The quest for greater racial equity in the Northwest is in the spotlight today on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and it's part of the mission of one local organization.

Gordon McHenry Jr. - president and CEO of United Way of King County - said the first step to addressing inequality is understanding this struggle is going on everywhere.

"Make sure that folks are recognizing that in Seattle and King County - progressive Northwest - we have issues of racial inequity right here," said McHenry. "And it's not in other places; it's right here."

To shed more light on the issue, United Way of King County hosts an online event this Wednesday at 6 pm with Clint Smith, author of a recent a book on America's reckoning with its history of slavery.

McHenry said it's been important for United Way of King County to address racial equity, a process that began with a task force and assessment of the organization.

He said one pivotal shift they've made is to be guided by the communities they serve - especially Black, Indigenous and people of color.

"Show up more as a partner than as a grantor - 'You must apply for a grant' or, 'To work with us, you must go through these hoops,'" said McHenry. "We want to just sit with them and understand, how can we support them as a partner, and in a less structured way?"

McHenry said sadly, the issues that Martin Luther King was most concerned about - racism, poverty and violence - still are relevant in 2022.

"And those who are furthest from the resources," said McHenry, "historically marginalized, not sure they always feel like they belong, it's even more urgent and more pressing for whom that is their reality."

McHenry said he's afraid attention on racial equity might be waning, but he urges community members to keep up the pressure on issues like the role of law enforcement. He encouraged leaders to step up, too.

"Let's just be courageous and let's make some changes," said McHenry. "And what better time to do it than when you've had a racial justice reckoning, or when you have tolerated and hopefully survived a once-in-a-century pandemic?"

President Joe Biden is using today's second anniversary of George Floyd's murder to sign executive orders on police reform. From criminal justice to business opportunities to diversity, Black leaders cite a mixed bag in advancing racial equity.

After Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police, solidarity statements and pledges to take action came from a range of institutions. P.J. Hill, vice president of the Minneapolis NAACP, said there's been progress - but not enough follow-through to help Black businesses and smaller nonprofits navigate new investments and grants.

"There's so much red tape to go through that it makes people fatigued," he said, "and then the money is just too slow."

A recent milestone is the opening of Minnesota's first-ever Black-owned bank. But researchers suggest a long road ahead in reducing economic disparities. The Brookings Institution pegs the U.S. racial wealth gap at $10 trillion. Meanwhile, Biden's action received praise from civil-rights groups, but they have noted that the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act still awaits final approval in Congress.

Hill encouraged allies in the white community to keep looking inward - to reflect on their own unconscious bias and spark conversations within their networks. He said that urgency can't be allowed to dissipate in the days after a tragedy.

"What about after the news cycle? Continue to make that investment, continue to have that same fire, which is tough for us all to do," he said, "but I think it's going to take a concerted effort on all of our parts to really make the change that we would like to see."

In the Fargo-Moorhead area, Cani Aiden, who assists immigrant communities as community liaison officer at the Afro American Development Association, said the region expressed a supportive tone after Floyd's death. But he noted that hate crimes still cloud the issue, and a lack of diversity in local institutions is glaring.

"For example, the city that I live [in] now, when you see the employees, it's not totally diverse," he said. "I want to see diverse people, people working together."

There has been an alarming rise in racist incidents against Asian residents in Oregon, and it is changing how community members behave.

The Oregon Values and Beliefs Center found 61% of respondents to a survey identified race-based harassment as a "serious community issue." About half had heard a racial slur directed at them or a family member.

Amaury Vogel, associate executive director for the Center, said one-third had reduced the amount of time they spend in the community as a result of such incidents. She noted if the number is extrapolated for all Asian Americans in the state, it comes out to more than 50,000 people changing their behavior.

"That's more people than live in the city of Grants Pass," Vogel pointed out. "So, if you think of an entire city of people saying they're not going out to spend time with friends and family at the end of a pandemic, which has already isolated people."

The survey was launched at the request of the Asian Health and Service Center in Portland and the Asian and Pacific American Network of Oregon.

Vogel stressed the data is disturbing on many levels, and 87% of respondents said they did not seek mental health support following incidents. She noted it could also have an impact on communities' small businesses. Some have suffered property damage like graffiti and already were struggling because of the pandemic.

Vogel contended adding the fact some potential customers are afraid could be a recipe for disaster.

"I could see it creating a real crisis within these communities," Vogel remarked. "And what happens to these people if they lose access to these businesses, especially within their own neighborhoods? They have to travel farther to get to the services or the products, or their jobs, even."

Vogel added people are not likely to report hate incidents, and some are not sure what is considered a crime or worth reporting.

"People think that the only place to report is to the police," Vogel explained. "The Department of Justice is a great resource for determining is this a crime? Is it a bias incident that we need just track and help provide services to people? Or do we need to get the police involved and the FBI, even?"

Oregon Values and Beliefs Center does monthly surveys of Oregonians. Anyone can participate and will be compensated for their responses.

President Joe Biden traveled to Buffalo Tuesday to grieve with residents of the city, after 10 people were killed over the weekend in an anti-Black racist attack.

During a speech at Buffalo's Delavan Grider Community Center, Biden recalled the names of the 10 victims and who they were to their community. Biden said evil came to Buffalo through a hateful individual, just as it has recently in cities such as Charleston, Pittsburgh and El Paso.

He added Americans cannot remain silent about the dangers of white supremacy and racism, and how people have been radicalized through politics and social media.

"White supremacy is a poison, running through our body politic," Biden asserted. "And it's been allowed to fester and grow right in front of our eyes. We need to say as clearly and forcefully as we can that the ideology of white supremacy has no place in America."

The gunman, an 18-year-old white man, is believed to have been motivated by white-supremacist ideology. He's alleged to have posted online about the "Great Replacement theory," a conspiracy theory alleging nonwhite people are immigrating to the United States and other Western countries specifically to diminish the influence of white people.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is from Buffalo, said hearts are broken in the city after the loss and attack, but emphasized she hopes the tragedy can be a national call to action to eradicate white supremacy.

"He targeted this community, intentionally coming to this ZIP code because he could do maximum damage and death to people," Hochul stated. "Not just any New Yorkers, but he was targeting and wanted to execute Black New Yorkers."

The shooter was able to legally purchase a gun in Pennsylvania in December despite previously having undergone a mental-health evaluation. During his remarks, Biden acknowledged there is very little he can do when it comes to executive action on gun reform, and stressed it is up to him to convince Congress to pass legislation.