“Nothing will work unless you do.” – Maya Angelou
Oregon voters and those across the country have raised their voices in a united cry that this country has not seen for decades.
As organizers, we celebrate the voice of the people being heard so loud and clear, but we also know that elections are merely a crescendo of the symphony of work that it takes to conduct a better future into existence.
That work existed before Tuesday, and it continues today.
Over the last decade, Neighborhood Partnerships has asked the same questions, and in the weeks and months ahead we will continue to ask them:
- How do we open more doors of opportunity for every Oregonian?
- How can weave all our brilliance, our skills, our innovations, and our collective energy for change into an investment that will echo through both those living today and the generations to come?
A Clear Choice and a Mandate
Every ballot cast is a statement of hope and demand for results. Oregon voters, along with our counterparts across this country, said loud and clear that they want the prosperity of our collective labor to be shared more broadly.
They want access to a safe, affordable place to call home for their families and their neighbors.
They want leaders who are looking out first and foremost for the working people who form the backbone of our society.
Voters told us what matters most, and here in Oregon, the 2027 legislative session is where we can work collectively to make sure their demands are met.
What Our Leaders Need to Hear
1. Housing is the foundation.
Without a stable home, it’s hard to learn, to work, to stay healthy, or to give back and contribute to your community’s collective well-being.
We need to be clear with the incoming leaders in our towns, our cities, our counties, our statehouse, and in Washington D.C. that we expect to be both bold and practical:
- Protect tenants.
- Build more homes of every kind.
- Make housing affordable for working families.
2. Bring financial stability within reach.
Too many families are one emergency away from crisis. We must make real, safe financial choices available, strengthen tools like the IDA Initiative that help people reach longer-term stability, and give people room to take risks and chase their dreams. Our whole state thrives when people can innovate. Our communities prosper when everyone’s imagination drives us to a place that never before existed.
3. Opportunity Must be Shared
A just economy is one where those of us that come from the humblest of backgrounds have the chance to shine. This means rural communities, small businesses, and the people who have been waiting beneath the boot of injustice MUST be centered as we move forward.
Now is the Time to Show Up
Elected leaders are most open to listening in the weeks after an election and before the legislative session kicks into full gear. There are lots of ways to show up:
- Attend a town hall.
- Join a coffee.
- Sign up for your legislators’ newsletters.
- Write a letter to the editor.
What’s important above all else is that you show up and that you bring your story and your solutions. Ideas backed by real, lived experience are the ones that last and break through the noise.
Budgeting for Our Values
Writing a budget means making moral choices. As our friends at the Oregon Food Bank remind us, hunger is a policy choice. Every number reflects a set of values and priorities.
The choices ahead will not be simple. Even though the latest revenue forecast shows that resources will be 11.8% higher than the 2025-2027 budget, the state faces the downstream impacts of 2025’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” coming into the session with a $421 million hole from reduced federal support, especially for Medicaid.
Whatever the final forecast shows, we must pass a budget that invests in housing, in financial security, and most importantly in the working people of Oregon, who are what make our state great.
Looking Ahead
Elections are important, but they are not the end to the work of fighting for justice. We have the ideas. We have the energy. We are united behind the belief that Oregon works best when it works for everyone.
Let’s make 2027 a year where that belief turns into action for all of us, so that every person, every family, and every community can truly thrive.