September 1 Panel: Portland’s Transforming Demographics: Racism, Diversity, & Inclusiveness

[ Watch the video of the entire event on Facebook ]

[ Download the Agenda here ]

It’s become commonplace to hear of fatal shootings, traffic stops or arrests gone array featuring black men and women.

Last month, when Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke in Portland, he attacked our immigrant community and specifically Somalis.

While these attacks galvanized solidarity in support of the community, systemic racism is very real in Portland, and our community has much work to end racism and reverse decades of injustice.

Join the Portland Democrats at a forum to discuss structural racism, what it’s like to be black in Portland, the stakes in this election for persons of color, and what we can all do to make Portland and Maine a more equal, inclusive, and safe community for all residents.

Our panel will be held at the Reiche School Cafetorium at 5:30pm. It will be moderated by University of Maine School of Law Dean Danielle Conway.

Panelists:

• Rachel Talbot Ross, President of the Portland Branch of the NAACP
• Reverend Kenneth Lewis, Green Memorial AME Zion Church
• Kate Knox, Lawyer and Social Justice Advocate
• Ekhlas Ahmed, teacher and facilitator at Seeds of Peace
• Sean Alonzo Harris, Photographer
• Samuel James, Writer and Musician
  

Readings Suggested by or Written by the Panelists:
An informal discussion of these readings will occur on Thursday, September 15th immediately following Dem Drinks at Novare Res.

• Ta-Nehisi Coates, “Between the World and Me” (Amazon) (chosen by Sean Alonzo Harris)
• Kate Knox, “Let’s start talking to each other – honestly – about our racial attitudes”
• bell hooks, Talking Back: Thinking Feminist, Thinking Black (Amazon) (chosen by Mayor Strimling)
• Debby Irving, Waking Up White (Amazon) (chosen by Kate Knox)
• Samuel James, “This is what Dealing with Racism is Really Like for a Person of Color in Maine”
• Malcolm X, The Autobiography of Malcolm X (Amazon) (chosen by Samuel James)
• Kate Knox, “Let’s start talking to each other – honestly – about our racial attitudes”
• Peggy McIntosh, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” (chosen by Rev. Lewis)
• Lavelle Porter, “Dear Sister Outsider”  (chosen by Rachel Talbot Ross)
• Kevin Van Valkenberg, “Dear Fellow White People”
• Cornell West, Race Matters (Amazon) (chosen by Mayor Strimling)
• James Loewen, Lies my Teacher Told Me (Amazon) (chosen by Ekhlas Ahmed)