A Brighter Future for All
By now, you have most likely heard that a record number of Americans voted in the 2020 general election. In fact, it is projected that nearly 160 million (approximately 65%) voted, marking this the largest voter turnout since 1900. Locally our numbers tell an equally impressive story—Multnomah County has reported that 81.48% eligible voters cast their ballots.
As a society, we agree on many things and disagree on others. Common ground has always been hard earned, and often with our lives. For example, it is only since May 19, 2014 that freedom to marry became a reality in Oregon, and since June 26, 2015 that same-sex marriage became a Constitutional right. This took generations (and even centuries) to recognize and protect our shared humanity. It required ongoing, honest conversations about who we are as a society, valuing lived experiences, community organizing, policy advocacy, culture change, and more.
Each day brings changes to our City, and our commitment remains the same: we—all of us—are community and we—all of us—are civic life. The Office of Community & Civic Life will continue to:
- Adapt to changes;
- Support all Portlanders; and
- Build inclusive structures so everyone feels safe and inspired to engage.
Community and civic engagement are necessary conditions for ensuring the fundamentals of dignity and humanity for everyone and must be supported through building common ground. The words of Coretta Scott King remind and inspire us: “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation.”
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New Grant Opportunity
Constructing Civic Dialogues grant allows organizations to provide free mediation and facilitation service to Portlanders
Civic Life is currently seeking applications from non-profit and for-profit entities (e.g., community-based organizations, individuals, firms, teams, or consultants) for the 2021 Constructing Civic Dialogues Grant.
Constructing Civic Dialogues is a free mediation and facilitation service offered to Portland community members. These services offer third-party support in discussing challenging topics and have played a role in diverting matters that might needlessly involve police intervention. Successful applicants will offer culturally responsive, community led, multilingual, and community-specific training and services at no cost to the public.
Constructing Civic Dialogues will fund up to 7 new partnerships and each individual grant award will range from $15,000 to $75,000. Applications are due February 1, 2021 at 4:00pm, PST. Visit our website to find out more about the grant, eligibility, and download the application.
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Relief for Oregonians
City Council Approved $2 million to be directed to Oregon Worker Relief Fund
On November 5, Portland City Council voted unanimously to commit $1.75 million dollars from the City’s General Fund and $250,000 from Civic Life’s Fall surplus to the Oregon Worker Relief Fund (OWRF).
The OWRF provides up to $2,500 to Oregonians who have lost wages due to the pandemic but are denied Unemployment Insurance or CARES Act stimulus checks due to their immigration status.
The city’s $2 million dollar contribution will be administered by Civic Life. “We know that undocumented Oregonians pay about $81 million annually in state and local taxes and work tirelessly to keep our community healthy and safe,” says Civic Life Director Suk Rhee. “It is important that we support all communities with safety nets, especially during our national health crises.”
The Oregon Worker Relief Fund website has more information about its impact and who qualifies for financial relief.
Many Oregonians and organizations have stepped up during our current crises to provide important resources to communities hit hard by financial hardship. Additional resources can be found on the City's website as well as through Congressman Earl Blumenauer's spreadsheet of COVID-19 Emergency Relief Resources for PDX, the Oregon Cares Fund, and the Black Resistance Fund.
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Caring for Our Community
Last week, we encouraged our readers to rethink holiday traditions and find new and safe ways to celebrate. This message is as important as ever: as of November 17, it is reported that the United States has surpassed 11 million coronavirus cases — in the last week alone, the U.S. has 1 million new infections and 2 million since the beginning of this month.
If you and your family have a tradition of getting together to share a meal for end-of-the-year holidays, please consider adjusting to a virtual gathering. Let's commit to the safety of ourselves, our family, and our greater community.
Read Governor Kate Brown's November 13 guidance to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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