Social Justice

The City of Springfield released a report Thursday detailing the findings of an investigation into the city police department’s use of force. The document includes a number of recommendations for the Springfield Police Department, but it ultimately concludes most of the officer’s actions were not considered excessive uses of force during the Jul. 29 protest in Thurston. 

Approximately 100 people gathered at the federal courthouse in downtown Eugene Sunday to speak out against racism towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Local reactions to anti-Asian violence in the headlines includes the Eugene Police Department and community activists.

At the beginning of the pandemic when Oregon entered its first shut down, UO senior Emily Fowler found herself living back in Portland with her family and facing all online classes. One of those classes was with political science professor, Dr. Alison Gash. Gash discovered many of her students were experiencing this unprecedented situation alone or away from their peer support systems. 

A program for LGBTQ youth on the coast is nearing its first year of operation in rural Lincoln County.

A community Thanksgiving dinner that has taken place for decades in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood isn’t happening this year. But, others have stepped up to carry on the tradition of neighbors helping neighbors.

Local activists with Black Unity are celebrating Joe Biden’s defeat of Donald Trump, albeit with measured optimism.  The group held an event tonight to discuss the election’s outcome.

From police reform to climate change policies and healthcare access—there’s a lot on the line for young voters in this presidential election. Young Democratic and Republican activists of color in Eugene are prepared to make their voices heard this Nov.

Springfield City Councilors were provided an update during their Monday night meeting on the investigation into the city Police Department’s use of force. The investigation is taking place after police officers were videotaped hitting Black Unity protesters in July.

If you’ve been at marches and protests across Oregon lately, you might have spotted – or even hugged – an unmistakable, fluffy figure: Caesar the No Drama Llama.  Tall, white, and furry from head to toe, Caesar and his handler, Larry McCool, have tried to be a calming force in a year of unrest.  KLCC’s Brian Bull produced this self-narrative of the duo.

In an opinion piece this week, the Managing Editor at Eugene’s Register-Guard says the newspaper- and its corporate owner- have made a pledge to diversity in staffing and reporting.

The Eugene-Springfield NAACP branch unveiled two community support projects at Our Reedemer Lutheran Church Monday morning.

After years of criticism, the University of Oregon is covering up four murals.  They’re considered dated works that promote white supremacy.

Hundreds of people marched through Downtown Eugene Saturday in support of Black Trans Lives. The goal of the event, hosted by Black Unity and Eugene Pride, was to highlight the intersection between the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities.

Hundreds of people rallied in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in Corvallis Saturday.

This year has seen the Black Lives Matter movement gain greater national prominence, through protests over police brutality and systemic racism. Native Americans have had their voices elevated as well, owing to a shared history of oppression, cultural stereotypes, and conflicts with the federal government. 

Civil rights protest groups continue to challenge and lead their communities to reform two months after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. On Thursday, a group protested outside Sundance Natural Foods claiming it had wrongfully terminated an employee based on race. Some protestors in Eugene have resorted to unorthodox tactics to force change.

A Eugene journalist is suing police for hitting him with tear gas and other non-lethal crowd control devices at a protest in late May. The suit also names the City of Eugene and some of its leaders.