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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2015)
April 1, 2015 Page 7 Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views of the Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com. O PINION Our Challenges Are Not Insurmountable Education key driver to opportunity M ARC H. M ORIAL 7KHUH¶V QR RWKHU ZD\ WR VD\ LW %ODFN America is in crisis. Over the past year, we have been bom- barded with headlines that continue to drive home the longstand- ing challenges faced by black and brown communities in our nation. From the killings of unarmed black males at the hands of police of- ¿FHUV WR WKH LQWURGXFWLRQ RI QHZ voter suppression laws that make LWPRUHGLI¿FXOWIRUSHRSOHRIFRO- or to exercise their constitutional right to vote, it is clear that for many in our nation, equality under BY the law remains dangerously out of reach. %XWEH\RQGWKHKHDGOLQHVDQHF- dotes and agenda-fueled debates lie the real numbers – all facts, no chaser. Last month, the National Urban League released its 6WDWH RI %ODFN $PHU- LFDUHSRUW³6DYHRXU &LWLHV (GXFDWLRQ Jobs + Justice,” the 39th annual analysis of black and Latino equality in America. )RU WKH ¿UVW WLPH LW¶V available in an all-dig- ital format available at stateofblackamerica.org where YLVLWRUV FDQ ¿QG WKH HERRN ZHE series, select data, videos, articles and other frequently updated fea- tures. 7KLV \HDU¶V UHSRUW DJDLQ LQ- cludes the Equality Index, measur- ing how well blacks and Latinos are doing in comparison to their ZKLWH SHHUV LQ ¿YH FDWHJRULHV economics, education, health, so- cial justice and civic engagement. What we’ve found is that while strides have been made in our communities, tremendous gaps continue to leave us with a crisis in HGXFDWLRQMREVDQGMXVWLFH7KHUH are tremendous challenges before us, but the good news is that they are not insurmountable. For the next few weeks – and beginning with education, I will explore the ¿QGLQJV RI WKH UHSRUW DQG better still, suggest solutions to these challenges. As our nation enjoys historical- ly low dropout rates, the highest high school graduation rates in history and more students of color studying on college campuses, we must also contend with the reali- ty that school districts serving the highest percentage of low-income households spend fewer state and local dollars in those districts than ones that have fewer students in poverty. In addition, a lack of consistent education standards and equi- ty and excellence at scale means that the quality of education that our children receive is far too of- ten dependent on their zip code or how much money their parents make. Without a new formula for school funding that puts the dol- lars where the need is greatest, the education achievement gap will grow to the detriment of our na- tion as we educate a workforce in- capable of meeting the challenges of tomorrow. 7RXQGHUVFRUHWKH1DWLRQDO8U- ban League’s commitment to edu- cation and our belief that quality education is a key driver to op- SRUWXQLW\ IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH LQ WKH report’s history, we have included a state-by-state education equality LQGH[DQGUDQNLQJ7KLVLQGH[H[- amines state-level racial and eth- nic disparities in K-12 education, documenting black and Hispanic achievement gaps in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in comparison to white students. We have also included essays that feature commentary from OHDGLQJ ¿JXUHV DQG WKRXJKW OHDG- ers in politics, the corporate arena, academia and popular culture. 7KLV UHSRUW LV PRUH LPSRUWDQW than ever. It is important because armed with data; we can all go back to our cities and states and create relevant plans to address stubborn problems. It is important because we, as a nation, cannot expect to sustain growth and com- pete globally while millions of our citizens are denied the opportuni- ty to become productive citizens because of misguided policies or neglect. It is important because America can only be as good as its promise if that promise is kept to all Americans. Marc H. Morial is president DQG FKLHI H[HFXWLYH RI¿FHU RI WKH National Urban League. Solidarity with Peoples Struggling Against Racism Learning lessons from history R EV . E LIZABETH L EUNG 7KH 8QLWHG 1D- tions this month held a week of Solidari- ty with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination and observed March 21 as International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In a message that marks the observances, UN General Secre- WDU\%DQ.LPRRQKLJKOLJKWHGWKH WKHPH ³/HDUQLQJ IURP KLVWRULFDO tragedies to combat racial dis- crimination today,” which aims to explore the root causes of rac- ism and racial discrimination and stress the essential need to learn the lessons history has provided in order to combat racism and racial discrimination today. 7KLV\HDUPDUNVWKHWKDQQL- versary of the International Con- vention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination – one of the treaties against racism WKDWWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVKDVUDWL¿HG and is subjected to review for compliance. For the past half century, there KDV EHHQ SURJUHVV LQ WKH ¿JKW against racism – the end of co- BY lonialism, the dismantling of apartheid and the rise of a glob- al movement for equality. As the &RQYHQWLRQVD\V³<HWDVKLVWRU\ and current events attest, racial discrimination still presents a clear danger to people and com- munities in all regions.” 7KH GHFDGH 2024 has been pro- claimed by the U.N. General Assembly to be the Internation- al Decade for People RI $IULFDQ 'HVFHQW Recognition, Justice, and Development, ac- opinions, ethnic origin, skin color, sexual orientation, or any other sta- tus.” 7KH YDULRXV PDQQHUV LQ ZKLFK the international community – such as the United Nations – approaches racism is neither individualistic nor ahistorical, which may be the way that many of us initially understand racism – personal prejudices, ex- plicit hatred and intentional injury. As a consequence, the remedy has EHHQ IRFXVHG RQ ¿QGLQJ DQG SXQ- LVKLQJ WKH ³IHZ EDG DSSOHV´ VR that the systemic racist structures that provide conditions for such behavior to happen can remain un- [W]e must never forget that human rights are for everyone, every minute of every day, 365 days a year, without distinction of any kind... — Ban Ki-moon, U.N. General Secretary knowledging that with regard to the access to justice, people of $IULFDQ GHVFHQW ³IDFH DODUPLQJO\ high rates of police violence and UDFLDOSUR¿OLQJ´ In a message reminding us that more needs to be done to ensure fairness in justice and law enforce- ment systems, and to promote and uphold the human rights of people of African descent everywhere, the U.N. General Secretary empha- VL]HGWKDW³>Z@HPXVWQHYHUIRUJHW that human rights are for everyone, every minute of every day, 365 days a year, without distinction of any kind – wherever we live, who- ever we are, irrespective of our touched. Following the same logic, some- one who seeks to be more than fair-minded may, with good inten- tion, think that donning a hijab or darkening their skin for a week can KHOS WKHP WR EHWWHU ³IHHO´ UDFLVP but does not necessarily seek the historical depth of the collective injury which is transmitted across generations. If we are serious about address- ing racism in a sustaining manner, rather than in an entertaining way, then we cannot just adopt it as a per- sonal project or an elective hobby. Rather, it must be a way of life, with whatever privilege and humility we have, to journey together with oth- ism’s destructive impact. ers, and to act to produce conditions Rev. Elizabeth Leung is minis- that will allow for the fullness of ter for racial justice for the United life for those who have suffered rac- Church of Christ.
