Our guests this week are members of Sunrise Beaverton, a local affiliate of the National Sunrise project. The Sunrise Project is driven nationally by a passion to solve the climate crisis. They state: "We are a team of experienced campaigners, analysts, and communications professionals with a mission to scale social movements to drive the transition beyond fossil fuels." They emphasize and promote youth activism. Today we welcome three representatives from the Beaverton affiliate. We'll learn more about the local organization, their achievements, and future plans.

This week Rob discusses philanthropy in Washington County with Max Williams and Todd Baker. Todd Baker, President of Baker Rock Resources Baker Rock Resources has been in Oregon for over 60 years and emphasizes giving back to and reinvesting in local communities in its business model. Each year, Baker Rock Resources hosts and supports numerous walks, fundraisers, community auctions, drives, and community events. Baker Rock Resources also assists countless local and regional organizations that help those who need a hand up, particularly veterans. Max Williams, CEO, Oregon Community Foundation The Oregon Community Foundation is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and businesses with directing charitable contributions and creating charitable funds. OCF is Oregon’s largest public charity. Formerly a lawyer, legislator, leader of the Oregon Department of Corrections, Max assumed his role as OCF president and CEO in 2012. He has helped individuals, families and businesses transform their philanthropy into sustained, community-driven impact, doubling the Foundation’s endowment in seven years.

While 71 percent of Americans believe that their local news outlet is doing well financially, local news organizations are actually struggling against declines in circulation and advertising. Over 2,100 newspapers have closed over the past 15 years. In our connected age, there is an abundance of news and opinion coming at us 24/7. It’s all covered in minute detail, and we are free to share it and our opinions on the matter. But missing from that collection of trivia and substance is news of what is happening in our own backyards. Local news about a tax increase or a zoning decision is rarely of such interest that it trends nationally, but it has an outsized impact on the everyday lives of residents in small towns and city neighborhoods. When local newspapers fail, these communities are often left without any news organization to care about, watch over, and report on the actions of the county commission, city council, or the local school board. Our guests this week are local journalists Chas Hundley and Mark Miller. Chas is the Editor/Publisher of The Banks Post and The Gales Creek Journal. He grew up in Gales Creek, establishing the Gales Creek Journal after high school. He’s since gone on to launch a small media company with publications covering far west Washington County and the Tillamook State Forest. Mark Miller works with the Pamplin Media Group as Editor-in-Chief of several of their publications, including the Hillsboro News-Times, Forest Grove News-Times, and Beaverton Valley Times among others. The Pamplin Media Group is a media conglomerate owned by Robert B. Pamplin, Jr., operating primarily in the Portland metropolitan area. Pamplin owns 29 newspapers and employs over 200 people.

This week, Rob introduces a special guest host and an expert panel to discuss systemic racism. When groups engage in systemic racism, those targeted are most often kept from having power. We're going to look at how power is denied and what all of us can do to promote equity. Our special guest host is community activist Héctor Hinojosa. Our panelists are: * Wajdi Said, PhD, Co-Founder and President of the Muslim Education Center. * Luhui Whitebear, PhD, Assistant Director of the Native American Longhouse Eena Haws, Oregon State University. * J.W. Matt Hennessee, PhD, CEO at Agape Resource Group and senior pastor and CEO and Vancouver First Baptist church in Portland.

This week, Rob introduces a special guest host and an expert panel to discuss systemic racism. When groups engage in systemic racism, those targeted are most often kept from having power. We're going to look at how power is denied and what all of us can do to promote equity. Our special guest host is community activist Héctor Hinojosa. Our panelists are: * Wajdi Said, PhD, Co-Founder and President of the Muslim Education Center. * Luhui Whitebear, PhD, Assistant Director of the Native American Longhouse Eena Haws, Oregon State University. * J.W. Matt Hennessee, PhD, CEO at Agape Resource Group and senior pastor and CEO and Vancouver First Baptist church in Portland.

For the past 25 years, Steve has worked to make a difference for the people of Hillsboro. He has served the community as an elementary school principal, Hillsboro School District Communications Director, Planning Commissioner, City Council President, and the first Hillsboro Mayor elected President of the Oregon Mayors Association. He has also been elected Treasurer of the League of Oregon Cities, which puts him in the progression for VP and President of the LOC. This follows the paths of former Hillsboro Mayors Tom Hughes and Shirley Huffman. Mayor Callaway has been instrumental in creating a safe, successful, and livable Hillsboro. His commitment to giving the residents of Hillsboro a powerful voice in their city government and creating a government that works for everyone is Steve’s legacy as a Hillsboro leader. The City of Hillsboro is committed to equity. Equity work aims to remove barriers and eliminate social and economic disparities by centering those who have been excluded from the decision making process. Equity is the pursuit of equal outcomes.

This week's topic is Healthcare, Part 1 with former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber. Dr. Kitzhaber is well known in Oregon and across the country for his expertise on health care and health policy. He has practiced as an emergency physician, served for 14 years in the Oregon legislature, and completed three terms as governor of Oregon. Through his service, he authored the Oregon Health Plan and was the chief architect of the state's Coordinated Care Organizations. The Oregon Health Plan (OHP) provides health care coverage for low-income Oregonians from all walks of life. This includes working families, children, pregnant women, single adults, seniors, and more. A Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) is a network of all types of health care providers who are working together in their local communities to serve people who receive health care coverage under the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid). CCOs integrate physical, mental, and dental care with the goal of better health, better care, and lower costs. CCOs focus on prevention of illness and disease and improving care. This helps reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and gives people support to be healthy.

Our guest today is civics educator, Donna Cohen. Donna started her interesting project years ago with a stated mission "to enhance civic knowledge and to inspire political involvement." Donna has earned two masters degrees-MLIS [Master of Library and Information Studies], and an MEd. A former teacher, Donna now devotes her time to presenting workshops geared to help adults to learn and become engaged in political activity. Topics in our discussion include civic engagement, advocacy, fake news, and more! Learn more about Donna's workshops.

In Washington County we have cities and a large areas of unincorporated land. The Cedar Mill area makes up a large portion of the unincorporated part of our county, and no one knows Cedar Mill better than this week’s guest, Virginia Bruce. Virginia is a community activist who manages the Cedar Mill Historical Society, manages CPO1 in the community Participation Organization system, and publishes a monthly news publication, the Cedar Mill News. Our conversation focuses on county history, current issues, and differences between the cities and the unincorporated areas in Washington County.

Today we focus on the upcoming vote for Beaverton Mayor. Our guests are the two leading vote getters in the May 2020 Primary Election: incumbent Mayor Denny Doyle and Beaverton City Councilor Lacey Beaty. In this year of COVID-19 campaigning, there have been several virtual debates between these two office seekers. We decided on a different format. Each candidate was interviewed separately with similar questions. We hope this format offers an additional way to compare and contrast the candidates.