A symposium on the "State of Black Oregon: A Call to Action" is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Oregon State University Memorial Union ballroom, 26th Street and Jefferson Way.

The Urban League of Portland's State of Black Oregon report was published in July 2009. The report showed that social and economic disparities and systemic disadvantage still exist for African-Americans and other people of color in Oregon.

The featured speakers include Marcus C. Mundy, president of the Urban League of Portland, Robert Thompson, assistant professor in OSU's Department of Ethnic Studies, Henry Luvert, president of the Eugene chapter of the NAACP, and Carla Gary, assistant professor in the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity at the University of Oregon.

"During the last eight years, the poverty gap in America and in this state has continued to grow," said Mundy. "If there's a poverty gap for Americans generally, the African-American poverty gap widens to chasm proportions. This flies in the face of the ideals our country stands for, and simply should not be acceptable here in Oregon or anywhere else."

The speakers will address these issues and other challenges facing African Americans living in Oregon.

Thompson, whose research at OSU includes African American and comparative ethnic studies, was on the project advisory board for the State of Black Oregon report.

The event is sponsored by OSU's Department of Ethnic Studies, the Urban League of Portland and OSU's Office of Community and Diversity.