McMinnville

By Wynton Skowrup

When looking at the actual racial demographics for my hometown of McMinnville, Oregon, the percentage of Asian, black, and Latino residents is so far in the minority they hardly show up. It’s basically an example of residential gating but if the gate extended to the city limits. The city has been white dominated for so long that it’s just become the way of life without much question. Cycles tend to repeat themselves and white families settle down in McMinnville, fill the space with their culture, and their children take up that mantle. Of course they feel like they belong because it’s a place where they have all the advantages and where the people around them both look the same and carry the same experiences and values for the most part. In my neighborhood, my sister and I are the only people of Asian heritage I’ve seen, with the only minority appearances being made by landscapers or our personal friends who come and visit. It’s a truly strange feeling when you know your presence is boosting a demographic fairly significantly. Even in places where there is a higher degree of diversity, such as on the local college campus, there are very few safe and open spaces carved out for minorities and women. Creating a support system in those, and every, environment is a cause that deserves to be heard state and nation wide.