Respond to Racism expands scholarship program for BIPOC Lake Oswego students

A year after inaugurating the Gloria Brown Scholarship in honor of the Lake Oswego resident and first Black woman to achieve the rank of forest supervisor for the U.S. Forest Service, Respond to Racism is expanding the offering to empower local youth.

The nonprofit that strives to raise awareness about race and inclusivity in Lake Oswego and provide support for minority communities will grant four scholarships of $2,000 each this year.

Scholarship applicants should be BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color or bi-racial) high school seniors attending a Lake Oswego high school or living in town. The scholarships are meant for youth pursuing academic majors “in a subject that contributes to humanity, the betterment of self and/or community.”

Last year, UCLA theater and African American studies student Niyah Coleman and University of Portland business and political science student Nandita Kumar received scholarships.

“We’re investing in leadership development and empowering students of color to be advocates, whether it be here in Lake Oswego or in Oregon or wherever these students may end up or go,” said Respond to Racism organizer Bruce Poinsette.

Poinsette was pleased to see that Brown, who died in 2021, recently received the Outstanding Woman in American History award from the Beaverton chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. He emphasized that the scholarship is designed to carry on her legacy.

The scholarship is paid for via donations. Community members can donate or apply for the scholarship on the Respond to Racism website: https://respondtoracism.org.