The ongoing coronavirus pandemic and economic downturn have exposed the ways our systems, laws, and policies perpetuate inequality. The lack of housing, quality education, jobs, access to financial institutions, and other resources have historically disadvantaged members of Oregon’s Black, Native American, Latinx, Asian and Pacific Islander communities. The pandemic has put the same communities at […]
Statement on Stalled COVID-19 Relief Talks in Washington
Friends, As you may have seen, earlier this week, the president announced that his administration would pull back from ongoing negotiations over the next critical package to provide COVID relief. As talks can always restart in the future, I am deeply troubled that inaction today will only contribute to prolonged suffering for many families and […]
Equity Update: Residents Organizing Change
“Why do you do what you do?” This was a prompt at a recent training for ROC leaders. Why is it that we believe in having those most impacted involved in policy change? In the words of one ROC member, TomiRene Hettman, “We are the true experts on homelessness!” Members of Residents Organizing for Change – who are residents of affordable housing and […]
Director’s Desk: October
As the season begins to change to autumn, it has brought pleasant thoughts about cozy clothes, nice long fall hikes, and the changing colors of the trees preparing for winter. The natural world reminds us of this transition and gives us a time to reflect on change and how that shows up in our lives […]
Director’s Desk: September
It’s my great pleasure and honor to be addressing you all for the first time as Executive Director of Neighborhood Partnerships (NP). I want to thank you all for the warm welcome, NP’s staff and Board for their support and help as I step into my new role. I feel excited and ready to get […]
Racial Equity Training Series Update
By Luke Bonham and Holly McGuire As regular readers will be aware, Neighborhood Partnerships has been centering racial equity in all of our work. As part of our roles as conveners and funder, we are looking at how to integrate the diversity, equity, and inclusion tools and learning spaces into our partnerships. Last month, Neighborhood […]
Equity Update: Updating Hiring Practices at NP
As part of our internal equity goals, NP has been looking into making our hiring and onboarding practices more equitable and inclusive. About a year ago, a subcommittee was formed to take a look at existing practices, form a set of goals, and implement practices to achieve those goals. Increase the number of BIPOC applicantsWe […]
Welcome Loren!
We are thrilled to announce that we have a new staff member! Loren Naldoza will be our new Legislative & Communications Manager! Loren comes to NP from the Office of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, where he has spent the last two years as a Legislative Aide, working on economic opportunity policy, fighting for a fairer […]
Help NP say Thank you & Welcome!
Earlier this spring, we shared some very important news that after fifteen years as our Executive Director, Janet Byrd is stepping down from her position this year. You likely also saw that we announced after a national search, we have hired Carlos David Garcia to be our new Executive Director! Carlos will begin his new […]
RE:Conference 2020
Stay tuned for details of our annual RE:Conference, which will kick off on November 16 and 17 and continue through mid-December. We expect to open registration after Labor Day. RE:Conference will be fully virtual this year. We are working hard to plan content that is as interactive and thought provoking as what you expect from […]