
• Only two experiences (at Costco) when I first came here five years ago. The same type of individual, “country
people.”
• Has been discrimination against me at work at pre-school center; I felt the woman who was in charge was
discriminating against me. Every day I experienced this, I felt sad and couldn’t just feel better; wondered if I should
put my health at risk to get paid. I quit my job working with preschoolers; didn’t report it to my employer.
• I have worked here for seventeen years and, in each place where I worked, there was someone who doesn’t accept
me. I just ignore them and focus on the positive things.
• My experience at work, I have not had any issues whatsoever; my co-workers respect and support me. They know
I’m Muslim from day one.
Housing
Jobs
K-12 Education
• Child in middle school was harassed and called a terrorist. The principal couldn’t control the situation and blamed
my son for the problem; said he was not allowed to come to school or attend the graduation party. I had to fight with
the principal to get this harassment recognized and stopped. We’ve been going through counseling since then.
Something like that happens every year, we have to navigate this all of the time. It affects a child’s self esteem.
• South Eugene High School group hug of Muslim student after election; told her they wanted her to stay. September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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• Daughter in high school wears headscarf; do not feel safe any longer having her walk to school. Especially after the
election, I drive her to school.
• All have kids in this generation who will be adults who will not be able to live to the fullest because they don’t feel
accepted.
Higher Education
• To be honest, the president and vice-president are working very hard to make campus welcoming; still on campus
you might face hate crimes; getting emails and contact from the VP about how it’s going, those efforts are very
meaningful.
Social Services
Hostile Political Environment
• UO campus has incidents since Trump campaign.
• Were incidents this year on the street after convention; had three people yell at me to go home.
• President tells rednecks it is ok to mistreat Muslims.
• Today we’re hearing Muslims will be forced to register; it’s telling everyone who is a bigot that it’s ok to go and do
whatever you want with others who are different from you.
• Jewish community has said they will register as Muslims if there is a registration.
• The night after the election, we had some high schoolers painting their faces black in front of the African Student
Union. The election has unleashed the racism inside of people.
• My experiences since the election have been great and positive; since the election I have received comfort and
support; I’m glad that people are being nice to me.
• I used to feel safe and okay about going out. Since the election, I don’t feel the same. I don’t go out now without my
husband or others. Don’t feel safe, especially since I wear a headscarf.
• I also don’t feel as safe walking places.
• My experiences have been great and positive. Since the election, I received comfort and support. I’m glad people are
being nice to me.
Micro-aggressions
• Looking at men, you wouldn’t know if we were Muslim or not; with women wearing head scarves people know
right away you are Muslim; with men they get to know us first and then find out; the experience is different.
• People have come to me to say they have voted for Trump and then say sorry; I don’t have time for that.
• I personally don’t like when people say sorry to me; I get it but it’s not their responsibility. I want to be left alone;
saying sorry doesn’t help me.
• People expect Muslims to apologize if terrorism occurs elsewhere; it’s not my job to apologize for these acts.
Isolation and Need for Safe Space
• If you are new, go to mosque because, once you go there, you fall in love with the community. Small group of
people, know everyone personally.
• Eugene safe, no incidents, good place to raise family.
• Love it here.
• Safe place, no incidents.
• Eugene is very accepting.
• Other faith communities show support.
• Even mellow Eugene has some hate among them; since 9/11 we have had incidents at the mosque where people
came from the community and stood outside with signs saying we are here to protect you.
• After 9/11 and vandalism at my business, I received many cards, flowers and calls offering support. Incidents that
were bad were one percent and the good responses by the community were overwhelming majority.
Intersectionality
Differences Within Muslim Community
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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Needs of Muslim Community
• I think number one concern is safety; if you’re not feeling safe it takes away from your life.
• Number one concern of Muslim community is safety at work, on street, at mall.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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NATIVE AMERICAN/ALASKA NATIVE Focus Group Themes
Characteristics of Racism
• Not comfortable speaking for my entire tribe.
• New Agers take over your culture, get upset and defensive when questioned.
• Very few places are native-friendly.
• “I avoid Country Fair because I do not want to be token Indian.”
• “I take Halloween off each year” people with headdresses, blackface. “Jovial Racist Day”
• “I thought you were all wiped out. How did you survive?”
• Told to wash my skin.
• Stereotype all tribes as getting lots of money.
• Movies create stereotypes.
• Images of Plains savage kind of Indian. When you vary from that, people question your identity. Most of what
people know is inaccurate.
• People have romantic notion of who NAs are and how they dress.
• Native men are put down.
• There is bias when you are recognized as native.
• A lot of NA people shot and killed in Eugene in the past, seen as “justified” and not racism. This memory lives on in
the NA community.
• When you come from a place where everyone is family and then you come here and everyone is alone, you are
treated like you are bad.
Intersectionality
• White women murdered or missing get media attention, not women who are POC.
Institutional Expressions of Racism
City of Eugene
• If you go to parks to meet other NA do not go by yourself—it’s safer.
• Not many parks that are friendly.
Across the Community
Police
• In Whitaker “Planet” called police on NA girls renting lower level; person is afraid of POC; police question POC,
not complainant.
• Don’t trust police with complaints; they say we are overreacting.
• Mistreatment of NAs is not reported on – we know it won’t be handled appropriately, such a high profile town with
Ducks and Olympic Trials publicity.
• There is a lot of distrust of police.
• I do not trust police; I would never invite police to my home ever.
Businesses
• Saturday Market, hippy places, are not comfortable for NAs.
• In Market of Choice, asked where products are, as though she works there.
• Looked at like a criminal—don’t belong here.
• Am followed around at malls and stores, asked, “Can I help you?” – or ignored if you have a question or want to buy
something.
• Frequently get served last in restaurant, forget food, napkins, something.
• Don’t know what to do with you when you walk in a restaurant; jaws drop.
Housing
Jobs
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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K-12 Education
• Schools not friendly—headdresses were worn at Thanksgiving. At churches people dress up like pilgrims and
Indians.
• In schools, kids are jumped; school officials say they are wrong, are overreacting.
• Difficulty being the new kid of color at school.
• Kids are embarrassed for who they are.
Higher Education
• May be only dark face in class.
• Lane has no more people of color than 17 years ago.
• At UO, was asked to be designated speaker for entire tribe or all NAs.
• Dating is weird—guys look for NA women as a trophy.
• International students from Asian countries are taken advantage of and don’t know they have rights; young Asian
women are often a target and ashamed or afraid to report it, especially to superiors.
• I am so done with the university.
• Predators are moved, not fired.
• NA students have been written up when they complain.
• POC are very marginalized at UO. Faculty and staff have been tossed around. What happens to students?
Social Services
Hostile Political Environment
• Lots of people, hippies, Rainbow Gathering raising funds for Standing Rock but, when there, they are stealing
culture—calling gatherings powwows when they are not powwows, burning sage, all inappropriately.
• Whites and other POC don’t know about current NA issues except big ones like Standing Rock.
• Because of social media, people are at least aware of Standing Rock. Refreshing that people are listening.
• Standing Rock is not a festival or celebration; some people don’t believe the bad treatment happening to NAs there.
• Hippies and Rainbow Gathering people have been condescending at Standing Rock.
Micro-aggressions
• Cultural appropriation is all over.
• People act as if you are on display.
• People want to know everything about you, ask personal questions.
• ”You don’t look native. You look white.”
• “Oh, so you get your college for free, huh?” Demonized because they think you get a lot of things.
• People eating bacon, shaming me for eating seal.
• North Eugene not friendly: son’s name is a “nigger’s name”; husband is dark.
• Children have long hair and are mistaken for girls.
• At work, I am the “designated office Indian.” Isn’t this racist?
• Racism is not recognized; people get mad if you point it out, like Lane County “brown” bag lunches.
Isolation and Need for Safe Space
• Feel alone when you first come to Eugene.
• Culture shock, hard transition.
• People adopt others.
• Where are the natives? Come to the longhouse at UO and LCC.
• Making connections by coming to longhouse.
• Whites don’t understand native humor.
• Cultural differences are not understood, e.g., NAs eat meat.
• Don’t have to tone down or worry about offending someone in safe space like longhouse.
• You don’t want to talk about where you come from, who you are; you do not have to worry about that coming here
(to longhouse).
• Some of the tribes (Siletz) have programs open to all Native Americans/Alaska Natives. September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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• Also there is a native center in Springfield schools.
• Places I think are not very friendly: schools, Willamalane Day Care (make paper bag headdresses), some churches
(dress up like pilgrims and Indians).
• International students don’t have a safe place to go to; administration does not listen to complaints or protect people
(ex: sexual harassment by employer)
Differences Within Native American/Alaska Native Community
• You do not have to represent all Indians at longhouse. Each tribe is different; each clan and band is completely
different.
• Diversity in NA community not recognized—all are just “Redskins”, when every tribe, every clan and band is
different.
Needs of Native American/Alaska Native Community
• Need training in community on what hate crimes are.
• NA community does not know about City process for responding to bias incidents and hate crimes.
• Important to train about rights and de-escalation.
• We are asked to many focus groups and want to see the results.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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PACIFIC ISLANDER Focus Group Themes
Characteristics of Racism
• At times, I don’t feel welcome; “invisible” is the current word for me.
• The first year was so difficult for my son; others thought he was black.
• People thought he was Mexican.
• Are noticeable in public, stared at, so youth stay out of public and meet with family and friends.
• Until coming to mainland, never knew I was a woman of color; Pacific Islanders identify with ethnicity, not color of
skin.
• Is annoying to be grouped by color; people are proud of their ethnicity and need respect.
• When we are in public, we are noticeable. Don’t want to be subjected to the comments, the looks, whatever.
• Plan on moving back to islands after the kids are educated.
• Don’t know who your enemy is in predominantly white Eugene.
Intersectionality
Institutional Expressions of Racism
City of Eugene
Across the Community
Police
• I called the cops. When they come in, and see these two guys, they are going to arrest us.
• No one is going to call the cops.
• If you can intervene before you get to law enforcement, you do that.
• Eugene is better than other places.
Businesses
• Was in line in Safeway, not paying attention, person in front of me left, checker asked, “Is this WIC?” We were
dressed nice. It was offensive. “Could raise hell, but it’s every day, am just going to go home. People don’t get it.”
• I am really surprised it is happening here in Eugene. It is upsetting. Assuming he was on welfare because of how he
looks.
Housing
Jobs
K-12 Education
• Youth try to connect with other Polynesians, just like blacks or Mexicans. “If I see a Polynesian in school, I want his
number, to hang out. I am happy to see someone.”
• Some people think Polynesians are big Mexicans.
• Is “Sheldon way of doing things,” meaning the white way; makes POC feel marginalized (e.g., kid on football team
knelt and was admonished “this is not the Sheldon way”). Staff at the time made our kids feel marginalized,
disguised as a school thing.
• Son had a difficult transition, labeled as troublemaker; starving to be around others like him.
• There is no cultural competence in the school and similar incidents keep occurring.
• Son asked to welcome new student in middle school. He met a girl and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek (custom
in our culture) The girl was not offended. Someone down the hall saw and accused him of sexual harassment;
suspended from school for three days.
• At high school sports events, we stick out like sore thumbs.
• Asked what I could do to make staff more culturally competent; to be proactive, I taught ukulele classes once a
week, to teachers, students, administrators, taught about our culture.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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Higher Education
Social Services
Hostile Political Environment
• Presidential campaign was to “make America great again”. What does that mean? When things were worse for
people of color?
• I am really surprised it is happening here in Eugene. It is upsetting.
• Have worries about deportation of some PI family and friends.
Micro-aggressions
• Does not like cultural appropriations.
• Are micro-aggressions every day; white people just don’t see it.
• They happen at UO and high school.
• She has been asked five times a day about UO blackface incident.
• I am trying to teach my son to drive, driving slow, white guy flips us off, tried to run us off the road, “go back to
where you came from” (go back to Seattle?? My kid is in the car…). Ignorance.
• Easy 20-30 things each year.
• Being that marginalized population, each of us has exact stories. It is only when you get together that we hear them.
• Usually, I can see it coming. I can’t even talk.
• We need to support each other. We are out there on our own, and there is no-one advocating for us.
Isolation and Need for Safe Space
• Establishing relationships of support and help with newcomers is part of the culture.
• Not a lot of Polynesians here.
• I want everyone in Eugene to know what Samoans are. Samoans are going to make a difference in Eugene.
• It is not easy to start off; you don’t know where to go to look for your people, to get help.
• No people of color, all white, where are the average regular people?
• Polynesians are everywhere, but are underground.
• Tough if you don’t know anyone; it takes a while.
• There has to be a place where you can find your people.
• When I wear my clothes, I am Polynesian.
• Biggest thing for us is respect. Respect is a two-way street.
• Moved from San Diego; life was fast lane all the time; Eugene and Oregon is completely different. Laid back in the
Islands; weather like at home, only difference is temperature; I’m comfortable in the life here.
• Hard to move to a new place, new rules, trying to establish myself.
• Island life is so different.
• Pacific Islanders are easy going.
• Don’t care about resumé, family name, what high school; connect on a familial level.
• Would meet Polynesians at sports events.
• In our culture you don’t automatically offer advice, you offer help.
• Important to bond and be family; who is your family, your town, your high school.
• So hungry to make connections that I would approach strangers in stores wearing Hawaiian t-shirts.
• Want to share my culture with others, as at monthly Aloha show, third Friday every month, at Cosmic Pizza. Music,
hula.
Differences Within Pacific Islander Community
• Found a hula class, that is where I started (when I first arrived in Eugene and was looking for other Pacific
Islanders); run by Japanese woman who had left Hawaii 4 years before; cultures very different.
• PI cultures are different from one another, not all Hawaiian.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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Needs of Pacific Islander Community
• Wish there was a place to go and get help; not by yourself, need more gatherings like this.
• I wish there was somewhere to go where people could gather.
• Having a gathering place or opportunities to gather, really helpful as a community, to celebrate holidays that are
unique to our culture, to make connections, a place for our kids.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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LGBTQ Focus Group Themes
Characteristics of Homophobia
• There are always outliers but generally in South Eugene we’re accepted or people even think they want to be with us
so that their children can have an enriching gay experience.
• The folks in my circles who struggle the most are trans and gender queer people.
• I have not experienced any kind of discrimination, no issues in town; I tell my friends to come.
• When I moved in twelve years ago, Eugene was tolerant of queers; I’ve seen that moved toward acceptance and I
want to move it further toward celebrating.
• I feel very privileged I have a good job. I also feel very uncomfortable -- when I go out dancing at night, I want to
dress up in pink sparkly things and I don’t feel comfortable with that.
• “I will not hold my wife’s hand.”
• This community speaks about being progressive, but not enough to embrace people of color and all that means.
• I think that Eugene is very accepting of what is now mainstream heteronormal gay culture.
• Having grown up in a rural community, I feel more embraced in Eugene; feel safe coming to town.
• Eugene has become more accepting of gay people so long as they’re like the ones they show on TV.
• I was born here and have seen a lot of change; things have gotten better.
• I get to hear a lot of conversations. Lots of ignorance and lack of information about trans people.
• This community speaks about being progressive, but not enough to embrace people of color and all that means.
Intersectionality
• If you’re new in Eugene and white, I would say welcome, you’re in a great place. If you are a person of color, the
answer is different; tell them to be careful going out at night, colored by my own experiences. I would “prepare a
gathering with my people, introduce to POC; we can lift each other up and keep each other safe.”
• I have reached out to every community group that is welcoming to female people and have not found a place where I
fit. Not a lot of support besides meeting individuals who are like-minded. A white person may not share that
experience.
• Being a POC and LGBTQ is very different. I was harassed by a white gay man; it caused a lot of trauma. I was still
trying to figure out who I was.
• In the Latino community, it tends to be closed minded about these issues.
• I don’t feel welcome in Eugene at all ever, not because I’m queer but because of my race. I spend most of my time
in my house.
• I only feel safe in my house. I’m glad to hear that we are talking about the intersections of race because in my
experience I don’t think I could separate them.
• In my experience, I cannot separate homophobia, xenophobia, accent, old or look young; my heart is pounding
because the stories of folks of color around the table are my stories as well. There needs to be a shift in the culture,
from the top down.
• For a lot of white people in Eugene, you have to make an extra effort to reach out to diverse communities; John
(owner of Lamb) moved here from NY; still doesn’t know how to reach out.
• White LGBTQ people have white privilege; people of color are more subject to mistreatment. (LGBTQ)
Institutional Expressions of Homophobia
City of Eugene
• We never experienced harassment. Every supervisor I had in my 25 years with City of Eugene. The current city
manager’s motto was bring everything you are to work. I appreciate that in a professional setting.
• EWEB’s culture has changed a lot and I am out at work and feel comfortable with that. Still that’s in presenting
myself in a heteronormative context. How do I express that part of who I am and not suffer negative consequences?
How “out” can I be at work? If there is a promotion or the possibility of being assigned to the right project, then “not
very.”
• My drive to push the boundaries has been there with running for Slug Queen and doing queer burlesque—that is
where I feel most at home, with the freaks and outcasts.
• Those talking sessions 4-8 years ago that happened with city employees, community members. I was labeled that I
was too angry and my anger was creating my experiences. Not saying that everyone at COE is like that, but those
types of people are everywhere. As long as an agency has people like that, I question how much progress there is
going to be.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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Across the Community
Police
• I had really bad experiences with the police department. Showing my identification, gender doesn’t align. Officer
took my license with him in Springfield. Towed my car because he didn’t believe it was me.
• “I feel the least safe when I’m driving.” It’s a fear because of my experiences. There was a question about, is this
really you, could you step out of the car. I’m afraid because I don’t know what is going to happen.
• “I only feel safe in my house – no other place.”
Businesses
• I feel most comfortable going to the Lamb. Around my people where I can just be me.
• Have friend who works for a TV station; he found out through colleagues that he was not getting promotions like
others because he was too gay. Too feminine. Was threatened physically at a laundry place in West Eugene. Is now
moving to Washington.
• I feel least comfortable in commercial areas because people think that black people steal things; I get looks, glances,
people watch me when I’m in stores.
• I was assaulted outside of Cowfish.
• My roommate was jumped in the parking lot at the Flying Squirrel. As a person of color you need to know where
you are. He didn’t look, but I noticed the looks that we were getting.
• I’ve been there and had the same feeling of being unsafe.
• I was assaulted downtown and I don’t know if it was because of my race. That’s my experience every day. I’m
aware of who is around, where the exits are. I’m planning on moving to Seattle because of it.
• I do not feel safe in Eugene.
• I feel there is no place that I couldn’t go with the exception of West 11th or 99. When I go to LA, it’s like drinking
at an oasis in the desert of multicultural and racial experience. Eugene is the first place where I really haven’t had
that.
• The Lamb, look at the wall on the community project. We wanted to make sure people know Eugene is diverse.
Everyone is white except the drag queens who are African American.
Housing
Jobs
K-12 Education
• Was in middle school in Eugene as person of color and trans. District did not know how to handle the situation.
Teachers spoke of my situation openly without thinking about the consequences of what could happen to me. Didn’t
feel safe there, so I skipped. I don’t know what it is like now. People are a little more scared to discuss these topics
in middle and elementary.
• My kids go to Kelly Middle School where there are gay, trans students dating and holding hands. I just really think
what it must be like growing up in this generation; with what’s going on politically, the pendulum could swing back
any moment.
Higher Education
Social Services
• Frequently asked where to find a primary care physician who understands gay men’s issues, therapist who is
familiar with gay men’s mental health issues
• Mental health services in general is an issue. LGBTQ community services are lacking. If you have OHP, then it
really gets even harder. OHP has a very long waiting list.
• There is a need for centralized information. In other big cities, you have a queer community center where you know
to go for information.
• People who don’t speak the language are struggling for support. Where are the services and support for these folks?
Being a young Latino who doesn’t speak English, your culture is different, etc.
Hostile Political Environment
• Politically speaking I feel like they’re trying to split us. Can’t judge people based on race or color.
• Most people watch television and they grasp information that is not accurate. September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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Micro-aggressions
• Micro-aggressions from ignorance and curiosity are emotionally exhausting. Happens dozens of times per day. I
witnessed it happening and didn’t have the skills to call it out – “What did you mean by that?” In institutional
situations, can there be someone at city council meetings, etc., to note or call it out?
Isolation and Need for Safe Space
• I didn’t reach out to groups. Moved into town and grew friends through networks.
• Providing a space for queer people of color to celebrate and belong is very important. It’s hard to belong when you
can’t find people to relate to.
• Still don’t see a safe place here in Eugene for LGBTQ people of color; they opened the Lamb, great place to go
dance. But not open to dance to other music and experiences.
Differences Within LGBTQ Community
• See examples of “Intersectionality” in second section.
Needs of LGBTQ Community
• There is a need for centralized information. In other big cities you have a queer community center where you know
to go for information.
• We have neighborhood associations. Maybe we could have queer neighborhood associations. City was instrumental
in starting the arts and business alliance, a good model.
• We are building a new city hall. I want to see artwork from the different communities and photos with
representation from many communities. Signage in English and Spanish. Bathrooms that are gender neutral.
• I reported [hate/bias incident] to the police and was not told about HRNI. Need stickers in bars, on city property, bus
stations, bus ads, inside bathroom stalls; owners are pretty good and would put up signs; radio public service
announcements; booth at PRIDE; kids camps (one day focus on issues like this), start in Rec Guide; use different
languages to get the word out.
• Work away from response to proactive prevention; have a visible campaign to raise awareness of diversity and
positivity of inclusion.
• Still don’t see a safe place in Eugene for LGBTQ people of color; they opened The Lamb, great place to go dance,
but not open to dance to other music and experiences. For example, Latinx night.
• Need for ongoing, effective training for all City staff, including EPD.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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TRANS Focus Group Themes
Characteristics of Transism
• Have had nasty experiences on street, in neighborhood.
• Feel tolerated on the streets.
• Am always on guard, never know when someone is going to strike – verbal remarks, looks, lot of people feel
uncomfortable.
• Hypervigilant because in past have had hate incidents, but treated well in Eugene. Feels safer.
• If you “blend in” you’re ok; not all can do that ($40,000 and good plastic surgeon). Tall M2F stands out, does not
blend in as attractive young woman.
• Response online to KVAL interview was violent, mentioned bullets. This eats away at you, makes you anxious,
afraid to leave the house, to speak, to be outgoing.
• Ignorance, benign or otherwise, lot of people just don’t know concept of gender, sexuality; needs a lot more
coverage, far from over.
• Yelled at in restrooms.
Intersectionality
• Homeless trans people, can’t get job because homeless.
• I have a friend who is autistic and biracial (black). It’s really easy for him to get into trouble.
Institutional Expressions of Transism
City of Eugene
• No problems in park, no stares.
• There have been incidents at work with City.
• Had to battle with the City to get my medical needs as a trans person included in City health insurance. Hurts to
never be told why it was being denied. Finally got some coverage. It was discrimination but City still will not
acknowledge that. Union finally won it for all trans.
• Have been rejected by a customer as someone to provide him customer service. Yelled at in restroom. Am grateful it
has been uncommon.
• Know someone who quit City job due to chronic misgendering; creates hostile work environment.
Across the Community
Police
• Good experiences with EPD, UOPD. Possible gender awareness training at EPD.
• In the 90’s, pulled over a couple of times, treated me really well (Lane County Sheriff).
• UO Police Department, “We are here to help, here to make your life easier”.
• EPD, “If anyone gives you any difficulties, let me know”.
• Worked with police, good relations. Transponder been directing the trans awareness with EPD.
• Experience and sense with EPD, positive.
• Experience with police, two instances, I applied, confusion, lack of education.
Businesses
• I feel welcome but in some businesses not so much.
• Local businesses and malls? It depends on business.
• Am hypervigilant in malls. “Not all people are accepting and to know there are people who would be quite happy to
shoot me in the head; I am aware of that all the time.”
• Had nasty confrontation at fast food place in Springfield.
Housing
• Eugene is friendly, more welcoming than LA.
• There are trans people who are homeless.
• Need to feel safe in the home, if there is a problem, somewhere to go where I can get help. Otherwise can become
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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isolated, lose contact with world, could become suicidal.
• Unemployed, facing homelessness, and feel I have no future.
• If in transitional state, people less likely to want to rent to you.
• Live in South Eugene; when started coming out, brought us closer to neighbors, not further apart. One neighbor with
confederate flag on their truck questionable.
• A lot of hypervigilance about my neighbors; afraid to present myself out in my front yard, to weed.
Jobs
• Jobs, especially small businesses. Discrimination from ignorance; don’t know what transgender is.
• I have been called to job interviews and turned away.
• Jobs, concern, is it going to be an issue, is it not? I have been hired for my skills, old job, bathroom issues.
• Look for work, not easy, lot of interviews, no hires.
K-12 Education
Higher Education
Social Services
• Need to educate medical providers, both doctors and nurses. We do the education about the treatment they are
giving us; we should not have to do that.
• Should not be my job to educate nurses.
• Friend was booted from the Mission as soon as workers there realized she was trans.
• There have been issues with Ridesource drivers.
• Assaulted at VA by a doctor, during an exam. Been discriminated in the VA here and in Roseburg. Assault is on the
record.
Hostile Political Environment
• Powerful elements in society committed to harm us, encouraging states to pass laws, e.g., bathroom bills.
• “This law is as much about bathrooms as water fountains were during Jim Crow.”
• Bathroom bills are designed to dehumanize. Extremely painful on a personal level. Fundamental religious
organizations back these laws.
Micro-aggressions
• Am hypervigilant. When guard is let down, that is when bias incidents happen.
• At my job, some customers “give me my menu and walk away.”
• As a trans person, relate to not seeing people like you in authority.
Isolation and Need for Safe Space
• There is a nice support network, people are accepting, more people understand.
• Was in L.A. I like Eugene, a little more welcoming, friendly community. Haven’t had much problem.
• Make connections and friends like you because they will be your support. Nice to know you are not alone.
• Get involved with Transponder, be with people like you.
• Community has evolved and there is more support in the last five years. Trueselves web site is helpful; FB/Reddit
for trans, asking questions, getting answers. Live people more helpful.
• Eugene gives you breathing room to figure things out.
• Societal pressures/discrimination; got here and it was like the chains came off. Wayward Lamb is welcoming.
• It’s easy to be isolated, especially at the beginning of transition, awkward stage, easy to become insular.
• Transitioned in Eugene in 90s, from ’95-2000. Now being a trans woman in the community, larger support network.
• Get involved with Transponder or gender support group. Common experience all of us have. Knowing you are with
people who get it, who understand what you are going through every day.
• Most early transitions report on the internet. Lynn Conroy’s site is invaluable.
• Moved at 17, moved a lot, Eugene has felt like my first true home, about 7 years now.
• What pronouns would you prefer? “Thank you so much for respecting me.”
• Feel blessed that I live here in this city, that I have the Transponder community.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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Differences Within the Trans Community
Needs of Trans Community
• Need gender diversity awareness program for City employees and for employers. Transponder can help.
• A center for trans people (LGBTQ people more generally) is needed.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
1
To: Mayor Lucy Vinis and Eugene City Councilors
Fm: WeCU Work Group of the Eugene Human Rights Commission
Re: Eugene City Council Work Session
Marginalized Voices report and recommendations
Dt: September 12, 2018
The Whole Eugene Community United (WeCU) work group of the Eugene Human Rights Commission
(HRC) wants to thank you for holding a work session to consider the HRC’s June 2017 Marginalized
Voices report and recommendations. Starting below, on page 2, we have provided a list of all of the
recommendations, along with an explanation of benefits our work group has identified that each
recommendation, once implemented, could provide to the City.
We appreciate the Mayor’s expressed support for the Marginalized Voices report and the progress that
the City has already made in implementing some facets of our recommendations. For purposes of the
September 12th work session, we would like to request expedited action by the Mayor and City Council
on a few specific recommendations that WeCU has prioritized. Please see added information regarding
our primary request – “number 1” – immediately following numbers 1-3 below.*
1. WeCU sees implementation of “Short Term Goal #2” – hiring/assigning a full-time liaison to serve as a
bridge between the City of Eugene and its marginalized communities – as an essential resource to help
implement all of the recommendations in the Marginalized Voices report. We believe a positive outcome of
the September 12th work session would be (a) for the City Council to articulate ways that the liaison could
fulfill existing City policy goals, while simultaneously creating efficiencies in the delivery of City services
to meet those goals and (b) for the liaison position to find a place in the City Manager’s budget next year.
2. Given the rise of white nationalism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism
and racist attacks across the country – both verbal and physical – as well as current policies and rhetorical
attacks aimed at marginalized communities by our current federal government, WeCU would like the City
of Eugene to place an immediate emphasis on developing and implementing a rapid response policy by top
City officials to hate crimes and other threatening activities against vulnerable communities, as stated in
“Short Term Goal #1”.
3. As a means to move toward creating a long-term, safe and supportive space for Eugene’s marginalized
communities, and also as part of the preparation for the IAAF World Championships Oregon 2021, WeCU
requests that a planning committee for a centrally-located, multi-cultural center in Eugene be established,
as described in “Short Term Goal #6” and “Long Term Goal #1”.
*Liaison Position: The Human Rights Commission’s WeCU work group is comprised of members of
eleven different marginalized communities in Eugene (Black/African American, African Immigrant,
Alaska Native, Latinx, Pacific Islander, Palestinian, Muslim, Jew, Gay/Queer, Trans, Disabled). Our work
group has had multiple discussions about some of the duties a Marginalized Communities Liaison could
carry out for the City of Eugene and the qualifications needed for such a staff position. We believe that a
liaison position would be well placed, working as a direct report under the CMO Division Manager.
Members of our work group have expertise in multiple areas and we are prepared to support the City, as
you consider and hopefully move forward in creating a liaison position. Please see “Short Term Goal #2”
on page 3 below.
Thank you, again, for your serious consideration of our requests.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
2
Whole Eugene Community United (WeCU)
A Work Group of the Eugene Human Rights Commission
Vision Statement
Our vision is a City of Eugene that is welcoming to all people and is committed to the
human rights of every person. We come together from different races, religions,
ethnicities, abilities, genders and orientations to promote inclusion, equal access to
education and services, fair treatment and community safety for all. An attack against one
of us is an attack against all of us. We believe that, through sharing our cultures, we raise
awareness, understanding and respect among us, for the sake of each other. Together, we
are strong and proud, and we strive to make Eugene a great city for everyone.
RECOMMENDATIONS IN MARGINALIZED VOICES REPORT
BENEFITS TO THE CITY OF EUGENE
MAY 2018
From a human rights perspective, those who are experiencing human rights violations – in this
case the right to be free from discrimination – should take the lead in defining the problems they are
experiencing and in identifying solutions. For this reason, in 2016-2017, Eugene Human Rights
Commissioners Bonnie Souza and Ken Neubeck invited people from marginalized communities to review
and help shape the questions asked in ten focus groups and used contacts from these marginalized
communities to help identify participants and organize the groups. The Commissioners functioned
primarily as note-takers for the focus groups so as to concentrate on capturing the participants’ words
and voices, and they shared a draft of their findings and recommendations with all participants to get
feedback before preparing their final report. The recommendations made here flow from what was
heard during the focus group discussions and from the feedback Commissioners received from the
participants on the draft of their report.
GOALS ATTAINABLE WITHIN A SHORT TIME FRAME
1. Implement a rapid response policy for immediate public response by top City officials (e.g.,
Mayor, City Council Chair, City Manager, Chief of Police) to hate crimes and other activities that
threaten or bring harm to vulnerable communities in Eugene. People with power and voice need
to show vulnerable communities they care.
Benefits to City of Eugene: Rapid response policy
Incidents of violence, bias, and prejudice can traumatize entire minority communities because they send
the message that minority residents are neither welcome nor safe in the larger community. A swift
response direct from authority figures can mitigate and help erase that trauma, because the counter-
message that we are supported and valued comes from the leaders of the majority. It is a powerful
statement of community values embracing diversity and the entirety of who we are, especially those of
us who are most vulnerable. It also sends a message to those who would commit those acts of violence
and hate, that it is not safe for them to do so, that they are not supported in any way by the City.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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2. Recruit or assign a staff member who will serve as a full-time liaison between the City of Eugene
and people of color, Muslims, the LGBTQ population and other marginalized groups, and charge
this staff member with coordinating a campaign of public awareness building and advocacy for
those experiencing discrimination.
Benefits to City: Liaison
A liaison could assist the City of Eugene in fulfilling existing City policy goals, and simultaneously create
efficiencies in the delivery of City services to meet those goals. A liaison could help the City implement
the rest of the recommendations in the June 2017 Marginalized Voices report. A liaison could serve as a
point person between the City of Eugene and its marginalized communities. The liaison could
communicate with marginalized communities about efforts that the City is undertaking in any area,
where the City’s efforts might affect those communities, where those communities might be able to
assist, and/or could encourage and support those communities in getting directly involved in public
efforts. A liaison would be able to bring the voices of marginalized communities back to the City, and be
used to craft policies and programs that are more effective for the entire Eugene community.
3. Charge the Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Office with making the Rights
Assistance Program (RAP) much more visible and user friendly to marginalized communities, and
with reporting quarterly to these communities on the types of complaints received by RAP and
from which groups, along with their disposition.
Benefits to City: Make RAP More Visible and User Friendly
The RAP provides key services such as: assistance accessing services, events, and facilities in the City of
Eugene, providing referrals to appropriate resources, ensuring access to appeal and grievance processes,
and facilitating informal conflict resolution. Such services can help ensure that Eugene's marginalized
communities feel welcome and included in the city. Additionally, the grievance process and conflict
resolution aspects of the RAP can help relieve the burden on police resources, provide redress for non-
crime incidents of discrimination, and address instances of discrimination in which the aggrieved party
might not feel comfortable bringing their complaint to the police. Increased visibility and usability of the
RAP will further assist in these endeavors. Reporting back to the communities will allow them to keep
up-to-date on the program's effectiveness.
4. Make organizations that advocate for Eugene’s vulnerable communities more visible and their
activities more easily accessible by using the City’s website to describe and provide links to these
organizations, their leaders, their programs and resources, and their calendars of activities.
Benefits to City: Resources for Marginalized Communities on City Website
Many Eugene residents in marginalized communities do not feel welcome, included or safe in Eugene.
One way that the City of Eugene could assist in making people feel welcome is by providing information
on its website about local organizations that serve various communities. For example, there could be a
page on the City’s website that provides the names, contact information and a brief description of
organizations or regular events that serve the African American, Asian, Latinx, Native American/Alaska
Native, Pacific Islander, Muslim, Jewish, Trans, LGBQ, Immigrant, Disabled and/or Unhoused residents in
Eugene. The site could include links to each of these organizations’ websites, if they have any, and/or
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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phone numbers that could lead residents in marginalized communities to a service or connection with
others. This is a relatively simple and effective way that the City could show its commitment and interest
in embracing all of Eugene’s residents.
5. Designate City-owned physical space(s) for members of marginalized groups to gather on a
regular basis to welcome newcomers, make new friends, network with others, share common
concerns and celebrate cultural traditions.
Benefits to City: Designated Physical Spaces
Members of marginalized communities have expressed a desire that the City designate city-owned
physical spaces that could provide a gathering place to serve as safe spaces for people to be with others
like themselves. These designated spaces will serve to help welcome newcomers to Eugene, allow them
to connect with others and enjoy a sense of belonging. The spaces will also help to encourage, support,
strengthen and build community within our city. We envision the spaces being used by multiple
community groups to celebrate cultural holidays, to have meetings, network with others to make
connections and serve as a safe place for us to nurture our children in learning and sharing our cultural
practices and traditions. Having designated city-owned physical spaces as gathering places will help
marginalized communities feel truly welcome and valued as part of the City of Eugene’s broader
community.
6. Establish a planning committee for a centrally located, comprehensive multi-cultural center in
Eugene, with the majority of committee membership drawn from marginalized groups.
Benefits to City: Multicultural Center Planning Committee
(Please see Long Term Goal 1)
7. Require the City staff members responsible for programming events downtown in the Park
Blocks, in Kesey Square and elsewhere in Eugene to systematically reach out to marginalized
communities each year to find out what events they would like to see occur, what events they
would like to participate in and if/how they would like to showcase their presence to the broader
community.
Benefits to City: Outreach Regarding Programming Events Downtown, etc.
Cultural services staff should have a systematic and routine program to reach out to marginalized
communities to encourage their participation in downtown events. Increasing the visibility of different
groups and cultures leads to greater understanding and community solidarity and cohesion. As the
majority community comes into greater contact with cultures other than their own, stereotypes and
prejudices can break down, and new friendships or alliances can form, making our community stronger.
This also sends a powerful message to marginalized communities that this is their city, too, that they
belong here and that they share in the ownership of public spaces.
8. Fund a summit for marginalized communities where attendees explore common problems and
needs, discuss ways in which they can cooperate with and support one another, and identify
issues on which it would be most effective to speak with a common voice.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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Benefits to City: Summit
A one to three-day summit, organized by and for members of Eugene’s marginalized communities,
would offer all of Eugene’s residents a window into the lives of a diversity of neighbors in our City.
Allowing members of Eugene’s marginalized communities to take the lead, decide and plan the content
of workshops, panels, entertainment, food and other events at a one or multi-day summit would serve
to bring people in marginalized communities together in meaningful ways and to bring residents in all of
Eugene’s communities together in a unique way that would showcase the value, strength and richness
of diversity in our City. Such a gathering would be different from any summit planned by members of a
dominant majority group, different in ways that would pique interest and help build community. A
summit would serve to enrich all of Eugene’s residents.
9. Provide Know Your Rights trainings on a regular basis aimed at marginalized communities.
Benefits to City: Know Your Rights Trainings for Marginalized Communities
Many Eugene residents are not well-acquainted with federal, state and city laws pertaining to their
rights as citizens or residents. Marginalized communities are among the most likely groups to need
familiarization with such laws. One way for the City to address this issue is to offer “Know Your Rights”
trainings, which could be conducted by City agencies such as Eugene’s Office of Human Rights and
Neighborhood Involvement, the Human Rights Commission or the Eugene Police Department, as well as
other civic organizations. This will serve a need and create a better integrated and healthier community.
GOALS ATTAINABLE IN THE LONGER TERM
1. Establish a centrally located, City-owned, multicultural center that provides a home base where
members of marginalized communities – young and old – can gather, meet, teach, provide
information and celebrate their cultural traditions.
Benefits to City: Multicultural Center
A multicultural center would directly support the ideals of inclusivity on which the City of Eugene has
prided itself. By allowing cultural groups to have a physical space to come together to celebrate their
backgrounds while inviting other residents to participate, such a location would make it easier for these
cultural groups to hold events that promote inclusivity in a safe and welcoming environment for adults
and children alike. The construct of such a center will furnish culturally diverse residents with an
opportunity to decorate and design the location as they please. It would permit residents who do not
belong to affinity groups to learn more about those who have different backgrounds. A multicultural
center would foster greater inclusivity and a celebration of all identities. Establishing a multicultural
center would be a significant way the City of Eugene could demonstrate its commitment to all of its
community members.
2. Expand cultural competency and gender diversity awareness trainings for all City employees,
including police, which focus on marginalized communities in Eugene, and open these trainings
up to teachers and administrators at 4J and Bethel Schools. Seek recommendations directly from
marginalized community members as to which trainings and trainers would be most effective.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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Benefits to City: Expand Cultural Competency Trainings
Communities are not monolithic; there are differences within all of them, including their skin color,
ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious practices, cultures and ages, to name a few.
These differences are evident in the behavior and treatment of marginalized community members by
the dominant majority. There is a pressing need for mandatory gender diversity awareness as well as
cultural competency training for City employees. Community members are also concerned about school
administrations and personnel who, perhaps through ignorance or lack of understanding, fail to
recognize their own biases and stereotypes when working with students from diverse ethnic and cultural
backgrounds. Mandatory annual training for staff will help develop cultural sensitivity that could also
help improve interactions with people from diverse marginalized communities in our city.
3. Provide City resources and support to groups in the community interested in resurrecting the
annual Eugene Celebration in the form of a Multicultural Parade and Festival, an event
showcasing the foodstuffs, music and other cultural attributes of the different communities that
make up Eugene.
Benefits to City: Multicultural Parade and Festival
An annual event repurposed as a Multicultural Parade and Festival would bring an element of civic pride
and identity back to Eugene that has been missing since the demise of the Eugene Celebration. By
focusing on it as a multicultural event, rather than just a City parade and festival, it would send a
powerful proactive message to marginalized communities that we are truly welcome and are a vital part
of the City. It would also send a message to those in the majority community that they also have their
own cultures to celebrate and share with the broader community and demonstrate that we are all part
of the multicultural fabric of Eugene.
4. Work with all marginalized communities to stir interest among their young people in pipelines –
including summer high school and college internships – that offer a potential route to full-time
employment with the City of Eugene.
Benefits to City: Job Pipelines for Youth
Integrating marginalized communities into summer high school and college internships and ultimately
full-time employment with the City will inspire a feeling of investment by the City and a feeling of
inclusion amongst marginalized communities. Active facilitation of youth pipelines for full-time positions
will inspire a sense of desirability amongst marginalized youth, furthering this sense of inclusion.
Furthermore, such pipelines would help prepare excellent candidates for City positions, furthering the
City’s goals of recruiting and retaining a diverse City staff. This would ensure a pool of invested, capable
applicants to take part in the execution of essential City services.
5. In planning for a new City Hall, incorporate artwork and photos that represent Eugene’s many
different communities. Also include signage in different languages.
Benefits to City: Artwork in New City Hall
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
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Upon viewing the official portrait of Michelle Obama in February 2018, a woman online said this: “I love
it that today's children of color are being allowed this distinct opportunity to feel like a part of
mainstream. I grew up having so many questions from a very young age that I did not talk about,
because you did not in those days. Imagine what it was like to be a person of color, but only in one's
home and neighborhood, while the media, museums, public buildings, radio, television, in paintings,
movies, plays, much of government, in history and so many other areas, it was as if we did not exist, we
were completely ignored, and not represented in any appreciable way. This kind of progress came not
on a silver spoon; freedom does not work like that. It is not 'awarded', it is not 'a given', it must be
fought for in most cases, and in virtually every country in the world where it has been desired, it was
given to some degree maybe, but certainly not without a fight. My Grandmother had a painting of a
white woman with two young girls standing with her in her kitchen, and I would look at it, baffled, and
wondering who they were, and why she had this painting in her house, but she died, and I never, ever
asked her. I just wondered why she did not have a painting of 'colored', or Negro children in her
house...”
This comment describes well how the City of Eugene, as a whole, can benefit, when all of Eugene’s
marginalized communities are represented in the artwork displayed in our new City Hall.
WeCU (“We SEE You”) is the name of our work group. Whole Eugene Community United.
September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1
September 12, 2018, Work Session – Item 2
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Work Session: City Council Process Session Meeting Date: September 12, 2018 Agenda Item Number: 2 Department: Central Services Staff Contact: Becky DeWitt
www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5616
ISSUE STATEMENT This work session is part of an ongoing opportunity for the City Council to discuss how it conducts its business. The council meets periodically to talk about its processes and operating agreements.
BACKGROUND The Municipal Charter of the City of Eugene, Eugene City Code and Oregon Revised Statues govern many meeting requirements and actions of the Mayor and City Council. The Eugene Charter, Chapter 2 of the Eugene City Code, and various sections of ORS 192 and 244 are primary sources of these meeting and other operating requirements. In addition, the council has adopted Operating Agreements as outlined in Attachment A. They were last updated by council in October 2011. This work session is an opportunity for council to review the agreements and discuss potential changes.
RELATED CITY POLICIES No related City policies are relevant to this discussion.
COUNCIL OPTIONS The council may provide input and direction for staff follow up on the issues discussed. No formal action is anticipated.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION No recommendations are offered by the City Manager.
SUGGESTED MOTION No motions are offered by the City Manager.
September 12, 2018, Work Session – Item 2
ATTACHMENTS A. Council Operating Agreements
FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff Contact: Becky DeWitt Telephone: 541-682-5616 Staff E-Mail: bdewitt@eugene-or.gov
Eugene City Council Operating Agreements – September 2017
Page 1 of 19
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL OPERATING AGREEMENTS
RESOLUTION NUMBER 5205
ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 11, 2017
INTRODUCTION
The Municipal Charter of the City of Eugene (Charter) and Eugene City Code, 1971 (E.C.), as
well as the Oregon Revised Statues (ORS) law govern many meeting requirements and actions
of the Council. The Eugene Charter, Chapter 2 of the Eugene City Code, and various sections of
ORS 192 and 244 are primary sources of these meeting and other operating requirements.
1.MEETING REQUIREMENTS 1.01 Time of Meetings
Regular meetings of the Eugene City Council (the Council) shall be on the second and fourth
Mondays of each month. These meetings shall begin at 7:30 p.m. and shall end at 10 p.m., or
when the agenda item considered by the Council at 10 p.m. is concluded. If those days are on a
legal or religious holiday, the Council may schedule the meeting for the day immediately
following.
1.02 Work Sessions
The Council may meet in work sessions beginning at 5:30 p.m. prior to its regular Monday
meetings as needed. Other work sessions may be held on the second, third, fourth, and fifth
Wednesdays of the month. These work sessions shall start at noon and last for a maximum of 90
minutes. Except for extraordinary circumstances, the total time for presentations by staff and/or
others on a single agenda item shall be no more than 15 minutes.
1.03 Location of Meetings
Eugene City Council meetings shall be held within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City.
Training sessions may be held outside the City limits, if no deliberations toward a decision are
made. Inter-jurisdictional meetings may be held outside City limits, but should be as close to
Eugene as practical. No City Council meeting shall be held at any place where discrimination on
the basis of an individual’s race, religion, color, sex, national origin, ethnicity, marital status,
familial status, age, sexual orientation, source of income or disability, is practiced. For this
purpose, meetings do not include visitations or attendance at any national, regional, or state
association to which the councilor belongs.
1.04 Notice of Meetings, Special Meetings, Emergency Meetings
Advance notice of at least 24 hours shall be provided for all meetings. Notice shall include
written notice to all news media which requested notice. In the case of emergency or when a
state of emergency has been declared, notice appropriate to the circumstances shall be provided
and reasons justifying the lack of 24-hour notice shall be included in the minutes of such
meeting. As per both the Eugene Charter, Section 9, and Eugene Code, Section 2.007 (2), the
Mayor or three of the members of the Council, may call a special meeting of the Council in
manner provided in E.C. 2.007 (3).
ATTACHMENT A
September 12, 2018, Work Session – Item 2
Eugene City Council Operating Agreements – September 2017
Page 2 of 19
1.05 Public Forum
A public comment period generally shall be the first item of every regular meeting of the Eugene
City Council. By council majority vote, time-sensitive issues may be moved up in the agenda order.
Persons wishing to speak at the Public Forum must sign up to do so not later than five minutes
after the Public Forum has been opened by the Mayor or presiding officer. The Mayor or
presiding officer shall inform the audience of the requirement to sign up to speak not later than
five minutes after the meeting has been called to order or prior to the conclusion of the Public
Forum.
Members of the public may speak about any topic during the Public Forum, except as provided
below. If a member of the public wishes to speak on an item that is scheduled for a public
hearing at that same meeting, the speaker shall wait until that public hearing. The Public Forum
cannot be used to testify about an item that is not a public matter or which has already been
heard by a Hearings Official, or to provide or gather additional testimony or information on a
quasi-judicial matter after the official record has been closed.
Speakers at the Public Forum will be limited to three minutes. Generally, the speakers will be
called upon in the order in which the “request to speak” forms are received by the staff at the
meeting. No persons will be allowed to complete a “request to speak” form more than 30
minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
At the end of the Public Forum each member of the Council has the opportunity to respond to
comments made during the Public Forum. The time allocated to each member of the Council for
such responses shall be up to three minutes.
1.06 Public Hearings
Public hearings shall generally be held on the third Monday of the month, except for those
months during which a Council break occurs, and shall be held for all ordinances except under
the terms delineated in E.C. 2.007(4). Hearings may be scheduled on other items at the discretion
of the Mayor and the City Manager. Persons wishing to speak shall submit a “request to speak”
form prior to the commencement of the public hearing at which the person wishes to speak. The
Mayor or presiding officer shall inform the audience of this requirement to sign up prior to the
commencement of a public hearing. Speakers will be limited to three minutes. Eugene Code
2.015(7) notwithstanding, councilors may ask clarifying or follow-up questions of individuals
providing testimony after that individual has completed his/her testimony. Questions posed by
City Councilors should be to provide clarification or additional information on testimony
provided. Questions should not be used as an attempt to lengthen or expand the testimony of the
individual. Councilors shall be expected to use restraint and be considerate of the meeting time
of the Council when exercising this option. The Mayor or presiding officer may intervene if a
councilor is violating the spirit of this guideline. At the end of the Public Hearing, each member
of the Council has the opportunity to comment on or discuss testimony given during the Public
Hearing.
September 12, 2018, Work Session – Item 2
Eugene City Council Operating Agreements – September 2017
Page 3 of 19
1.07 Executive Session
All meetings of the Council shall be held in open session, except those meetings that may be
closed for purposes specified in the Oregon Attorney General’s Public Records and Meetings
Manual (ORS 192.610 to 192.690). These include the employment or dismissal of public
employees, performance evaluation of the council’s employees, labor negotiations, real property
transactions negotiations, and consulting with legal counsel on pending or threatened litigation.
Notice of executive sessions shall be given as required by state law and that notice must state the
specific provisions of law authorizing the session.
The Mayor and City Councilors are expected to maintain the confidentiality of the information
discussed in legally noticed and conducted executive sessions as defined in Chapter 192 of the
Oregon Revised Statutes.
1.08 Minutes
Written minutes shall be taken for all City Council meetings in accordance with the Oregon
Attorney General’s Public Records and Meetings Manual. The minutes must give a true
reflection of the matters discussed but need not be a full transcript, verbatim or recording. As a
matter of courtesy and efficiency, a councilor should notify the Mayor and other councilors that
he/she intends to propose an amendment to the minutes and should propose replacement text in
advance of the meeting at which those minutes are scheduled to be approved. If the proposed
amendment is a simple factual, grammatical, or spelling correction, the amendment may be
proposed without consulting the minutes recorder. If, however, the proposed amendment is
substantive in nature or seeks to clarify the speaker's intent, or to expand his/her remarks for the
record, the councilor should notify the minutes recorder and request verification of the proposed
amendment.
1.09 Voting
Section 12 of the Eugene Municipal Charter states that the Mayor only votes on matters before
the Council in the case of a tie. Council members may not abstain from voting unless a conflict
of interest has been declared.
1.10 Presiding Officer
The Mayor shall preside over City Council meetings when present. The president of the Council
shall preside if the Mayor is absent or unable to preside. The Council vice president shall have
the powers of the Council president when the Council president is performing the duties of the
Mayor. If the Mayor, Council president, and vice president are unavailable, the Council
members present shall elect a temporary presiding officer.
1.11 Council Officers
Council officers shall be elected for one-year terms in the manner prescribed in the E.C. 2.009, at
the first regular meeting in each calendar year.
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2.PLACING ITEMS ON COUNCIL AGENDA
2.01 Contact the City Manager
Contact the City Manager and explain the nature, scope and desired outcome of the item for the
agenda, or make the request during “Items from Mayor and City Council” at a City Council work
session. The City Manager and Mayor may then decide to place the item on a future agenda.
2.02 Council Poll
Alternatively, an item may be placed on the Council agenda by councilor request. A councilor
may ask Council support staff for a work session, and staff shall then poll all councilors, in
writing, to ask if the item should be placed on the Council agenda. If, within two weeks of
distribution of the poll, with an individualized reminder at five working days, a majority of the
Council responds in the affirmative, the item shall be placed on the Council agenda within one
week. A majority in this instance is four councilors.
2.03 Tentative Agenda on the Consent Calendar
At each regular meeting of the Council, the City Manager shall present the Tentative Agenda. This
shall be placed on the Consent Calendar. If there are concerns about items on the Tentative Agenda, it
may be removed at the request of any councilors from the Consent Calendar and discussed separately.
2.04 Tentative Agenda Provided Each Week
The Tentative Agenda shall be included in the weekly information packet provided to the
Council.
2.05 Scheduling of Items on the Agenda
The City Manager and Mayor shall decide the date that items come before Council for work
sessions and for regular meetings.
2.06 Routine Business Items on the City Council Agenda
The City Manager shall continue to place routine and standard items of Council business on the
City Council agenda.
3.ORDER OF ITEMS ON A SPECIFIC DATE MEETING AGENDA
3.01 Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
The Eugene City Council shall begin its formal council meetings with a voluntary recitation of
the Pledge of Allegiance at those council meetings closest to the following holidays: Memorial
Day, Veterans Day, Flag Day, and the Fourth of July.
At the council meeting closest to the Fourth of July, the ceremony will also include readings
from the Declaration of Independence and/or United States Constitution.
3.02 Ceremonial Matters
At the first regular meeting of each month, the first agenda item shall be used to acknowledge
special recognition or awards given to the City of Eugene or for the Mayor to read proclamations
which serve to encourage and educate the community. Proclamations shall be made and placed
on the agenda at the discretion of the Mayor. This item shall be called “Ceremonial Matters.”
Requests for recognition under Ceremonial Matters should be submitted in writing to the Mayor.
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3.03 Consent Calendar
At regular City Council meetings, in order to expedite the Council’s business, routine and
standard items shall be placed on the Consent Calendar. Any item on the Consent Calendar may
be removed for separate consideration by any member of the Council. Revisions or corrections to
meetings minutes shall be considered first, prior to other items removed from the Consent
Calendar. The remaining items on the Consent Calendar may then be considered for action by a
single vote. The items pulled from the Consent Calendar shall be considered after the approval of
the remainder of the Consent Calendar and before the next scheduled item on the agenda.
Ordinances, because of charter requirements, are not to be placed on the Consent Calendar.
3.04 Public Hearings Given Priority
As a guideline, public hearings shall be placed on the specific meeting agenda before items only
requiring action. Further, public hearings expected to draw a small number of speakers shall be
placed before public hearings for which a larger number of speakers is expected.
3.05 Committee Reports and Items from Mayor, City Council and City Manager
At work sessions held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, the first item on the
agenda shall be “Committee Reports and Items of Interest from Mayor, City Council and City
Manager.” This portion of the agenda provides an opportunity for the Mayor and councilors to
raise issues, present ad hoc motions, introduce resolutions and report on committee activities and
actions. The time allotted for “Items” is subject to change to accommodate emerging issues.
4.COUNCIL ACTION ON AGENDA ITEMS
As a guideline, action on issues for which a public hearing has occurred shall not be taken at the
same meeting at which the public hearing is held. In the case of an ordinance, the charter
requires that an ordinance shall not be adopted by the Council unless it has been considered by
the Council during at least two meetings. With the unanimous consent of the Council, the
Council may consider and enact an ordinance at a single meeting if the Council does not amend
the ordinance in a manner that modifies its substantive effect (Charter, Section 28 (3)).
5.POSTPONING AGENDA ITEMS
Any councilor may request that an item be postponed to another meeting if he/she is unable to
attend the meeting at which the item has been scheduled. As a courtesy, councilors should
submit in writing a request to postpone to the Mayor as early as possible. If the Mayor is
unavailable the request should be made to the City Manager or the Manager’s designated staff
member. A request to postpone may be requested for either a work session item or a vote on an
agenda item. The request to postpone shall be honored unless a majority of councilors present
determines that the matter needs to be acted upon at that meeting.
6.COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL
6.01 Creation of Committees
While the City Code governs appointments to certain committees, the code grants broad general
powers to the Mayor and City Council to create subcommittees or special ad hoc committees of
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the Council. The Mayor shall nominate and the Council shall appoint the members of any
committee established by the Council unless a different procedure is specified at the time the
committee is established. The charge to the committee shall be clearly stated at the time the
committee is established, and the committee shall disband when its work is complete.
Committees may be composed of councilors, interested citizens or both.
6.02 Standing Committees of the Council
There is one standing committee of the Council, the Intergovernmental Relations Committee.
6.03 Standing Advisory Bodies to the Council
There are seven standing advisory bodies to the City Council. These are created in the Eugene
Code and exist to provide advice on policy matters. They are: 1) Budget Committee; 2) Planning
Commission; 3) Police Commission; 4) Human Rights Commission; 5) Sustainability
Commission; 6) Civilian Review Board; and 7) Toxics Board.
7.CONDUCT AT MEETINGS
7.01 Roberts Rules of Order
Conduct at City Council meetings and committee meetings is governed by Robert’s Rules of
Order, Revised. The Council has the obligation to be clear and simple in its procedures and in its
consideration of the questions coming before it. Council members shall avoid invoking the finer
points of parliamentary rules which may serve only to obscure the issues.
7.02 Other Meeting Guidelines
The presiding officer shall be responsible for ensuring order and decorum are maintained.
Behavior or actions that are unreasonably loud or disruptive shall be cause for removal from
Council meetings. This includes engaging in violent or distracting action, making loud or
disruptive noise or using similar language, and refusing to obey an order of the presiding officer.
Council members speak only for themselves and shall be open, direct and candid. They work to
keep discussion moving, and call for a “process check” if the discussion becomes bogged down.
Time limits may be set on topics. When councilors speak to each other during public meetings,
last names shall be used during regular meetings but first names may be used during work
sessions. The Mayor is, however, always referred to as “Mayor.”
During public meetings, councilors generally should not attempt to edit or rewrite prepared
ordinances. Amendments to an ordinance may, however, be appropriate. Generally, councilors
should give direction to staff to bring back amended ordinances for Council consideration.
If a member of the Council intends to make a motion at a meeting which is not reflected in the
agenda item summary, every effort should be made to contact other members of the Council to
inform them of the intent and the text of the motion. City Council support staff should be
provided with the same information and may be asked to assist in the notification process.
The Mayor and Council will be limited to commenting only on the main motion prior to
discussing any proposed amendments. If a an amendment to the motion is made during the initial
round on the main motion, subsequent remarks on the amendments will be postponed until all
wishing to speak on the main motion have done so.
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Comment times for the Mayor and councilors at City Council meetings or work sessions shall be
generally limited to no more than three minutes. At the discretion of the Mayor or presiding
officer, second and subsequent rounds may be limited further to ensure that everyone has an
opportunity to be heard in the time allotted for the item.
7.03 Public Conduct
The rules of conduct for members of the public shall generally be the same as for the Council.
The Code prohibits any person from bringing flags, signs, posters, and placards to a City Council
meeting unless authorized by the presiding officer. The Eugene Code specifically permits arm
bands, emblems, badges, and other articles worn on personal clothing, so long as such items do
not extend from the body in such a way as to cause injury to another.
8. COUNCILOR REQUEST FOR STAFF ASSISTANCE
8.01 Two-Hour Rule
Initiatives requiring more than two hours of staff time must be approved by the Council.
Requests that involve less than two hours staff time or resources should be directed to the City
Manager.
8.02 Major Request
A Councilor who desires major policy, ordinance research, or other staff assistance should first
raise the issue at a City Council work session. The Council should decide whether to proceed
with the issue or ordinance before staff time is spent.
8.03 Tracking Council Requests
Except for routine inquiries, the City Manager shall respond to councilors’ requests for
information or assistance. The Manager shall assign these requests to appropriate City staff and
track progress on the assignments. This process eliminates the possibilities of staff members
duplicating each other's efforts or a request being overlooked.
9. REPRESENTING CITY POSITIONS AND PERSONAL POSITIONS
9.01 Written Communications from City Councilors and Mayor
In written communication with other officials or groups and in letters for publication, such as “to
the editor,” the Mayor and councilors should be careful to decide whether to speak only for
themselves or for the Council. In speaking for the Council, when there is a position which the
writer wishes to reinforce or explain, it is useful to circulate a copy to the Council for comment
before the letter is mailed. Letters to other elected officials or agencies on City issues shall be
discussed with the appropriate staff so that the City lobby effort can be coordinated.
When writing as an individual, a councilor or the Mayor is free to take any position which he or
she feels is appropriate. When it is a point of view different from a Council position, this fact
should be included in the letter. Use of City stationery and choice of pronouns shall be left to the
discretion of the councilor or the Mayor.
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The governing principle is to advise the Council or staff when expressing a City position, and to
make differences clear when speaking as an individual.
9.02 State/Federal Lobbying
The effectiveness of City lobbying in Salem or in Washington, D.C. depends on the clarity of the
City’s voice. When councilors or the Mayor represent the City in a lobbying situation, it is
appropriate that the councilors or the Mayor avoid expressions of personal dissent from an
adopted Council policy. This policy is stated in Resolution No. 4139, Council Policy on
Testimony and Funding Applications.
A councilor or the Mayor in disagreement with an adopted policy should not be deprived of the
right to express such views to the appropriate officials at another time and another place.
However, the councilor or the Mayor should feel bound to advise those to whom such
disagreement is expressed that it is an individual view and that the Council has taken a different
position.
9.03 Attending Conferences, Other Meetings
Councilors and the Mayor are encouraged to attend conferences and training sessions which
would enhance their skills and knowledge. Any councilor or the Mayor may attend any meeting
at which the Council is represented, but only the formally appointed official City Council
representative or designated alternate, has the right to vote on matters being considered by the
organization or group holding the meeting or conference. Individual councilors or the Mayor
may state he or she is representing the City Council if he or she has been formally directed by
the City Council to do so.
For local intergovernmental bodies or advisory groups to which an official Eugene City Council
representative has been appointed, the representative is to serve as an “instructed delegate;” that
is, to represent pertinent adopted city and City Council policy. If possible, the Mayor or
councilors should inform the other members of the City Council of the matters being considered
by intergovernmental bodies, and to the greatest extent possible, seek direction from the City
Council on issues directly pertaining to the City of Eugene and adopted city policy. The
representative may express his or her own opinion, provided it is identified as such, but when
voting or considering matters with policy implications or budgetary considerations, the
representative must follow adopted City or City Council policy and direction.
Participating in state and national groups such as the League of Oregon Cities and the National
League of Cities presents the opportunity to enhance skills and knowledge, and is an important
avenue for the Mayor and councilors to advocate for the members of the community and the city
itself. If the Mayor or councilors attend meetings of these organizations, an official voting
delegate should be selected by the City Council. This voting delegate, to the greatest extent
possible, informs the Mayor and City Council of issues or matters on which the voting delegate
may be asked to vote. If there is existing City or Council policy, the voting delegate will vote in
accordance with that policy. When providing a report to the council (see Section 10.06), votes
of the delegate should be included in that report.
If the Mayor or individual councilor serves on a committee of a state or national advisory
committee and has been selected in an “at large” role, that is, not a specific seat or position for a
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City of Eugene elected official, that person should state the adopted City or Council policies.
However, that person is not bound by the adopted policy and can represent his or her own
position, provided that the person makes such a disclaimer.
10. COUNCILOR EXPENSES
10.01 General Guidelines for Reimbursed Expenses
Under the provisions of the City Charter, the City may pay a councilor or the Mayor expenses
that are directly related to City business. It is each councilor’s and the Mayor’s responsibility to
determine if expenses are actually City related. If there are questions about the propriety of such
expenditures, the Manager shall first review the issue with the councilor. If the City Manager
and the councilor cannot resolve the issue, the Manager shall discuss the matter with the Mayor.
Receipts should be secured for any expenses and should accompany City Council expense report
forms to record mileage and other expenses. The forms shall be available from the City
Manager's Office.
Activities that support or oppose a political campaign shall not be reimbursable.
10.02 Out-of-Town Expenses
Out-of-town expenses include those incurred while attending City-related conventions,
conferences, training seminars, or meetings. Expenses that are paid by the City include fees for
seminars or conferences; transportation to, from, and at the destination; and lodging, meals, and
incidental expenses that are necessary to conduct City business.
10.03 Local Expenses
Local expenses include those incurred while representing the Council on a committee, attending
meetings, attending local seminars or conferences, attending local special events, or meeting
with groups or individuals to discuss City matters. Expenses that are paid by the City are detailed
in Resolution No. 4375 and include meals, conference registration, transportation and necessary
incidental expenses, and up to two community group memberships, not to exceed $100 total. The
reimbursement for bicycle mileage, as permitted in Resolution No. 4375, shall be $.15.1 per mile
as of September 1, 2002, and shall be adjusted each year at the same rate of increase as that of
automobile reimbursement. Special materials such as books or directories may also be eligible
for reimbursement.
If receipts are not available, a written description of expenses signed by the Councilor must be
submitted along with the Council Expense Report Form. Forms shall be available from the City
Manager’s Office.
10.04 Spouse/Guest Expenses
The City shall reimburse councilors or the Mayor for spouse expenses at local events when the
councilors or the Mayor and spouse are jointly invited and the councilors are serving in their
official capacity, such as a recognition dinner. The City does not otherwise reimburse councilors
or the Mayor for expenses incurred by their spouses. If councilors or the Mayor wish to have
spouses accompany them while attending out-of-town events, the City may make reservations
and have travel and lodging expenses billed directly to the City. Councilors or the Mayor must
then reimburse the City for their spouse’s travel and lodging expenses. Reimbursement should be
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made as soon as possible so that the trip reconciliation process can be completed. When a guest
is invited in place of a spouse, this reimbursement policy shall also apply.
10.05 Petty Cash
Expenses under $50 can usually be reimbursed out of the petty cash fund in the City Manager’s
Office.
10.06 Travel Guidelines
Prior notification of out-of-town travel shall be given to staff responsible for travel arrangements
in the City Manager’s Office whenever possible. Registration and travel arrangements should be
made well in advance so that the City can take advantage of reduced fares and early registration
fees. Staff shall assist councilors in making transportation and lodging arrangements and arrange
to have expenses billed directly to the City; contractors shall be chosen by staff, and not by
councilors.
While at a conference, councilors or the Mayor shall be expected to attend conference sessions
and, within 30 days, issue a written report to share the information and perspectives with the
entire City Council. If more than one councilor attends, a consolidated report may be written.
As a general guideline, each councilor is allowed two out-of-state conference trips per fiscal
year. If a councilor wishes to make additional trips, the request should be brought to attention of
the full Council and should be endorsed by a majority of the Council. This guideline is intended
to cover trips made at the discretion of the individual councilor; it is not intended to be applied to
trips related to service on national or regional committee, such as a committee of the National
League of Cities.
10.07 Overseas Travel
If the Mayor or members of the Council wish to attend a conference or make a Council business-
related trip to a destination overseas, this request shall be made in writing well in advance and
shall be placed on the Consent Calendar for approval by the Council.
11. ETHICS
11.01 Reporting Requirements in ORS
In accordance with ORS 244.050, the Mayor and all councilors holding office on April 15 shall
be required to file an Annual Verified Statement of Economic Interest with the Oregon
Government Standards and Practices Commission on or before that date. The report must be
filed on the form prescribed by ORS 244.060. Each year the form shall be mailed sent directly to
the elected official by the Commission and should be returned directly to the Commission in
Salem. Failure to submit the form by the April 15 deadline may result in the imposition of a
civil penalty and/or removal from office.
11.02 Local Code of Ethics
The Charter requires that a code of ethics be enacted. This local code, found in the Eugene Code,
places additional conflicts of interest requirements upon elected officials and creates a local
process for filing complaints.
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12. MEETING AND WORK SESSION SEATING ASSIGNMENTS
The Council shall be assigned seats in January, following the election of the Council president
and vice president. The Mayor is always seated at the center position with the 5043Council
president seated at the Mayor's right and the Council vice president seated at the Mayor’s left.
The remaining councilors shall be assigned seats in alphabetical order by last name. When the
Council returns after each Council break, each person moves one seat toward the outside and to
the opposite side of the table or dais; those in the outermost seats move to the innermost seats on
the opposite side. This system allows councilors the opportunity to regularly change seats
throughout a four-year term. Below is a detailed listing of the seating sequence.
JANUARY Mayor
President Vice President
Councilor A1 Councilor B2
Councilor C3 Councilor D4
Councilor E5 Councilor F6
APRIL Mayor
President Vice President
Councilor F6 Councilor E5
Councilor B2 Councilor A1
Councilor D4 Councilor C3
SEPTEMBER Mayor
President Vice President
Councilor C3 Councilor D4
Councilor E5 Councilor F6
Councilor A1 Councilor B2
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CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
OPERATING AGREEMENTS
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON JANUARY 28, 2008
1. Purpose of Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations
The Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations (IGR Committee) exists to make
recommendations to the City Council on State and Federal legislative issues and on City
applications for funding from outside agencies. At this time it is the only standing committee of
the City Council.
2. Membership
The IGR Committee consists of three City Council members.
The three IGR Committee Council members are appointed annually by the Mayor in the normal
course of appointments to various boards and commissions on which City of Eugene elected
officials serve. The Mayor will appoint members that represent the City Council’s political and
ideological diversity.
The Mayor serves as an ex-officio member of the IGR committee.
3. Committee Chair
The IGR Committee shall elect a chair of the committee at the first regularly scheduled meeting
after the Mayor has appointed the members to the IGR Committee.
4. Conducting the Business of Meeting
IGR Committee meetings are governed by Roberts Rules of Order, Revised. Like the City
Council, the IGR Committee has the obligation to be clear and simple in its procedures and in its
consideration of the questions coming before it.
5. Meetings
The IGR Committee meets as needed and generally meets more frequently when the Oregon
Legislature is in session. Meetings of the IGR Committee are subject to the requirements of
Oregon Public Meetings Law, ORS 192.620. The meetings shall be held within the
jurisdictional boundaries of the City.
No IGR Committee meeting shall be held at any place where discrimination on the basis of an
individual’s race, religion, color, sex, national origin, ethnicity, marital status, familial status,
age, sexual orientation, source of income or disability, is practiced.
Advance notice of at least 24 hours shall be provided for all meetings. Notice shall include
written notice to all news media that requested notice.
6. Quorum
Two members of the IGR Committee constitute a quorum for the transaction of Committee
business. Other members of the City Council may attend meetings of the IGR Committee, but
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shall have no authority or status to vote on matters considered by the IGR Committee during that
meeting.
Unanimous votes of the IGR Committee require 3 votes, not 2 votes, should an IGR Committee
member be absent.
An IGR Committee member may designate the Mayor to serve as an alternate in the member’s
absence.
7. Minutes
Written minutes shall be taken for all IGR Committee meetings in accordance with the Oregon
Attorney General’s Public Records and Meetings Manual. The minutes must give a true
reflection of the matters discussed but need not be a full transcript, verbatim or recording.
8. Process for Sessions of the Oregon Legislature
The Regular Session of the Oregon State Legislature convenes in January of odd numbered
years, with a Special Session convening in January of even numbered years. The Regular
Session generally lasts for six months with the Special Session lasting for two months. In
February 2008, the Oregon legislature convened a Supplemental Session in lieu of the Special
Session, lasting for only one month. Supplemental Sessions may be held in subsequent even
numbered years.
Preparation for the Regular Session is begun by IGR staff who meet with the members of the
IGR Committee and other City departmental staff to outline legislative policies and concepts for
the upcoming session based upon City Council goals, priorities, community needs and
organizational issues. These concepts, after being vetted by staff and the IGR Committee, are
then submitted to the full City Council for review and approval. Once the concepts are
approved, they become the basis for the Legislative Policies document that serves as the
cornerstone for position and lobbying efforts on particular pieces of legislation during the
session.
The Legislative Policies document includes principles and precepts that will help determine the
city position on bills. The City of Eugene first adopted a formal set of legislative policies prior
to the 1985 session recognizing from past sessions that many staff recommendations were
repeated from session to session and that a great percentage of a session’s legislative proposals
could be anticipated.
9. Process for Introducing Legislation
The City may wish to introduce legislative concepts on its behalf to the legislature. The IGR
Committee meets and reviews all proposals for legislation prior to submittal to the Legislature.
Any City staff or elected official interested in introducing legislation prepares a written
overview of the purpose of the legislative concept and draft language for review by the IGR
Committee. Once the IGR Committee has voted on proposed legislative concepts, the action
of the IGR approval.
After the proposed legislative concepts have been reviewed and approved by the full City
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Council, legislative concepts that have been approved are presented to the Legislature for
drafting. The bill, as introduced, is then presented to the IGR Committee under the regular bill
review process.
10. Process for Review and Prioritization of Legislation
The Legislative session is relatively short and as a result, bills can move quickly through the
legislative process. Regardless, the City will maintain a neutral position on any bills not yet
reviewed by City staff and acted upon by the IGR Committee.
Review by City staff:
Once the bills are introduced, they are assigned by an IGR staff person to the appropriate
LC for review.
Legislative Coordinators (LCs) in the appropriate City department analyze all introduced
bills that are of interest to or may affect the City. LC staff is determined by each
Department.
LC staff turnaround for review and analysis of a bill is expected to be within 10 working
days of the assignment of a bill unless the movement of a bill warrants a faster turn-
around. In those cases, IGR staff will contact the LC and arrange for a faster review.
If a bill addresses one or more of the policies presented in the Legislative Policies for that
session, the particular policy is noted in the LC staff’s analysis of the bill.
LC staff will relay both the pros and cons of a bill in their comments as well as any
amendments that would make the bill more favorable.
LC will assign each bill a priority and a recommendation.
Legislative advocacy is done on the basis of a priority and recommendation system. LC staff
recommends a “support,” “oppose,” “neutral,” “monitor,” or “drop” recommendation for all
reviewed bills. LC staff also recommends a priority of 1, 2, or 3 on all reviewed bills.
The three priority assignments for legislative bills are as follows:
PRIORITY ONE BILLS – The issues addressed by the bill are identified in the City’s
Legislative Policies document. The bill would have a significant impact on City operations,
services, or finances in such ways as to fundamentally impact department administration,
organization, personnel, allocation of City resources, or local decision-making, either negatively
or positively. The issues addressed by the bill are of significant interest to the City even if they
do not directly impact the operations, services, or finances of the City.
Lobby Resource Allocation: Both IGR staff in Salem work on the bill, with a high support level
from the legislative coordinator(s) assigned to the bill. The Mayor and/or Council members may
testify before committees, possibly with both IGR staff and/or a legislative coordinator. IGR
staff contacts all or close to all members of all committees the bill is assigned to. Depending on
topic and recommendation, IGR staff will also contact as many legislators as possible prior to
public hearings or work sessions. In the event of a floor vote, IGR staff contacts as many
legislators as is possible in the 2-5 day period between committee passage and the floor vote.
Handouts would be placed in the Capitol mailboxes of all legislators prior to a floor vote.
PRIORITY TWO BILLS – The issues addressed by the bill are identified in the City’s
Legislative Policies document. The bill would have some impact, although manageable, on City
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operations, services, or finances and would impact administration, organization, personnel,
allocation of City resources, or local decision-making, either negatively or positively. The issues
addressed by the bill are of high interest to the City even if they do not directly impact the
operations, services, or finances of the City.
Lobby Resource Allocation: IGR Staff in Salem work closely with legislative coordinators. If the
bill is a City specific issue, IGR will testify, with a legislative coordinator if necessary. This,
may necessitate the involvement of an executive or expert department staff or the Mayor and/or
Council members. If it is an issue less specific to the City, written testimony will be offered. IGR
staff will contact members of the bill’s committee prior to a bill being passed out of committee.
In the event of a floor vote, IGR staff will submit letters to all legislators and try to contact as
many of them as possible, starting with our delegation first, and then to legislators we suspect
might be “swing votes.”
PRIORITY THREE BILLS - The issues addressed by the bill are alluded to in the City’s
Legislative Policies document or included in other policy document or direction. The bill would
have a slight impact on City administration, operations, or services, with potential implications for
City finances, either negatively or positively. The bill requires tracking because amendments could
elevate bill to Priority One or Priority Two. The issues addressed by the bill are of slight interest
to the City even if they do not directly impact the operations, services, or finances of the City.
Lobby Resource Allocation: Depending on recommendation, IGR staff contacts committee
members from local delegation, as well as the committee chair or submits written testimony or
letter to proper committee, with no further involvement. In the event of a floor vote, IGR staff
will submit letters to all legislators.
Review by the IGR Committee:
The bill is placed on the IGR Committee agenda for review as soon as possible after all
applicable staff has commented on the bill.
The IGR Committee meets and reviews all bills on the IGR Committee agenda and may
pull any or all bills off the agenda for discussion.
Any LC staff that has reviewed and commented on a bill that is pulled for discussion will
be prepared to discuss the bill at the IGR Committee meeting.
If a bill is not pulled for discussion, the staff recommendation stands. If a bill is pulled
for discussion, the IGR Committee may keep or change the staff recommendation. The
IGR may also direct that IGR staff work to amend a bill.
The IGR Committee votes on all bill priorities and recommendations; the votes need not
be unanimous – with unanimous being 3 votes.
The actions of the IGR Committee are presented on the full City Council’s agenda for review
and approval. The minutes of the IGR Committee are ratified by the City Council. Any bill that
has been reviewed by the IGR Committee may be pulled for discussion at the request of any
councilor or by the Mayor.
11. Status of Positions on Bills until Final Ratification by the City Council
Time demands in the Legislature may not allow for each bill on which the IGR Committee takes
a position to be fully vetted by the full City Council before some type of action on the bill needs
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to occur.
If a position the IGR Committee has taken on a bill is not unanimous, the position on that bill
will be neutral until the full City Council weighs in and directs a position. The bill will then be
placed on the next available City Council agenda.
Although any bill that has been reviewed by the IGR Committee may be pulled for discussion at
the request of any councilor or the Mayor at the City Council meeting, as a matter of practice
and courtesy to the members of the Council who do not sit on the IGR Committee, any bill on
which the IGR Committee is not in unanimous agreement will be specifically noted.
The City Council can modify the position taken by the IGR Committee on a bill; the final
direction to staff on any bill comes from the City Council.
12. Process for Federal Lobbying Efforts
The IGR Committee and IGR staff address Federal lobbying priorities in concert with a number
of the City’s local governmental partners.
The Federal priorities begin with a review of opportunities for funding in the next Federal budget
and goals that are specific to Eugene or the area. The IGR Committee meets and reviews the list
of potential priority projects. Potential projects should be those projects which have already gone
through the proper authorization channels and are “shovel ready” projects. Once the IGR
Committee reviews the list of potential projects, the Committee develops a list of project goals
that are considered to be achievable.
After the proposed goals have been vetted by staff, United Front partners, and other community
partners, and the IGR Committee, the priorities list is then presented to the full City Council for
review and approval.
The final list becomes part of the “United Front” agenda which is presented to the area’s
congressional representatives, executive department staff, and other potential funding sources in
Washington, D.C. The attendees on the lobbying trips typically include the Mayor, chair of the
IGR Committee, and appropriate City staff.
13. Grants and Funding Applications
The IGR Committee acts on staff recommendations for grant and other funding applications
from outside agencies such as governmental or private entities. This process is intended to help
avoid situations in which City departments may inadvertently be competing with each other for
funding, and to allow the IGR Committee and City Council to review staff plans for expenditures
of grant funds.
City staff interested in seeking funding prepares a written overview of the funding application
for review by the IGR Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting.
If timing is critical and there is no IGR Committee meeting scheduled, the Committee may give
its approval via e-mail. IGR staff will keep full and complete records of the documents related
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to the request for funding, the electronic notification of the request to review and the disposition
of the request.
In all cases the IGR Committee and City Council have authority to direct that an application not
go forward or if it has already been submitted, that it be withdrawn.
14. Resolution 4908
On April 18, 2007, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 4908, “A Resolution Establishing
Policy Governing City Testimony and Funding Requests, and Repealing Resolution No. 4139”.
This speaks to the issue of testimony before legislative bodies, funding requests and the role of
the Council in setting legislative policy. This Resolution is incorporated into this document as
Attachment A.
15. City Council Operating Agreements
The operating agreements of the IGR Committee are to be incorporated into the Operating
Agreements of the Eugene City Council. As the IGR Committee is a subset of the City Council,
any and all process and operating agreements supersede this document. All process and
operating agreements of the City Council, by extension and when relevant apply to the IGR
Committee.
Attachment A: City of Eugene Resolution 4908.
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Attachment A
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September 12, 2018, Work Session – Item 2