002 | Dust Yourself Off and Try Again (Ft. Sarah Arbuckle)

Join hosts Xavier “xInYaFaceDotCom” and Allie Saunders as they welcome their first and best guest (thus far) Sarah Arbuckle, the Chief of Staff to Oregon State Representative, Hòa Nguyễn, serving House District 48. Sarah has been building, sustaining, serving, and advocating for the people of the Willamette Valley since relocating to the area in 2019.

In addition to a multitude of experience within state service, Sarah also volunteers with the Salem-Keizer School District, Black Joy Oregon, and Brown Girl Rise. Prepare yourself to laugh, to reflect, and to feel your “feels” while tuning into excerpts from this wide-ranging conversation between Sarah, Allie, and Xavier [with a special appearance from Ray].

Key Discussion Points & Timestamps: [00:00:23]: [Welcome, Shenanigans & Introductions [00:01:29]: [About Sarah: Introduction & Career Path [00:11:28]: [About Sarah: Identity, Culture, & Community] [00:28:33]: [Black Community: Challenges & Opportunities] [00:39:52]: [Willamette Valley: Future Outlook] [00:48:29]: [Hair Stories & Journeys] [00:54:43]: [Community Building: Accountability, Culture, History & Action] [01:10:36]: [Growing Up & Raising Children] [01:21:14]: [Government: Leadership, Wisdom, & Engaging the Youth] [01:28:38]: [Final Words & Sign-off] Shout-outs: Cat Amos - PaintedCurly Salon Lew Frederick, Oregon State Senator Juli Ray Joy - Partnership for Safety and Justice; Black Joy Oregon Jasmine Kelly-Field - Loc Queen, Kelly-Field Lawncare & More Jevon Deese - ISupportIt! Clothing Brand Kasha Marya - Sovereignty Bites Catering Mama Gloria Nikita Vincent - Twig & Bloom Flower Farm, Cultural Harvest Collective, Oregon Agricultural Trust Adrian & Ronnie Wright - XB Community Platform Local Resources: Black Joy Oregon - Black Salem Oregon (Facebook Group) - Brown Girl Rise - Cultural Harvest Collective - Kelly-Field Lawncare & More - KinCultivate - ISupportIt!

Clothing Brand - Oregon Black Pioneers - Sovereignty Bites Catering - XB Community - Additional Resources: “A More Beautiful and Terrible History” - Jeanne Theoharis “My Grandmother’s Hands” - Resmaa Menakem Connect with Us: Follow our show page and our hosts on Instagram for more content, and shout us out using the hashtag #WeOutHereWBP! @WillametteBlockParty @allie.havenrose @raydevante @xinyafacedotcom We are here to highlight All Things Black in the Willamette Valley. Please let us know if you’re interested in being a guest on the show.

Send all topics, community resources, event invites, suggestions, and inquiries to willametteblockparty@. Allie, Ray, and Xavier each have additional projects that they would love for you to engage with.

You can find more information by visiting the links below. Allie Saunders - Ray White - Xavier Hudson - SponsorshipIf you’re interested in providing sponsorship or underwriting for this project please reach out to us at willametteblockparty@.