Message from Commissioner Jesse Beason: February is 'Black History and Futures Month'

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I am honored to join the Office of Sustainability and to co-sponsor a proclamation to mark “Black History and Futures Month” this Thursday, February 22 during the regular meeting of the Board of Multnomah County Commissioners.

This year’s proclamation and program highlights the intersection of Black art and environmental justice and will feature remarks from representatives of the County’s Employees of Color Employee Resource Group (ERG). As part of uplifting the beauty, joy, pain, and mastery of Black artists past and present, the ERG has created an excellent Spotify playlist for all to listen to. (There are some solid cuts across a few generations in there.)

As with all Multnomah County board meetings, the public is welcome to join us in person (501 SE Hawthorne Blvd) or watch virtually. 

Our regular Thursday board meetings begin at 9:30 a.m. To ensure you are able to witness the Black History and Futures Month proclamation, we recommend arriving or tuning in by 11 a.m.

Whether you’re with us this Thursday or not, I hope you are able to join us in reflection and celebration this month. There are so many ways to honor and mark the contributions of Black people to our country. As Theresa The Songbird says in her poem, You so Black: “Black is adjective, adverb, color and noun.” Pick some or all of that.