Ashland takes pride in thinking of itself as an open, caring, multicultural community.
But comments and threats to people of color roiled the city in recent years, and it has produced some community-wide soul-searching. And a candidate for a vacant seat on the Ashland School Board.
Kamilah Long works for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and wants the spot, saying she could be an effective voice for students of color. Long reports an increase in hate speech in the schools as well as on the streets.
Her candidacy and the factors that led to it are this month's topic on The Keenest Observers, hosted by Robert Goodwin. Listen for a discussion of some of the ugly things people say, even in a relatively liberal town.