Racial Justice Council

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Codified into law in 2021, the Racial Justice Council (RJC) is composed of individuals from across the state that hail from many different backgrounds and life experiences. The RJC gives communities who have been historically excluded from decision-making tables more meaningful access to and a voice in the policy making that directly impacts the lives of Oregonians of color.

The Council and its committee members advise the Governor across an array of areas, including housing and homelessness, education, health equity, economic opportunity, criminal justice reform, environmental equity, and on legislative actions, executive orders, and state government policies, budgets, programs, and implementation.

Achieving this goal will require a new approach.

Establishing racial justice will take foundational reform and is why this Council will be inclusive of representatives from diverse backgrounds, while at the same time explicitly centering Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, immigrant, refugee and people of color. The Racial Justice Council will ensure that prioritized recommendations are communicated to the Governor and the State Legislature to inform the next state budget and legislative agenda.

The Racial Justice Council’s charge is to:

• Direct the collection of data from across sectors of society to support smart, data-driven policy decisions
• Provide principles and recommendations that center racial justice to the Governor to inform the Governor’s Recommended Budget and Tax Expenditures Report
• Recommend changes to state policies, practices, budgets and structures to align them within a racial justice and equity framework in areas of Criminal Justice Reform, Housing and Homelessness, Economic Opportunity, Health Equity and Human Services, Environmental Equity, and Education.
  

Council Members

Council Members include:

Council Meetings

The Racial Justice Council meets on a bi-monthly basis. Meetings are scheduled for the third Thursday of the month from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. Agendas and materials are made available on the Racial Justice Council webpage in advance of each meeting.

Meeting Documents

Council Membership

• Council Chair: Governor Tina Kotek
  
• All council members are appointed by Governor Tina Kotek. Members must have:
  • A demonstrated commitment to racial equity, social and economic justice, diversity and inclusion.
  • Connections to, or experience working with, historically underserved communities, particularly tribal communities, immigrants, refugees, Black, Indigenous and People of Color.
  • Have personal and/or professional experience and knowledge in public policy, criminal justice reform, police accountability, economic opportunity, housing, homelessness, health equity, behavioral health, education or research/data.
• Each Council member will serve on one committee.
• Target of 30-40 high profile community leaders.
• Council Membership Term: 2-year commitment to start.
• Committee cochairs are required to serve on full RJC.
  

Role of Council Members

• Recommend changes to state policies, practices, budgets and structures to align them within a racial justice and equity framework.
• Provide guidance to Racial Justice Council staff in creating Racial Justice Action plans for six specific areas, including reviewing plans created by each of the Committees.
• Develop long-term strategies designed to institutionalize racial justice into the way the State of Oregon conducts business.
• Directly communicate with other community leaders and bring feedback from them back to the Council.
• Identify areas of potential future collaboration with the state and outside stakeholders.

Committees

The Racial Justice Council will have six separate committees, each with co-leads. Racial Justice Council members may sit on a committee. Additional committee members with relevant expertise will be appointed to each committee.

The Racial Justice Council recognizes that existing boards and commissions have been working to address racial inequities in state government. Depending on the policy and issue areas, there may be opportunities for cross-pollination and engagement to advance racial justice collaboratively with the Racial Justice Council’s committees.

Criminal Justice Reform 

The Criminal Justice Reform Committee provides recommendations on changes to Oregon's criminal justice system that center racial equity. Areas covered include Restorative Justice, Reentry Programs, and additional structures of accountability. In 2024, the RJC engaged with legislators and wrote a letter of support to assist in securing restorative justice funding.

Economic Opportunity

The Economic Opportunity Committee identifies needs to support the long-term economic success of populations who experience systemic economic disadvantages in business creation, access to traditional capital and wealth creation. The committee evaluates current economic development incentives, grants, tax breaks, technical assistance, and other supports in terms of racial justice, and provide recommendations for modifications. Additionally, the EOC evaluates current public contracting opportunities for minority-owned and underserved businesses and develops strategies to increase them.

Education

The Education Committee recommends key priorities to the Governor, for system improvement in response to COVID-19, removing barriers to child and youth access to education resources, opportunities and outcomes in early care and education, K-12 and higher education. The committee elevates sector-specific strategic plan goals, equity policy goals, and statewide equity plans as articulated through the Early Learning Council, State Board of Education, Educator Advancement Council, Youth Development Council, Higher Education Coordination Commission, and statewide equity advisory committees. The committee reports on policy and budget priorities, building on existing sector plans and equity goals across early learning, K-12 and higher education.

Environmental Equity

The Environmental Equity Committee recommends updates to programs, policies, budgets, and strategic plans to be proposed to environment and natural resources state agencies. The priority of those recommendations is to center racial equity in environmental justice and access to the outdoors policy and program development.

Health Equity & Human Services

The Health Equity and Human Services Committee recommends changes to state and agency health policies, practices, and structures to align them within a racial justice and health equity framework. The purpose is to make necessary institutional and statutory changes that promote health equity, improve disaggregated data collection, and recommend interventions for racial health disparities in social determinants of health.

Housing & Homelessness

The Housing and Homelessness Committee identifies barriers to housing affordability and developing strategies for ending homelessness. The goal of the committee is to assist agencies in developing policies and programs that are culturally specific or responsive that center communities of color and result in a reduction of disparities in homelessness among people of color in Oregon.

Staffing

The Racial Justice Council and associated Committees are staffed by:

• Equity and Racial Justice Director, Andre Bealer
  
• Racial Justice Council Advisor, Javier Cervantes
  

Accessibility Information

For individuals with disabilities, individuals who speak a language other than English or individuals without easy access to computers, RJC can provide documents in alternate formats such as other languages, large print, braille, printed materials or a format you prefer.