Program Guest Speaker February 20th, 2023

On February 20th, the BUF BLM Action Ministry team welcomed Matthew Durkee as our guest speaker.  Matt identifies as transnational/transracial as he was born in Korea and adopted by a white family in Bellingham at the age of 5.  Matt is veteran and currently serves as the Director of the Veterans Resource Center at Edmonds College.

Matt shared his experience growing up and going to high school in Bellingham where he regularly faced racism, oppression and violence.  Matt was clear that Bellingham is diverse, but that only insiders see that diversity.  He also pointed out that those new to Bellingham, and those who are not insiders to Bellingham’s diversity, don’t necessarily understand the needs of the oppressed, and need to listen and not act like “saviors.”

Matt refers to the U.S. as a “salad bowl” as each individual’s uniqueness contributes to the overall “flavor” of the nation.  Matt shared that his military experience and exposure to strong leadership instilled in him a sense of creating “hand-ups” rather than “hand-outs” for the less-fortunate.  He believes in a national service model and he is a proponent of “peace officers” rather than police officers. Matt also has a strong interest in truth in education.