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Diversity and Civic Leadership Successes


In 2009, Colors of Influence interviewed Jeri Williams, a manager at the City of Portland’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement, regarding a civic and leadership engagement program that focused on communities of color, as well as immigrant and refugee communities. 

Portland's Diversity and Civic Leadership (DCL) Program launched in 2007 with the expressed goal of creating new pathways for participation, new efforts to strengthen people’s ability to participate, and new levels of cultural awareness and responsiveness by City staff and elected officials.

Jeri and her team recently published a report detailing the program’s accomplishments since its inception. The report provides detail of DCL’s work and funding of civic training and engagement programs executed by diverse community organizations such as the Urban League of Portland, NAYA, Center for Intercultural Organizing, the Latino Network and the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO).

We caught up with Jeri recently, and she gives us this quick update:        

What has been the most fulfilling aspect of the journey toward the conclusion of the project?

There are so many fulfilling aspects of the DCL journey. Our funding has grown from funding one organization to five. We have participated in a program that had us all looking at things through the lenses of others. We have increased engagement of communities of color and immigrant and refugee communities with the City of Portland.

As the coordinator of the program, I’ve had the honor to engage with all of these folks from historically under-engaged communities is a stellar opportunity to work alongside of wonderful people who are committed to creating change to benefit the whole city. 

What are some of the most important lessons you learned managing the process?

There were many lessons we learned together like in order to have a great process people need to look beyond the project to find out how it can benefit the greatest amount of community. 

Blending equity in our public involvement processes creates a better product that the community feels ownership and pride in. Having the people at the table who are directly affected by decision making process they truly are the experts of the areas they live, work and play. 

What's next for the Diversity and Civic Leadership Program?

Program partners and many others would like to see the program grow to a place where many more groups could be funded. The City of Portland’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement has a Bureau Advisory Committee that is currently in a large conversation about the future of the program. We have sent this report out to thousands of contacts through social media, USPS and email far and wide asking for their input.

We are collecting input from the public until March 31, 2015 at which time comments will be compiled and reviewed for recommendations. If someone would like a hard copy I would be happy to send one. My email address is jeri.williams@portlandoregon.gov and my phone number is (503) 823-5827.


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