I found the guest lecture by Dr. Aris Hall very interesting. I was aware of Oregon’s racist history, and the fact that black people weren’t allowed to live in this state for a long time. I was very surprised, however, to learn how small the population of black students at University of Oregon is even to this day. I didn’t know that only about 800 students that attend this school are black, or that the black cultural center was only founded last year. I think it is important to learn about these things so that we can be better educated and more inclusive in our everyday lives. 

I think one way that we can advocate for equity in a sustainable way is by listening to and amplifying black voices. It is very important to teach others about how they can advocate for the black community, but we must make sure that we are not speaking over black people. I think we can connect with and support each other by being open minded and inclusive, and trying to be understanding. We should also stand up for each other if we notice something negative happening in the community.