Talking about Race in America

Like Jim Crow (and slavery), mass incarceration operates as a tightly networked system of laws, policies, customs, and institutions that operate collectively to ensure the subordinate status of a group defined largely by race.
--Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow.

Twenty-five people have signed up to participate in six discussions of the book The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander. We meet on Saturday mornings at Reflections, an African-American-owned coffee house and bookstore. It's a way to talk about our experiences of race and racism; to deepen our understanding of the way the so-called "war on drugs" has created a racial caste system in this country; and to explore ways to eradicate racism. We are a self-selected group of people ranging in age from 19 to 70 who want to discuss race together and move toward unified action.

I'll be writing about our discussions for the Portland Occupier.

After the warmth and camaraderie of our meeting, we stepped outside to discover that the clouds had cleared for a little while so we could enjoy a couple of hours of sunshine before the rain started again. It was great to be out in the sun, and I took a few pictures, but the picture of the day for me was this one.