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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Clad for a cause ... Local chef wins Iron Chef title ... Jackson County names new community justice director ... Clad for a cause ... Local chef wins Iron Chef title ... Jackson County names new community justice director ... OUR VIEW Our View: Unpacking continues Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Aug. 18, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Aug. 18, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News A second community forum on "Unpacking Racism" may not have completed the task, but participants made a good effort to begin removing the wrappings. Most important, participants indicated they want to hold more such sessions and take the work into the community, including into Ashland schools. Marjorie Trueblood-Gamble, Southern Oregon University's director of Diversity & Inclusion, pointed out to the attendees that discussions of racism too often focus on individual acts, ignoring the systemic racism that can be invisible to those who don't experience it personally. She presented a video that criticized news media reporting of the issue, saying two-thirds of news stories about racism focused on individual failings. There is some truth to that criticism, if only because news reports by necessity report events first and look beneath the surface later. It's harder for news reporters to get at the underlying, institutionalized racism that does exist because it's less visible, it rarely produces overt aggression and it can be hard to see, especially when the reporters themselves are white. That's why sessions like Saturday's forum are valuable, especially in an overwhelmingly white community such as Ashland. When nearly everyone you encounter is white, it can be hard to remember that not everyone is. And the lack of diversity tends to reinforce systemic racism simply by leaving it unaddressed. Saturday's forum will be successful if it leads to more sessions, and if participants take what they learn into the wider community. The schools would be a good place to start. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Aug. 18, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501