By Don MacGillivray
If you’ve wanted to know more about neighborhood associations and the many advocacy groups in Portland, the Office of Neighborhood Information (ONI) Community Summit is your ticket.
The Community Summit will be held January 31, 2015 and the entire Portland community is invited to attend and learn about the folks that want to improve our city.
The gathering is a continuation of community summits offered through the Office of Neighborhood Information after a fourteen year pause.
Organizations expected to attend next year’s event include, but are not limited to: Diversity and Civic Leadership, Business Associations, Ethnic groups, Neighborhood Associations, Elders organizations, the Caring Communities Disability Program, Multnomah County Youth, Resolutions Northwest and Homeless groups.
The purpose is to provide training and skill building in the art of advocacy and to learn about other issues going on in the city.
In addition, it allows people to share what they are doing and to work on their important issues together. It will be an opportunity to expand one’s range of knowledge, resources, and relationships in Portland.
Attendees will add to their knowledge of local government and of the current issues of concern. Probably most important is the opportunity to meet a wide range of people and to build relationships among those of like mind.
Through the summit it is expected that Portland will: 1) get a greater diversity of people involved in civic life, 2) build the capacity of community leaders and their organizations, and 3) help people have an impact on public decision making.
The first meeting of the ONI Summit Steering Committee was held in the City Hall Wednesday, October 15 to begin the definition and scope of the event.
Input received through the visioning phase was reviewed and a draft of the timeline for planning the event was discussed. A number of committees will focus on specific organizational areas. Meetings will be held in November through to January to accomplish the necessary work.
The Community Summit will be held at a convenient location near Lloyd Center. As more information becomes available it will be posted on the ONI webpages.
To help ensure equal access the City of Portland will provide translation, and auxiliary aids, and services to persons with disabilities. Childcare will be available for parents. Call 503.823.3093 or go to: www.portlandoregon.gov/oni/65899 for additional information.
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