In 2017, a White man was found not guilty of shooting a Black man in the back after claiming self-defense. The White man was found not guilty by an all-White jury. Shortly after, Spokane Community Against Racism (SCAR) was founded.
SCAR's mission of finding and tackling racial disparities through various community efforts shines in every aspect of the organization. SCAR provides educational opportunities and community engagement, among other initiatives, with an emphasis on understanding why race-motivated harassment and assault continues to happen in the local community.
Fighting for equal rights and standing up for the disenfranchised is something SCAR's members are well-acquainted with, and is a central task its leaders plan on doing plenty more of, says co-founder Walter Kendricks.
Sign up for emails and learn more about SCAR at scarspokane.org. Burritos for the People happens Sundays from 9-10 am at Main Market Co-op, 44 W. Main Ave.
"We take it [as an honor] that people would recognize the things that we're trying to do because it's not about [me] or any of the other members of SCAR," Kendricks says. "What this is about is we're trying to make Spokane a more welcoming place for everybody."
Current policing practices and law enforcement systems in Spokane disproportionately hurt Black and Native American people, he says, so SCAR is in the process of compiling information on what public safety actually looks like for various minority groups in Spokane. The organization has hosted town halls, including sessions for specific minority groups, to hear how different communities envision the future of public safety.
Providing free food for one hour on one day every week is nearly unheard of, and SCAR wants to change that, too. Every Sunday from 9 to 10 am at Main Market Co-op in downtown Spokane, SCAR serves free breakfast burritos to anyone and everyone. Since the start of its "Burritos for the People" in May 2021, SCAR has provided upward of 13,000 burritos. The weekly series aims to show people what the world could look like if humans had a basic need met at zero cost.
Getting involved with SCAR is easy. The nonprofit has a variety of volunteer opportunities, plus its regular meetings are open to the public, all with the primary goal of promoting anti-racism in Spokane.
"There's ample opportunities, a variety of places for people to put their talents to use," Kendricks says. "All they have to do is be willing." ♦
