Dear friends and colleagues,

Tualatin Valley Creates stands with the Black members of our community. As a region, as a nation, and as participants of the global conversation, we must not be silent about ongoing racial discrimination, violence and injustice.

To our Black community members: We see you. We hear you. We support you. Washington County is home to the most diverse population in Oregon. TVC celebrates this diversity because we know it is our differences that bring beauty and meaning to this place.

I want you to know that TVC is continually analyzing how our programs and policies serve – or create barriers – to marginalized individuals and groups.  Our Board of Directors is wholly committed to offering accessible, inclusive programming. Our Cultural Equity statement promises to ensure that all people—including those who have been historically underrepresented based on race/ethnicity, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, geography, citizenship status, or religion—are represented in the development of arts policy; the support of artists; the nurturing of accessible, thriving venues for expression; and the fair distribution of programmatic, financial, and informational resources.

I recognize that TVC’s execution of these principles is a work in progress as the needs of our communities continue to evolve. We have more to do, and acknowledgment of the challenges we face is not enough. Unravelling systemic racism requires all of us to confront the unconscious biases embedded in our culture. These are not new topics, however we each have new tools to amplify the message. This is not a comfortable process for many of us, myself included.  I encourage our audiences and legislative leaders to get comfortable being uncomfortable: hear, see, and support the voices crying out for change right now.

I personally invite you to contact me to share your concerns regarding TVC’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies and practices.

In solidarity,

Raziah Roushan

Executive Director

PS: TVC is an arts and culture service organization. Our keystone function is through our Communication Hub (online calendar, social media and eNewsletters) which promotes programming and events performed by third-party artists and organizations. It is our policy to refuse publication and/or endorsement of third-party materials that depict overtly aggressive, adversarial, or is exclusionary toward any one sect, whether based on religion, politics, race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or national origin, which could be considered offensive to TVC’s general audience. Please contact info@tvcreates.org for questions about this and/or a copy of our Marketing & Communications Policy.