Can We Get Along? Examining Our Personal Experiences of Connection and Community

February 24, 2027 | 6:00 p.m. | Belmont Library 1038 SE Cesar E. Chavez Blvd., Portland OR 97214 Rodney King’s iconic question, "Can we all get along?", still resonates today. Despite decades of social justice movements, police brutality and divisions persist in the United States. How can we connect with each other during these times? What holds us back from connecting with each other? How do our personal experiences contribute to barriers or have the potential to break them down? Join facilitator Chisao Hata as she holds space to examine individual questions on race, cultural values, and what brings us together and what separates us. Chisao Hata is a performing artist, educator, and arts integration specialist. She has been called a “community weaver” through facilitation, community engagement and creating artistic collaborations. She has been a protector of imagination and personal discovery and a champion for individual expression. Creating engaged learning is her life’s work. She has had the honor of serving hundreds of Portland’s children, youth, and adults across many communities. Chisao believes we are all inextricably linked, and the power of gathering is a conduit to build and heal our understandings between our communities.