Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway took to Twitter Wednesday to talk about his encounter with a man using a racist nickname for his city.

"As I was leaving PK Park in Eugene after the Hops vs Emeralds game a man made a comment to me about HillsBurrito," Callaway wrote in his thread.

"I turned and asked him why he said that," Callaway continued. "He said it's because we have a lot of Latinos in Hillsboro. He added, 'I know what I said was racist and I'm sorry for offending you.'"

The man was not expecting what he got next, according to the thread.

"I told him I was the Mayor of Hillsboro," Callaway wrote, "(wish I could convey the shock on his face) and spoke truth to him about the beauty, strength, and richness that comes from the diversity of my community."

Callaway was elected mayor of Hillsboro in 2017 and was previously the principal at Tobias Elementary School.

"I told him it wasn't about me being offended but was about him being offensive and I agreed what he said sounded racist to me too," Callaway continued. "I shared with him that more than 100,000 people live in Hillsboro and though we are from many, many countries throughout the world we call Hillsboro home."

He went on to talk about why Hillsboro's diversity is one of its great strengths. You can read the full thread here:‏

Long tweet. Settle in. I’m glad I have a long bus ride home to reflect and share. But I know my words and writing will prove inadequate...

As I was leaving PK Park in Eugene after the Hops vs Emeralds game a man made a comment to me about HillsBurrito. I turned and asked him why — Steve Callaway (@SteveCallaway2) September 6, 2018

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker