Walidah Imarisha : Fearless Social Commentator : PDXtalks

Why aren’t there more Black people in Oregon? That’s the provocative question Imarisha poses - and then proceeds to answer. Start with the state’s original constitution, which banned blacks from living here. The law was repealed in the 1920s, but the language remained in the constitution until voters finally excised it in 2002. Oregon’s continued difficulty with welcoming communities of color stems from this history and has become ingrained in the state’s economic and social structures, says Imarisha, who teaches Black Studies at PSU.

[@AlbertKaufman]

Thank you. I'll be continuing to learn.

[@kylefitzgerald4616]

Thank you Ms/mrs Imarisha

[@mr.ronaldlawrence1231]

AWESOME History Lesson! This is required commentary for every Black American.

[@annegearhart3029]

For *every* American!

[@JMoroccoMisterBoy]

Ms. Walidah Imarisha: Tks. much.

[@jamesanthony3957]

Very good teaching and informational about our history in america.

[@michaelwalker9734]

She’s a very intelligent, and articulate young lady. I have great reverence and respect for the work that she is doing. ❤️❤️❤️

[@charlesjordan4997]

Talk about the new racism

[@tzefirayah_700travelmore.]

Wow...I just stumbled across this extraordinary video. Amazing and very profound information to know.

[@thisisrebeccatoo]

Tremendous talk. Imarisha, thank you for providing this education. I think grappling with the complexity of our narratives is such an important step for all anti-racists.

[@jodiyaver]

Very informative. Wonderful speaker.

[@JoiGrabowski]

I am a middle class white woman and came from Oakland, CA and when I moved here in Oregon 5 years ago, I was astonished that it was all white. no African americans, Chinese or even latinos in the area that I saw. I was shocked. Thank you for the education

[@kkrobertson1]

But that is why you move there right.

[@JoiGrabowski]

@@kkrobertson1 nope

[@kkrobertson1]

@@JoiGrabowski Hmmm.....

[@JoiGrabowski]

I came to Oregon without knowing the race percentage. I came here because I have family here, and I moved from California. I dont know what is so shocking about that. I love California due to the diversity, but not the expense to live there. I was actually learning mandarin from a neighbor

[@joeschmoe8264]

Go back to the slums.

[@michaelisrael1814]

Moved here from Houston 3weeks ago and this was the first question on my mind..im glad u touched on it💯

[@bowmanjohnson]

Dre Films Just moved here from Houston 2 weeks ago!

[@dezimiddleton5292]

Remarkable scholar of intellectual prominence 🗽💖🌞 Dr.Walidah Imarisha🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆☀️🧘📔📗🌛🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@last7509]

wish i went with you. i was a fool and moved from h town to south florida around the same time. from the frying pan to the fire my friend.

[@kasnarfburns210]

Fascinating. I had a very good friend in college who was from Portland, Oregon. Unfortunately we lost touch since.

[@prentissbelton7508]

Im a brother and i know a lot about black history and I love you

[@Spenc083]

Great history lesson, one of my young adult kids just moved to Oregon.

[@islandgirl5382]

Thank You Walidah Imarisha; Your Intelligence, Articulation, Exposure, Modest Dress and Appearance speak volumes!!!!!! Your Delivery and 'Natural Hair' is so refreshing!! You are a Rarity; (No Weave, Perm, hair extentions, odd hair color) You have captivated the audience with your eloquent speech and Non ethnic voice !! BRAVO! I am delighted to have discovered this channel !!

[@davida.gilmore271]

what does 'non ethnic voice' mean? that sounds extremely stereotypical since she is a woman of color (Black) and using her voice...which makes it an 'ethnic' voice. Black people are not monolithic in thought or speech & have a myriad of expressions as varied as the hues of our skin.

[@JoseyTurn17]

Ms. Imarisha is a Black Woman visually and in audio. To say she is verbally non-ethnic is inaccurate. She is also not rare. Enjoy learning and widening the experience for growth.

[@karl24-75]

Walidah checks all the boxes - intelligent, educated, ,extremely articulate and naturally beautiful. Very informative and enlightening.

[@ajamarley134]

It shouldn't matter If someone hair is real or fake but rather what's important is that the texture matches their original coil pattwrn and also if they are authentic in preserving their culture. And about her voice tone she chose to sound less ethnic because I am an African Who grew up primarily in a predominantly all White school classrom in America and graduated from an Ivy League university and I never altered voice tone to appeal to any audience when I speak. I make sure that when I speak that I dont assimilate yet still speak with authority She is very articulate and I admire that she is confident and doesnt let anyone intimidate her. Yet, why does our natural voice tone appears to be intimidating or less educated because it has is base anatomically? Nubuian people created education and are the original scholars of academics. Her deliverary would be more powerful if she didn't have to talk in this up and down variable of pitches, rythym, facial gestures and body language. Long gone are the days where we have to assimilate to be accepted.

[@karenhalo9194]

Fascinating.

[@JoseyTurn17]

Love the term 'living legacy', as in living color. It's ongoing.

[@mariekimokeo-goes2806]

Great Historical sad facts.

[@michaelwalker9734]

Excellent teaching!

[@Lmaclinmaclin]

Your 1 badd Sista...I'm so proud of you and how presented your platform about the unjustice that happen to our people of Color God bless you and everything you pursues. And of course yours very cute inside and out.

[@floydmasonii5668]

VERY VERY VERY INSTRUTIVE

[@sarahill4408]

I wonder how this structural foundation translates into the history of our police force in Oregon...

[@bertramdavis7120]

What a beautiful intelligent woman! I love the intellect and the afro.

[@joeschmoe8264]

Her Afro is ridiculous and her content is bullshit.

[@dezimiddleton5292]

Lady 💕 Liberty🎼🗽🌞in the Flesh 🎁🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🌌🇺🇸🇨🇦

[@vanessajones7087]

How can they say white homeland,n when they came from the caucas mountain.

[@michaelisrael1814]

Europe isn't flat land i should kno i spent 4 years there while in the service..its full of mountains and rough terrain and castles

[@jammer3386]

Junk Pile Video sure as hell like to climb and jump off them. Junk pile you stink.

[@goodnessgrace1230]

"Proven history more truth" let it out 🗣brothas and sisthas thank you my 👸🏾Queen here🧡🤞👊🏿🔥 bring out the facts of evil being done today and yesterday. 🙏🏾 there's no hiding place for lies" and all the enemies of freedom. The fire will rise in wrath to find all of you on judgment day from the bottom of the earth when our lord the most high Yah^ comes in...., "there's no hiding place for hate or racism against black people.

[@sonny.9998]

I swear some times I'm looking at Angela Davis from 1970. Correct????. Oh n of course a VERY VERY BEAUTIFUL SISTA!!!! Now she is the Caucasian true fear. Not the Black man...its a Intelligent Sista with her Natural Woolly Hair aka The Afro. Its The Real Powe Of Us NUBIAN People. Copy???. That is the Image the establishment made a concentrated effort to destroy or cover up. And they did a good job bc most of our Sista's dont look like her, they look like blonde blue eyed people with barbaric tattoos all over her body.which is not our true behavior. COPY???

[@burgesswilliams8745]

I would marry her in a heartbeat and don't even know her

[@charlesjordan4997]

I am wasafi!

[@jamesduda6017]

Yes, Oregon has a racist past. No question. That is no longer the case, however. I am all for anyone of any of race, creed, color, or orientation living here. I'm not sure what is to be gained by having this lady wag her finger at us telling us we are bad because of something from the past that I had no part of.

[@CartoonActor3]

Is she giving this speech in a room full of white people

[@nattyp7801]

WOW……IMAN IS PROFOUNDLY EDUCATED FROM THIS PRESENTATION …KNOWLEDGE IS KEY …AGAIN BLM!!!!

[@kanyamagaraabdallah8300]

c´est les people etait souffrais millions des annees au monde entier

[@jane29228]

SHE AIN'T BL4CK.

[@xNatethaGreat]

really not bothered about the racism cause majority of blacks want to integrate and date out of their race so quickly often without thinking ahead I learned far more black men seeking interracial relations than black women and next thing you know Oregon could suffer an economic crisis of single white women with fatherless mixed children partially due to the men, the bread winner not being able to financially sustain himself under the pressures of discrimination and racial tension on a daily basis most would barely stick around. in closing, what I've learned from this is the so called white race are really spiraling down and falling in the minority into extinction but cannot risked by any means necessary become wiped out of existence by other races particularly from the black race but no fault of our own the depopulation agenda is happening by design.

[@kendahkem5279]

you really shouldn't eat your own shit--it makes your breath stink.

[@davida.gilmore271]

wow...got your red shoe laces yet...just wondering

[@unicornbbq]

Meh.