The Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation believes that Black lives matter. We share in the collective grief and anger following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Oregon’s own Patrick Kimmons, Terrell Johnson, Keaton Otis, Andre Gladen, Quanice Hayes, Kendra James, Jason Washington, James Perez, Byron Hammick, Aaron Campbell, Koben Henrickson, John Elifritz, Christopher Kalonji, William Patrick Floyd, and too many others nationwide and here in Oregon at the hands of police and white supremacist vigilantes.
When the system fails one of us, it fails us all. As legal professionals, we have a duty to stand up and demand a more just society. As members of our community, we have a duty to listen. To educate ourselves. To understand. To act.
Our mission at the Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation is to provide access to justice opportunities and grants to women and underrepresented members of our community. Today, in the spirit of our mission and common humanity, we challenge ourselves to do better. Over our 24-year history, we have never had a Black President or Black member of the Executive Committee. We have not had a Black board member since 2014.
Moving forward, we pledge to reflect on the ways in which we have failed to adequately support and represent the Black community, we dedicate ourselves to practice inclusive and intersectional feminism, and we remain open to critical feedback and discomfort as we grow as individuals and as an organization. We will take action by discussing and implementing specific steps we can take as a Board to further these aims.
For too long, Black lawyers and members of our community have had to go it alone. That day is over.
In solidarity,
The Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation
