An upcoming event happening during this Black History Month will bring together a handful of Black professionals speaking about their experiences living and working in Central Oregon. Hosted by Oregon State University and Love Your Neighbor—the local forum founded by Erika McCalpine of OSU-Cascades and myself in 2019—this next event offers an opportunity for each panelist to share the successes and challenges each has faced in stepping into public-facing roles and advocating for Black communities in a state where Black people make up just 2.9% of the population.

• Courtesy Love Your Neighbor
• Erika McCalpine, Marcus LeGrand, Ovietta Ruffin and Terrance Harris will speak on the Black experience in Oregon during the Feb. 24 online event.

The event is moderated by McCalpine, who is the executive director for strategic diversity initiatives at OSU-Cascades and director of the campus Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Laboratory. Panelists include Ovietta Ruffin, manager of central services for the city of Bend who works in the city manager's office; Marcus LeGrand, a career and college success coach at Central Oregon Community College and an elected member of the Bend-La Pine Schools Board of Directors; and Terrance Harris, director of the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center at OSU's Corvallis campus.

The event is happening online at 6pm on Thursday, Feb. 24. People can sign up by registering at: https://beav.es/wGD.

Love Your Neighbor: Celebrating Black Excellence and Success in Oregon

Thu., Feb. 24. 6-8pm

Online event

Register at: https://beav.es/wGD.

Free