Portland is Possible: Building Bridges to Our Shared Future
A Space for Civic Leaders to Imagine Our Shared Future
Presented in partnership with Western States Center and Oregon Humanities
The last two years have stretched the definitions of civic, leadership, and community in profound ways. As leaders of organizations that engage — in different ways, perhaps — with each of these functions, we have all had to reimagine, recalibrate and re-engineer our roles. At the same time, it seems that the need for civic and community institutions in our democracy is keener than ever. What have you learned and what does it mean for your organization’s plans for the future? How are you thinking about your institutional role as a civic leader now? How can Portland civic organizations bring us together to imagine common ground?
These are big questions. We think our region will be stronger if we explore them in a community of peers. In this four-part series we will offer space to engage in facilitated, interactive conversations to build connections and, perhaps, a bridge to the future of the region.
Every Tuesday in April, we’ll host in-person conversations from 3-6PM. Each event will take the same general format, but be grounded in different focused discussion topics. You can attend one or attend them all. Registration is separate for each event. Find a brief description and links to register below.
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This first cross-sector conversation about Portland’s future will consider patterns in civic trust and perspectives on democratic institutions and reflective democracy. We will explore how our institutions, especially when working in concert, might respond to or lead positive change to strengthen civic trust.
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This conversation will be grounded in information about who lives here, and forecasts for increasing population size and racial diversity in the region. We will explore how our organizations might do more to bring communities together across cultural differences, foster civic connection, and cultivate neighborliness and a sense of belonging.
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This conversation will be grounded in information about growing wealth inequality and the impacts on civic identity and unity in our region. We will explore how our organizations and institutions might work in concert to bring communities together across economic differences, foster civic connection, and cultivate neighborliness and a sense of belonging.
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This conversation will be grounded in information about climate change and climate disruption in our region. We will explore how our institutions might respond to a changing climate and how we might support efforts to increase resilience in our communities.