Feature of the Week
New Leadership for Council
Serving as Vice President of our newly structured Portland City Council this past year has been a true honor. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity I was given to help coordinate our city’s federal response, and to lay important groundwork for new governance systems and shared norms during this period of transition.
On Thursday afternoon, City Council officially elected District 1 Councilor Jamie Dunphy as Council President and District 4 Councilor Olivia Clark as Council Vice President. Congratulations to both of them! I look forward to working as a Council to get important work done in the year ahead.
Thank you to outgoing President Elana Pirtle-Guiney for taking on the presidency for this important first year.
As we move forward, I’m excited to focus fully on serving District 3, and continuing to show up for our community!
Governance Handbook
When I was elected a little over a year ago, our City Hall offices weren’t even ready for us to move in yet. So much was new, and the energy was high. It was exciting, but also overwhelming. So many things were undecided or unclear: What committees would we want to have in this new structure of government? What did City Code say about how to introduce legislation? How could we enhance transparency and access for the public?
Personally, I was coming straight from 16 years of teaching in public school classrooms. While many of those skills have been certainly put to use in City Hall, there were also many things that were completely new to me.
It has been a highlight of my first year in office to serve as Vice President and Chair of the Governance Committee. In those roles I have overseen a focus on Council rules and procedures for the transition to this new form of government. As these conversations unfolded, the need for a guidebook became clear. In July, my office, in partnership with Council Operations, took the first steps in putting together a Council Governance Handbook. I am so proud of what we have created, and am elated to report that the Handbook was adopted by full Council this week – what a wonderful way to start the new year!
I wish I had a handbook like this when I started. A huge point of the charter change approved by voters has been to bring new voices to the table, and actions like creating a clear playbook help decrease barriers to service. Portlanders deserve clear insight into how government works, and our office is committed to building a more transparent, honest, and democratic government for all of us.
Street Renaming Code
At Monday’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee we voted to send two ordinances to full City Council. If passed, City Code would be updated to return the responsibility of renaming streets to City Council, and several aspects of the code would be changed so that a portion of SW Jackson Street could be renamed SW Rose Hill Street.
The street was renamed to honor itway Rose Hill. Among other important contributions, Hill played an important role in establishing the Native American Student and Community Center at Portland State University (PSU). The center is a beautiful community resource in downtown Portland. As part of the meeting, I learned that “itway” is a word used to honor a deceased indigenous person in some tribes.
As I shared in the meeting, renaming a street is a meaningful and visible step toward being an anti-racist city, which is one of our city’s core values. Names matter – they reflect who we honor, what we remember, and who feels welcome in our public spaces. If Portland is truly committed to being anti-racist, we must ensure that symbolic actions like this are paired with sustained, substantive efforts to address inequities in our policies, practices, investments and actions.
I am grateful for the panelists who came to share their expertise and wisdom. Thank you to PSU faculty member Cynthia Carmina Gómez, PSU student leaders Francesca Fredrick and Daniela Guedea England, PSU Resident Elder Tabitha Whitefoot (Yakima Nation), PSU Coordinator of Native America Student Services Trevione Brings Plenty (Cheyenne River Sioux), PSU student and Vice President of the Downtown Neighborhood Association Xavier D. Stickler, and PSU Executive Director Tribal Relations, Modesta Minthorn (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla).
New City Administrator
Speaking of new leadership, I want to give a warm welcome to our new City Administrator, Raymond C. Lee III! He is bringing a wealth of experience to Portland, most recently serving as city manager of Greeley, Colorado. Already I have been so impressed by his knowledgeable, encouraging, and collaborative approach. It was wonderful to meet with him this morning in D3, and to talk about some of our shared goals for the new year. Welcome to Portland, and thank you for stepping into this vital role City Administrator Lee!
Constituent Coffee
What an amazing turnout we had on Saturday! It was wonderful to connect with so many of you at our Constituent Cocoa and Coffee at SE Uplift. We discussed a range of issues, including what is happening in Portland city government, federal response, and traffic safety.. Thank you to all those who came out to share your thoughts and build community. Stay tuned for details about our next event in February!
AAPI Night at the Blazers
Last Friday’s Portland Trail Blazers AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Night was a powerful reminder of how much this city belongs to all of us. The Moda Center isn’t just an arena, it’s a publicly owned space the City of Portland owns. Nights like this show what it can mean when civic spaces intentionally celebrate the communities that make this city what it is.
Throughout the season there are so many celebration nights – honoring LGBTQ+ communities, Latinx heritage, and more – and they matter because visibility, welcome, and joy matter. I am grateful for this city, for spaces that celebrate our communities, and for the joy that comes from showing up together.
Coming Up
Pedestrian Advisory Committee
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will be holding a Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20. Options include attending in-person in room 216 of the Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th Avenue, or registering online for a virtual option.
Attorney General Town Hall
Oregon Attorney General (AG) Dan Rayfield will be holding a town hall along with California AG Rob Bonta, Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, Hawaii AG Anne Lopez, and Maine AG Aaron Frey from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 21 at Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark Street. From birthright citizenship to tariffs to keeping the National Guard off our streets, state Attorneys General are working to hold the federal administration accountable. You can reserve a ticket here.
OR Unplugged Film Screening
SE Uplift’s newest fiscally sponsored organization is OR Unplugged, which is building a community of people who advocate for phone-free schools, more outdoor play, and mindful tech use for kids to prioritize hands-on play, imagination, and real-world relationships.
The group will be hosting a free screening of the film Can’t Look Away at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 21st. Following the screening, a live moderated panel featuring experts, advocates, and community leaders will be co-hosted by Senator Lisa Reynolds, AI expert John Cusey, parent advocate Julianna Arnold and educator Ryan Richardson.
Winter Walk + Roll to School Day
Safe Routes to School is holding its Winter Walk + Roll to School Day on Wednesday, Feb. 4! You can check out tips for organizing your school communities, including options to order incentives (before Wednesday, Jan. 28) at their site.
Save Lloyd Center
A coalition of tenants and citizens seeking alternatives to the planned closure and demolition of Lloyd Center have many projects planned. They have a new website, SaveLloyd.com, have initiated a petition, and are holding events to gather supporters who want to see the mall creatively reactivated rather than demolished.
The official plan for the mall’s redevelopment will be reviewed at a public meeting of the city’s Design Commission on February 5. The meeting starts at 1:30 p.m., with the Lloyd Center comments currently scheduled to begin at 5:15 p.m. You can register one week ahead to get the registration link.
Urban Forestry
Urban Forestry along with Friends of Trees is still offering free yard and street trees for properties located in Argay Terrace, Centennial, Glenfair, Hazelwood, Mill Park, Montavilla, Parkrose, Parkrose Heights, Powellhurst-Gilbert, and Russell-Wilkes neighborhoods. There will be planting events for those neighborhoods on March 7 and March 21. You can sign up for free trees or sign up to volunteer.
Urban Forestry will be hosting a Valentine’s Day-themed tree planting event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 14 at Cherry Blossom Park, 9801 SE Harrison St. Volunteers will help plant 11 new trees and enjoy some tree-themed crafts and snacks.
Small Business Shout Out
 I had a great visit to Dos Hermanos Bakery with Carolyne from the Central Eastside Industrial Council Thursday morning! Dos Hermanos has such a special story. It’s a family-owned business built from immigrant roots, starting as a small neighborhood panadería and growing into a beloved Portland staple. Their pastries and bread carry generations of tradition, and the space still feels grounded in care, hard work, and community. You can check out their delicious food at 1015 SE Stark Street!
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