Civic
engagement and volunteerism are fundamental
Portland values.
Portlanders take pride in their city
and value the ability to work collaboratively
with government to maintain and enhance
the quality of life they treasure.
Many welcome proactive, inventive, forward-thinking people
and policies that put innovative ideas
into practice. Within this section, Portlanders
also speak up for human rights and social
justice, and express appreciation for
active community members who work together
to confront issues and influence policy.
Many believe there should be greater
access to government and opportunities
for early involvement in decision-making
processes. This would require government
representatives to go to the community
and listen to all voices, irrelevant of
their position of power or privilege.
Portlanders envision a future where diverse
community leaders are supported and the
planning and development of neighborhoods
is influenced by everyone, rather than
a select few. They believe a good deal
of community knowledge remains untapped
and want to see the government supporting
civic engagement initiatives that bring
a variety of perspectives to city projects.
Many believe that young people should
have more options for community service
and involvement in decision making so
they develop a stake in the future of
Portland.
- Many
people express their sense pride in
the city and a desire to improve it.
- Portlanders
appreciate opportunities for involvement
in community building, government decision-making
and neighborhood issues.
- A number
of Portlanders see activism as a common
and necessary practice.
- Portlanders
make personal lifestyle choices as a
way of taking action on civic issues.
- Including
the public in policy and decision-making
is important.
- In which
direction is Portland’s trend of high
civic engagement heading?
- What should
a reformed neighborhood system look
like?
- Many
people express their sense pride
in the city and a desire to
improve it.
- Civic engagement and grassroots
activism is often viewed by
Portlanders as a necessary duty.
- Individuals are concerned
for their communities, and want
to see them develop into healthier,
more sustainable and equitable
living environments.
- A collective sense of ownership
helps keep people invested in
and active with community issues
that relate to maintaining or
increasing the quality of life.
- Portlanders have faith that
community members can band together
and create change when necessary.
- People often recognize a part
of Portland’s culture that consists
of progressive, proactive community
members who do not hesitate
to confront important issues.
- Government officials should
look to constituents as the
experts for what needs to change
in the community.
| “It
is clear that Portland values
its people and that its
people value Portland.” |
“We
don't need the city government
to make our community
center work-we want to
be left alone to organize
and build the community
our way. If the city wants
to help, they should ask
us how to help.” |
| “[I
value] community building
and grassroots activism.
It is incredibly important
for people to be involved
in their area and government.” |
- “Every year we have
a "Portland Day" paid day off
with local arts, picnics, union
open houses, multicultural performances,
and citizen dialogues about
how to make things better.”
- Portlanders
appreciate opportunities for
involvement in community building,
government decision-making and
neighborhood issues.
- The existing Neighborhood
Coalition system provides a
venue for residents to engage
in dialogue about addressing
neighborhood issues.
- Many view volunteer opportunities
as one way to instill in individuals
a sense of responsibility for
the community.
- People want to see more community
service activities for young
people to help find tangible
ways they can contribute to
their neighborhoods and make
a difference in the community.
- Community policing efforts
contribute to neighborhood safety
and help build a sense of community
ownership.
- Local public access stations
provide a much-appreciated venue
for community dialogue.
| "Portland
is accessible—physically,
socially, culturally, politically.
The fact is, one can participate
actively in the community
on any number of levels,
and indeed is actively invited
to do so. Political leaders,
for the most part, aren’t
grudging about inviting
citizens into the public
policy dialogue and process
and seem to try to take
advantage of the knowledge,
skills and interests of
the citizenry. That kind
of partnership is rare,
and can easily fall apart
if not attended to constantly.
Portland civic leaders appear
to get that, even if it
seems messy and cumbersome
at times; the reward for
having the patience to slog
through these public processes
is tremendous.” |
| “.Please
continue to actively solicit
input from the citizens
who live here and please
take seriously concerns
and ideas that we may have
regarding our neighborhoods
and growth. Please really
"walk the walk' and let
us all work together in
co-creating the greatest
city on the planet. Please
don't blow a bunch of smoke
up our 'alleys.' It would
break my heart if we are
being encouraged to get
involved and then the future
of this city is directed
only by those who have a
financial interest.” |
- A
number of Portlanders see activism
as a common and necessary practice.
- People are not afraid to speak
up for their rights and other’s
rights on issues that impact
the community.
- Some deem it necessary to
question authority and people
in positions of power.
- People have appreciation for
City efforts such as when City
Council opposed joining the
FBI anti-terrorist task force
and the strong local anti-war
focus.
- Portlanders express their
appreciation for the many opportunities
that encourage individuals to
be active and involved in issues
that have an impact on the local,
state, national and international
level.
| "I
would like to see more activism
against the eroding of our
civil rights. I don't think
the government should keep
tabs on what books we check
out from the library or
our telephone calls." |
| “Allow
activism to help define
class based issues.” |
| “Increase
community activism from
all sectors.” |
| “[Portland’s
future needs to include]
true activism, not purely
activism as a social event.
People that understand what
it will really take to turn
things around.” |
- Portlanders
make personal lifestyle choices
as a way of taking action on
civic issues.
- Some Portlanders view civic
engagement as occuring on an
individual level through personal
lifestyle choices rooted in
shared values. Such choices
inclue:
- Choosing to homeschool children.;
- Being able to choose alternative
health care options, such
as midwifery;
- Incorporating sustainable
practices
- Bicycling and using public
transportation;
- Use of alternative energy
sources; and
- Buying local organic foods.
- Others engage civicly through
membership in groups with similar
values or through organizing
around specific issues.
| “…A
strong sense of place. We
love this place and what
we decide here matters a
lot for our present and
for future generations.
This translates to a high
level of civic involvement.
Knowing neighbors and making
individual decisions based
on community values.” |
- Including
the public in policy and decision-making
is important.
- The city of Portland is seen
as having a history of thoughtful
city planning, based on deeply
rooted community values, and
having been influenced by the
public.
- There is support for leadership
that respects public participation
and civic engagement throughout
planning processes, and early
on, while decisions can still
be influenced.
- People want to see more opportunities
to influence policy directions
from a more diverse audience,
particularly underrepresented
communities such as:
- Ethnic minorities;
- Youth;
- People with disabilities;
- Elders; and
- People with low-incomes.
- Government and institutions
need to alleviate barriers to
civic engagement (for example,
by providing childcare during
public events).
- Electeds should spend more
time connecting with people
by going out into the community.
- Although neighborhood associations
are effective for some people,
many others would like associations
to work on a broader range of
issues affecting neighborhoods
such as homelessness, gang activity
and drug abuse.
- Public involvement is
irrelevant unless there is consistent
follow-through and implement
ion of ideas that the public
has shared with government.
- People want to ensure that
diverse residents increasingly
become involved in decision-making
rather than only those with
political or financial influence.
| "Involve
people of all economic levels
to participate in the city's
planning, have child care
subsidies for families that
can't afford quality childcare,
Childcare should not be
a privilege for the middle
class. Have people that
have been homeless with
differing abilities participate
on committees." |
| “I
would like to see an even
greater shift in emphasis
away from private and towards
public. This includes in
governance. We should always
strive towards direct democracy
and a great involvement
for citizens of Portland
in the process that goes
far beyond voting on a narrow
range of issues decided
on ahead of time by those
in power. Direct participation
in the decision making structure
needs to be even more easily
accessible to all residents
of Portland, and actions
such as protests and boycotts
should continue to be encouraged.” |
| “Change
'us' and 'them' attitude
between community and government.
The community should work
to resolve problems rather
than expecting the government
to do everything.” |
- Make City Council sessions
more accommodating, and scheduled
for the evenings more often.
- “Right now, I wish Portland
would hold citywide forum on
the questions this visioning
process raises. Have people
from each neighborhood association,
government agencies, and non-profits
get together face-to-face to
talk about how to get Portlander's
visions from the page/screen
to the streets.”
- “I'd like decision-makers
to involve the public earlier
and in ways that are meaningful,
not just perfunctory.”
- “There would be a very large
cultural center for everyone
to use at a nominal fee.”
- Adapt the neighborhood association
and coalition system to allow
for a wider variety of views
and opinions to be heard.
|
- In
which direction is Portland’s trend
of high civic engagement heading?
Some people who have lived in Portland
for many years express concern over
what they view as decreasing community
involvement. They believe there is less
neighbor-to-neighbor interaction or
visible concern for the welfare of the
community. Some also believe that there
is more reliance on social services
and the government to solve community
problems.
But then, there is another large
group of respondents convinced that
Portland is unique in its rich civic
engagement practices and the amount
of people that find ways to be involved.
Such people express their appreciation
for the breadth of civic involvement
opportunities available, and the extent
to which residents participate in
decision-making.
But then again, many people have
mixed opinions about the historical
significance of the neighborhood system
known for involving residents in city
planning. There is a growing sense
that something needs to shift within
the structures of public involvement
to allow for newcomers to Portland
and the growing diversity to be represented
in decision-making across the city.
- What
should a reformed neighborhood system
look like?
The role of neighborhood associations and
their City-sanctioned system stirred
the most disagreement in this section.
There are two major groups of respondents
that have opposing ideas for the future
role of neighborhood associations and
coalitions.
One group of Portlanders believes
that neighborhood associations provide
much-needed outlets for civic engagement
and address important issues at the
"street level." This group values
that the system has a history of being
unique to Portland, and they link
it to the city’s high rate of public
involvement.
Another group is very critical of
the neighborhood system and view neighborhood
associations as comprised mostly of
homeowners and business. They believe
the system fails to significantly
involve people of color, renters,
immigrants and refugees, youth and
other diverse communities. People
have conflicting ideas for how to
solve this problem, including strengthening
and increasing funding for the neighborhood
system, providing equal funding to
identity-based or non-geographic based
grous or disbanding the system and
creating a new mechanism that advocates
for all residents of neighborhoods.
|
