Black Cultural Initiative

Black Cultural Initiative Lane County’s first Black-led community center, hub, & business incubator. Uplifting & empowering the Black community.

Black Cultural Initiative
1695 Jefferson St
Eugene, OR 97402

We’re excited to welcome Daena “DW” Wallace to BCI as our Housing Program Coordinator for the Black Tenant Empowerment N...
09/02/2026

We’re excited to welcome Daena “DW” Wallace to BCI as our Housing Program Coordinator for the Black Tenant Empowerment Network!

At BCI, we know that safe, stable housing is foundational to the wellbeing of our community. DW’s work helps make sure Lane County renters have someone in their corner when navigating housing systems that can often feel complicated and overwhelming.

Through the Black Tenant Empowerment Network, DW connects community members with rental application support, eviction response resources, emergency rental and utility assistance, and referrals for housing legal support. She also facilitates our Rent Well Learning Series, a free renter education course focused on helping people understand their rights, strengthen their rental history, and build greater housing stability.

DW brings years of experience supporting co-ops, HOAs, and shared-equity housing communities in Chicago, along with a PMP certification and Data Analytics certification from the University of Oregon.

She also brings something just as important: lived experience. As a renter in Eugene for the past eight years, DW understands firsthand what it can be like to navigate property management companies and the realities renters face in our community.

Her approach to this work is rooted in what we value at BCI: meeting people where they are, connecting our community with real resources, and making systems easier to navigate.

We’re so glad to have DW with us as we continue building a stronger network of support for Black renters and our broader Lane County community.

Welcome to the BCI family, DW!

A HUGE thank you to all of the volunteers who showed up for BCI’s BBQ & Fish Fry!Events like this take a lot of hands, a...
08/27/2026

A HUGE thank you to all of the volunteers who showed up for BCI’s BBQ & Fish Fry!

Events like this take a lot of hands, and our volunteers truly showed up for us. From helping with setup and food service to keeping things moving throughout the evening and sticking around for cleanup, y’all helped make the day what it was.

We’re so grateful for the time, energy, care, and good vibes you brought with you. Because of your support, we were able to welcome our community in, feed folks, celebrate together, and have a GOOD time while doing it!

Thank you for showing up for BCI and, most importantly, for showing up for our community. We appreciate every single one of you! 🖤

Photo Credit: Robert Scherle

What does it look like to reimagine our food systems while understanding the history that shaped them?Join BCI for our u...
08/25/2026

What does it look like to reimagine our food systems while understanding the history that shaped them?

Join BCI for our upcoming gardening class, Colonization in Agriculture: Reimagining Food Systems, where we’ll explore the connections between history, culture, land, and agriculture with JR Morgan from Morganic Roots Eco Firm.

We’ll talk about how colonization has influenced the ways food is grown, shared, and accessed today, while honoring Indigenous knowledge, resilience, and agricultural practices. We’ll also explore what it can look like to build food systems that are more equitable, sustainable, and connected to community.

Colonization in Agriculture: Reimagining Food Systems
Saturday, August 29
10 AM–12 PM
The People’s Collective
1695 Jefferson St., Eugene, OR

Sign up: blackculturalinitiative.org/events

Come learn, reflect, and imagine what our food systems can become.

08/21/2026

A few weeks ago, BCI took a field trip down to Cottage Grove to visit Edible Oasis, a beautiful space stewarded by our gardening instructor, JR Morgan, and his family! 🌱

For this workshop, JR walked us through sustainable methods for small-scale gardening and shared practical ways we can grow food while working with the space and resources we have available.

We spent time learning together, asking questions, exploring the garden, and seeing some of these methods in practice. One of the things we love about our gardening workshops is making growing food feel accessible—you don’t need acres of land or a huge garden to get started.

A big thank you to JR and his family for welcoming us to Edible Oasis and sharing their knowledge, space, and love of growing with our community. 💚

We’re excited to keep creating opportunities to learn about growing food, caring for the land, and building more sustainable practices right where we are.

The next gardening class is August 29th 10am-12pm: Colonization in Agriculture at BCI1(695 Jefferson St, Eugene).

08/18/2026

We loved seeing BCI’s BBQ & Fish Fry featured on KVAL!

Our annual BBQ & Fish Fry is all about bringing our community together around good food, music, culture, and connection and this year was such a beautiful reminder of why we continue creating spaces like this.

Thank you to KVAL for coming out and capturing some of the joy from the evening, and thank you to everyone who joined us and made the event what it was. From our food vendors and volunteers to our community members who came ready to eat, dance, connect, and have a good time — we appreciate y’all!

And of course, a HUGE thank you to the sponsors and partners who helped make this free community event possible:
Trillium Community Health Plan
Northwest Health Foundation
NAACP Eugene-Springfield Branch
Sponsors, Inc.
SMART Reading
The Kiva Grocery & Deli
Connected Lane County
Summit Bank

We’re grateful for everyone who continues to support BCI and our work to create spaces rooted in culture, connection, and community.

Check out KVAL’s story to see a little bit of what this year’s BBQ & Fish Fry was all about!

🎉 TODAY'S THE DAY, Y'ALL!Join us at The People's Collective for an evening of food, music, shopping, and community.Wheth...
08/15/2026

🎉 TODAY'S THE DAY, Y'ALL!

Join us at The People's Collective for an evening of food, music, shopping, and community.

Whether you're stopping by for dinner, supporting our vendors, dancing to DJ Smuve, or simply spending time with neighbors, we're excited to welcome you.

If you've been meaning to invite someone, now's the time.
✨ Here's what you can look forward to:
🍽️ Free community meal (served 5:30–7:30 PM)
🛍️ Black-owned vendors
🎧 Live music by DJ Smuve
🎁 Free giveaways

📅 Saturday, August 15
⏰ Event: 5:00–9:00 PM
📍 The People's Collective
1695 Jefferson St., Eugene, OR

A heartfelt thank you to our community partners and sponsors for helping make this celebration possible: Trillium Community Health, Northwest Health Foundation, Summit Bank, NAACP Eugene-Springfield Branch, Sponsors Inc., SMART Reading, The Kiva Grocery & Deli, and Connected Lane County! Your support helps create spaces where our community can gather, celebrate, and connect. Thank you for investing in this work and in the people who make it so meaningful.

Photo Credit: Marcus Holloway M5N5D Photography

TOMORROW, Y'ALL!We're looking forward to seeing y'all for an evening filled with good food, great music, local businesse...
08/14/2026

TOMORROW, Y'ALL!

We're looking forward to seeing y'all for an evening filled with good food, great music, local businesses, and the kind of community that reminds us why these gatherings matter.

If you've been meaning to invite someone, now's the time!

✨ Here's what you can look forward to:
🍽️ Free community meal (served 5:30–7:30 PM)
🛍️ Black-owned vendors
🎧 Live music by DJ Smuve
🎁 Free giveaways

📅 Saturday, August 15
⏰ Event: 5:00–9:00 PM
📍 The People's Collective
1695 Jefferson St., Eugene, OR

A heartfelt thank you to our community partners and sponsors for helping make this celebration possible: Trillium Community Health, Northwest Health Foundation, Summit Bank, NAACP Eugene-Springfield Branch, Sponsors Inc., SMART Reading, The Kiva Grocery & Deli, and Connected Lane County! Your support helps create spaces where our community can gather, celebrate, and connect. Thank you for investing in this work and in the people who make it so meaningful.

Photo Credit: Marcus Holloway M5N5D Photography

🎧 Meet the BBQ and Fish Fry Block Party Vibe: DJ Smuve 🎶A great meal brings people together, but great music keeps the c...
08/13/2026

🎧 Meet the BBQ and Fish Fry Block Party Vibe: DJ Smuve 🎶

A great meal brings people together, but great music keeps the celebration going.

We're excited to welcome DJ Smuve back to the cookout, y'all! From feel-good classics to crowd favorites, DJ Smuve will be providing the soundtrack for an evening of connection, celebration, and community.

So grab a plate, support our Black-owned vendors, enter for free giveaways, and enjoy the music while you spend time with friends, family, and community.

✨ Here's what you can look forward to:
🍽️ Free community meal (served 5:30–7:30 PM)
🛍️ Black-owned vendors
🎧 Live music by DJ Smuve
🎁 Free giveaways

📅 Saturday, August 15
⏰ Event: 5:00–9:00 PM
📍 The People's Collective
1695 Jefferson St., Eugene, OR

A heartfelt thank you to our community partners and sponsors for helping make this celebration possible: Trillium Community Health, Northwest Health Foundation, Summit Bank, NAACP Eugene-Springfield Branch, Sponsors Inc., SMART Reading, The Kiva Grocery & Deli, and Connected Lane County!

Photo Credit: Marcus Holloway M5N5D Photography

🎉 3 DAYS TO GO TIL THE 3RD ANNUAL BBQ AND FISH FRY BLOCK PARTYYY, Y'ALL!!!!!The grills are ready for the cookout!The ven...
08/13/2026

🎉 3 DAYS TO GO TIL THE 3RD ANNUAL BBQ AND FISH FRY BLOCK PARTYYY, Y'ALL!!!!!

The grills are ready for the cookout!
The vendors are ready to share their goods!
DJ Smuve is ready to make you dance!
Our food partners are ready to feed you!

All that's missing is you!

Come spend your Saturday evening celebrating culture, community, and connection.

✨ FREE food (served 5:30–7:30 PM)
🛍️ Black-owned vendors
🎧 Music by DJ Smuve
🎁 Free giveaways

📅 Saturday, August 15
⏰ Event: 5:00–9:00 PM
📍 The People's Collective | 1695 Jefferson St., Eugene

A heartfelt thank you to our community partners and sponsors for helping make this celebration possible: Trillium Community Health, Northwest Health Foundation, Summit Bank, NAACP Eugene-Springfield Branch, Sponsors Inc., SMART Reading, The Kiva Grocery & Deli, and Connected Lane County!

Photo Credit: Marcus Holloway M5N5D Photography

SHOP LOCAL. BUILD COMMUNITY.One of the best ways to support our community is by supporting local businesses.At this year...
08/12/2026

SHOP LOCAL. BUILD COMMUNITY.

One of the best ways to support our community is by supporting local businesses.

At this year's BBQ and Fish Fry, you'll have the chance to shop with incredible Black-owned vendors offering everything from handmade goods to unique products created with care.

Come eat, shop, connect, and spend the evening celebrating community together. Make sure you give our vendors a follow!

✨ FREE food (served 5:30–7:30 PM)
🛍️ Black-owned vendors
🎧 Music by DJ Smuve
🎁 Free giveaways

📅 Saturday, August 15
⏰ Event: 5:00–9:00 PM
📍 The People's Collective | Eugene, OR

A heartfelt thank you to our community partners and sponsors for helping make this celebration possible: Trillium Community Health, Northwest Health Foundation, Summit Bank, NAACP Eugene-Springfield Branch, Sponsors Inc., SMART Reading, The Kiva Grocery & Deli, and Connected Lane County!

Photo Credit: Marcus Holloway M5N5D Photography

Address

1695 Jefferson Street
Eugene, OR
97402

Telephone

+15412326298

Website

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