A large crowd attended this week’s public comment session for the Lane County Board of Commissioners. They rallied in support of immigrant and transgender rights.
With little to no standing room in the main hall, some supporters were redirected to listen in through another conference room.
Many who testified urged the board to make a statement in support of trans and immigrant communities in Lane County.
While the 4J school district and the City of Eugene have made recent statements in support, Lane County has not.
Many speakers emphasized the importance of a statement in light of actions by the Trump administration.
Anna Lardner, an organizer with the grassroots coalition, said the community will continue to show up in support.
“We're going to even be ramping this up as we enter the budgeting season,” said Lardner. “So we make sure that Lane County's budget reflects the priorities of protecting undocumented immigrants and protecting trans folks, like many of the commissioners say the county prioritizes.”
The Commissioners will hold their next public comment session on March 11.
