The federal agency in charge of enforcing workplace anti-discrimination laws is investigating Nike over the sportswear giant's treatment of white employees.

Why it matters: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under President Trump has made protecting white men from workplace discrimination a priority.

• The case appears to be one of the first big investigations of the issue announced by the agency, which put a call out seeking such discrimination complaints late last year.

Zoom in: The EEOC said yesterday that it filed an action in federal court in Missouri to compel Nike to produce information related to allegations that the company discriminated against white workers, as part of its diversity, equity and inclusion program.

• "Title VII's prohibition of race-based employment discrimination is colorblind and requires the EEOC to protect employees of all races from unlawful employment practices," EEOC chair Andrea Lucas said in a statement.
• "Thanks to President Trump's commitment to enforcing our nation's civil rights laws, the EEOC has renewed its focus on evenhanded enforcement of Title VII."

The other side: "This feels like a surprising and unusual escalation," a Nike spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Axios.

• "We have had extensive, good-faith participation in an EEOC inquiry into our personnel practices, programs, and decisions and have had ongoing efforts to provide information and engage constructively with the agency."

Between the lines: The company is still dealing with a sexual harassment suit filed by female employees in 2018, part of a big MeToo-era scandal that led to the departure of several top male executives and accusations over a toxic workplace culture.

What they're saying: Nike has implemented several initiatives to address employee fairness in recent years, Matt Powell, a consumer practice advisor with BCE Consulting and longtime sneaker industry analyst, told Axios, including anonymous reporting channels, ongoing pay-equity reviews and companywide DEI training for managers.

Zoom out: Nike's CEO Elliot Hill has previously said the company has made significant changes to its internal culture — but complaints haven't disappeared.

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As the Trump administration ramps up federal immigration enforcement, experts say children across the country may be absorbing the fear and uncertainty of ICE operations — even when they don't understand all the details.

Why it matters: Experiencing traumatic events in childhood can create lasting physical and mental health challenges that extend into adulthood, Sita Patel, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University tells Axios.

Zoom in: Adverse childhood events (ACE) cut across "all lines of political and value structure," because their health impacts ripple outward — affecting communities economically and in terms of resources, Patel says.

• She notes that mental health research previously focused on isolated critical incidents, like a car accident, but more recent studies show that chronic stressors have a profound impact on the nervous system and a wide range of other health markers.

About half of all educators surveyed who work with immigrant families said their students have expressed fear or anxiety this school year as a result of federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Worth noting: Families can work together to create both emotional and practical safety plans, Patel explains — framing them like familiar school safety drills to help children feel prepared.

Zoom out: For parents who want to initiate conversations, Omar Gudiño, interim clinical director of the Child Mind Institute, tells Axios to approach conversations gently and broadly — starting by asking kids what they've heard and what they're thinking, which often leads to a more organic discussion.

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😢 The Lloyd Center mall is slated for a full-scale demolition to make way for 14 new development areas, including new parks and plazas, across the 29.3-acre site, according to a newly released master plan.

• The beloved ice rink is going, too, despite community efforts to save it. (The Oregonian)

☕️ Stumptown Coffee will close one of its longest standing shops, located on Southeast Belmont Street, at the end of the month. (KGW)

📀 Terry Currier, the longtime owner of Music Millennium, announced he intends to retire and sell the record store to someone who wants to keep it "going for many years to come." (Portland Business Journal)

Multnomah County officials are anticipating a $86 million shortfall in its homeless services department, which pays for homeless shelters, rent assistance and eviction protection programs, in the upcoming fiscal year.

• It's the second year in a row the county has had to make significant homelessness-related cutbacks. (KATU)

🎥 Lake Theater & Cafe, a movie theater in Lake Oswego, said Amazon banned it from screening the documentary "Melania" after it posted a tongue-in-cheek marquee message promoting the film. (KOIN)

Portland's chaos-loving soccer siblings have a new home this summer: Lents Field.

Zoom in: The Bangers and the Cherry Bombs, the city's pre-professional men's and women's soccer clubs, will play all 13 of their home games at the Southeast Portland park from May through July.

• Lents Field can fit about 2,000 fans — roughly double last year's set up at the University's of Portland's pitch — with seats on the touchline and without the traditional barriers, putting the crowd right in the action.
• Plus: It's adjacent to Walker Stadium (where the Pickles play), which will offer its expanded concessions, bar service and merchandise areas to soccer fans.

The bottom line: Season passes and game night tickets went fast for the Bangers last year, and with the Cherry Bombs making their debut this year, you can expect those to go fast, too.

• Reserve 'em here.