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We fucked up

06/04/2020 9:46 AM | Jennifer Ingraham (Administrator)

We failed to listen to and incorporate the views and needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) who identify as Timbers Army and Rose City Riveters. We ignored opportunities to listen to our community about concerns that are vital to them — not just this time, but many times.

We failed our community, and we commit to dismantling structures that keep BIPOC not only from speaking, but also from being heard.

Effective immediately, we will:

  • Make space: Establish open sessions for our BIPOC community to express concerns and offer perspective to the board, and develop an ongoing process for members to have their grievances heard and addressed.
  • Actively listen: Create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee to ensure that BIPOC are represented in leadership.
  • Educate ourselves and improve: Hire experts to understand how to adapt to be a truly inclusive space for the community. Evaluate the 107IST organizational structure and change processes that silence the voices of marginalized communities.

We will get back to you within the next 30 days with a more structured plan. We are getting to work.

The 107IST board of directors

Sheba Rawson, President Gab Rosas
Ray Terrill, Vice President Joshua Lucas
Jennifer Ingraham, Secretary Kristen Gehrke
Dawn Bauman, Treasurer Maggie Williams
Christin Correz Zachary Freeman
Drew Picard  

 


Comments

  • 06/04/2020 11:57 AM | Anonymous
    Here is the post this entry refers to:

    https://medium.com/@Milo_Reed/my-name-is-milo-some-of-you-may-know-me-as-a-capo-for-the-timbers-army-but-i-actually-wear-a-cbe1bf7ef2fe

    Not sure why it wasn't referenced.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 06/04/2020 12:53 PM | Anonymous
    To the board: have you reached out to Milo to ask if you could publish his original letter? Also the apology sounds very “corporate”, create a committee, hire outside experts etc. I expected more from you.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 06/04/2020 1:16 PM | Anonymous
    I wish I hadn't needed to root around Twitter in order to figure out what this was about. Thanks, Sean, for your comment so that others won't need to do the same.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 06/04/2020 3:10 PM | Anonymous
    This is not an accountable apology, and doesn’t even begin to solve for any of the issues Milo laid out in the request to action.

    As a black woman who’s been a member of this organization for years, who works in equity & inclusion, and has many times felt exactly what Milo refers to, I’m hoping you are listening when I say this is not good enough. Not even close.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 06/04/2020 3:19 PM | Brian Taylor
    Can you even call it an apology? Not once did the words "I'm/We're sorry" appear. This is beyond disappointing, the words pathetic and shameful come to mind.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 06/04/2020 8:59 PM | Nicholas Garner
    Love you all but this is kind of an non-apology apology. Maybe this is an effort to keep the tone light, breezy, and familiar, but it kind of misses the mark I think. I can't speak for Milo or anyone else that may have felt marginalized by 107IST past and present, but that's my take as someone inclined to give ya'll the benefit of the doubt, as I know and respect most of you. I appreciate the work the 107IST does and generally feel the intentions are positive. I've had my feelings of alienation for other reasons in the past and have been quite proud of what the TA and 107IST has done more recently, so this is disappointing. You are taking some positive steps but the first and least of them would have been a better, possibly more personable and less aloof, apology. I expect many of us will be working to do better, whether on the board or just in the community. Thanks for starting at least.
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  • 06/04/2020 10:35 PM | Basmah Rahman
    Many of you are friends of mine, some I've only met a handful of times. I know that this organization does so much good and I know from my personal experiences working alongside you that the TA prides itself on equity and inclusivity wherever possible. It pained me to read Milo's post...the issues he laid out and the frustrations he has felt over the years finally boiling to the surface. I have to admit I had a hard time reconciling what I read with my own experiences and interactions with 107ist. I love my soccer community, and I know there are so many good people that are part of it...but even someone like me has felt some of what Milo described. I've heard a few critiques over the past few days about Milo's personality and how some people feel like he rubs a lot of folks the wrong way and can be a massive jerk when he wants, but despite all that...I am really glad he wrote what he did. It comes from a deeper place than just soccer game day frustrations. It comes from a lived experience that more than 90% of the TA can't begin to understand. Portland is my hometown, but it wasn't always an easy place to grow up in...especially being a POC and Muslim. I want people to get just as worked up about race equity as they do about wrist bands, scarves and chanting on game day. I know we can do better in the TA and I hope that this isn't the end of this dialogue.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 06/05/2020 9:30 AM | Anonymous
    The header certainly caught my attention, in the masses of emails I receive daily. Having to figure out what it was all about was my first clue that the board still has ALOT of work to do. After reading Milo's post this morning, I'm also concerned that walking the talk may become far too uncomfortable. I'm begging you to not let the discomfort overwhelm your good intentions.
    Link  •  Reply


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