80% of Success is Showing Up
The success of the VisionPDX project was evident in Portland City Hall last night. Not in the stack of paper books, but in who showed up.
Attending the Portland City Council hearing on the VisionPDX document yesterday evening gave me a new perspective on the project and product. Both the main chamber and the upstairs balcony were full – standing room only, which generally happens only at the annual Spirit of Portland awards recognizing community volunteers. In order to pack City Hall, citizen organizers have to work hard to make sure folks know the date and time of the hearing, and then remind them and explain why it’s important for them to show up.
The most impressive aspect, though, was who was there, as well as how many. There were lots of people I know, many I don’t. I recognized neighbors from the African and Middle Eastern communities here in deep SW, others I first met at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization located in outer NE Portland, and folks from pretty much every place in between. Young people, old people, working people, students. City Hall was bustling during the celebration party beforehand. Longtime Neighborhood Association volunteers were there, too – stalwarts from all over the city. And City staff from many different bureaus; representatives of multiple community organizations; lots of independent citizens there because they care. Faith-based advocates from a variety of religious communities, who increasingly are participating in more City processes not previously considered within their purview. I especially appreciated the comments from the pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church here in SW Portland. He reported a parishoner telling him the only comment she made on the Vision survey is that she wants a sidewalk outside her house so she can walk to places she wants to go. “And that’s in here”, he said, noting the goals that talk about connecting people in neighborhoods. Future phases in this project will attempt to turn aspirational goals into practical implementation projects, but right there we have an example of the Vision team using something someone relates to, in their neighborhood, and translating it into policy language. Nicely done.
So when it came to testimony after the 16 invited speakers, an hour and a half after the hearing started, it was already clear that what the Vision document says is secondary to the project’s success as a citizen engagement exercise that worked. And that people didn’t just participate once, they obviously feel part of Portland’s civic involvement system now. Numbers don’t tell the whole story, and indeed even these words on your screen or any you may read in the print media don’t, either. They said 15,000 people participated. Some of those, like me, didn’t feel particularly connected to or by the process. But it was clear in the Council chambers last night that hundreds of people who haven’t previously been involved in City of Portland stuff (or even fluff) now feel valued and welcome.
Helen Keller said in 1891, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen nor even touched, but just felt in the heart”.
I’ll post later on the substance of the VisionPDX document, the fate of my requested amendment, and the project’s future. The experience last night leads me to believe Mayor Potter’s VisionPDX project already has achieved a lot more than many City expenditures with similar budgets. That’s not at all what I thought going into the event, and I’m pleased to have been mistaken. I’m glad I showed up last night, to share in the success.