Communities without boundaries

Sometimes good ideas take a while to materialize. The Oregonian reported Thursday that two groups are working towards recognition as “Communities without boundaries” under Portland’s Neighborhood Association system. This concept, and the structure for groups to seek recognition by the City’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI) using it, was suggested by the Task Force on Neighborhood Involvement on which I served in 1994-5. It allows groups whose membership is not necessarily defined by a geographical area to seek official recognition from the City, and receive support in staff time and potentially funds. In return for recognition, the groups agree to abide by ONI’s Standards, such as Open Meetings requirements and not mandating dues payments by members.

The newly-formed Black Citizens Coalition of Portland Neighborhoods is seeking recognition as the 8th coalition of neighborhood groups; Nichole Maher, the executive director of the Native American Youth and Family Center, is quoted saying, “We want to be the ninth.” And ONI is helping other community groups participate, too. From Stephen Beaven’s article:

“The Office of Neighborhood Involvement is offering money to help organize the groups and develop leaders. The city is paying $70,000 for a leadership academy in which Oregon Action, the Center for Intercultural Organizing and the Latino Network join forces to recruit and train about 40 people in a 12-month program. The classes started last month.

The Office of Neighborhood Involvement also has a project in which three ethnic groups will receive more than $65,000 each to hire someone to build an organization to help people of color work more closely with city government and neighborhood groups. The organizer will be expected to help set priorities and reach out to residents who don’t otherwise know how to get involved. The grant application process for the project is scheduled to open this month.”

The Task Force on Neighborhood Involvement recognized that some voices are not heard effectively within the Neighborhood Associations. We found several reasons, including particularly pertinent one not mentioned in the article. Even in neighborhoods with higher numbers of minority residents, demographics predict that people of color who do show up to their local meeting will be… in the minority. A structure based only on geographical boundaries, as Neighborhood Associations are, mostly likely can’t allow minority issues to be the main concern of the majority of those participating in the group. We need to include communities without borders in the recognized Neighborhood Involvement system to address those needs, and to support leaders whose primary passion is that of their group’s participants.

Racism, cultural ignorance and disrespect, and systemic disadvantaging of people who aren’t Insiders, transcend neighborhood boundaries – even more than crime prevention, land use, love of parks, and transportation issues unite Neighborhood Association participants across the city. Many or even most Neighborhood Association volunteers start with local interest in the on-the-ground issues on their block, working their way through to collaboration withing the district/coalition and citywide as they realize other neighborhoods have similar problems. This System Was Not Designed For You is a citywide issue that starts big, and only once activists learn more do we realize how it affects decisions at the neighborhood and street level. To address problems experienced more by people of color, varied immigrant and native peoples groups, low income families and so on, advocacy groups that reflect their membership as “Communities without boundaries” are needed as recognized components of the citizen involvement structure, regardless of how welcoming and inclusive Neighborhood Associations may be.

I’m glad to see the new groups seeking recognition as Coalitions, not quasi-Neighborhood Associations. There isn’t one organization that can claim to speak for all people of a particular heritage or interest focus, any more than there is one group within a geographical area that can “represent” everyone living in a Neighborhood Association’s boundaries. What we need is respect for many different groups, and a structure that allows everyone to find a way to partipate in civic involvement in Portland in ways they find rewarding and effective. Respect for the new coalitions forming under the structure suggested by a diverse (but majority Caucasian) Task Force 12 years ago. Respect for the Neighborhood Associations, whose volunteers do what they do with good intentions, many going the extra mile to outreach to and include under-represented demographics in their participants. And respect for the fact that all community groups have limitations on who they can speak for, and how much they can do. By forming new coalitions and partnerships under the web of citizen involvement coordinated by ONI, our city and citizens can grow stronger – individually and together.