The following letter was written in response to PCC Board of Director Brandy Penner’s remarks at the April 16 Board of Directors meeting. You can watch Director Penner’s remarks here.
Portland Community College Board Member Brandy Penner.
My name is Shawntá Creech. Proud mother. Gerontologist. Advocate. Activist. Author. And a Black woman.
I am done being silent while you cloak yourself in performative activism.
How dare you conflate the heartfelt cries of the people most affected by the egregious decisions you stare down your nose at us to make.
How dare you act as if cloaking this president, Dr. Bennings, and your fellow board members in your phenotypical whiteness and privilege can absolve them of accountability.
Shame on you. Shame on you for wearing your advocacy like an achievement badge on a Girl Scout uniform, wielding it to shut the mouths of courageous people speaking out against the injustices perpetuated against them.
How dare you sit on your high white savior horse, proclaiming that you speak for marginalized communities while you watch marginalized people beg this board, which has the power to reverse the program closures, for just a shred of humanity.
How dare you presume to call out the supposed oppression of Black women while turning two blind eyes to the oppressive actions of those same Black women.
How dare you try to leverage Blackness as a weapon against the Black people who are your constituents! You will never “Out Black” me on any day or in any room.
How dare you.
If you are going to call something out, clean your glasses and call out the discriminatory behavior of your colleagues. Call it out. Call out the anti-youth ageism perpetuated by your colleagues. Call out that disgusting display of disrespect perpetuated by Board Chair Tiffani Penson at last night’s April 16th meeting. She tried to have a speaker removed by Public Safety. When Kien Truong, the only board member with integrity, apologized on behalf of the Board, you, Brandy Penner, sat there while she went on a disrespectful rant, admonishing him like he was a child.
I would feel a deep embarrassment for the actions of the president and board chair. But I don’t. Because I don’t claim or acknowledge any form of community with them. I wouldn’t claim any of you if you were winning lottery tickets.
For the president, Dr. Bennings, and Board Chair, Tiffani Penson. How dare you sit and allow yourselves to be cloaked in white supremacy, with the very same tigers who would eat your face if given the chance, doing your bidding. Because I haven’t lived here long, but I have definitely heard that Lake Oswego is a sundown town.
How dare you sit there stoically, as the Blackness, dignity, and pride my people have fought and died for are tokenized to further perpetuate harm upon the very people you were hired and elected to protect.
It would be a cold day in the grave before I would pander so hard to align myself with whiteness to allow someone to use my Blackness as a tool of oppression.
How dare you.
It may seem crazy to advocate so fiercely for a program I have already completed, opening myself up for retaliation and more gaslighting. My people know the risks, and they stand with me anyway. But I am not afraid of your retaliation. I am covered by the Blood of Jesus Christ! You cannot touch what He has protected!
I can see the bigger picture and deeper impact of the lousy decisions of this President, Administration, and Board. I see how cutting vital student programs doesn’t just hurt PCC. It hurts the communities of people who already fight racism, discrimination, and marginalization every day!
You see, I didn’t move 3,000 miles from Washington, DC, for a scoop of ice cream, as you so glibly described our fight. I moved for a future. For the futures of my daughters. For the futures of the older adults and other marginalized communities, I am here to help. And I refuse to let you steal it. How dare you.
No Regards,
Shawntá Creech
PROUD Gerontologist and PCC Gerontology alumna!
PROUD Older Adult Advocate!
PROUD Activist for marginalized communities!
PROUD Black Woman, using my voice to stand up for what is right!