n this episode, we talk with with Marcus La Grande of COCC about a February 18th City Club forum called "Is Central Oregon as Welcoming as We Think We Are?” plus an amazing story about his grandmother, who was a powerful political activist in Georgia.

As Oregon and the world face multiple environmental challenges, Beyond Toxics from Eugene is part of a broad coalition effort to introduce Environmental Justice in all decisions affecting the environment by introducing a resolution of the Oregon Legislature. The group and coalition are also working on a bill to require consideration of environmental justice and climate impacts in all Oregon land use decisions.

We interviewed two exciting young organizers from Beyond Toxics, Danny Noonan and Haley Case-Scott. If you want some inspiration about the young people shaping our future, this interview is for you. There's more information at https://www.beyondtoxics.org/work/2021-legislation

On the Tuesday Point, December 22, 2020, we interviewed Josie Stanfield and Kerstin Arias, founders of Central Oregon Diversity Project. If you tuned in live and tuned away because of our technical issues early on, this is a great time to listen. They will also both be featured Tuesday, December 29 in our year in review show.

We had a great conversation about racism in Central Oregon and they work they are doing to dismantle it. They are doing a great service to our community and I hope you listen to the podcast and tune in December 29 at 9:00 a.m.

n today’s racially charged environment, Liliana Cabrera is here to clarify EDI for us: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Liliana teaches EDI skills and awareness within Central Oregon organizations and businesses supporting our ability to live together in peace, equality, and acceptance for the benefit of all.  She also defines the invaluable importance of becoming aware of our own Implicit Bias; meaning “bias that results from the tendency to process information based on unconscious associations and feelings, even when these are contrary to one’s conscious or declared beliefs, “ here in the cases of racial discrimination. 

For more information, take the free Harvard Implicit Bias Test here: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

Liliana Cabrera is skilled in Nonprofit Organizations; also teaching Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; Community Health and Education; Sexual and Reproductive Health; Multicultural Education; Culturally-Specific Responsiveness: Latinx, LGBTQ+, Youth, Parents; and Latinx (specifically Mexican-American) Intergenerational histories. Experienced Community Health Educator with a demonstrated history of working in the health care industry and academic settings.

Janet Llerandi Gonzalez of Mecca Bend joined us on Curiosity Lab Tuesday, October 6 at 1:00 p.m., to talk about some important, but uncomfortable topics. We discussed white supremacy in our area including the problems faced by our local Black, Indigenous and People of Color community, recent unrest, and local official and police reactions and policies.

We also discussed the problem of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and what people can do protect our community members from improper actions by that agency.

This dense and informative interview is based around a City Club of Central Oregon forum on Racial Injustice and the Tools of Civility: A Central Oregon Perspective. We talk with OSU Cascades Instructor and program lead in Business Administration Erika McAlpine. She is one of the facililators of a conversation between with two Black men, Marcus LeGrand and Rob Garrott, about their personal experiences living in Central Oregon.

Did you know the United States Environmental Protection Agency has announced it will suspend enforcing environmental regulations during the COVID-19 crisis? Well, they have.

Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics, talked with the Tuesday Point on April 7 about how Oregon is stepping up to enforce environmental protections using our state’s agencies and resources. Lisa also describes a collaboration of dozens of groups to build support for Governor Kate Brown’s decision to protect our environment when the national goverment is putting it’s efforts on hold. She tells you how you can get invovled as well.

Beyond Toxics is a Eugene based nonprofit building leadership for a clean and just Oregon. They have been working effectively and creatively to improve envionmental quality, protection, and justice all over the state.

On March 31, 2020, Garrett Jaenicke, Bend Chamber of Commerce Director of Marketing & Member Services joined the Tuesday Point to talk about services available for businesses, employees, and the community during the COVID-19 outbreak. Listen and learn about the website created by the cambers of commerce of seven Central Oregon cities called Central Oregon SOS that contains a listing of resources.

Garrent also talks about the state of local businesses, what their needs are, and other ways local chambers of commerce can be helpful during this time.

Janet Llerandi, founder of Mecca Bend, talks about problems uniquely faced by people of color and especially undocumented immigrants during the COVID-19 crisis.

Janet also talks about what the rest of the community can do to help out.