A proposal made by councilors during a budget discussion would eliminate the city’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion, and use grant funds to pay for a similar position within the school department.
diversity
Posted inFood
With the opening of Papi, variety of Latin cuisines on Maine menus continues to grow
The Puerto Rican-themed restaurant in Portland is the latest addition to a diversifying Latin food scene.
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Posted inMaine, Politics, Schools & Education
Teacher defends LGBT kindergarten lesson featured in anti-Mills ad
The kindergarten teacher is disappointed that Gov. Mills and the state Department of Education responded to criticism by removing her video lesson from the state’s website.
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Local Sports, News
Outdoor Afro brings newcomers and experienced outdoorspeople alike to Auburn trails
The volunteer-led group connects Black people with open-air activities. This weekend, the activity of choice was Nordic skiing.
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Bates College receives $1.2 million grant to update curriculum
LEWISTON — Bates College has received a $1.2 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to make the college’s curriculum more inclusive by paying greater attention to issues related to power and privilege. The five-year grant is meant to help create a curriculum for the 21st century that will help students from traditionally marginalized […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine
Changing demographics seen urgent threat to rural schools
WATERVILLE — Bates College professor Mara Tieken told a conference Wednesday that the increasing growth of racially and ethnically diverse populations in rural places in Maine and beyond will keep these communities and their schools growing and thriving for decades to come. That growth also presents a danger of deepening inequality among races and social […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Conservatives blast Mark Eves for calling Maine's lack of diversity 'bad news'
A comment by former Maine House Speaker Mark Eves two weeks ago in Lewiston has gone viral, with conservative websites blaming him for “white bashing” even though his comment echoed statements made by others, including Maine Republicans. It is “a classic example of how the alt-right and the fake news media operate,” the Democratic gubernatorial […]
Posted inLetters
Disavow the racism
Streaming across the border, the poor rabble looked for a better life, looked for jobs. We resented them, they couldn’t speak English, tended to live in enclaves of their own and didn’t go to our churches. We were worried that they would overrun our culture. They were just so different. So we organized to counter […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston High School celebrates 1st International Day
LEWISTON — When Mohamed “Doe” Mohamud broke into song in the Lewiston High School cafeteria Wednesday, a crowd rushed toward him. Students circled him and joined in on the chorus. The energy was electric. His was one of several performances during the school’s first International Day, when lunchtime turned into a celebration of cultures. Everywhere […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Viewpoint: Somali community could be Maine’s economic development strategy
Last week, Democratic candidate Ben Chin beat Robert Macdonald, the Republican incumbent two-term mayor, but not by enough to avert a runoff. Although issues such as a proposed pay-per-bag trash fee reared up in the campaign, one of the biggest sources of contention was public assistance for asylum seekers from Africa, who continue to join […]