José visited City Hall today to present the following testimony during the presentation to Portland City Council of a report from the Coalition of Communities of Color titled «The Latino Community in Multnomah County: An Unsettling Profile«:

My name is José González and I’m a founder and executive director of the Miracle Theatre Group also known as Teatro Milagro, now celebrating its 28th season, and the Northwest’s premier Latino arts and culture organization.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to address you about important issues facing the Latino community, as exemplified in the Latino Report.  Thank you for recognizing that this issue goes far beyond just the Latino community, but is a problem for all regardless of race or cultural origin.

We at the Miracle believe in the transformative power of art and that every one of us, every human being, is born with an artistic flame.   In some cases that flame burns bright; ignited by community, education, and opportunity.  In some cases that flame is dim; waiting for something or someone to ignite it.

Recently you took action, both in creating the Office of Equity and Human Relations and also in negotiating a new contract with the Regional Arts and Culture Council which included a charge to address equity in the arts.  Both actions were smart, far sighted and in the interests of the greater good.

Today over 20% of students under the age of 18 in Multnomah County are Latino.  This report speaks of the serious inequity that these students currently face in terms of education and the opportunities that arise from being able to read, do math, graduate and go to college.  We all know that failure in these categories will have an impact on their future success, as human beings, as citizens, as members of society.

We also know that their artistic flames must also be ignited and, like reading, if not engaged at an early age, might never be.  Art and culture is important to us, not just a past time, but an essential ingredient of everyday life.  Art and culture is what makes people and society civilized.

While challenging, RACC’s equity initiative is vital to determining to what extent children from communities of color are being served by the region’s arts community, what is the gap, and what needs to be done to close it.

I know that we are at the beginning stages of this noble enterprise and trust that you and future councils will build on the work started here.  We know it will not be easy; nothing worthwhile is.  But we also know that it is for the greater good and if we are serious about promoting Human Beingness, quality of life and our community’s reputation for being enlightened, creative and smart, it’s well worth doing.

Thank you.