Reaching out to those who are different.

In Oregon they have found a new use for a shredder. A butt of comedians' jokes about politicians destroying incriminating documents, this little device was put to use at a recent Hope in the Cities conference in Oregon as a tool for leaving racial attitudes behind.

At the end of `an honest conversation on race, reconciliation and responsibility' at Portland State University, those attending were invited to take time in quiet to consider what attitude or behaviour they would be willing to leave behind as a step in answering racism. After they had written down their thoughts, they took their papers to the shredder and they were gone, for ever one hopes.

Nearly 200 people attended the conference from many aspects of the area's life as well as some from other parts of the US and Canada. It is one of many initiatives around the country echoing President Clinton's call for honest conversation about race. Initiated by MRA, the event was also cosponsored by Portland State University, the Urban League, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, the Institute for Judaic Studies and the Office of Neighborhood Associations.

The Hope in the Cities `Call to Community' has the endorsement of the Oregon Governor and three former governors, the Mayor of Portland and other mayors, and some 30 other leaders in the Caucasian, African American, Asian American and Hispanic communities. Several state senators and representatives, black and white, Republican and Democrat, spoke at the conference, as well as State Senator Henry L Marsh III, first African American Mayor of Richmond, Virginia. `The fight for racial justice is one of the most addictive and rewarding struggles that you can be involved in,' he said.

Those who attended were challenged to shed their masks and reach out to people who were different from themselves. They were asked, for instance, `If you are ready to break out of your comfort zone, towards whom would you like to move?'

Powerful challenges came from Carolyn Leonard, head of multicultural education at the Portland Public Schools, and Dr Okianer Dark, who works in the Office of the US Attorney. Dark described in compelling fashion how she had confronted discrimination in housing. `Skin privilege is the flipside of discrimination,' she said.

Issues addressed ranged from affirmative action to an apology for slavery, from institutional racism to immigration policies, from Oregon's past history of racism, to models of hope from around the country.

In a moving climax to the conference African American singer Joe Carter spoke and sang in Neveh Shalom Synagogue. He feels a responsibility to take to the world in song and story the pain and struggle of his people and the message of forgiveness.

Rabbi Stampfer, who introduced Carter, told the conference, `The hopes and dreams of this kind of gathering lead to ongoing efforts in our community to create a Portland in which there is the mutual respect for one another which makes it a great commmunity.'

The Oregonian wrote, `They didn't solve the problem of racism. But they got a good jump on it.'