Using Your Voice for Racial Justice
a reflection on our conversation with civil rights advocate Ruby Bridges
“If we want to make a difference, we have to be united. The only way we will be successful is if we join hands and fight this fight together.”
On October 28, civil rights advocate Ruby Bridges joined United Way of Lane County and over 550 community members virtually for an inspiring conversation about using our voices for racial justice. As part of the event, Ruby also helped United Way launch its new Racial Justice Fund.
Lane County high school students speak with Ruby Bridges during a presentation for all Lane County high school and middle school students.
Right before the community event, Ruby also spoke with an estimated 6,000 Lane County middle and high school students, teachers, and staff as well. Five high school students, representing Springfield, Cottage Grove, Eugene 4J, Bethel, and Lowell school districts, spoke with Ruby directly, asking how to they could find confidence and courage in their activism, how best to leverage their power and voices for issues they care about, and more.
“It was really eye opening for my kids to see somebody they could relate to share a story that seems both so far away and so close at the same time,” said Dave Wines, a 4J teacher at Edgewood Community Elementary School, who joined virtually with his 4th and 5th grade class. “The kids have a sense of empowerment from so much of what she shared.”
Ruby’s story of desegregating her all-white New Orleans elementary school at just 6 years old in 1960 continues to be a powerful testament to the impact children can have on our greater community.
“Everyone always says ‘Oh Ruby you were so brave.’ I didn’t feel brave; I was a child simply going to school,” Ruby shared during the community event.
After sharing her story, Ruby and local community leader and racial justice fund co-chair Mo Young discussed United Way’s Racial Justice Fund, what inspires them and ways people can make a difference in our Lane County Community.
INVESTING FUNDS IN RACIAL JUSTICE
Movements for justice require many resources, Ruby shared. During the event, Ruby helped United Way launch its new Racial Justice Fund, aimed at advancing racial justice locally by investing in initiatives led by and serving communities of color to build power, access, and wealth. The conversation was facilitated by Mo Young, a local community leader and the co-chair of the new fund. After hearing about United Way’s initial seed funding goal of $75,000, event attendees helped raised over $38,500 to support racial justice efforts in Lane County.
This fund is part of United Way’s broader work to cultivate just, resilient communities where every child succeeds and we all thrive. We cannot reach this vision without recognizing and addressing historic and present-day injustices, investing deeply in marginalized communities, and stepping back to allow historically marginalized communities to lead.
“It’s going to take dollars to actually invest in a movement, to actually make the progress that we need,” Ruby said about funding racial justice work.
The new Racial Justice Fund will be guided by a task force of local leaders of color, and informed through listening sessions and conversations with people of color throughout Lane County over the next four months, which will ultimately shape how and where funds will be invested in 2022.
The first listening sessions will take place virtually on November 17 from 4:30 to 6:00PM and November 20 from 10:00 to 11:30 AM. Those interested in sharing feedback, attending listening sessions, and investing in the fund can do so at www.unitedwaylane.org/racial-justice.
ACTIVISM, UNITY, AND FINDING HOPE
Throughout the event, Ruby drove home messages of hope, resilience and the importance of unity for future progress in the hard work ahead.
Ruby discussed the need for collective activism, saying “We have to collectively come together to fight this disease that separates us… the fires, the hurricanes, the floods, I mean, there's so much out there, that is much deeper than what you and I look like that we need to be reminded of. Because when those things take place and hit us, it's not going to matter what you look like, you're going to need your neighbor and that helping hand.”
When asked where she sees hope moving forward, she responded, “What motivates me and gives me hope, is the young people. And I honestly do believe that they will step up to the plate, I can see it happening now. I am deeply moved by the questions that kids have. Because it's like they too want to make a difference now. And I have always thought that if we are to get passed on racial differences, it's going to come from our young people.”
The passion and inspiration Ruby and so many others see in young people is something United Way of Lane County strives to foster every day. By focusing on key areas for kids to succeed—like family stability, school success, and instilling the knowledge and skills so youth can follow their dreams—we are cultivating communities where every child has the ability to not only succeed, but thrive.
Ruby left us with one message to drive us forward in our fight for justice.
“ We all have to find what we’re passionate about. And there are so many ills in the country, whether it’s climate change, you know, whether it’s racial justice, there’s so much work that needs to be done. And each and every one of us needs to understand that we have that responsibility, and we need to find what speaks to us.”
As Ruby shared, there is still much work to be done. Join as we envision and invest in community-led solutions to advance racial justice locally:
Make a gift to the Racial Justice Fund
Share feedback and shape how funds are used and where they’re invested