Former skinhead and nationally recognized speaker Steven Stroud will speak at a community forum from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Corvallis Benton County Library to discuss hate crimes and hate groups.

Stroud will talk about recognizing and stopping hate groups in communities. He is a co-founder of Oregon Spotlight, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the spread of hate throughout Oregon. Stroud has appeared on Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the Sally Jesse Raphael Show to talk about how communities can stop hate groups.

Following Stroud's talk, panel members will share their local experiences with hate groups. The audience will then break into small groups to discuss how to apply the information presented to the Corvallis community.

The forum is part of a Community Forum series titled "Can We Talk?" that is being produced by the Community Alliance for Diversity to foster increased understanding and community building.