Think & Drink with Rinku Sen and Mary Li

Oregon Humanities’ Think & Drink series explores systems that create and perpetuate racial and economic inequality in the United States—in criminal justice, property law, banking, and other areas—and how people are organizing to change those systems.

The series will conclude Wednesday, May 16, with a conversation offering local and national perspectives on these issues with Rinku Sen, one of the leading voices in the racial justice movement, and Mary Li, director of the Multnomah Idea Lab. Scot Nakagawa will moderate the conversation.

Rinku Sen is a senior strategist for Race Forward, a national organization that builds awareness, solutions, and leadership for racial justice, and a contributing writer for the organization’s daily news site, Colorlines. Over the course of her career, she has woven together journalism and organizing to further social change. Prior to her work at Race Forward, she served in leadership roles for over a decade at the Center for Third World Organizing, where she trained new organizers of color and crafted public policy campaigns.

Mary Li is director of the Multnomah Idea Lab (MIL). Part of the Multnomah Department of County Human Services, MIL is charged with seeking policy and innovation within the human services and government sectors. The MIL seeks to positively change community conditions resulting from poverty and racism by practicing human-centered design, seeking out critical thinking and research, and conducting applied research tests in the real world.

Moderator Scot Nakagawa is a community organizer, activist, cultural worker, political writer, and senior partner at ChangeLab.

This event will take place from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta St., in Portland. Snacks and conversation will follow the program. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and minors are welcome when accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and can be purchased at albertarosetheatre.com or at the box office. No-cost tickets are available. The event will be streamed live at oregonhumanities.org.